Key Insights on Agile Digital Twins from Tech Leaders Mike Stonebraker and Gant Redmon

A recent CSAIL podcast featured an enlightening discussion on agile digital twins with database legend Mike Stonebraker and Hopara CEO Gant Redmon. Their wide-ranging conversation touched on several key topics relevant to Hopara’s work in this emerging technology space.

Stonebraker explained the limitations of current mapping tools like Google Maps and the need to go beyond geographic representations: “I want a floor plan. I want a time series of occupancy of 250 H. If you want other kinds of objects than maps, then you’re out of luck.” He also discussed the demand-driven nature of innovation, noting “I get ideas by talking to people, especially talking to real world users.”

Stonebraker went on to share his perspective on the adoption trajectory for digital twins, emphasizing the importance of solving real-world problems: “I think adoption is going to be driven by users wanting easy ways to gain insights from their data.”

When discussing the value proposition of digital twins, Redmon emphasized how they can help companies better understand and utilize their assets: “It turns out it’s people with lots of stuff, and they want to know what it is, where is it, and what is it saying.” By creating digital representations of equipment, facilities, supply chains and more, businesses can gain new visibility and insights.

Redmon also touched on the importance of tailoring digital twins to the specific needs of each use case, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach: “We’re 3D when you need it, and we’re 2D when you don’t, and a lot of times, you don’t.” This ability to deliver flexible, purpose-built digital twins highlights a key strength of Hopara’s platform.

On the topic of data integration, Redmon explained how digital twins can bring together disparate sources to provide a unified view: “You can actually draw data from all kinds of different places. So you’re wanting to see these layers of information in context, but it doesn’t have to be from just one database.” As more assets and systems become interconnected, this data integration capability will be critical.

The full interview offers many more valuable perspectives from these two respected voices shaping the evolution of digital twin technology and its applications. It’s a great listen for anyone looking to stay on the leading edge.