2 min read –
Digital twins are virtual representations of physical objects or systems, continuously updated with real-time data from their physical counterparts through sensors.
Digital twins are starting to pop-up everywhere. Among other things, they :
➡ Keep track of Uber’s network of vehicles
➡ Monitor the health of jet engines on airliners
➡ Help local authorities respond to the effects of flooding
➡ Replicate Amazon’s supply chain to forecast sales years ahead
➡ Help carmakers developp new models by simulating test drives & crashes
➡ Twins are also being developed to help manage factories, companies and entire cities.
The concept of digital twins dates back to NASA’s Apollo 13 mission in 1970, where engineers recreated the spacecraft’s issues in simulators to find solutions.
With today’s advances in computer power, digital twins have become more sophisticated and are now used extensively in many industries to model and test systems virtually before building physical prototypes.
Rolls-Royce uses digital twins to monitor jet engines and optimize their performance, reducing maintenance costs and improving safety by detecting problems before they occur.
Red Bull Racing, a leading F1 team, uses these twins to optimize car performance by tracking data from over 250 sensors during races.
The technology is transforming manufacturing by reducing the time needed to bring new products to market.
In the broader automotive industry, digital twins have helped shrink the time required to design and produce new cars from five years to two.
As artificial intelligence and data analysis improve, the use of digital twins is expected to grow, potentially spreading to consumer products like phones and washing machines.
With sensors becoming cheaper and more accessible, the benefits of this technology, including predictive maintenance and efficiency, could soon be applied to everyday objects.
In the future, digital twins—virtual models of individuals—will assist doctors in diagnosing and personalizing treatments.
Already, researchers are using heart simulations to assess treatments for atrial fibrillation.
Digital twins’ virtual models evolve with AI, enabling predictions and real-time adjustments.
Though concerns like privacy and data accuracy exist, digital twins offer immense potential in improving healthcare, streamlining operations, and addressing global challenges like climate change.
While risks remain, the advantages of this technology are clear and far-reaching.
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Source: The Economist.
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Picture: Twins is a 1988 American comedy film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.