AI芯視界

A South Korean startup company is three-dimensionally duplicating the real world into the digital world.
The technology is used in a variety of ways, such as making 3D maps that are essential for autonomous driving.
Jeong Eun-joo has the details.
LiDAR, or “laser imaging, detection, and ranging” sensors, are attached to the top of a car. These sensors spin 360 degrees and scan the area to collect spatial information. The three-dimensional road information the LiDAR collects is then moved to a virtual space on the computer.
With artificial intelligence, data such as camera images, drones, and satellite air photographs are combined with the collected spatial information and the real world is quickly duplicated into the digital world.
A South Korean startup developed this "digital twin" technology.
“It just looks like a map from afar, but if you zoom in, you can see that the map is composed of dots.”
Every dot carries data on latitude and longitude.
3D high definition maps made with such "digital twin" technology are already used in Gangnam and Sangam-dong, Seoul, for testing autonomous driving.
“3D spatial information is different from conventional 2D maps as they show information such as the shape of the road or facility locations with very high accuracy.”
3D maps are needed not only for self-driving cars, but also for urban aircraft mobility.
This technology can also duplicate specific places and major attractions in South Korea, such as the Blue House, so they can be experienced in a three-dimensional virtual space.
“The 'digital twin' technology is used not only for industries, but also for simulations that detect information related to urban maintenance and repair. I think applying this technology to real life will lead to innovative changes.”
A three dimensional virtual city that changes in conjunction with the real city can be built with this technology if spatial information is updated in real time.
“Our goal is to digitalize all the spaces we live in to create another world, and use that digitalized world as a tool – a space that we can analyze to build a better reality.”
With further development, this South Korean startup may not only duplicate space, but also time.
Jeong Eun-joo, Arirang News.