In an era defined by increasing volatility from climate change and complex infrastructure challenges, Canadian 6D simulation firm RUNWITHIT Synthetics is pioneering a novel approach to urban resilience. The company, a Certified Indigenous and women-led enterprise based in Edmonton, is building " live 6D AI-driven models of cities and regions" using its proprietary 6D simulation generative AI platforms.
Myrna Bittner, Founder and CEO of RUNWITHIT Synthetics, describes the company's core mission as bridging the "critical gap between very complex data and real human experience." The goal is to make data accessible, enjoyable, and relevant for leaders-many of whom are not technologists-who are making critical policy and investment decisions around resilience, new energy technologies, and community welfare.
The Power of the Living Digital Twin
RUNWITHIT Synthetics does not rely solely on existing historical data, a significant differentiator in a field often constrained by data availability. Instead, their technology is built to thrive in scenarios where historical data is scarce or where anticipated events-like an extraordinary cold snap in a warm city-have never occurred.
"We shouldn't let data be our barrier when we need to be looking and planning in the future," Bittner states.The company's platform consumes diverse inputs-from spatial and satellite data to public census and research-to synthesize a "living form of reality." It then runs "superscalar simulations" on this digital twin, generating new, reliable data from configured, novel scenarios through emergent behavior modeling.
This approach requires a highly diverse team, blending deep-tech social system engineers, AI programmers, game engine developers, designers, and animators. The inclusion of design is deliberate; as Bittner notes, making the future compelling and beautiful makes data more accessible.
Furthermore, the company is highly focused on efficiency, utilizing clustering technology, parallel processing, and federated generative AI to minimize computing consumption, allowing complex simulations to be run even on a laptop.
Versatility: Driving Strategic Decisions Across Multiple Scenarios
The power of RUNWITHIT Synthetics' platform lies in its modular and adaptable architecture, which allows customers to flexibly integrate modules for distinct strategic purposes. Applications span beyond disaster management to include long-term strategic advisory, community growth planning, and infrastructure design.
"Customers can choose a focus area and not even be limited by that one focus area," Bittner explains. The platform enables users to model the intricate connections between design response, energy resilience, public health, social infrastructure planning, and security environments. This interconnectedness allows clients to effectively navigate the comprehensive impact of various decisions on the built environment, the natural environment, and the community.
Globally, the company is tackling major challenges such as modeling the impacts of extreme cold in Nashville and working with the Government of Canada to improve resilience in rural communities. This Canadian project, for example, models the interconnections between energy, health, and communication systems while assessing the benefits of implementing distributed energy resources like solar, wind, and virtual power.
Asia Expansion: Applying Versatile Planning Tools in Taiwan
A major focus for the company is market expansion, with Taiwan serving as a key strategic access point for Southeast Asia. The recent Hualien flood disaster provided a stark reminder of the challenges the region faces.
In light of this, RUNWITHIT Synthetics has already established foundational relationships, notably with the Taiwan Indigenous Sustainable Development Association and the Council of Indigenous Peoples (TISDA). Their goal of joining the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) program is to advance digital twin applications for rural and indigenous communities in Taiwan, focusing on emergency preparedness, improved health access, and sustainable energy development-precisely the kind of interlinked systems analysis needed for planning and disaster recovery. They are also seeking to reinvigorate conversations with the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) regarding health research simulations involving population data, which is crucial for managing health crises following a natural event.
Myrna Bittner, Founder and CEO of RUNWITHIT Synthetics. Credit: RUNWITHIT Synthetics
Article edited by Joseph Tsai
