Page 9 - EngineerIT July 2022

ICT – DIGITAL TWINS

Digital twins reinvent how to harness

data for business innovation

Lindokuhle Jele, Junior Software Consultant at TechSoft International

rtificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) by how they will look or feel in specific
have exponentially expanded the universe of identity points for organisations. scenarios. Additionally, the digital twins
AWhether it comes from a customer or an abstracted ‘thing’, there is an influx of data can help with in-store planning and
to the cloud, which companies use to drive decision-making. However, the increasingly security based on virtual simulations.
complex regulatory environment means businesses must tread carefully when collecting,
storing and using data. This is where the use of digital twins becomes a game-changer. Built around trust
According to TIBCO, a digital twin is when every process, service, or physical Identity management around the human
product gets a dynamic digital form or representation. The physical product can then individual, the IoT device and the digital
be evaluated and manipulated based on the analysis of the digital twin in a range of twin will see the involvement of several
working environments. Think of this as the perfect convergence between the physical parties, from issuers and holders to
and virtual worlds. verifiers. Each one of these needs to bring
Essentially, a digital twin uses real-world data to create a simulation via a programme a trust component into the process if
that predicts how a product or process will fare. These programmes are easily integrated the information is to be exchanged in a
into AI, ML and IoT to enhance output. secure, standardised manner.
An open standards-based approach
Non-existent standards with no single third-party used to
Therefore, these virtual models can be used to test and support better decisions for the disseminate data - reduces the attack
tangible things/products being emulated. Without making this seem too esoteric, there surface. Not having a single point of
must be two-way interactions between the physical entity and the virtual one for the failure means that trust in the system can
digital twin to work. be enhanced, and trusted digital twins
Fortunately, IoT devices and sensors are becoming more sophisticated and powerful. are created. This is similar to how the
Having improved processing capabilities results in the strengthening of their digital blockchain is more secure thanks to its
counterparts. Practically, this entails using more advanced analytics, AI and ML to make decentralised nature.
the digital twin smarter and more capable. The more powerful the IoT device becomes, Many organisations worldwide have
the more advanced the digital twin will be. In turn, this enables the development of even already embraced these digital twins
more sophisticated IoT devices. to help overcome some of their most
Of course, managing this is a complex process. A lack of standards makes it even more challenging business requirements.
challenging to achieve. For instance, IoT devices have no universally accepted Identity Given the reliance by these digital twins
Credential and Access Management (ICAM) standards in place. As has so often been the on accurate, secure, and real-time data,
case in the lifecycle of innovative technologies, this gives rise to disconnected, proprietary technologies like the blockchain and
measures that reduce the potential for interoperability. Throughout this, trust between smart contracts can strengthen the trust
the physical device and the digital twin becomes harder to establish. relationship.
Fundamentally, these blockchain-
Decentralisation backed digital twins can usher in a
This is where the importance of having a global digital trust framework comes in. Part of new era of advanced decision-making,
this entails the need for decentralised architecture and decentralised identity. Just think of especially when combined with
the obstacles in industries like healthcare, where the digital twins will invariably encounter technology-agnostic tools that are a
volumes of sensitive data regulated for privacy. central theme to open standards.
When combining a digital twin with your IoT environment, organisations can enjoy In theory, the next step in this
significantly improved functionality at every stage in the healthcare process. This includes evolution can see the smooth operation
monitoring a patient, applying preventative healthcare measures, or even customised of physical devices, processes and
healthcare outcomes based on digital twin simulations. In this instance, both the digital systems, along with their digital twins,
twin and the person whose data is being used, stand to benefit from a privacy-preserving to introduce even better software-
data-protection capability that comes from putting a decentralised identity in place. driven solutions. The resultant improved
In retail, this can be used to create virtual models of customers who can try on clothes, customer experiences and data-driven
accessories, makeup, and even hairstyles. Digital twins can also simulate the appearance of insights will bring more opportunities for
an interior design plan and identify the ways to further enhance the customer experience business growth than ever. n

EngineerIT | July 2022 | 7