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Broward showcases county innovation center: VR, 3‑D printing and drones demoed for public projects
Summary
County staff demonstrated technologies from the Levon Center and county innovation lab — including HoloBox digital twins, 3‑D printing, VR and fixed‑wing drones — and said the tools will be used for planning, public engagement and infrastructure inspection.
Broward County officials on Tuesday displayed technologies at the county’s innovation lab and Levon Center, telling commissioners the tools will be used to visualize projects, boost public engagement and speed infrastructure assessments.
Chief Innovation Officer Lenny (given name used in presentation) and assistant chief Phil McChesney led a short briefing and demonstration that included 3‑D printed models, virtual reality (Apple Vision Pro was cited as an example), a HoloBox digital‑twin studio and drones equipped with LiDAR. County staff said these technologies help render proposed projects, run flood visualizations and inspect large areas quickly after events such as storms.
“Once we render things, now we can also print them in 3‑D,” the chief innovation officer said, showing a 3‑D print of a proposed Garden Park parking garage and people mover. Staff described a workflow that uses drone imagery and LiDAR to create 3‑D site models, which can then be turned into VR experiences for residents, planners and decision makers.
Monica (staff member at the Levon Center) described HoloBox applications: “We’re creating a digital twin of anyone that we record at the Levon Center in the HoloBox studio,” she said, and listed uses including video production, virtual reality and information kiosks. Commissioners discussed possible public uses, including transit navigation, library demonstrations and training.
County staff said drone surveys were already used during April flood events to help the school district assess which campuses were safe to reopen. The chief innovation officer described LiDAR and artificial intelligence tools that can catalog infrastructure features and help prioritize repairs: “AI can categorize those features and catalog them for us so that we can begin to create maps and show where deficiencies are in infrastructure,” he said.
Commissioners, including Vice Mayor Bogan and Commissioner Gudin, praised the Levon Center’s work and encouraged staff to make demonstration materials available to the public on the county website. Staff said they would circulate a video link showing HoloBox applications and that small 3‑D prints could be provided as tactile engagement tools. The county also noted collaborations with the Solid Waste Authority and municipal partners on technology pilots.
The presentation did not require a vote; commissioners directed staff to share demonstration links and encouraged departments to continue applying the technology for resident engagement and operational efficiency.
