In today’s connected world, we need tools to meet the new realities of software- driven products. The digital twin is one emerging technology that has the potential to fill this need and offer new opportunities for Canadian companies.
 

A digital twin is an exact virtual representation, or twin, of an object or system. It can be anything from a car to a building or bridge. Sensors in this physical object or system collect data that can be seen in the virtual model, or digital twin in real time. This enables the user to control the physical unit remotely and get critical information about how it is performing in the real world.
 

This technology has applications across industries such as transportation, oil and gas, and construction. For example, a digital twin could provide real-time information about what is happening on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean to troubleshoot from afar or used to monitor fire sensors in a building to identify potential problems without ever actually stepping foot in the building’s electrical room.
 

While the concept of a digital twin has been around since 2002, the Internet of Things (IoT) is making this technology much more cost-effective to implement.
 

SCC is working at getting the different players in the industry and academia to come together on issues and challenges that can be addressed through standardization. For example, ensuring that there is a common terminology that all digital twin creators use to communicate.
 

By coming up with standardized terminology and software for this technology, we can alleviate challenges that might arise in the future – and provide Canadian companies with the opportunity to becomes leaders in this sector. Through the Initiative, SCC held a standardization workshop to make recommendations for steps the industry should take to address the challenges facing the commercialization of digital twin technologies.