Virtual creation of real-world projects

1 . A method for virtual collaborative creation of real-world projects, the method comprising:

by a server system comprising one or more server computers:

providing a virtual world system comprising virtual replicas of real-world elements;

enriching the virtual replicas using data captured by sensors of connected devices in communication with the server system;

providing a collaborative creation platform stored in the server system, using the collaborative creation platform to create one or more virtual projects in the virtual world system representing one or more real-world project proposals,

using the collaborative creation platform to select assets and to add the assets to at least one of the virtual projects, placing corresponding virtual replicas of the assets in desired locations in a 3D virtual space of the one or more virtual projects,

using the collaborative creation platform to receive votes on preferred projects comprising selected assets and to store the received votes of the users in a project database in a form of voting scores; and

using the collaborative platforms to implement a recommender system for ranking and filtering of the proposed real-world projects through simulated filtering, wherein the simulated filtering includes running goal-based simulations to obtain simulation results.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual world system includes a replica editor, and wherein the virtual replicas are created using the replica editor, wherein the replica editor comprises modeling tools that enable generating virtual replicas with data and instructions based on CAD models of the real-world elements, the modeling tools enabling inputting building information models.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing the simulation results with one or more aspects of the proposed real-world projects.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the goal-based simulations are based at least in part on the data captured from the real-world elements.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the virtual replicas are developed using a replica editor, and

wherein the replica editor enables input of data and instructions associated with the virtual replicas, comprising expected functioning and impact of the virtual replicas on a corresponding virtual project.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the real-world elements has associated therewith priority data, such that certain real-world elements have a higher priority than other real-world elements, and wherein the priority of a given real-world element and its corresponding virtual replica affect the recommendation of a corresponding virtual project.

7 . A system for virtual collaborative creation of real-world projects, the system comprising:

a server system including a memory and a processor, wherein the server system comprises a database storing virtual replicas of real-world elements forming a virtual world system, the server system further storing collaborative platforms comprising a collaborative creation platform, a collaborative administration platform, and a project database configured to store project data; and

a plurality of connected devices connected to the server system via a network, wherein the plurality of connected devices is configured to capture data from real-world elements using one or more sensors and the captured data serves to enrich the virtual replicas;

wherein the collaborative creation platform enables creation of virtual projects in the virtual world system representing proposed real-world projects,

wherein the virtual projects include one or more of the virtual replicas of the real-world elements,

wherein the collaborative creation platform is configured to enable users to select assets and to add the assets to at least one of the virtual projects, wherein corresponding virtual replicas of the assets are configured to be placed in desired locations in a 3D virtual space of at least one of the virtual projects,

wherein the collaborative creation platform is further configured to receive votes from the users on preferred virtual projects comprising selected assets and to store the received votes of the users in the project database in a form of voting scores,

wherein the collaborative platforms enable implementation of a recommender system for providing ranking and filtering of the proposed real-world projects through simulated filtering, and

wherein the simulated filtering includes running goal-based simulations to obtain simulation results.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the virtual replicas are developed via a replica editor stored in the server system, wherein the replica editor comprises modeling tools that enable generating virtual replicas with data and instructions based on CAD or CAE models of the real-world elements, the modeling tools enabling inputting building information models.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the modeling tools further enable a car or drone-based image-scanning pipeline to be input through photo, video, depth measurements, simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) scanning, or radar-imaging techniques, or combinations thereof in order to model the virtual replicas.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the simulated filtering includes comparing the simulation results with existing proposed projects matching the simulation results in order to provide goal-based project recommendations.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the goal-based simulations are based at least in part on the captured data from the real-world elements.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the collaborative creation platform is further configured to present separate graphical interface elements for voting for each of the assets in the 3D virtual space, wherein the graphical interface elements for voting are co-located with the corresponding assets in the 3D virtual space, to receive votes from the users for preferred virtual projects in the virtual world system via the user interface by detecting user interaction with the graphical interface elements in the 3D virtual space.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the collaborative platforms include a collaborative tender platform for enabling service provider users to view the virtual projects and voting scores stored in the project database, offer tenders for at least one of the virtual projects, and enter tender information for at least one of the virtual projects.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the collaborative administration platform is configured to present graphical interface elements with the tender information in the 3D virtual space for each of the assets being voted on, along with voting scores for each of the assets being voted on.

15 . The system of claim 7 ,

wherein the virtual replicas are developed using a replica editor, and

wherein the replica editor enables input of data and instructions associated with the virtual replicas, comprising expected functioning and impact of the virtual replicas on a corresponding virtual project.

16 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the real-world elements has associated therewith priority data, such that certain real-world elements have a higher priority than other real-world elements, and wherein the priority of a given real-world element and its corresponding virtual replica affect the recommendation of a corresponding virtual project.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions configured to cause a server system to perform steps comprising:

providing a virtual world system comprising and virtual replicas of real-world elements;

enriching the virtual replicas using data captured by sensors of connected devices in communication with the server system;

providing a collaborative creation platform stored in the server system, which enables creation of one or more virtual projects in the virtual world system representing one or more real-world project proposals,

wherein the collaborative creation platform is configured to enable users to select assets and to add the assets to at least one of the virtual projects,

wherein corresponding virtual replicas of the assets are configured to be placed in desired locations in a 3D virtual space of the one or more virtual projects and

wherein the collaborative creation platform is further configured to receive votes on preferred projects comprising selected assets and to store the received votes of the users in a project database in a form of voting scores;

using the collaborative platforms to implement a recommender system for ranking and filtering of the proposed real-world projects through simulated filtering, and

wherein the simulated filtering includes running goal-based simulations to obtain simulation results.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the virtual world system includes a replica editor, and wherein the virtual replicas are created using the replica editor, wherein the replica editor comprises modeling tools that enable generating virtual replicas with data and instructions based on CAD models of the real-world elements, the modeling tools enabling inputting building information models.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , the steps further comprising comparing the simulation results with one or more aspects of the real-world project proposals.