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Real-time 3D visualization is a powerful tool for companies seeking to improve their data visualization capabilities. According to a recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Unity, 61% of companies face visualization challenges. However, deploying a rich visualization method can deliver a range of benefits, including improved design collaboration, greater operational efficiency, and enhanced training experiences. Industry leaders such as Vancouver International Airport, Skanska, and Mortenson are already using real-time 3D visualization throughout the infrastructure project lifecycle to optimize their designs, access siloed data, and enhance safety measures. Learn more about their approach here.
Norconsult, a leading Norwegian engineering and design consultancy, has streamlined its extended reality (XR) workflows with Unity Reflect Review and Meta Quest 2. The firm initially introduced a "drawingless" design and construction approach and now delivers data-rich digital twins as contractual deliverables.
With real-time visualization powered by Unity and Meta Quest 2, Norconsult benefits from sharper viewing environments that enable 50% faster and 75% more intuitive work. The company also enjoys greater accessibility with untethered virtual reality (VR) and smoother collaboration to transform team interactions on the jobsite or in the office.
According to Marius Jablonskis, Digital Transformation Leader at Norconsult, XR was once hardware-heavy and exclusive, with many irritating processes such as multiple devices, data preprocessing, and updates. However, Unity and Meta's fusion has eliminated these issues, making XR accessible and user-friendly with just a simple pair of glasses.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) partnered with Unity’s Custom Solutions team to create the first real-time 3D digital twin for an airport in North America. By consuming real-time information such as flight data and security wait times, YVR uses its digital twin to enable data-driven decision-making and collaboration, improving passenger safety and the overall travel experience. YVR's IoT sensors reduce wait times and congestion, leading to greater airport efficiency, while real-time greenhouse gas (GHG) emission data helps the company work towards their goal of becoming the world's greenest airport.
YVR uses Unity Industrial Collection and Unity Accelerate Solutions to create their digital twin, which also helps measure GHG emissions in real-time per passenger. According to Lynette DuJohn, Vice President, Innovation and Chief Information Officer at Vancouver Airport Authority, the digital twin is a game-changer in the airport industry and will be key to YVR's strategy.
The architecture firm SHoP Architects has embraced real-time 3D digital twins as part of its mission to quickly turn building designs into physical structures. They are one of the first in the industry to do so and have seen results such as reduced costs and quicker decision-making with project stakeholders. In collaboration with JDS Development Group, they are using Unity Pro and Unity Reflect to develop their real-time building information modeling (BIM) application for the Brooklyn Tower project. This application, known as the SHoP Portal Immersive Suite, enables internal teams, clients, and stakeholders to view associated documents and information based on BIM data. Stakeholders can also view renderings and live construction details and technicians can overlay SHoP’s designs in augmented reality (AR) on top of the ongoing construction project. Building owners can review this data for more efficient and economical management. According to Marci Clark, Managing Director of Strategy and Development at JDS Development Group, real-time data is essential to making quicker decisions with all partners involved in the construction process.
The Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) has utilized Unity to create an immersive and extensive digital twin of an entire region, which has set a new standard for future urban planning. OEP's digital twin integrates various data types such as geospatial, building, occupational, and census data, aiming to promote economic investment in Orlando.
The digital twin enables potential companies interested in investing in Orlando to avoid time-consuming and expensive site visits by providing them with land, real estate, and talent details in less than 48 hours. Additionally, utility companies and city planners can utilize the interactive experience of the digital twin to share their proposed infrastructure improvements and ideas.
“This project will revolutionize our business practices and the way businesses experience everything that Orlando has to offer. The digital twin is the outcome of our top-notch modeling and simulation companies, AR/VR/XR, and gaming industries.” – Tim Giuliani, CEO, Orlando Economic Partnership.
Skanska, the world's fifth largest construction company, collaborated with the Swedish VR and AR agency, OutHere, to develop a realistic VR safety training program. The goal of the project was to reduce construction site accidents and create a safer working environment for employees. OutHere was chosen for their creative studio's expertise, and they worked with Skanska to create VR scenarios that placed workers in challenging and potentially dangerous situations. The goal was to force workers to make critical decisions that could prevent virtual accidents or injuries. With VR, workers could experience emotional situations that could not be replicated through traditional classroom or online training. VR training creates visceral awareness of risks without actually putting workers in danger, leading to improved safety behaviors.
Unity is used by Mortenson's construction experts to provide interactive VR and 360-video experiences to clients such as Kaiser Permanente. Mortenson worked with Kaiser Permanente to design a new interventional radiology room by creating a virtual model of the entire room, including all the required specifications, so that the team could enter and interact with the space before actual construction. This allowed the team to finalize major design details and optimize the room for healthcare professionals. The surgical team was able to manipulate the 3D equipment, such as the light booms and tables, as they would in real life. Mortenson used the Unity-powered VR experience to identify design issues and ensure efficient workflows, helping Kaiser stay on budget and schedule without the expense and lead time associated with physical mockups.
Design collaboration, construction, and building operations
Digital twins and real-time 3D are changing the way companies approach projects and make critical decisions. By connecting stakeholders and data throughout the project lifecycle, digital twins can help companies navigate challenges and optimize performance.
Unity's Custom Solutions team can create and deploy custom digital twins to help companies manage asset performance, reduce maintenance costs, maximize revenue, and meet ESG targets. The Unity Industrial Collection offers tools for creating connected, dynamic digital twins, and clients can connect with partner companies for additional support.
If you're looking to start your transformation journey, you can try the Unity Industrial Collection for free and learn more about unlocking the value of your data with the help of Unity's client partners.
Or just contact us for a headache-free approach, and we can get the ball rollin'.