Doctoral project: Digital Twin as a Service (DTaaS)
This doctoral project targets to work on Digital Twin, with integration to data intensive sources.
Project information
Doctoral student
Gaurav Garg
Supervisor
Mauro Caporuscio
Assistant supervisors
Roy Andersson, Jetro Kenneth Pocorni, Fredrik Ahlgren
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University, Virtual Manufacturing
Financier
KK-stiftelsen (The Knowledge Foundation) and Virtual Manufacturing
Timetable
14th Oct 2021 – 31st July 2026
Subject
Computer and information science (Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Faculty of Technology)
Research group
The Industry Graduate School for Data Intensive Applications (DIA), Engineering Resilient Systems (EReS), Smart Industry Group (SIG)
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment
Linnaeus University Centre for Data Intensive Sciences and Applications (DISA)
More about the project
Digital twins have been around for quite a long time, but its implementation is quite complicated, it requires expertise and in-depth knowledge of 3D modelling and many other domains. Now, the term is gaining popularity in the manufacturing sector and thus demands research to ease its implementation. There are solutions that provides the tools for the implementation of digital twin or a part of it; like CAD software’s, Product lifecycle management software’s (PLM) and discrete process simulation software’s. However, these solutions come with some of the limitations and lacking in some features. For example, requiring a local copy of the simulation environment, missing common visualization platform and virtual environment support.
The above software’s are categorized as 3D modelling software, which works on 2D platforms that limits the visibility of 3D models. However, this can be solved with introduction of VR/XR/AR environment. Digital twin with virtual, augment mixed reality seems to be a promising solution to solve these problems, however at present it is under development and have some of its own challenges like:
- Rendering of 3D models: To visualize the 3D model in a VR/XR environment, it requires good number of working hours on CAD models. Most of the steps are repetitive on each and every CAD model that needs to be projected. This can be standardized by grouping the models in different categories. The platform will add the necessary details to 3D projections.
- Central Virtual platform: Earlier, people working at different geographic regions had trouble in sharing the designs and distributing the work, due to which software companies have started introducing cloud-based software’s as a service to their clients. Now designers can work on the same model, but with limited real time collaboration. However, this can be solved if people from different geographic regions can share the same virtual platform with their CAD models projected in it. Projection of CAD models is just a part of it, the picture widens when we talk about projecting the complete production unit or process flow models.
This PhD project will focus on development of virtual environment that runs on server/cloud with central storage capability and provides light weight client application. The users can be added without any need of specialized computation resources and competence. The client will be able to add the CAD models in real time execution of virtual environment. The central application can share details with users globally over pixel streaming. Pixel streaming has been used in gaming applications, integrating it in digital twin platform will eliminate needs of local software setups and data storage.
The doctoral project is performed within the research groups Engineering Resilient Systems (EReS), Smart Industry Group (SIG), The Industry Graduate School for Data Intensive Applications (DIA) and Linnaeus University Centre for Data Intensive Sciences and Applications (DISA)