You may have heard the term “digital twins” before, but you probably don’t realize that this 10-year concept is finally ready for use in industry programs. For those unfamiliar with the idea, the digital twin is a truly computer-simulated version of a real-world object that uses real-world data to understand the state of the object now and in the future. Imagine, for example, a computer model of a car and test how that car will change in age.
Digital-twin use cases
- Manufacturing is the area where the release of digital twins is perhaps the most remote, and factories are already using digital twins to mimic their processes, as is the Deloitte study.
- Car or automotive digital twins are made possible by the fact that cars are already equipped with telemetry sensors, but technology improvements will become more important when more autonomous vehicles hit the road.
- Healthcare is a sector that produces digital twins of the people we mentioned above. Assisted-size sensors return health information to a digital twin that is used to monitor and predict a patient’s well-being.
How does a digital twin work?
The twin is built so that it can receive input from sensors that collect data from a real partner. This allows the twin to simulate a physical object in real time, in a process that offers an understanding of performance and potential problems. The twin can also be designed based on a prototype of its physical counterpart; in this case, the twin can provide feedback as the product improves; the twin can even serve as the prototype before any physical version is built.
4 amazing examples of digital twin technology
- At the Spring Gala Gala, which aired on China’s Central Television, four human hosts joined in on a copy of themselves of AI, ObEN’s own digital twin. They are more than avatars created by computers because they used machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision to create virtual copies of hosts. Future programs for this technology include plans to create teachers, nurses, and doctors.
- Digital twin technology has even been deployed to improve Formula 1 racing. In sports, where every second counts, simulation can help the driver and the car team know what adjustments can improve performance.
- NASA has used mating technology, the precursor to digital twin technologies, from the early days of space exploration to solve the problem of operating, maintaining, and repairing systems when you are physically not near them. This is how the engineers and astronauts on Earth determined how to save the Apollo 13 mission. Today, digital twins are used by NASA to investigate next-generation vehicles and aircraft.
- There is even a digital twin Singapore! Imagine all the variables that go into managing a city. Digital twin technology helps urban planners understand and improve energy efficiency, as well as many applications that can improve the lives of their citizens.
References:
https://eleks.com/blog/3-things-businesses-need-to-know-about-digital-twins/ https://www.networkworld.com/article/3280225/what-is-digital-twin-technology-and-why-it-matters.html https://www.challenge.org/insights/what-is-digital-twin/ https://developer.ibm.com/articles/what-are-digital-twins/
For more info you can watch a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVS-AuSjpOQ