What is the background behind the birth of the “digital twin”?
In 1970, Apollo 13, launched by NASA, was forced to abort its lunar exploration mission due to an accident. An important mission of the ground staff at that time was to return the crew alive and safely to Earth. However, the Apollo lunar lander is located about 330,000 km from Earth. How did the ground staff figure out what to do next?
NASA’s idea was to first build a model of the spacecraft on the ground, use it to simulate a rescue mission, and then formulate a return plan. Such a system is actually what is called a modern “digital twin”.
Engineers can now use the digital twin to test different scenarios in a virtual environment before, during, and after manufacturing any physical part. Masu.
“The ultimate goal of a digital twin is to create, test, and build a device in a virtual environment,” explains the originator of the concept and a leading NASA manufacturing engineer. I’m John Vickers. It is said that the reason NASA used the digital twin was that it was much cheaper than the cost of a failed mission.
Read on to learn how digital twins are being used today to design, build, and operate everything from cars to cities.
Utilizing digital twins in the automotive industry
The emerging self-driving and electric vehicle industries are good examples of the use of digital twins. For example, Tesla creates a digital twin for every car it builds, constantly sharing data between the car and the factory. In addition, we use our digital twin to constantly fine-tune and test performance, and install the latest software in our cars.
DXC’s Robotic Drive platform also provides R&D teams with a digital twin for future autonomous vehicle development. With digital twins, R&D teams can perform advanced analytics on exabytes of global sensor data, shorten research cycles, reduce time-to-market and cost, enabling fully autonomous vehicles. can gain an edge in the competition for development of
“We can all create digital twins of drivers and their driving, cars and what they do, other cars on the road, and the road itself. Digital twins capture vast amounts of data, but Through advanced analytics, DXC works to make sense of captured data in order to recognize complex behavior,” said Dan Hushon, senior vice president and chief technology officer at DXC Technology.
Three core functions required for digital twins of cities
Cities are also using digital twin technology to improve planning, design and sustainability.
The underlying technology is Building Information Modeling (BIM). For decades, this area of research has been used by architects and developers to plan and design buildings, bridges and other public infrastructure. BIM is now an international standard, used by governments, planners, regulators and builders around the world.
Leveraging technology is essential for success in BIM standards, disciplines and processes. A digital twin takes a model of a building and combines it with advanced analytical tools and the latest engineering technology to create a dynamic replica. Dynamic replicas can simulate the lifecycle of physical structures ranging from individual buildings to entire cities across design, construction, operation, and maintenance stages.
“A smart city digital twin is built on three core capabilities: a ‘federated environment,’ ‘accurate digital representation,’ and ‘rich insight,’” said DXC Technology’s leader in travel, transportation and hospitality. said Rob Gordon, Vice President of Global Business Enablement. Let’s take a look at these three functions.
- The first point in the federated environment
is that the design, construction, and maintenance of major urban infrastructure involves many stakeholders, so collaboration is essential. “The digital twin must be accessible to all stakeholders involved in the asset lifecycle,” says Gordon. A single trusted source of information with proper security, naming conventions, data standards, and permissions is a critical factor in preserving the integrity of the digital twin. - Accurate Digital Representation
The next point, as with any digital system, is that maintaining the accuracy of the data is extremely important. A digital twin cannot accurately represent a real-world city unless all elements are updated as assets are built, maintained, and exchanged. With sensors embedded in our infrastructure, we can keep our digital twins up-to-date. - Rich Insights
Finally, an accurate digital twin enables users to simulate scenarios that affect physical assets, including economics, efficiency, and environmental impact. Immersive experiences such as augmented reality (AR), 3D visualization, and reality modeling give users operational insights.
Digital twin case study in Singapore
According to Gordon Heap, General Manager of Singapore Public Sector at DXC Technology, “While countries around the world are building digital twin models of public infrastructure, Singapore is actually building a model of an entire city. It’s one of the best examples,” he said.
Singapore has invested S$73 million to build a live digital replica of the entire city, which civil servants use to conduct virtual experiments and test scenarios before implementing policies. Masu.
This replica was created as a central platform for civil servants. Meanwhile, the City of Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has developed an Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD) plan aimed at promoting the use of technology by the construction and engineering sector.
The IDD plan is based on BIM and virtual design-construction (VDC) technology, according to the Building and Construction Authority. Hugh Lim, Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Buildings and Construction, said, “With IDD, project stakeholders are using ICT and data to work more closely together and achieve higher levels of productivity than ever before.” We can achieve a level of integration,” he said.
The initiative was announced as part of a national strategy to transform the construction industry with technology and is supported by funds and schemes to train government agencies and the construction sector on how to use technology. The Department of Building and Construction has also launched a S$4 million public offering jointly with Infocomm Media Development Department to develop a digital platform for the construction sector.
Greater flexibility in design and construction
Singapore’s ultimate vision is to leverage digital technology at every stage of construction. During the design phase, the digital twin helps us align with clients and meet regulatory requirements. “Of course, architects consider these factors at the design stage, but they are limited by siled models and A0 architectural drawings. It allows for dynamic readjustment when the interdependent elements of are changed,” said Heap.
Design specifications can be sent digitally to manufacturing centers, giving them the most accurate details and tracking delivery timelines. Also, new elements added to the structure can be matched against the 3D model.
“Mixed reality (MR) enables construction site managers to visualize both physical assets and virtual designs during construction, helping to avoid or resolve conflicts between stakeholders. and keep the project on schedule,” explains Heap.
On construction sites, managers and workers can see exactly where parts were lifted and how they were assembled, and ultimately document the final operation and maintenance of the infrastructure in a digital twin. “By predicting failures and augmenting maintenance, repair and overhaul processes, we can document long-term sustainability-improving actions,” says Heap.
Countries Adopting Digital Twins
Many governments around the world have taken national strategic views on digital twins. It is clear that the research fields that form the basis of digital twins, such as BIM, are an important factor in this.
Dubai mandates the use of BIM for large projects. The UK is an international leader in BIM, proposing to build a national digital twin of public infrastructure on the basis of BIM. The European Union’s Horizon 2020 program has announced that it will invest €20 million in building digital twins over the next three years.
In Singapore, the government has selected 12 construction projects to serve as pilot sites for digital technology. Among them is a logistics hub that uses digital simulation and modeling to detect defects early, track safety in real time, and improve accuracy during the construction phase.
“This logistics hub leverages BIM and digital tools as enablers to build partnerships that integrate automation, robotics and sustainable technologies into the building lifecycle,” said developer JTC Corp. Heah Soon Poh, Assistant CEO, Operations, said.
To improve livability and sustainability, more cities will adopt digital twin technology based on BIM standards and BIM processes.
