RBF Morph: Digital Twin and Simulation Serving Automotive, Aerospace, Naval, Medical Sectors, and More
An interview with Marco Evangelos Biancolini, founder of RBF Morph and professor of machine design at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome, to discover how the company's digital twins support industries such as motorsports, aerospace, and healthcare.
Digital twins and simulations are key topics in many industrial sectors, starting with the world of automotive racing, where even the smallest detail can make a difference. Among the companies active in this field is an Italian entity, RBF Morph, which works closely with Ansys, one of the most prominent companies in the simulation sector. Specifically, RBF Morph specializes in mesh morphing.
Mesh Morphing According to RBF Morph
Mesh morphing is a technique primarily used in computer graphics, engineering, and numerical simulation to transform a geometric mesh (a three-dimensional digital representation of an object) from an initial shape to a desired final shape. In the context of simulations, mesh morphing allows the mesh of a model to adapt when it undergoes deformations during the simulation process, ensuring that the mesh remains accurate and functional throughout the simulation.
In practice, RBF Morph’s technology conducts various simulations of different states, which are then applied to the model. When engineers view it, they can adjust parameters and immediately see the impact of various changes in real-time, allowing them to choose the most effective solution.
For example, in the automotive world, it is possible to modify the 3D model of a spoiler or any other part of the vehicle and immediately see the differences in aerodynamics. It is no coincidence that RBF Morph started its activity in motorsports, supporting a Formula 1 team. At the time, "they asked us to develop a technology that didn’t exist," explains Marco Evangelos Biancolini, founder of the company and professor of machine design at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome. "It was the time of regulatory changes in Formula 1, with significant modifications to the size of the wings, and a tool was needed to design the new cars. We began by studying thousands of cars with numerical simulation to find the best one. Even then, we were using AI and machine learning."
After the success of this first project, RBF Morph began to expand. Both in the automotive sector, collaborating with Dallara (which, among other things, manufactures cars for Formula E and the IndyCar Series), and in other fields, such as aerospace, with Piaggio Aerospace, or the medical field. "We are currently in a scale-up phase, and this fall, two more members should join our team," says Biancolini.
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The Commitment in the Medical Field
One aspect that might seem surprising is RBF Morph's involvement in the medical field. When talking about CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) and digital twins, one usually thinks of cars, aircraft, industrial machinery, and even entire production lines for factories. Yet, the Roman company’s technology is also well-suited for the healthcare sector. An example is the MeDiTATe project (The Medical Digital Twin for Aneurysm) for the prevention and treatment of aneurysms. Here, a digital twin of the patient is generated based on real data, and doctors can observe the effects of various treatments even before applying them. Other projects in the medical field simulate drug administration through inhalation, as well as surgical interventions, including spinal surgery. Doctors can use a tablet to simulate the impact of various procedures and decide on the best approach for that specific patient. The next step will be to use more modern interfaces, employing VR or augmented reality systems. "We are currently working to make these applications available on devices like Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro." We were able to take a quick “virtual” look at some of these projects during our interview with Biancolini, ranging from virtual operating rooms, naturally with real patient data, to gigantic hangars for airplanes, obviously for aerospace applications.
Big Data? We Create It Through Our Digital Twins
An unexpected aspect of RBF Morph's technology is that it allows for the creation of data suitable for training AI models. "We take a thousand patients and perform operations of statistical shape modeling on the real data of these individuals," a technique used to represent and analyze the variability of complex objects’ shapes, such as human organs, anatomical structures, or other three-dimensional entities. "From this information, we then create other synthetic patients, useful for training AI models."
The Future of RBF Morph
As mentioned, RBF Morph is currently in a scale-up phase. The collaboration with Ansys is fundamental, as it is one of the most active companies in the simulation and digital twin sectors. Together with the multinational, RBF Morph has released two applications integrated into Ansys solutions: RBF Morph Fluids and RBF Morph Fluids Structure. However, the Roman company doesn’t limit itself to collaborating with Ansys, and this fall, it will release the rbfCAE platform, a new version of its Stand-Alone application. Biancolini explains the reason: "In this very niche sector, a single CAE software is not used. All major companies use various software, both commercial and open-access." Hence, the need for a version that is compatible and usable with other applications.