Never before have large amounts of data been analyzed with the aim of making appropriate decisions and optimizing resources and processes in all sectors and activities. The confluence of technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and so-called “edge computing” are allowing this. And, with the addition of digital twins, this progression will skyrocket.
Machine learning program manager at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Kelly Watt, explains that the key to digital twins is the combination of historical material and current information, for example, from Internet of Things devices. In this way, a “spatial context” can be created that contributes to quality management.
The digital twins at this North American airport are fed by data captured in the terminals, passenger boarding bridges, ground transportation and elevators… “Even the state of the pavement on the runways,” Watt recently added from the Industrial Forum 5G, where experts discussed innovations such as smart cities or the automation of transport, factories and distribution.
The analysts recognized that, despite the enormous deployment of sensors in all types of areas and spaces, the work of real-life professionals continues to be essential. Without their ideas or approaches, first, and without their control and supervision, later, the most sophisticated machines and the most complex connections would be meaningless or useless.
The operations carried out by digital twins often culminate in the cloud. The intention of the engineers at the Dallas airport is to jump from cloud computing to edge computing, which requires establishing instant and reliable communications through 5G. The digital factory director of the defense solutions company Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Crystal Taton, thinks the same.
She also emphasizes that 5G occupies a central position in this transformation, without downplaying the importance of data. For this reason, he misses a modus operandi that is “standard, visible, detectable, accessible.” In addition, she clarifies that some actions do not necessarily have to be in real time, which relaxes the pressure on connectivity.