Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTOs) are increasingly used in Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP), yet most remain limited to 2D representations and offer minimal stakeholder interactivity. These limitations reduce their effectiveness in capturing complex socio-ecological-technical dynamics and supporting exploratory what-if scenario planning in a 3D or 4D ocean space. This paper presents Immersive Ocean, a novel Virtual Twin platform developed within EU-ILIAD DTO initiative. Built with game engine and VR technologies, it supports procedural 3D world generation and interactive exploration in both desktop and immersive VR modes. Systematic performance validation demonstrated stable frame rates across both PC and VR platforms. Initial user evaluations (n=22) report high usability and engagement but also suggest areas for improvement in UI clarity and ecological model representation. These initial findings position Immersive Ocean as a promising Virtual Twin solution for an immersive, interactive, and data-integrated approach to MSP and ocean governance. Immersive Ocean is now being piloted with stakeholders in real-world MSP scenarios, including offshore wind farm planning.
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Within the context of the Iliad project, the authors present early design mock-ups and resulting technical challenges for a 2D/3D/4D geo-data visualisation application focused on microparticle flows. The Iliad – Digital Twins of the Ocean project (EU Horizon 2020) aims to develop a ‘system of systems’ for creating cutting-edge digital twins of specific sea and ocean areas for diverse purposes related to their sustainable use and protection. One of the Iliad pilots addresses the topic of water quality monitoring by creating an application offering dynamic 2D and 3D visualisations of specifically identified microparticles, initially observed by buoys/sensors deployed at specific locations and whose subsequent flows are modelled by separate software. The main upcoming technical challenges concern the data-driven approach, where the application’s input data is completely obtained through external API-based services offering (near) real-time observed data from buoys/sensors and simulated data emanating from particle transport models
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The IMPULS-2020 project DIGIREAL (BUas, 2021) aims to significantly strengthen BUAS’ Research and Development (R&D) on Digital Realities for the benefit of innovation in our sectoral industries. The project will furthermore help BUas to position itself in the emerging innovation ecosystems on Human Interaction, AI and Interactive Technologies. The pandemic has had a tremendous negative impact on BUas industrial sectors of research: Tourism, Leisure and Events, Hospitality and Facility, Built Environment and Logistics. Our partner industries are in great need of innovative responses to the crises. Data, AI combined with Interactive and Immersive Technologies (Games, VR/AR) can provide a partial solution, in line with the key-enabling technologies of the Smart Industry agenda. DIGIREAL builds upon our well-established expertise and capacity in entertainment and serious games and digital media (VR/AR). It furthermore strengthens our initial plans to venture into Data and Applied AI. Digital Realities offer great opportunities for sectoral industry research and innovation, such as experience measurement in Leisure and Hospitality, data-driven decision-making for (sustainable) tourism, geo-data simulations for Logistics and Digital Twins for Spatial Planning. Although BUas already has successful R&D projects in these areas, the synergy can and should significantly be improved. We propose a coherent one-year Impuls funded package to develop (in 2021): 1. A multi-year R&D program on Digital Realities, that leads to, 2. Strategic R&D proposals, in particular a SPRONG/sleuteltechnologie proposal; 3. Partnerships in the regional and national innovation ecosystem, in particular Mind Labs and Data Development Lab (DDL); 4. A shared Digital Realities Lab infrastructure, in particular hardware/software/peopleware for Augmented and Mixed Reality; 5. Leadership, support and operational capacity to achieve and support the above. The proposal presents a work program and management structure, with external partners in an advisory role.
ILIAD builds on the assets resulting from two decades of investments in policies and infrastructures for the blue economy and aims at establishing an interoperable, data-intensive, and cost-effective Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO). It capitalizes on the explosion of new data provided by many different earth sources, advanced computing infrastructures (cloud computing, HPC, Internet of Things, Big Data, social networking, and more) in an inclusive, virtual/augmented, and engaging fashion to address all Earth Data challenges. It will contribute towards a sustainable ocean economy as defined by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Ocean, a hub for global, multi-stakeholder co-operation.
