3D Digital Twin for Utrecht Central Station

It enables the administrators to make automated decisions based on data. This is the first time that a 3D model of such a large building has been linked to a real-time data feed and the project is internationally recognized: at the IoT World Congress 2023 in Barcelona, this digital twin station was named the best IoT project. Curious how we achieved this? You can read it in this customer case.

NS is the largest passenger transport company in the Netherlands and focuses on easy, fast, safe and affordable rail travel. In addition, NS is involved in the maintenance of trains and the development of stations and station areas.

NS wilde meer inzicht in wat er op het station gebeurt en miste een integraal beeld over alle assets op NS wanted more insight into what is happening at the station and lacked an integrated picture of all assets at station locations. The aim was to realize one plug-in-ready platform, in which technical operational (IoT) data from intelligent assets at station locations are generously accessed using standard Azure Cloud technology.

Before AMIS Conclusion was involved as a partner in this project, NS already had a 3D model of Utrecht Central Station. To this end, no fewer than twenty billion fine-grained LIDAR data points and 540 high-resolution drone images are collected and processed. AMIS Conclusion has ensured that the real-time status and information of elevators, escalators and passenger flows are loaded into the 3D model. This effectively made it a digital twin.

Within NS, Microsoft Azure is the target platform for analysis of non-customer-facing data. That is why we started setting up a sandbox in which data is read (once), and setting up the analysis environment with R/Python. Then we created a production environment in which external data streams come in automatically via IoT hub and Event Hub. The data is transferred directly to the digital twin model via a check by Azure Functions. Output analyses have also been carried out that are made available both internally and externally.

With the 3D Digital Twin, station managers have direct insight into the status of the station and can intervene when needed. The model is also able to establish relationships between data-producing projects in the building, allowing for extensive analyses and predictions. In this way, NS improves safety and passenger comfort, and prevents defects at the station.

Jean Keultjes, Digital Lead of NS Stations IT, explains: "The model allows us to easily map the current structure of the building in detail, including the real-time use of objects in the building. This is now possible without having to consult a huge number of individual sensors via separate dashboards. That is very valuable to us."

Robbrecht van Amerongen, Head of IoT at AMIS Conclusion, adds: "The model can not only identify equipment defects, it is also possible to simulate the impact of failure through different scenarios. This makes it possible to make better decisions about passenger walking routes, impact on safety, maintenance and sustainability."

The digital twin model dramatically improves station managers' perception of what happens in a station during the day. NS is now also able to plan maintenance on lifts and escalators in such a way that the impact on passenger flows is minimal. Looking to the future, the model also provides insight into energy waste and peak load, which helps to reduce the CO2 footprint. And with the help of audio analysis, NS can automatically detect undesirable behaviour and intervene more quickly in peak situations.

Real-time data processing is essential for up-to-date insight into the current situation and the ability to intervene immediately. Only with up-to-date data are you able to make the right decision. AMIS Conclusion distinguishes itself with 20 years of experience in linking systems and processing real-time data. In doing so, we directly add value to primary business processes and lay the foundation for automated decision-making. Using an agile and iterative approach, we are able to respond flexibly to the daily dynamics of an organization and achieve tangible results within a few months.