New digital twins

The term digital twin refers to creating a dynamic, up-to-date digital model of a real-world physical asset. That asset can be anything from a toaster to an industrial furnace, a windmill or a building. Digital twins are made possible by Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, which collect data from the physical world and send it to machines to rebuild it. By comparing real components with their digital copies, reality can be simulated realistically. Their goals include identifying problems, improving performance and recognising new behaviours. Spotting problems in advance and solving them faster, or preparing for uncertain future scenarios, is a clear benefit for any industry.

That is why the concept of the digital twin is gaining ground in many sectors, such as automotive, energy, health, real estate and smart cities, among others.

To give one example, a digital twin of a patient lets surgeons practise operations in a simulated environment instead of on a real patient, to check their options. It has even reached Formula 1. In a sport where every second counts, a simulation can help the driver and the car team know which adjustments can improve performance.

According to Gartner’s latest study, by 2023 a third of the medium and large companies that implemented IoT will have developed at least one digital twin linked to a use case driven by COVID-19.