Conference; UNN to collaborate with UK-based professor on Digital Twin Technology

By Agency Report

Prof. Paul Eke, a Professor of Digital Twin and Systems Engineering at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom has said that he will collaborate with Faculty of Engineering,  University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in the area of digital twin technology.

Eke said this in Nsukka on Thursday while presenting a paper during the 3rd International Conference of UNN Faculty of Engineering, with the theme: "Sustainable Engineering and Industrial Technology Conference (SEITC),"

He said that digital twin technology is a digital representation of an intended or actual real-world physical product, system, or process that serves as the effectively indistinguishable digital counterpart of it for practical purposes.

"Digital twin is a technology that uses real-world data to create simulations that can predict how a  product or process will perform, as well as achieve sustainable solutions.

"It is designed to solve problems through the replication of products and services for simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance with remote monitoring.

"This technology is changing the way engineering is being taught in the university and how it is being applied all over the world.

"It's a good tool for every Institution to adopt because the new technology has received commendations globally," he said.

The don said with partnership with the faculty he would replicate what he had been doing globally in some institutions and industries in the field of digital twin engineering in UNN.

"Our target is to make sure that products and services outputs from UNN will be of global standard.

"We are going to achieve this through setting up a centre of excellence that will coordinate and engineer the application of the digital twin technology in teaching and learning," he said.

Speaking virtually, Hossein Rouhani, a Mechanical, Mechatronics and Clinical Engineer at University of Alberta, Canada in a keynote tagged  "Human Spinal Column".

Rouhani said that, in-vivo measurement and interpretation of inter-vertebral angles were important for clinical evaluations, developing injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies.

"Motion assessment of the human spinal column using linked-segment models can enable estimation of inter-vertebral angles and moments." he said

He explained that, movement measurement provided objective information about movement disorder, that's why is widely applied for clinical evaluations.

"Despite the accuracy of gait laboratory equipment, there is limited measurement space in most gait laboratories.

"In-field movement measurement using wearable sensors is preferred for clinical evaluations because it allows for long-term testing during daily life.

'Wearable sensor technology allows for real-time clinical applications such as falling prevention and mobile health monitoring during daily life, the clinical engineer said.

He expressed appreciation to UNN faculty of engineering for finding him worthy to present a keynote during its sustainable technology conference.

In a remake, Prof. Charles Igwe, the Vice-Chancellor of UNN commended the faculty for organising the conference and their efforts in ensuring sustainability in engineering.

Igwe however, urged engineers in the country to adopt the emerging global changes in  engineering profession to be at par with what is obtainable globally.

"This will also help fast track growth of the nation's economy as well as move the country to a greater height.

Also in a remake, Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, UNN said that the conference was in response to the ever-increasing need to galvanise international scholars to deliberate the issue of human development, technology  sustainability, good environment to achieve robust economy.

"This international conference has been conceptualised to attract national and international scholars  captains of industry to rub minds together.

"It is common knowledge that Nigeria has an enormous number of skilled professionals in diaspora comparable to China and India.

"Through this conference  Prof. Eke of Leeds University, UK, an expert in the area of digital twin, has agreed to collaborate UNN engineering faculty.

"This will enable engineers in the faculty to know more about digital twin which has brought huge  technological innovations and benefits to many countries of the world,,he said.

Earlier, Dr Bonaventure Okere, Executive Director, Centre for  Basic Space Science (CBSS) Nsukka Regional Office, who chaired the conference commended the faculty for the conference.

Okere said that, the quality of resources persons locally and internationally was an indication that the conference would be result oriented.

The director however, urged stakeholders in education in the country especially the National University Commission (NUC) to review curriculum of universities to reflect new teaching and learning  globally.

According to him, this would made it possible for Nigerian students and graduates to be at par with their colleagues globally in all areas of studies. (NAN)