Re:Ask HN: Are digital twins the future of urban planning?
by perrygeo on Thursday June 08, 2023 @08:26AM
(#36240727)
Computer models (GIS, CAD, and various database technologies) have been in widespread use in urban planning for over 3 decades now. The core idea of a "digital twin" is not new, IMO it's merely a buzzword for a 3D map. Granted there have been huge advances in Lidar and remote sensing technology so the computer models are now richer with data and provide a more realistic interactive experience.
It's not clear how important the interactive experience is to real actual urban planning concerns. For most use cases, you need a robust data model and process automation - the fancy 3D visuals look cool but the bulk of the real work is still plain old applied database management.
It's not clear how important the interactive experience is to real actual urban planning concerns. For most use cases, you need a robust data model and process automation - the fancy 3D visuals look cool but the bulk of the real work is still plain old applied database management.