You need to rescue him before the typhoon arrives

ㆍ‘Graffiquo’ captures moments from disasters using digital twin technology.

ㆍDrones, 3D modeling, and AI create the Twin Cities.

ㆍAre digital twins a Dystopia or Utopia for us?

‘Scene stealer’ in a disaster

After a storm has passed, disaster recovery becomes the most crucial task. To assess the damage quickly and accurately, the first step is to capture the scene of the disaster. A Singapore-based company, Graffiquo, using digital twin technology, becomes a ‘scene stealer’ at disaster sites. A digital twin is a virtual model of a city that replicates its roads, buildings, public spaces, and more, created from real-time 3D data. Graffiquo’s digital twin platform converts the drone images of the damage into a 3D model of the city. Then, using AI, it calculates the amount of damage to homes, crops, and livestock. After a storm, people may find it difficult to evacuate from their flooded homes. In such situations, drones can be used to gather precise data on the extent of damage caused to homes, farmland, critical bridges, and other infrastructure.

Graffiquo collaborated with Cauayan City to provide disaster relief assistance as part of the UN’s Smart Cities ASEAN program. Cauayan City, a small town in the Philippines, experiences natural calamities every year. Following the destruction caused by Typhoon ‘Ulysses’ in November 2020, Graffiquo’s digital twin platform was able to quickly assess the damage, amounting to $11.5 million in infrastructure and $460,000 worth of crops. The platform also identified 7,000 families who required immediate assistance. With the help of Graffiquo’s advanced technology, the government was able to distribute over 36,000 relief kits in just two days. This was the first digital twin project in the Philippines that created a 3D map of an entire city.

3 steps to create a virtual city

Graffiquo has developed a digital twin solution that works in three simple steps. In the event of a disaster, a drone is flown over the area to capture a 3D image of the entire area. Using AI, the software accurately calculates the extent of the damage in real-time by taking into account factors such as road width, water levels, and more. Residents’ personal information can be identified and casualties can be tracked with a digital twin. Additionally, it helps prevent harm to rescuers.

1. 3D data capture: Professional pilots and drones use digital tools to capture a city’s land, assets, and objects with centimeter accuracy in real-time photos.

2. Image interpretation: The acquired data is used to interpret photographic images. These images are converted into high-quality 3D models and created in virtual twin space.

3. Publish the digital model: After capturing data, a 3D model is created and uploaded to a server that can be accessed via the Graffiquo platform. Graffiquo is using AWS cloud services. After processing photos of the city, the data is sent to the hosting service.

Dekalcomani Society

In the future, there will be a ‘virtual city’ that is an exact replica of a real city, and a ‘real city’ that is a reality version of the same city. It’s like having a copy of the real world in another realm. In a digital twin city, it is possible to simulate and experiment with social infrastructure and new technologies that will shape our future. Not only the buildings but also the people, animals, and objects can be replicated in a digital twin city. Every person, animal, and object will have an avatar.

It’s already starting to happen. ‘Tesla’, an American electric car company, has incorporated a digital twin in every new car it produces. Equipped with sensors, the digital twin enables AI to analyze the car’s performance and diagnose issues remotely. ‘Mobiltech’, a South Korean startup, is experimenting with autonomous vehicles in an immersive digital twin space. ‘ETRI(Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute)’ of South Korea has developed a digital twin barn to monitor pigs’ behavior round-the-clock. Although it is too early to predict, medical technology that aids in treating people remotely and drug discovery could also be facilitated by digital twins.

In the world of digital twins, 3D images can be created to test the behavior of people, animals, and objects. This technology allows us to simulate worst-case scenarios, such as melting glaciers, burning Amazon rainforest, and even the end of the world. Despite these scenarios not happening yet, simulating them can help us prepare for any crises that may occur in the future. A society driven by imagination through decalcomania could turn into a dystopia, but humanity will always seek solutions. To bring utopia to those of us who live in the real world.