{"id":164510,"date":"2019-01-28T14:40:28","date_gmt":"2019-01-28T13:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=164510"},"modified":"2019-01-28T14:40:28","modified_gmt":"2019-01-28T13:40:28","slug":"digital-twin-technology-how-copycat-systems-are-driving-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/digital-twin-technology-how-copycat-systems-are-driving-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Twin Technology: How \u201ccopycat\u201d systems are driving development"},"content":{"rendered":"

Digital twin technology, the creation of a digital copy of a device, system, process or person, is fast becoming the norm in innovation, with endless applications in scientific research, manufacturing and healthcare \u2013 to name a few. While there is nothing new about considering and manipulating a virtual replica of a physical entity or process, the access in recent years to vastly improved computational power is now enabling this technology to speed up development, reduce production and maintenance costs, and generate safer outcomes.<\/p>\n

Speaking at a seminar on digital twin technology<\/a> hosted by the High Tech Campus Eindhoven<\/a>, Guido van Gageldonk, Chief Technology Officer at Unit040<\/a>, described a world of enormous potential: \u201cThe technology makes it possible to build visual models that allow all disciplines in a machine development process, say, to see the machine together. Instead of having to work off of a 2D image or line code, multiple teams can see the full picture and can have a good discussion\u201d. This means that, for the first time, so-called agile development is possible with hardware.<\/p>\n

\"Guido
Guido van Gageldonk, CTO: Unit040<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cost savings are a notable benefit. For instance, multiple virtual models can be built, and in parallel; further, the expense of building prototypes is reduced, as fewer are typically needed. Predictive maintenance \u2013 being able to model a production system and thus being able to pre-empt system breaks \u2013 also saves costs.<\/p>\n

Startups can do it, too<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Van Gageldonk sees widespread adoption of digital twin technology, and notes a trend towards its use by start-ups. \u201cSmaller companies are now also adopting it; they didn\u2019t have the capital in the past to do it, but the technology is becoming cheaper. In my view it is easier for startups to do this than for bigger companies, because they don\u2019t have the heritage, the legacy, and can do it greenfields.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a world where machine learning and artificial intelligence is woven into most aspects of development, digital twin technology is a key element. \u201cIt is being used as fuel for machine learning; the digital twin can be used as the system that creates the data. So, you don\u2019t need a larger data set when you start; you can create the data and you can do it cheaply.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthieu Worm, Programme Lead for Autonomous Driving and Vehicle Dynamics: Siemens PLM Software<\/a>, highlighted the application of digital twin technology to the optimisation of mechatronic systems, using autonomous driving technology as an example.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe use of digital twin technology is enabling mechatronic system optimisation. More specifically, it is aiding the design of the product, the engineering of the product\u00a0 — mechanics, electronics, software \u2013 \u00a0the design of the manufacturing plant and the process to manufacture the product, \u00a0and the modelling of performance during the lifetime. It also makes it possible to couple back throughout the lifetime of the product, in order to improve design, manufacturing and use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Autonomous driving \u2013 where digital twins are especially helpful
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the world of mechatronics, autonomous driving is an application in which the value of digital twin technology is obvious. \u201cThe nice thing about this domain is that everyone sees that there is no other way [to the development process] than digitalising the vehicle and the environment,\u201d Worm says. \u201cPerhaps Google and Uber lead the way in bringing that message, but everyone in the automotive industry is adopting the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the challenges for smoother development processes in coming years will be in ensuring more thorough standardisation across processes. Worm refers to the frustration entailed with combining virtual models from different domains. \u201cIf you want to build up an entire vehicle, it means bringing together models from different departments using different technologies \u2013 bringing different digital twin \u201cchildren\u201d into a single-vehicle environment. This is highly complex, so the need for standardisation and clearly defined interfaces is very high.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter outcomes, lower costs\u201d
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wim Crooijmans, Innovation Program Manager: Ultrasound and Image Guided Intervention and Therapy, Cardiology at Philips<\/a>, presented some of the opportunities in healthcare systems for the application of digital twin technology.<\/p>\n

He describes his team\u2019s work as \u201cbuilding biophysical models that we can see as a digital copy of functions in the human body, e.g. a heart model, or a model of heart valve replacement procedure. The models are used to plan and execute procedures, with better outcomes and with lower costs\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read also: PHILIPS HEALTHWORKS: 19 STARTUPS LOOKING FOR AI-SOLUTIONS IN HEALTHCARE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

A compelling example of this is a model developed by Philips and introduced to the market in 2015, which reportedly is generating an 85% reduction in the time required for a standard cardiac examination.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Wim Crooijmans, Philips<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the likely path that this technology will take, and its impact on the pace of scientific advancement, Crooijmans is optimistic. \u201cThere will be a whole evolution \u2013 and perhaps even a revolution. Step-by-step, we will become more accurate in modelling the human body, function and behaviour. The more accurate you are, the better you can predict diagnosis and treatment outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complete modelling of the human will take time<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Realism is needed when considering how accurate the modelling of the human body will become, though. \u201cIn the coming ten to twenty years we will see many more surprises, with a more complete model. But it will take a long time before we have a full functional representation of the human person,\u201d Crooijmans says.<\/p>\n

Chris van Hoof is Senior Director for Connected Health Solutions at imec<\/a>. His team is applying digital twin technology to building a more complete picture of an individual\u2019s lifestyle, behaviour and environment, which they believe could enable therapists to personalise the treatment of mental health disorders much faster and more effectively.<\/p>\n

Read also: The emergence of unthinkable solutions at imec Netherlands<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe main application of our digital technology R&D is looking at the prevention and interception of disease for which you need a longitudinal \u2013 or long-term \u2013 recording. We look at which new features you can add or sense, to get a more complete picture of a human in terms of lifestyle, behaviour and varying parameters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cParticularly in the field of mental health, the therapy today is very much trial and error. So, a number of these disorders, such as eating disorders, depression or burnout, take a very long time to recovery. The time taken is partly to understand the condition and partly to adopt and adjust the therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Cooijmans, Van Hoof believes there is some way to go before accurate and comprehensive modelling of the human body and behavour is possible. He contrasts this field of study with mechatronic systems, where deep and complete understanding is possible. \u201cToday we can model only a certain number of human body systems. As soon as it is all understood, then of course the sky is the limit and the application is clear and successful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Digital twin technology, the creation of a digital copy of a device, system, process or person, is fast becoming the norm in innovation, with endless applications in scientific research, manufacturing and healthcare \u2013 to name a few. While there is nothing new about considering and manipulating a virtual replica of a physical entity or process, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1677,"featured_media":507382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[10373,7656,30604,30606,28722,825,3423,3476,30608,30610,2521,25018],"location":[],"article_type":[],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-164510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability-nl","tag-ai","tag-autonomous-driving","tag-digital-twin","tag-digital-twin-technology","tag-healthcare-en","tag-high-tech-campus-en","tag-htc-en","tag-imec","tag-machine-learning","tag-mechatronics","tag-philips-en","tag-siemens-en"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Erika van der Merwe","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/erika-van-der-merwe\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Chris-van-Hoof-at-HTC_.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Sustainability<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Sustainability<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["AI<\/a>","autonomous driving<\/a>","Digital Twin<\/a>","Digital Twin Technology<\/a>","healthcare<\/a>","High Tech Campus<\/a>","HTC<\/a>","imec<\/a>","machine learning<\/a>","mechatronics<\/a>","Philips<\/a>","Siemens<\/a>"],"unlinked":["AI<\/span>","autonomous driving<\/span>","Digital Twin<\/span>","Digital Twin Technology<\/span>","healthcare<\/span>","High Tech Campus<\/span>","HTC<\/span>","imec<\/span>","machine learning<\/span>","mechatronics<\/span>","Philips<\/span>","Siemens<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 7 years ago","modified":"Updated 7 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on January 28, 2019","modified":"Updated on January 28, 2019"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on January 28, 2019 2:40 pm","modified":"Updated on January 28, 2019 2:40 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=164510"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=164510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}