Although the 21st century is predominantly marked by technological progress, social and economic development, it is also an era of unprecedented global challenges. Global issues, such as overpopulation, climate change and cyber-attacks, give rise to constant duress within urban areas.
As cities continue to increase in size and their older infrastructures are often under considerable strain, finding innovative ways to cope with these global challenges are crucial. The ‘Digital Twin City’, a virtual replicate of a city and its networks, is a ground-breaking concept that can help us predict and foresee future events and scenarios. Visualizations of urban processes such as transportation and population growth, enable city planners to make well-informed decisions when managing their cities.
Bridge between the physical and digital realm
Digital twins can be seen as a “bridge between the physical and digital world”. We gain access to new ideas and insights by turning data about a physical object into a model, and turning this model into a visual representation of the object. Imagine creating a virtual copy of a heavily congested traffic area or underground water structures. By mapping out all the relevant data points, we can see exactly where mobility issues arise and which improvements need to be made to resolve or, even better, avoid these issues.
If this concept is applied to an entire city or region, rather than just one static physical object, the benefits are even greater. Creating a digital copy of a city allows us to accurately mimic its vital infrastructures.
Check out the Digital Twin City concept in detail at http://www.sim-ci.com