Our world is becoming increasingly more virtual, promising new ways of relating to each other and of doing business. The benefits of this, however, are unclear. Virtual and augmented realities could amount to no more than Pokémon Go or Second Life, but they could accentuate the harms we already see online in ways no-one can yet imagine.

With regards to engineering, the possibility for the creation of a digital twin could lead to project planning becoming more safe and efficient. This approach has particular benefits in the nuclear sector, where sites are built over a span of decades, and have specific standards that demand certainty and conservatism from project managers.

By creating digital twins of these sites, steps in the decommissioning process can be planned out in the virtual world, allowing them to be performed efficiently while reducing the need for staff to enter hazardous areas.

Guests

Jonathon Gill, Lead Mechanical Engineer, Atkins

Poppy Harrison, Engineer, Atkins

Partner
Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies.Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. They create sustainable solutions that connect people, technology and data to design, deliver and operate the most complex projects.  They deploy global capabilities locally to clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital—and delivered to clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital.