DIDYMOS-XR

DIDYMOS-XR: Dynamic and Responsible Digital Twins for XR

DIDYMOS-XR is a European research project focused on advancing the creation and use of digital twins—high-fidelity digital representations of real environments, machines, and processes. The project addresses a growing need for dynamic and continuously updated 3D models that can serve as the foundation for advanced Extended Reality (XR) applications in urban, industrial, and collaborative settings. By combining computer vision, sensor fusion, and artificial intelligence (AI), DIDYMOS-XR aims to transform static 3D scans into living, semantically rich digital twins that evolve in sync with the real world.

To achieve this vision, DIDYMOS-XR develops robust and scalable methods for 3D scene reconstruction from heterogeneous data sources such as LiDAR, RGB cameras, drones, and IoT sensors. These methods enable the integration of multi-temporal and multi-modal data—captured under different conditions—into coherent, accurate maps of real environments. AI-based semantic understanding allows the system to recognize and update objects automatically, linking sensor data to real-world functionality. The resulting framework supports XR applications that demand high realism, precision, and synchronicity, including industrial maintenance, city planning, safety training, and collaborative design.

Beyond technological innovation, DIDYMOS-XR follows a human-centred and ethically responsible approach. The project embeds privacy-by-design and ethics-by-design principles, ensuring that sensitive data are protected throughout capture, processing, and use. Validation takes place across five real-world use cases, where the technologies are co-designed and tested with end users to ensure usability, transparency, and societal benefit. Through this interdisciplinary effort, DIDYMOS-XR contributes to Europe’s leadership in ethical, AI-driven XR technologies and paves the way for scalable, trustworthy digital-twin ecosystems.

Work Package Structure

• WP1 – Project Management

  Ensures the project’s technical, organisational, and financial success. Establishes communication and reporting structures, coordinates scientific activities, guarantees quality control, manages research data, and oversees periodic deliverables and compliance with the Grant Agreement.

• WP2 – User-Centric Development

  Defines benchmarks and evaluation criteria for XR applications. Oversees ethics and GDPR compliance, adopting privacy- and ethics-by-design principles across all developments. Coordinates with the Ethics Advisory Board to ensure responsible innovation and user trust.

• WP3 – World Capture and Synchronisation

  Develops methods to integrate data from multiple stationary and mobile sensors, combining low- and high-resolution inputs for large-scale 3D reconstruction. Investigates semantic and dynamic scene understanding and implements automatic synchronisation between physical environments and their digital twins.

• WP4 – Localisation, Mapping, and Rendering

  Designs high-accuracy localisation algorithms using a coarse-to-fine multi-sensor approach. Researches methods for automatic map updates and adaptive rendering that optimise visual quality and performance across devices and viewing contexts.

• WP5 – XR Applications and Validation

  Integrates the technologies developed in WP3 and WP4 into XR demonstrators across smart-city and industrial domains. Conducts user-centred validation experiments to assess technical performance, usability, Quality of Experience (QoE), and real-world impact.

• WP6 – Dissemination and Communication

  Raises awareness among stakeholders and supports exploitation and innovation strategy. Implements the project’s dissemination and communication plan, engages industry and academic partners, and promotes the uptake of DIDYMOS-XR results through standardisation and outreach.

Use Cases