LSU Students Showcase Innovative Digital Twin Applications Beyond Infrastructure

• Proeksa Meas
• 5 September 2026
• Construction Focus
• 701 Views

A new generation of researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) is expanding the potential of digital twin technology, demonstrating how virtual models can transform fields ranging from cultural preservation and space exploration to healthcare and urban planning.

Presented during the Digital Twin Symposium hosted by DigiTwin Global and sponsored by Bentley Systems, four student-led projects highlighted how digital twins are evolving beyond traditional infrastructure applications to address complex global challenges.

Among the featured projects, researcher Susmita Biswas introduced MIRDONA, a dynamic digital twin framework designed to optimize astronaut health and habitat safety for future deep-space missions. The platform integrates environmental, spatial, and human performance data while exploring the effects of acoustics and lighting on crew wellbeing.

Graduate researcher Meredyth Yorek demonstrated how digital twins can preserve cultural heritage by creating immersive virtual experiences for museum collections and fragile historical artifacts, including a 1,000-year-old Indigenous dugout canoe and the LSU Museum of Art’s ivory collection.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Hutto showcased research that applies digital twin and visual effects technology to personalized medicine. Using MRI data to generate patient-specific muscle simulations, the project aims to help clinicians predict injuries, improve surgical planning, and advance medical education.

In another innovative application, computer science student Claire Bonius proposed “Playable Cities,” an interactive urban digital twin platform inspired by sandbox video games. The concept encourages citizens to participate directly in city planning by testing development scenarios and exploring policy trade-offs within a virtual environment.

Bentley Systems said the projects demonstrate how digital twin technology is increasingly being applied to solve challenges beyond engineering, enabling new opportunities in heritage conservation, human-centered space design, predictive healthcare, and inclusive urban development. DigiTwin Global recognized the students’ achievements by awarding scholarships for their research presented at the symposium.

• Bentley
• Digital Twin
• Bentley Systems
• LSU