Opportunities and Challenges for Digital Twins in Engineering

Abstract

The digital twin is an emerging technology that builds on the convergence of computer science, mathematics, engineering, and the life sciences. Digital twins have potential across engineering domains, from aeronautics to renewable energy. On February 7 and 9, 2023, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a public, virtual workshop to discuss characterizations of digital twins within the context of engineering and to identify methods for their development and use. Panelists highlighted key technical challenges and opportunities across use cases, as well as areas ripe for research and development (R&D) and investment. The third in a three-part series, this evidence-gathering workshop will inform a National Academies consensus study on research gaps and future directions to advance the mathematical, statistical, and computational foundations of digital twins in applications across science, medicine, engineering, and society.1