EuroVis26

Tutorial: Scientific Visualisation and Digital Twins: Bridging Data Models and Scene Representations using VTK, ParaView, OpenUSD, and Omniverse

What is a digital twin?

A simple everyday analogy is tracking a ride in real time: you see a live representation of a moving system, its context, and its expected behaviour, and you use that information to plan. Scientific and industrial digital twins are far more complex, but they build on a similar idea: connecting a visual representation of a system with data, models, context, interaction, and decision-making.

This tutorial explores how scientific visualisation can support digital twin workflows. We will look at how data, geometry, simulation outputs, scene context, interaction, and narrative can work together to support understanding, communication, and critical reasoning.

Across the tutorial, participants will move through short talks, guided demonstrations, hands-on activities, and discussion. The aim is to experience how visualisation adds value in digital twins: helping people explore complex data, place results in context, communicate across disciplines, and reflect on trust, provenance, interpretation, and design choices.

Tutorial Materials

Tutorial Paper: https://doi.org/10.2312/evt.20261004

A supporting ZIP file will be provided for participants. It contains the materials needed for the practical parts of the tutorial, including:

  • VTK / Paraview dataset for the hands-on scientific visualisation session
  • OpenUSD / Omniverse dataset
  • Supporting notes for the exercises
Download

Tutorial Dataset: https://we.tl/t-ZVQ64gX1uiPriEAp [~800 MB Zip File]

After downloading, unzip the file and follow the instructions included in the folder.

Acknowledgements

This tutorial includes material and examples supported by collaborators from NVIDIA, Kitware, Imperial College London, and the wider scientific visualisation and digital twin community.

Useful Links from Slides

ParaView / VTK resources
OpenUSD / Omniverse resources
Omniverse Kit App / Kit-CAE
NVIDIA / digital twin examples
Imperial College References
Videos