Exploring digital twins and smart city technologies to build secure, interoperable systems that deliver real social and environmental impact.
Our research is centred on digital twins, smart cities and secure data sharing frameworks. We work with governments, academia and industry to design interoperable architectures that comply with international standards such as the Open Connectivity Foundation protocols and the Cyber Resilience Act. This ensures future-ready, trusted systems that strengthen resilience and enable positive social impact. A snapshot of our latest research findings is outlined below.What is a Smart City?
A smart city is an urban area that uses technology, data and innovation to enhance quality of life, optimise operations and promote sustainability. At its core, it is about using intelligence to make cities more liveable, efficient and resilient.
A smart city is an urban area that uses technology, data and innovation to enhance quality of life, optimise operations and promote sustainability. At its core, it is about using intelligence to make cities more liveable, efficient and resilient.
- Integration of Technology: Use of advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and big data to manage city infrastructure and services.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-time data is collected from sensors, devices, and connected systems to improve urban planning and operations.
- Sustainability and Efficiency: Smart cities aim to reduce energy consumption, manage resources efficiently, and minimise environmental impact.
- Citizen-Centric Services: Focus on improving accessibility, mobility, public safety, healthcare, education, and overall liveability for residents.
- Smart Infrastructure: Includes smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, smart buildings, and efficient waste management.
- Collaboration: Engages citizens, governments, and private organisations in participatory governance and problem-solving to co-create better urban futures.
What is a Digital Twin?
A digital twin is a living, breathing replica of a real-world system, built to mirror, predict and improve it. By connecting the physical and digital, it enables better decisions, sharper insight and positive real-world outcomes.
A digital twin is a living, breathing replica of a real-world system, built to mirror, predict and improve it. By connecting the physical and digital, it enables better decisions, sharper insight and positive real-world outcomes.
The Gemini Principles ensure digital twins are developed responsibly and deliver meaningful value:
- Purpose: Every digital twin must exist to deliver clear social, economic or environmental benefits, ensuring technology serves people, places and communities.
- Trust: Twins should be built on secure, transparent frameworks, protecting privacy and maintaining confidence in how data is shared and used.
- Function: They must provide useful, usable and reliable insights, designed to answer real-world questions and support effective decision-making processes.
- Openness: Digital twins should encourage open standards, shared learning and collaboration, reducing duplication and unlocking wider innovation across sectors and industries.
- Quality: Data must be accurate, consistent and up to date, ensuring insights are credible and outcomes are trusted by all stakeholders.
- Evolution: Twins must be designed to grow and adapt, accommodating new technologies, expanding datasets and evolving alongside changing needs.
Why have previous Strategies Failed
We have scrutinised previous smart city strategies (including our own) and along with a panel of experts drawn up a conclusive list of why they have failed:
- No common data model
- No common security framework
- No governance process across the application layers
- Too many data controllers
- Too much lock in
- SME risk averseness
- Large data lakes creating data debt
- Policy is reactive not proactive
- No capability to manage this
Why a Digital Spine framwork works?
We have scrutinised previous smart city strategies (including our own) and along with a panel of experts drawn up a conclusive list of why they have failed:
- Rushing to implement technology created more silos
- No common data model
- No common security framework
- No governance process across the application layers
- Too many data controllers
- Too much lock in
- SME risk averseness
- Large data lakes creating data debt
- Policy is reactive not proactive
- No capability to manage this
The UK’s regulatory system is also forward looking and a key facilitator of innovation. For example, the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum brings together four key regulators to collaborate and engage with innovators in digital platforms [footnote 22]. The Information Commissioner’s Office recently published a Horizons report exploring how emerging technologies such as next generation internet of things (IoT) and immersive technologies interact with data protection regulations [footnote 23].