Vic to invest $35.2m in digital twin tech

The Victorian Government has announced $35.2 million investment in digital twin technology and spatial innovation over the next three years.

This announcement follows the Digital Twin Victoria pilot that saw Land Use Victoria partner with CSIRO to develop a digital twin platform for the state.

The initiative will harness digital twin technology, rich 3D and 4D spatial data, artificial intelligence, sensor data and more, and will revolutionise planning, modelling and consulting on the built and natural environment.

Digital Twin Victoria’s platform will allow users to interact with Victoria past, present and future, to make better, data-driven decisions about the impact of change on our communities and the environment.

It will also provide a collaborative, digital workspace for all government departments across planning, transport, infrastructure and land management driving outcomes of value for all Victorians.

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne said, “With the convergence of big data and advanced technology, Digital Twin Victoria will enable us to do in minutes and days things that used to take weeks, months and even years.”

Melissa Harris, Land Use Victoria’s Chief Executive, said she is excited to see how this will take shape over the next three years as we continue to work collaboratively with partners across the public sector and beyond.

Digital Twin Victoria’s platform has been built using TerriaJS technology from CSIRO’s data and digital arm, Data61. While still in its development, the digital twin platform already hosts thousands of datasets from across Australia, Victoria and local government agencies, and is expected to be widely accessible by late 2021.

Jon Whittle, Datat61 Director, explained that digital twins can allow us to visualise and represent data in a way that enables practical applications and outcomes for cities and communities.

“By partnering with government and industry, we can harness siloed data and transform it into a collaborative, interactive piece of technology that shows the bigger picture of what’s happening to our cities over time.

“Digital Twin technologies can offer real-world benefits to not only governments and industries, but communities and individuals, and we are very pleased to now be bringing together our world-leading technologies to create Digital Twin Victoria.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/krunja