From Scans to Digital Twins: A Quick Journey
Students from the Computer Simulation & Gaming (CSG) program at The University of Tulsa are offering a behind-the-scenes look at how they create 3D digital entities for digital twins used in smart installations.
The featured video includes CSG undergraduates Bridget Kurr and Ryan Pederson, who helped lead the VR team on this interdisciplinary research project. Their work is part of a broader initiative connected to the VIRSA (Virtual Immersive, Remote Sensing, and Actuation) system, and it complements a recent research paper that explores the challenges and strategies behind creating optimized 3D assets for standalone virtual reality (VR) platforms.
🔧 The Research Behind the Visuals
The student-led project dives into multiple methods for building high-quality digital assets, including:
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3D Scanning
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Laser-based Surveys
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Photogrammetry
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Procedural Modeling
The team’s research doesn’t stop at technique—it also includes a detailed cost-benefit analysis comparing outsourcing versus in-house development of digital entities. Their work offers insight into scalability, investment trade-offs, and quality control, making it valuable not only for developers but for industries looking to adopt digital twin solutions in smart systems.
🌐 Why It Matters
Digital twins are revolutionizing how we interact with physical systems—from engineering and energy to education and healthcare. By developing efficient, scalable ways to produce VR-compatible 3D models, TU students are helping shape the future of remote monitoring, interactive simulation, and immersive analytics.
Whether you’re a student, developer, or industry leader, this project offers a window into the future of digital environments and the emerging role of simulation in real-world problem-solving.
Congratulations to our CSG students for their groundbreaking work—and for continuing to elevate TU’s role in applied research and innovation.
