One of the more compelling demonstrations at Autodesk World Press Days was the use of a lens within a 3D city model to display underground utilities and simulate network connections. The image to the right is a screen capture from the demo, which interestingly depicts Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
In this demo, the high-rise building within the lens was nearing completion and was being connected to the water network. The lens was used to trace back to the water main valve, showing what other buildings would be affected by the temporary closure of the valve. The lens also simulated the time it took for the water main to drain. When the building was connected, and the valve turned back on, the lens showed the flow levels and confirmed the success of the connection.
I love the idea of coupling this lens functionality with a high-resolution 3-D city model. It’s a compelling way to marry high-resolution geoexploration environments with information specific to operations. By revealing the underground utility information, along with the physics of water flow, this prototype created a compelling new application environment. I can imagine this same interface being used by the designer, engineer, construction manager and water department. It provides just the right information needed for the task at hand, with a simulation that reinforces the action.
