The Isle of Wight has been selected to help support the UK Government’s National Digital Programme in a series of demonstration projects, which will include the creation of a ‘Digital Twin’ island.
A ‘Digital Twin’ is a collection of information arranged as digital models which can be used by authorities including local councils, health services and emergency services to trial scenarios digitally without affecting the real world.
Ultimately, this could be used to test real-life decisions before they are implemented, helping to understand the implications and unintended consequences.
Public information session
The team leading the project from the Department for Business, Energy, Innovation and Skills is visiting the Isle of Wight to explain more.
The team will be holding a public briefing session at Isle of Wight Council, Council Chamber at 6pm on the 6th July 2022 to outline the national programme’s objectives and the potential benefits to the Island as well as answering any questions related to this important pilot.
Anyone who wishes to attend can express an interest by emailing [email protected]
Techniques to benefit society, the economy, business and the environment
The National Digital Twin programme has been running since 2018, supported by HM Treasury.
The aim of the programme is to develop techniques to use Digital Twin models to benefit society, the economy, business and the environment.
All are welcome to discover more about this interesting and innovative project, and find out the role that the Isle of Wight will be playing in the work.
A presentation will outline the national programme’s objectives and the potential benefits to the island, and there will be a chance to meet the team and ask questions related to this pilot.
Ashman: A great place to be a pilot area
Chris Ashman, the Isle of Wight Council’s director of regeneration, said,
“The vast amount of information that public bodies hold can be crucial in making important decisions about the future, or even making immediate choices in an emergency situation.
“Organising that information and making it accessible using new digital technology can bring real benefits to us.
“The Isle of Wight is a great place to be a pilot area for the National Digital Twin programme, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to find out more about how we will be benefitting from the project.”
Emergent technologies
Digital twins are a combination of emergent technologies that connect physical assets, systems and processes to sophisticated digital models, allowing information to flow in right time between the real world and the digital.
Ultimately, this capability will allows us to test decisions before they are implemented, understanding the implications and unintended consequences, and allowing the freedom to optimise decisions for public benefit.
It provides insights to improve asset performance, service delivery and forecasting resilience to future events.
IW focus
On the Isle of Wight the programme will focus two key areas: infrastructure resilience, emergency planning and responsiveness; and energy demand, use and supply.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
