Digital Twin as a Hot Digital Trend

The emerging digital technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Block Chain have led to disruptions in many sectors of engineering, business, manufacturing, finance, and health care industries. The speed of change requiring resilience and adaptation is beyond one’s expectation. As we are likely to see the amazing consequences resulting from the revolution created by quantum technology soon, it is worth knowing and understanding the promising benefits to be exploited from the Digital Twin concept.  

Digital Twin concept was firstly introduced in 2002 as a system that helps simulate scenarios of a physical system through data analytics and for monitoring and better decisions. Due to the application of AI, Digital Twin system analyzes data collected from IOT and test relevant scenarios and challenges. The word twin represents the relationship between a structure and a model or so-called mirrors of physical based and data-based models. This technology can provide cost savings and reduces risks from functional failures of physical device or a system.

The application of Digital Twin system can be seen in the areas of manufacturing, construction, health care, and smart city environment. The system can be developed in the form of an application or platform supported by the AI and data-analytics technologies. It is used to test cases and predict the possible outcome for better decision making. For example, if this technology is used for in construction during the structure and building development, it can help avoid costly damages by providing information for making appropriate adjustment to the design. As smart cities will be given high priority, Digital Twin technology can assist in collecting data, testing, and forecasting the requirements for transportation infrastructure to connect people and places for smarter mobility.

The negative impacts from COVID-19 has shown to us that being resilient is very important to everyone. It is possible to use Digital Twin technology to predict more possible situations to help us make smarter decisions in the future. I believe this trend will become more evident after COVID-19 era. Hopefully, the next pandemic, if we cannot avoid, will not cost this historical huge damages and losses. We should live a better life with safe and clean environment, economically secured, and ultimately equal and inclusive society.

In addition, this technology can be considered as a new strategic advantage for interested companies in Thailand no matter which sectors they are in. Unfortunately, we have no evidence of anyone interested in exploring this digital trend in the market even though it has existed for over 2 decades. As the government and politicians keep debating on non-value-added agendas, academics and think tank should suggest more research and development budget be allocated with higher percentage to national GDP over time.

For Thailand, Digital Twin is the highly desired technology today by many industries under the theme of digital 4.0. This will not only change the economic fundamental focus from overseas economic dependence to self-sustainability development, but also creating the new opportunity for our next generations. Thus, it is inevitable to aggressively invest on new technologies and people as the main country’s agenda of new normal paradigm.

Yanyong Thammatucharee

23 February 2021