What is a Digital Twin?
Summary
NASA uses digital twins to run simulations and test flights on airplanes before they’re actually flown by pilots in person or sent into space with astronauts aboard them (pretty cool right?). These “test flights” for engines and airplanes allow for safe experimentation and troubleshooting without risking human life or harming the equipment. For example, an AR system could be used by surgeons to visualize a patient’s anatomy in real time and allow for better planning of surgical procedures. Virtual reality (VR) can be used by physicians to practice risky procedures in a simulated environment before they operate on an actual patient. The idea behind digital twins goes beyond the practical uses of this technology—it is rooted in the desire to create a more connected world where people’s decisions can be made with better information than what has been available in the past.
