Tech Trends in Practice

TREND 9Digital Twins

The One-Sentence Definition

A digital twin is a digital copy of an actual physical product, process, or ecosystem that can be used to run virtual simulations, using data to update and change the digital copy to reflect any changes in the real world.

What Is a Digital Twin?

The term “digital twin” was first used by Michael Grieves at the University of Michigan in 2002,¹ but the concept itself goes back further. NASA pioneered the model of working with digital models of real-world systems during its Apollo missions, and having accurate simulations, based on real-world data, is credited with helping it to recover its astronauts safely back to Earth following equipment failure on Apollo 13.

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT – see Trend 2) and artificial intelligence (AI – Trend 1) has meant that this has become affordable for a far greater range of businesses and organizations. As everything from everyday items like watches and fridges to industrial machinery operating in manufacturing facilities can now be collecting and sharing data, anyone can use this data to build digital models.

The idea is that it lets us see what might happen if we make adjustments that might be too expensive, dangerous, or uncertain to try out in a real-world scenario. By altering the variables under which the digital twin is operating, the changes can be observed in the digital world without putting money or safety at risk.

For a simple example, think of a shop. A shopkeeper ...