Helsinki is poised to host MatchXR, the preeminent extended reality (XR) and immersive technology event in the Nordic region, drawing global industry leaders to discuss the future of the digital-physical interface. Among the central figures at this year’s summit is Ville-Veikko Mattila, Nokia’s Head of Multimedia Technology Research and Standardization, who has provided insights into the company’s pivot toward the "AI supercycle" and the foundational technologies of the industrial metaverse. As the XR ecosystem matures, Nokia is positioning itself not as a device manufacturer, but as a primary architect of the connectivity infrastructure and data standards required to make high-fidelity 3D environments a scalable reality.
The Evolution of Nokia: From Consumer Hardware to Global Infrastructure
While Nokia remains synonymous with the mobile phone revolution of the late 1990s and early 2000s—symbolized by the iconic and durable Nokia 3310—the company’s contemporary mission is centered on enabling global connectivity. Today, Nokia functions as a leader in B2B technology, managing the complex networks that facilitate fixed, mobile, IP, and optical communications. This infrastructure is increasingly designed to support the massive data demands of artificial intelligence and immersive media.
In the context of XR, Mattila’s research division focuses on the "multimedia technology" layer of this infrastructure. This involves the development of advanced video compression, spatial audio, and volumetric video. By shifting from proprietary hardware to the development of open standards, Nokia aims to ensure that the next generation of digital experiences—such as the industrial metaverse—remains interoperable across different platforms and devices.
Chronology of Finland’s Immersive Technology Leadership
The emergence of MatchXR as a critical node in the global tech calendar is the result of a multi-year effort to consolidate Finland’s expertise in telecommunications and software.
- 2019–2021: The Helsinki XR Center (HXRC) establishes MatchXR as an annual gathering to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application.
- 2023: The Finnish government officially launches the National Metaverse Initiative. This strategy was designed to position Finland as a global leader in "human-centric" digital twins and industrial XR applications by 2030.
- 2024: Nokia launches the "Veturi" Industrial Metaverse LEAD program. This initiative, supported by Business Finland, involves over 200 partners working on co-innovation projects that integrate 5G/6G connectivity with XR and AI.
- Present Day: MatchXR 2024 serves as a showcase for these integrated efforts, moving beyond conceptual prototypes to functional, standardized industrial tools.
Technical Breakthroughs: Volumetric Video and Gaussian Splatting
A primary focus for Nokia at MatchXR is the demonstration of volumetric video and "Gaussian splatting." Unlike traditional 2D video, which captures a flat plane of pixels, volumetric video captures objects or environments in three dimensions. This allows a viewer to move around the subject, observing it from any perspective.
However, the primary hurdle for volumetric media has historically been the massive file sizes and the computational power required for rendering. Nokia is addressing this through "adaptive streaming of dynamic 3D Gaussian splats." Gaussian splatting is a technique that represents 3D scenes as a collection of translucent, colored "splats" (3D Gaussians), which can be rendered more efficiently than traditional polygon-based meshes.
By applying standardized compression techniques to these splats, Nokia is demonstrating that high-fidelity volumetric content can be streamed to lightweight AR glasses using existing network protocols. This development is critical for the "mainstream" transition of XR, as it reduces the need for expensive, specialized hardware at the consumer or industrial end-point.
Supporting Data and Industry Projections
The push toward standardized volumetric video is supported by significant market growth projections. According to industry analysts, the global volumetric video market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 25% through 2030. This growth is driven by three primary sectors:
- Industrial Training: Digital twins and 3D demonstrations allow for remote training in high-risk environments, reducing costs and improving safety.
- Entertainment and Sports: The ability to view live events from any angle is expected to revolutionize media consumption.
- Healthcare: 3D medical imaging and remote surgical consultations benefit from the depth and accuracy of volumetric representations.
Nokia’s emphasis on "open standards" is a strategic response to these trends. Historically, technologies that achieve global scale—such as the MP3 for audio or H.264 for video—have relied on cross-industry standardization. Mattila suggests that the volumetric industry has now reached a point where quality is no longer the barrier; rather, the focus has shifted to making these experiences practical and interoperable.
The Role of AI in Scaling Immersive Content
A recurring theme in Nokia’s research is the synergy between AI and XR. Artificial intelligence is currently being utilized to automate the most labor-intensive aspects of 3D content creation. In his interview, Mattila noted that AI can now generate 3D models from limited 2D inputs, effectively lowering the barrier for entry for content creators.
In the professional sphere, AI-enhanced video compression allows for the transmission of richer data over lower bandwidths. In the consumer sphere, generative AI may soon allow users to create "dynamic volumetric video" using simple prompts or standard smartphone footage. This democratization of content creation is viewed as a necessary precursor to the "mainstream" adoption of XR technologies.
Official Responses and Ecosystem Collaboration
The Finnish National Metaverse Initiative emphasizes a "human-centric" approach, focusing on how technology can improve physical-world productivity and sustainability rather than replacing reality. This sentiment is echoed in the Nokia Veturi program, which prioritizes industrial applications such as smart manufacturing and virtual collaboration.
The Metaverse Finland Ecosystem (MEFI) has been instrumental in forming sub-ecosystems that allow startups to collaborate with established giants like Nokia. This collaborative model is seen as a competitive advantage for Finland, as it prevents the fragmentation of technology and encourages the development of a unified digital infrastructure.
Broader Impact and Future Implications
The convergence of AI, XR, and 5G/6G connectivity signals a fundamental shift in how humans interact with digital information. The "Industrial Metaverse," as defined by Nokia and its partners, represents a transition where digital twins are not just static models, but real-time, interactive representations of complex systems.
For the global technology sector, the work being showcased at MatchXR serves as a blueprint for the post-smartphone era. While the legacy of the Nokia 3310 lives on in the company’s reputation for reliability and trust, the current focus is on building the invisible "nervous system" of the future. The transition from 2D screens to 3D immersive environments is no longer a matter of "if," but "when," as the technical roadblocks of compression, latency, and standardization are systematically removed.
As MatchXR 2024 concludes, the focus will shift toward the implementation of these standards in commercial products. The collaboration between research institutions, public funding bodies, and private infrastructure leaders suggests that the Nordic XR ecosystem will remain at the forefront of this transformation, prioritizing practical utility and human-centric design in the burgeoning metaverse.
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