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In 2014, Singapore launched Virtual Singapore – a digital representation of the country. The digital representation, or twin, can help government agencies collaborate, test-bed new technology, and support policy decisions, within a true-to-life model of the city (Pitalwalla, 2021). Below you can watch a short video about the project:

With nearly 6 million inhabitants and one of the highest population densities in the world, Singapore has become a benchmark in the integration of the most innovative technologies for urban planning and management. Its Virtual Singapore project is one of the most advanced digital twins, a kind of virtual laboratory for monitoring cities and predicting possible incidents affecting their infrastructure and services. Thanks to technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data and cloud computing, accurate data is collected that generates layers of information from buildings, public services, businesses and the movements of people and vehicles, which are useful for urban planners to experiment with a priori. The system enables the creation of a dynamic three-dimensional model and a collaborative data platform with all kinds of information, including data on demographics, weather or traffic in real-time, which will be essential for making decisions previously tested on the virtual replica (Arroyo, n.d.).

Leading the path to a self-sufficient energy hub

Data such as the height of buildings, the surface of the rooftops and the amount of sunlight are available in Virtual Singapore. This allows urban planners to analyze which buildings have a higher potential for solar energy production, and hence more suitable for the installation of solar panels. Further analysis can allow planners to estimate how much solar energy can be generated on a typical day, as well as the energy and cost savings (National Research Foundation, n.d.). Furthermore, urban planners can simulate wind flows in Virtual Singapore which in turn could be used to find the best stops for wind turbines to further fuel sustainable energies. All in all, Singapore’s software is a very powerful tool to design the green city of the future.

Singapore is a shining metropole of South East Asia and its government has understood that a digital transformation is the only way to design future-proof cities. The western world like North America and Europe can learn a lot from the role model Singapore. Having powerful tools such as Virtual Singapore, a long-term strategy for urban planning and a clear goal towards sustainable energy is of utmost importance in transforming our cities and increasing the quality of life for its citizens.

Do you know of comparable projects in Europe or America? Do you think Asia could overtake us in terms of quality of life aspects in the next 10 years? Then feel free to leave a comment and let’s discuss!

Sources

Pitalwalla, S. (2021, April 8). Digital twin technology can open up vast new possibilities. The Business Times. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/digital-twin-technology-can-open-up-vast-new-possibilities

Arroyo, I. (n.d.). Digital twins to design the city of the future. SACYR. Retrieved on 2021, October 9 from https://www.sacyrconcesiones.com/en/web/sacyr-corp/-/gemelos-digitales-para-dise%C3%B1ar-la-ciudad-del-futuro

National Research Foundation. (n.d.). Virtual Singapore. Retrieved on 2021, October 9 from https://www.nrf.gov.sg/programmes/virtual-singapore

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Many of you might remember the Bitcoin (BTC) hype end of 2017. At its peak, BTC rose to $19,783.06 and many people couldn’t understand how a digital coin is worth a little fortune. A digital coin consisting of 0’s and 1’s. And the same is happening again. This time it’s mainly digital art, so-called non-fungible tokens (NFTs). To give you an impression, here are some examples:

Everydays: the First 5000 Days

“Everydays: the First 5000 Days” is a digital work of art created by Mike Winkelmann, known professionally as Beeple. The work is a collage of 5000 digital images created by Winkelmann for his Everydays series. Its associated NFT was sold for a whopping $69.3 million at Christie’s in 2021, the most expensive NFT and among the most expensive works by a living artist (Forbes, 2021).

CryptoPunk 7804

This low-resolution pixel art was generated by an algorithm showing a blue alien wearing a hat and puffing on a pipe. Many people laughed when Dylan Field said he owned the “digital Mona Lisa”, but he wasn’t totally wrong. Earlier this year it was sold for 4,200 Ethereum, worth about $7.5 million (Protocol, 2021).

Etherrock

You might think the crypto and NFT scene is completely nuts, but the most hilarious art was sold in August. A JPEG of a rock was sold for $608,000 (CNBC, 2021) which is now worth $1.3 million.

As the examples show, we are in the midst of a new mania which not only shows its good sites. The Financial Times sees also fraudulent activities during this hype. “NFTs are just the latest way that what we might call the cryptosphere has found to make a quick buck.”, says Kelly. Frances Coppola, a finance and economics commentator, agrees that it’s solely about getting rich that drives everything as it is with all the crypto projects right now (Financial Times, 2021).

Despite all the criticism, the underlying idea is actually good. While physical art is by nature scarce and not (or hardly) replicable, and ownership is typically clear, digital art and digital artists have historically suffered from a more limited ability to profit from digital artwork. NFTs are a gamechanger for the digital art scene, increasingly allowing digital artists to make a living off their work as the examples show (Forbes, 2021). Thus, I am sure that NFTs are not only hype but here to stay. Most likely prices will come down as it was with BTC, but it’s a huge opportunity for artists to protect their work.

What do you think about NFTs? Have you heard of it before? To all the people who own an NFT artwork. Please comment below on what you have created or bought!

References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2021/03/11/beeple-art-sells-for-693-million-becoming-most-expensive-nft-ever/

https://www.protocol.com/figma-ceo-cryptopunk-nft

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/23/people-are-paying-millions-of-dollars-for-digital-pictures-of-rocks.html

https://www.ft.com/content/2757d760-c29e-4834-8636-7601adbacf47

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahmayer/2021/09/03/nfts-what-the-hype-is-about-and-where-they-are-headed/