The Future of Digital Twins

Digital Twins were defined approximately 15 years ago, and it took them about 7 years to become adopted by the manufacturing industry, first by General Electric and then several others. However, in the last five years, they have been applied in an increasing number of sectors, from building construction to healthcare, and they have evolved significantly from the original idea of being a digital mirror of an object.

Now, their evolution is accelerating both in terms of application and capabilities, extending their coverage to mirror people (from deep twins to cognitive twins). In addition, they are continuously acquiring an increasing amount of intelligence, all aspects of which are being addressed by the IEEE Digital Reality Initiative.

In this decade, we are expecting to reach a point where everything, including each of us, will be flanked by its own digital twin. The European Union has recently committed funding to create a digital twin of our planet: Destination Earth.

As they evolve, and particularly as they enter into our lives, new challenges are created by technology. Challenges that are rooted in our social lives and in our culture are coming to the forefront.

In this webinar, the speakers shared views on the ongoing Digital Twin evolution, as well as address the societal and personal issues that are emerging.