One of the newest entrants into the security industry is the technology of digital twins. These technology tools not only have enormous potential, but they also represent a paradigm shift in how we evaluate facility data, including facility data related to security operations.
One of the most noteworthy limitations that organizations are currently experiencing with their existing physical security systems is that alarms and events are only available through a single device's perspective within a single area indicating an abnormal state. For example, a single door within the suite of one building identifies a door forced open. This is because existing physical security systems rely on two-dimensional maps with limited geospatial data. With the graphical map, facility managers can observe multiple areas within the device's range that are experiencing abnormal alarms or events, but this requires the assistance of a human operator to manually correlate these events. This is accomplished through the use of their professional education and the creation of engineering drawings that provide the background required for the software mapping tool within the physical security device.
However, this method will become outdated as new technologies such as the digital twin are bringing a significant capability regarding how we evaluate this data. At the most basic level, implementing a digital twin in the security operations environment can enable a more feature-rich environment. One of the most essential features of a digital twin is a reality-captured three-dimensional map of the physical environment, which can cover multiple floors or levels of the facility. Therefore, we can shift from the value of a BIM 3-D model of what should be constructed to a digital twin model of what actually exists in the physical environment.
Through the reality capture value of a digital twin, a pictorial representation of the environment is used, which any user of the facility can recognize. Furthermore, the overlay of sensor data in this three-dimensional map allows for a more advanced assessment of abnormalities or emergencies within the facility. This, in turn, has the potential to reduce response time to emergencies while also increasing the effectiveness of monitoring the facility's operations.
Digital twins also offer real-time information about the physical environment such as facility operations and asset management data. When compared to existing physical security devices, this allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the physical environment. This feature is enhanced further when an additional twin is used as a collaboration tool during an emergency. Due to the twin's pictorial view of the environment's real-world imagery, external partners can use both twins to review the situation and provide additional input during an emergency without requiring prior training.
Overall, the promise and potential for digital twins can become a force multiplier to reduce response time, improve operational assessments, and support situational awareness when properly implemented.
