Survey on Digital Twins: from concepts to applications

Abstract

This study provides a systematic literature review on surveys across the topic of digital twins. The aim is to understand what have been the use cases, modelling and simulation tools/techniques, and how security is being addressed. To answer these research questions, a rigorous methodology consisting of seven steps was followed. The analysis shows that there is a misconception regarding the digital twin concept that may be leading to its misuse. Moreover, it was found that security is not a top priority, but is often mentioned as a challenge. Besides the lack of standardization, the amount of academic papers published and industrial solutions offered is increasing, showing that the consensus is not a limiting factor and the concept is gaining popularity over the years and being applied in an increasing number of sectors, mainly on manufacturing, energy, aerospace and automotive.