The £46 million TransiT Hub initiative, led by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Glasgow, aims to use digital twins to understand and decarbonize transport systems, including road, rail, air, and maritime transport.
Digital twins involve digital replicas of the real world that collect real-time data through sensors connected to infrastructure like roads, railways, or shipping, allowing analysis of different scenarios and optimization of processes in near-real time.
The TransiT research hub will use digital twins to accelerate testing of new transport systems, with the aim of providing a blueprint for other sectors to make transformational changes using digital twins.
Digital twins can help reduce carbon emissions by providing real-time information to motorists on the shortest route out of traffic congestion, simulating and testing future decarbonized transport systems like electric road systems and alternative fuels, and offering personalized digital twin assistants to help travelers choose environmentally friendly routes based on their needs.
The focus of the TransiT research project is on exploring how digital twinning can enhance the design of inclusive future transport solutions for all citizens, considering mobility challenges throughout journeys, and supporting innovative technologies to cut carbon emissions through transformative digital solutions.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: HeraldScotland, BusinessGreen, ComputerWeekly, DailyMail, AOL