The LSU distillation columns is an advanced structure that gives opportunity for students to operate and experience commercial chemical equipment that follows specialized design standards. With the scale and complexity of the LSU distillation columns, creating a digital replication of the towers with a multiplayer system transforms learning, for both professors and students are able to analyze and study the facility without physical attendance. The multiplayer network facilitates real-time collaboration in a 3D digital environment through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). To create a collaborative experience, the development between a multiplayer network, digital twin technology, and VR/AR environment enables an interface connecting data, systems, and people. The system will allow multiple people to thoroughly immerse, communicate effectively, and collect information simultaneously through a multitude of devices. Using digital twins in academics is an extension of learning and a different study method before firsthand operations. This presentation aims to share the challenges that arise within a shared virtual reality and multiplayer systems interactions. In addition, it demonstrates how accessible and scalable it is to implement across diverse platforms with open-source software, making it compatible for applications in education, research, and industry.
This project focuses on creating and implementing digital twins of the LSU distillation columns through open-source software. Open-source software is important because it allows more flexibility to modify and improve designs over time as well as be transparent and accessible. We found that open-source software is highly capable and accessible in our workflow when creating interactive digital twins.
Using data from lidar or photogrammetry, a point cloud is generated from an application like CloudCompare for accurate measurement, scale, and location of the environment. This point cloud served as a precise reference when constructing the 3D model on a large-scale system. Blender’s dynamic toolset allowed the team to create a detailed visualization of the data in an efficient manner.
Shifting the 3D model into Godot, interactivity with user movement, object information, and world navigation was added to the application. Blender and Godot are meant to work together and the reason why we chose these specific programs is because they are fully free. Freedom to build, modify, and share what is made. They are made for the user. Finally, for version control, Github was used to track all the changes.
Each of these open-source tools are adaptable and significantly robust for building both optimal digital twins and high-fidelity digital twins.
Pipeline:
Lidar/Photogrammetry:
- Point cloud generated from images provided accurate scale for models
Blender: to model the 3D environment
- Create a master file to combine separate 3D parts
- Individual team member files are linked to the master file
- Establish a material legend and asset library for consistency
Godot: to handle the VR/AR system
- Multiplayer system: backend network
- Toy model mode
- VR/AR mode
- Interactive aspects such as a drawing function and hovering to show information
Github: to source control
- Documentation
- Tracking and maintaining files
This aims to use Blender to model the 3D environment and Godot to handle the VR/AR system. Important features include multiplayer system, toy model mode, VR/AR mode, and other interactive aspects such as a drawing function and hovering to show information. The main emphasis is the multiplayer network as this allows multiple users to interact with the 3D surroundings and collect necessary information in real-time.