Published on 11 April 2024
The ‘SimCity’ project in Norrköping has produced a 3D-printed digital twin of the city which is currently on display at Norrköping’s Visualization Centre. The project, which has received funding from Norrköping’s fund for research and development, is a collaboration between Norrköping Municipality, Linköping University, Visual Sweden and Norrköping’s Visualization Centre.
The overall aim of the project was to develop a platform and the methodology for creating digital twins of cities, with Norrköping being the first city to trial the new approach. Using AI and the latest research in visualization and image analysis, it is now possible to automate the traditionally highly labour-intensive process of mapping and classifying content in maps. This innovative approach means that AI does the ‘heavy lifting’, digitally generating everything from trees to houses or traffic roundabouts.
At the exhibition at the Visualization Centre, visitors can learn about the city’s history in a fun and engaging way, exploring current and future opportunities and challenges. The digital twin opens up new ways of thinking, by visualizing large amounts of information and making it understandable in an easily accessible visual format. It provides a simpler way to understand quite complex issues within the urban development process, such as sea level rise, climate change, and how noise affects cities.
Digital twins can also be used to simulate the impact of new developments or test scenarios before they’re implemented, providing greater insight into future plans using a cost-effective and more sustainable approach.
More information can be found on Linköping University’s website: https://liu.se/nyhet/norrkoping-har-fatt-en-digital-tvilling
There is also a film about the opening of the exhibition – Visual City (Swedish only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTgFUjG4Wdg