In brief

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical environment, object or process. Digital twins can visualize real-time data gathered from sensors, databases, IoT devices or other data sources. Digital twins can in turn be used to control real-life processes from inside a virtual environment. Advanced models, machine learning and artificial intelligence can be used to get an insight into the performance, operation or profitability of physical assets.

The benefits of digital twins are many. They allow for training personnel with cheaper and safer equipment, they aid in the planning and design process of buildings and objects; and they improve the performances of real processes by giving the user a deeper insight into the data driving them.

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Example applications of digital twins

Energy Sector

• Performance tracking
  
• What-if scenarios
  
• Predicted maintenance
  
• Environment visualization
  

Manufacturing

• Education of staff
  
• Remote control
  
• Operations optimization
  
• Product design
  

Real Estate & Construction

• Reconstruction plan
  
• Customer design
  
• HVAC monitoring
  
• Space optimization
  

Energy Sector

A sample digital twin in the energy sector is the simulation of the physical and operational characteristics of a power plant or other utility facility prior to construction, as well as to aid in the improvement of operations and maintenance over the lifetime of a real facility.

Manufacturing

In manufacturing digital twins could for example be used for remote operation, product design and operations optimization. One of the most attractive uses of digital twins is in training within a virtual- or augmented reality environment prior to carrying out similar tasks in the real world. This could significantly reduce the risk of equipment damage and improve human safety.

Real Estate & Construction

One of the problems in renovations comes from the need to keep the original and historical state of a building intact. The creation of a digital twin could aid in the reconstruction accuracy and thus improve the final result. Digital twins could also be used to improve the customer experience by allowing them to experience prospective estates in an immersive environment.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment in which sights and objects appear to be real, giving the user the impression of being completely immersed in their surroundings. VR has initially grown its popularity in gaming, but has grown popular in other fields, such as in education, industry and medicine.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality is particularly suited for usage in digital twins, as they bridge the gap between the physical and the digital world. For example, in augmented reality digital data can be overlaid on top of real physical objects in the forms of indicators, meters and graphs.