UK government has unveils a significant investment in its digital future with the announcement of a brand new £37.6 million National Digital Twin Centre to be established in Belfast.
This state-of-the-art facility, led by the government-backed innovation agency Digital Catapult, promises to not only accelerate the adoption of digital twins but also bridge the gap between various engineering disciplines.
Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical objects or systems, constantly updated with real-time data to create a dynamic digital representation. They offer a powerful tool for engineers, allowing for everything from rapid prototyping to optimising performance.
The Twin Centre, slated to open later this year, aims to be a hub for open innovation. It will provide companies, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large corporations, with access to cutting-edge technologies that create digital twins.
The goal is to reduce the cost associated with developing a digital twin and making it a more accessible option for businesses. Importantly, the Centre will also focus on developing a skilled workforce to fully use this transformative technology.
The Centre will serve as a collaborative hub, bringing together industry leaders, academic institutions, and the public sector. This collaborative environment will nurture cross-sector innovation and accelerate breakthroughs in digital twin technology. It will also contribute 230 new positions in the UK’s manufacturing sector and will generate £61 million for the Northern Irish economy by 2033.
