Definition of Digital Twins
Digital twins are virtual replicas that mimic the characteristics and behaviour of actual physical systems, processes, or objects. These replicas are used to facilitate the ongoing surveillance, data analysis, and simulation of different scenarios(Stavropoulos & Mourtzis, 2022). In healthcare domain, digital twins have the capacity to revolutionize patient care by creating virtual replicas of humans that comprise their tissues, organs, and physiological activities. The digital human twins (DHTs) may be used to monitor the development of illnesses, enhance treatment strategies, and streamline precise medicines and surgical preparations if required(Cinar, Nuhu, Zeeshan, & Korhan, 2020). The field of ecology may greatly benefit from the use of digital twins, which serve as a valuable tool for monitoring and understanding various systems and processes widespread in nature. The systems are explored through the integration of domain knowledge expertise, data and models (Korhan, 2020). Furthermore, in the field of commerce, there exists a digital twin of the digital world acronymized as DTDW which serves as a virtual replica that interacts with processes involved individuals, data, and technology to achieve desired business outcomes. The functions of these systems include the mechanization, prediction, surveillance, and enhancement of operations pertaining to commerce (Mateev, 2020; Redeker, Weskamp, Rössl, & Pethig, 2022).
As depicted in Fig 1.0, Digital twins are a fundamental aspect of Industry 4.0, where physical products are replicated digitally to enable simulations, real-time analysis, and predictive maintenance (Dimitris, 2023; Waclawek, Schäfer, Binder, Hirsch, & Huber, 2023). The use of digital twins may enhance productivity in several sectors via the integration of smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and the Metaverse(Abdullahi Abdul, Olov, & Ulf, 2023). The Industrial Business Process Twin (IBPT) serves as an intermediate entity that enables the application of IT methodologies to operational technology (OT)(Eugenio, 2023). The IBPT serves as a channel between the realms of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), facilitating the incorporation of components from various manufacturers and platforms (Hannes, Georg, Christoph, Eduard, & Stefan, 2023). In cyber physical systems, the use of digital twins has played a crucial role in decreasing the expenses associated with establishing novel manufacturing methods thereby enhancing productivity and eliminating fluctuations in batch production process. Manufacturing benefits from its many uses, such as intelligent logistics and efficient supply chain management.
Figure 1.
Digital twin IR 4.0 features
Digital twins (DTs) have the potential to enhance every aspect of the operational process in intelligent networks within the framework of 6G mobile networks. They provide virtual models of physical systems, functioning as interactive equivalents for AI and ML algorithms. These systems provide flexibility and scalability features that enable them to incorporate new AI/ML algorithms efficiently and accurately (Apostolakis, Chatzieleftheriou, Bega, Gramaglia, & Banchs, 2023). In health domain, DTs provide remote health monitoring (RHM) by producing virtual copies that receive data from physical assets, mimicking their real-world behavior. Through the integration of robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twins (DTs) in the field of Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) are capable of both navigating within a designated area and establishing connections with IoT devices, hence enhancing their capabilities(S. Khan, Ullah, Khan, & Rehman, 2023). In Industry 4.0 context, Digital twins (DTs) provide a viable alternative for the implementation of virtual models in smart manufacturing. They possess the ability to examine the interaction and impact among many elements and provide precise predictions about the conditions in electric drive applications(Ebadpour, Jamshidi, Talla, Hashemi-Dezaki, & Peroutka, 2023). Distributed technologies may enhance the administration of smart space devices and services by establishing a virtual representation that is connected to the actual environment (Motlagh et al., 2023). Networking support is essential for precise real-time synchronization between physical systems and their digital twins, facilitating the development and utilization of digital twin technology(Vaezi et al., 2022).