Digital twin technology offers various advantages but its wide use would likely be impacted by whether standards are developed and adopted, according to a new internal report published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Integration Challenges
The IR, released Friday by NIST and titled “IR 8356 – Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology,” defines digital twins as the virtual representation of real-world notions, concepts or entities, which may be physical or perceived. According to the report, technologies that can generate these representations are advantageous because people can study the models and experiment on them to study effects even before having to create their real-world counterparts.
The report notes, however, that the technologies underpinning digital twins, like simulation and modeling software and virtual reality systems, are proprietary, making integration difficult. The digital representations are proprietary as well, making file-sharing equally challenging.
Need for Standards
To achieve what the report describes as “plug and play integration” in digital twin technology, the adoption of and adherence to standards are crucial. Standards have the additional benefits of promoting compatibility, safety and cybersecurity. They also engender credibility and trust.
“Efforts are underway to develop digital twin specific standards that will be utilized in addition to the existing various information and communication technology standards,” the report says.
