The digital twin has become a holy grail for the smart city. A virtual model of a city, or a digital replica of the physical world, digital twins allow the simulation of plans before implementing them, exposing problems before they become a reality. From urban planning to land-use optimization, digital twins have the power to govern the city in a much more effective manner. Cities are large and complex environments, however, and while we have been talking about digital twins for almost 20 years, we are still not there yet. Innovative new integrations may soon change that and bring about the digital twin to enable truly smart cities. “Only with a digital twin in place, can government agencies effectively analyze what can be done with the data and improve citizen living, create economic opportunity and revitalize a closer community,” says Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Esri Singapore. Last year, a partnership between Esri and design software […]