Chongqing - Nick Tyler, an academician of the Royal Academy of Engineering and director of the Centre for Transport Studies at University College London said that Chongqing should use the power of digital technology to forge a human-centric city, according to the Sixth International Forum on Landscape-City for Sustainable Development recently held in Chongqing. 

Nick Tyler is an academician of the Royal Academy of Engineering and director of the Centre for Transport Studies at University College London. (Photo/Zhang Jinhui)

The participating academicians and experts worldwide emphasized that efficient resource sharing and optimized resource allocation through the utilization of big data and intelligent techniques have become paramount in urban construction.

Using digital technology to construct a "city's brain"

Tyler thinks that, in the digital era, individuals are inundated with vast amounts of data from across the globe on a daily basis. The human brain has the innate capacity to swiftly process and interpret this data, enabling effective interactions with the city, society, and the environment.

Tyler advocated for integrating human-centric design thinking into urban planning, fostering a robust "brain" for the city that facilitates seamless communication among the urban landscape, humanity, and the environment. This necessitates the crucial analysis and utilization of data. 

With the progressive advancements in intelligent big data technologies, efficient data processing systems can serve as the city's cognitive core, comprehensively exploring the intricate interplay between the city and its external environment.

"By harnessing the power of digital technology to construct a 'city's brain,' we can enrich the very essence of urban design, placing paramount importance on human-centric factors and propelling sustainable urban development," Tyler said.

Digital twin technology empowers global connectivity

Man-Chung Tang, a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and academician of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, said that the digital economy's profound transformation has brought about in production methods, lifestyles, and governance. It has become a pivotal force reshaping the global economic landscape. 

Man-Chung Tang is a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the U.S. National Academy of Engineering academician. (Photo/ Shangyou News)

"Digital twin and metaverse technologies are currently at the forefront of digital innovation, enabling enhanced global connectivity and propelling the development of the digital economy," Tang said.

A digital twin is a computer-based model representing a real-life object or system, allowing for analysis, simulation, and optimization to be performed in a virtual environment. 

Tang highlighted the far-reaching impact of digital technology, transcending the boundaries of the business realm and permeating various sectors such as engineering and manufacturing.

With the continuous advancement of communication technology and the rapid enhancement of computer memory and processing speed, multidimensional technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), City Information Modeling (CIM), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can seamlessly integrate management, design, construction, and operation processes. 

The utilization of digital twin technology offers significant advantages in maintaining and operating critical infrastructure like bridges, buildings, and highways. 

Tang said, "Imagining that in Chongqing, we can gather engineers from South Africa and Germany to experience the vibrations of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco during turbulent winds. Such possibilities are the fruition of digital technology's empowering capabilities."