Digital twin development for smart linear actuators - BC-985

Project type: Innovation
Desired discipline(s): Engineering - computer / electrical, Engineering, Engineering - mechanical, Business, Social Sciences & Humanities
Company: Iris Dynamics Ltd.
Project Length: 4 to 6 months
Preferred start date: As soon as possible.
Language requirement: English
Location(s): Victoria, BC, Canada
No. of positions: 1
Desired education level: Undergraduate/BachelorMaster'sPhD
Open to applicants registered at an institution outside of Canada: No

About the company: 

Iris Dynamics Ltd. develops and manufactures advanced smart linear motors that integrate drivers, force and position sensors, and controllers into rugged, high-performance units. Our motors are uniquely suited for applications requiring precise force control, smooth motion, compliance and high durability - such as industrial automation, robotics, and harsh-environment systems. By combining fully integrated electronics, Iris Dynamics’ technology offers superior efficiency, simplified installation and reduced system complexity compared to traditional actuator solutions. Iris Dynamics is positioned to support major scale-up of production and commercialization across multiple sectors, aligning with Canadian excellence in advanced manufacturing, and offering strong potential for collaboration, research partnerships, and value-added innovation.

Describe the project.: 

Iris Dynamics Ltd. manufactures high-performance linear actuators with fully integrated sensing, control, and communication systems. This project will explore how to represent one of these actuators as a digital twins in physics-based, simulation-ready virtual models that can be used in robotics, industrial, and research environments.

The goal is to investigate existing digital-twin standards, identify which platforms and formats (e.g., URDF, SDF, USD, glTF) are most widely used, and then design and publish a working prototype of an Iris actuator model that can run inside common simulation tools such as ROS, Gazebo, Unity, or NVIDIA Omniverse. The student will benchmark existing practices, convert mechanical and control data from real Iris hardware, implement simplified dynamic behaviour (force, position, and control loops), and validate the model against a real actuator.

Once validated, the twin will be released publicly through GitHub and the Iris Dynamics website alongside CAD and SDK files, allowing academic and industrial users to integrate it directly into their digital-twin or robotics projects.

This work will both advance Iris’s internal capabilities in simulation and modeling and support commercial goals by making Iris products easier to adopt in research and R&D environments. The digital-twin file provides a direct bridge between simulation and real-world implementation, positioning Iris as an early leader among actuator manufacturers in this emerging field.

Expected outcomes include a validated “Iris Actuator Digital Twin v1.0,” an internal report summarizing standards and methods, and a public-facing technical brief or white paper. The project will build valuable industry experience in applied simulation, mechatronics, and open-data publishing for the participating student while providing Iris with a reusable framework for future virtual model development.

Required expertise/skills: 

The ideal candidate is a senior undergraduate or graduate student in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Computer Science with strong modeling and simulation skills.

Core skills:

Experience with 3D modeling and simulation tools such as SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Blender, or similar CAD software.

Familiarity with robotics simulation environments such as ROS / Gazebo, NVIDIA Omniverse, Unity, or Unreal Engine.

Proficiency in Python and/or C++ for integrating simulation models and control logic.

Understanding of mechanical systems, dynamics, and basic control theory.

Ability to analyze and validate simulated results against real-world data.

Strong technical writing and documentation ability for publishing open technical resources (GitHub, internal reports, white papers).

Assets (optional):

Prior experience creating or working with digital twins, URDF/SDF/USD/glTF file formats, or robotics middleware.

Background in embedded systems or actuator control.

Knowledge of physics-based rendering or real-time simulation optimization.

Interest in open-source collaboration, Industry 4.0, or robotics R&D.

The project suits a technically skilled, self-directed student who enjoys combining hardware knowledge, modeling, and coding to create simulation-ready systems bridging digital and physical engineering.