Model-based Enterprise Architecture for Institutional Management Digital Twins

Global Technology Connection, Inc. and its university partners propose a structured, model-based approach to the definition and development of Institutional Management Digital Twins that is guided by architectural and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices and principles. The proposed technical approach identifies a series of steps aimed at guiding engineers through such digital twin development tasks. Such capability would provide multiple benefits including having optimal level and granularity of information and better problem understanding for critical decision making, model and knowledge reuse to reduce digital twin development time frames, improved operations, communication, and collaboration among several stakeholders. In Phase I, we will identify users and use cases, scope and context, data sources and types, modeling needs and its details, and the final product and its views. Access to ongoing Digital Twin proof-of-concept studies and the team’s breadth of experience in modeling languages like SysML and MBSE solutions in the field of Digital Twin Institutional Management to support Health/Automated Decision Making at multiple scales across buildings and campuses will be leveraged in this effort. In phase II, we will expand on the Phase I developed Digital Twin architectures to develop commercial level prototypes and apply them on identified industry/partner’s buildings.

NASA’s infrastructure and buildings across multiple campuses vary in age, technological capabilities, and connectivity. The proposed technical approach identifies a series of steps aimed at guiding engineers through digital twin development tasks. This provides benefits including having optimal information for critical decision making, enabling model reuse to reduce development costs, and improved operations. Building management tools result in identifying, prioritizing, and achieving significant cost savings across NASA campuses.

The cost savings and operational benefits of Institutional Management Digital Twins is universal. Due to the flexible nature of our technology that utilizes architectural and MBSE practices and principles, digital twins for non-NASA government and private facilities can be easily developed and implemented to minimize inefficiencies and improve operations.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.