Digital Twin & Robotic Automation Center for Knowledge Sharing, Entrepreneurship, and Research

DigiTRACKER

Digital Twin & Robotic Automation Center

Welcome to the Digital Twin & Robotic Automation Center for Knowledge Sharing, Entrepreneurship, and Research!

Our Mission:

The “Digital Twin & Robotic Automation Center for Knowledge Sharing, Entrepreneurship, and Research” (DigiTRACKER) aims to be at the forefront of exploring, developing, and implementing Digital Twin and Robotics technologies. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, industry partners, and government agencies, the DigiTRACKER center will drive innovations and practical solutions to address challenges facing the industries.

Our Vision: 

An innovation engine that leverages the partnership among university, industry, and government for a better built environment.

Introduction

Digital Twins integrate IoT sensors, machine learning, and software analytics with spatial network graphs to create living digital simulation models that update and change as their physical counterparts change. This technology allows for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and more efficient designs by simulating different scenarios and analyzing outcomes without the risks of real-world trials. Robotics is a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering, dedicated to the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. Robots are autonomous or semi-autonomous machines capable of performing tasks in various environments, from controlled industrial settings to unpredictable natural landscapes. The evolution of robotics has been propelled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), sensor technology, and materials science, enabling the creation of robots that can learn from their environment, make decisions, and interact with humans and other machines in increasingly sophisticated ways. The integration of robotics with digital twin technologies opens up new possibilities for innovation. By simulating robots in virtual environments, researchers and engineers can optimize designs, test control strategies, and predict system performance before deploying physical robots, significantly reducing development time and costs. Given their potential, there is a significant need for focused research and development to overcome current limitations and unlock new applications.

Make a Wish

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3qIOaIJlDdoUG9M

 

Our Founding Team: 

Founding Director: Dr. Jiansong (Jason) Zhang

Founding Members: Dr. Claudio Martani

                                     Dr. Yunfeng (Cindy) Chen

                                     Dr. José Garcia-Bravo

                                     Dr. Jin Wei-Kocsis

                                     Dr. Byung-Cheol Min

                                     Dr. Dongming Gan

News:

Sept. 4th, 2024 - DigiTRACKER launches with seminar on human-AI collaboration in modular building production

 

Publications:

Zhang, J., and Yang, F. (2024). "Building a Bridge between Building Information Modeling and Digital Twins: Introducing Invariant Signatures of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Objects." Chapter 2, Digital Twins in Construction and the Built Environment, ASCE, Reston, VA. 

Xue, X., Zhang, J., and Chen, Y. (2024). "Question-answering Framework for Building Codes Using Fine-tuned and Distilled Pre-trained Transformer Models." Automation in Construction, Volume 168, Part A, 1 December 2024, 105730.