From IoT to Digital Twins: Unleashing the Power of Connected Systems

The Topical Collection "From IoT to Digital Twins: Unleashing the Power of Connected Systems" aims to explore the transformative journey of connected systems, from the Internet of Things (IoT) to the emergence and applications of digital twins. The IoT revolution has brought about an interconnected ecosystem where devices, sensors, and everyday objects are seamlessly integrated, generating vast amounts of data. Building upon this foundation, digital twin technology has emerged as a powerful paradigm, offering unprecedented opportunities for simulation, visualization, and decision-making in various domains.

A Digital Twin (DT) is a digital representation of a physical entity, system, or event. It mirrors a distinctive object, process, building, or human, regardless of whether that thing is tangible or non-tangible in the real world. A DT is characterized by functionalities such as: 3D representation of the object/system; data retrieval and analysis; simulation and prediction; virtual augmented and mixed reality. According to Gartner, 13% of organizations implementing IoT projects already use digital twins, while 62% are either in the process of establishing digital twin use or plan to do so. The digital twin market is estimated to grow from $3.8 billion in 2019 to $35.8 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 37.8%.

This Topical Collection seeks to delve into the diverse facets of this fascinating journey, highlighting the advancements, challenges, and impact of the IoT and digital twin convergence. It invites researchers, engineers, and practitioners to contribute their original research, case studies, and visionary insights to advance our understanding and application of these technologies.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Foundations of IoT and Digital Twins:

-Architectures, protocols, and standards for IoT systems

-Conceptual Modelling and Ontologies of Digital Twins

-Data acquisition, processing, and analytics in IoT

-Model-driven engineering and virtual representations

-Integration of physical and virtual worlds through digital twins

2. Design and Development of IoT and Digital Twin Applications:

-IoT applications in smart cities, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, etc.

-Modeling and simulation techniques for digital twins

-Design and implementation of Digital Process Twins

-Human-computer interaction and user experience in IoT and digital twin environments

-Scalability, interoperability, and security considerations

3. Advanced Techniques for IoT and Digital Twins:

-Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics in IoT and digital twins

-Edge computing and fog computing for real-time data processing

-Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in the context of digital twins

-Blockchain and decentralized architectures for secure IoT and digital twin ecosystems

4. Applications and Case Studies:

-Optimization and control of complex systems using digital twins

-Predictive maintenance, fault detection, and anomaly detection in IoT-enabled environments

-Real-time monitoring, situational awareness, and decision support systems

-Sustainable and energy-efficient solutions empowered by IoT and digital twins

By exploring these areas, this Topical Collection seeks to unveil the potential of IoT and digital twins to revolutionize various domains and pave the way for a more connected, efficient, and intelligent future.

Keywords:

Digital Twins; IoT; development; modelling; architecture; machine learning; simulation; integration; interoperability