Digital Worlds

This theme explores how digital technologies, from sensor networks through to digital twins, are transforming both real and virtual worlds, as well as the lives of those who inhabit them. For example, the rapid increase in large and complex data sets from diverse sources—such as environmental monitoring, remote sensing, transport, social media, and citizen science contributions—combined with advancements in methodologies and computational techniques, offers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen our understanding of the impacts of environmental change and to develop innovative solutions to environmentally related challenges. In parallel, companies are integrating digital twins into their operations to optimise management of systems that impact on the services and resources we interact with.  

As technology becomes more integrated into everyday life, it shifts from being a mere tool to becoming a collaborator in human decision-making. Importantly, with the increasing sophistication the digital landscape, it is crucial that the technologies we design are grounded in human understanding, ethics and the science that underpins the world in which we live. This theme aims to shape the future of digital environments in ways that are ethical, efficient, and deeply connected to human needs.