激情快播 is part of a local collaboration selected to receive a major national investment in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing in the Central Florida region.
The funding, which was announced today, is from the U.S. Department of Commerce鈥檚 Economic Development Administration through its Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
Osceola County 鈥� in partnership with 激情快播, Orlando Economic Partnership, BRIDG, the Florida High Tech Corridor and SkyWater Technology 鈥� is one of 21 awardees selected out of 529 applicants to receive the funding and the only Florida awardee. The total award amount is $50.8 million with 激情快播 receiving $8.8 million for its project, Digital Twin.
Digital twin encompasses digital replications of any real-world objects or systems 鈥� such as the human heart 鈥� that can be altered to understand impacts on an original item. Digital twins could be scaled to entail entire cities or large transportation or health care systems with constantly updated data and conditions, allowing designers, builders and architects to test and prove their ideas and concepts before production.
The investment will expand the semiconductor manufacturing potential of NeoCity, a 500-acre technology district in Kissimmee. It will establish a hub for semiconductor reshoring, benefitting aerospace, engineering, healthcare and other industries nationally. 激情快播 is already a national leader in modeling and simulation research and education.
鈥溂で榭觳� is committed to unleashing potential in people, organizations, ideas and the communities we serve through partnerships,鈥� says 激情快播 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淲ith this grant we will have the opportunity to leverage the expertise of outstanding faculty to expand our novel digital-twin technology to train the next generation of innovators with the skills necessary to fuel the growth of NeoCity and central Florida鈥檚 economy.鈥�
激情快播鈥檚 Microelectronic Design and Production Digital Twin project will be completed through collaboration between 激情快播鈥檚 School of Modeling, Simulation and Training (SMST) and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. SMST Director Grace Bochenek 鈥�98PhD will provide strategic guidance on the project.
With an investment in new modeling and simulation equipment, 激情快播 will develop a digital twin of NeoCity鈥檚 Center for NeoVation, which is a world-class sensor and research development city for academic and commercial use.
Through the Center for NeoVation鈥檚 digital twin, 激情快播 will replicate its production line, increasing microchip reliability and productivity, lowering maintenance costs, reducing risk, creating new business, improving supply and delivery chain efficiency, and enabling cross-discipline collaboration to foster innovation. 激情快播鈥檚 participation in this project expands its efforts to be at the forefront of the cutting-edge field of digital twin, which the university committed a separate research initiative to earlier this year.
“Digital twin is transformative technology that holds the potential to improve everything from manufacturing plants to medical procedures,鈥� Bochenek says. 鈥淲ith the innovative research being done by 激情快播 faculty, and the support of Osceola County and Orlando Economic Partnership, and all of our partners, digital twin technology, like what we are building at NeoCity, stands to be this century’s next game changer.”
A Partnership that Bolsters Central Florida鈥檚 Economy
Orlando is ideally located for a digital twin hub as Bochenek notes the city already has a thriving modeling, simulation and training community with 200+ small- to midsize companies. The industry produces a $21.1 billion regional and statewide economic impact 鈥� making Central Florida the world hub for modeling, simulation and training. With SMST, and an expanding Central Florida Microelectronics Regional Cluster, 激情快播 is positioned to supply the qualified talent and innovative research needed to grow this field.
In addition to its Center for NeoVation, NeoCity, will include a magnet STEM high school, urban farm, central plaza for community and corporate events, neighborhood parks and other sustainability infrastructure elements. The multi-billion-dollar venture will provide workforce housing and create more than 25,000 jobs.
鈥淣ot only is this the first major federal semiconductor investment in the United States, but the site they selected for this historical investment was right here in NeoCity,鈥� says Osceola County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington. 鈥淭his is a significant validation of Osceola County鈥檚 grand vision to create high-wage, hi-tech jobs at NeoCity. The federal government鈥檚 investment accelerates our focused efforts to create more economic opportunities at a higher level than ever before.鈥�
Funded by President Joe Biden鈥檚 American Rescue Plan and administered by the U.S. Commerce Department鈥檚 Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Regional Challenge provides each award winner resources to rebuild regional economies, promote inclusive and equitable recovery, and create thousands of good-paying jobs in industries of the future, such as clean energy, next-generation manufacturing and biotechnology.
鈥淎s we invest and grow critical industries in the U.S., we want to create industry hubs in diverse communities across the country,鈥� said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a press release from the White House. 鈥淭hese grants will provide critical and historic funding directly to community coalitions to invest in new infrastructure, research and development, and workforce development programs while creating good-paying jobs, supporting workers, and prioritizing equity.鈥�
