Twin, what does it mean? A pair born at one birth, may be a few minutes apart. But have you heard of a digital twin? Sounds interesting? Well, a digital twin is a digital depiction of an object or system from the real world. Simply put, it is a computer programme, designed to collect data from the actual world and not virtual, and use simulation and reasoning to help predict the performance of a product or process. It works as a proxy for the real-world object that it represents.
What are the types of Digital Twins?
The most common method of categorising digital twins is;
Component Twins, the most basic level.
Asset Twins
System Twins
Process Twins
What are the benefits of digital twins?
Reduced cost
Improved efficiency in operations resulting in effective production
Increased reliability
Reduced risk in unplanned downtime and longer uptime
Risk of accidents is reduced
Where is digital twin used?
Digital twins are used in various industries, like;
Manufacture Industry
Automotive Industry
Retail Industry
Healthcare Industry
Companies that work in disaster management
And more
What is the history of Digital Twin?
The concept of ‘Digital Twin’ came into recognition in the year 2002. A presentation was hosted for Michael Grieves in the University of Michigan on Technology. This presentation had all the essence and elements of a digital twin. The terminology might have evolved over years but the concept has remained the same. It is said that the digital twin concept has been practised in NASA since the 1960s, for space programming. NASA would create a duplicated system at the ground level which would match with that in the space. If you remember the rescue mission of Apollo 13 in the year 1970s, this was possible just because NASA had a digital twin model of Apollo 13 on Earth.
Though, digital twin has been in use since 1960s and became familiar in the 2002s, it became popular and top strategic technology trends only recently, that is, 2017.