The Tour d’ Horizon of Data Law Implications of Digital Twins
1.1 PRODUCT DT
A Product DT spans the entire lifecycle of a physical product, from design to disposal, using bidirectional data flows. Industry research distinguishes between a“ component twin”( a digital replica of a single part) and an‘ asset twin’( a model combining two or more component twins to analyse interactions) [ 5 ]. For example, a car engine DT would be a component twin, while a DT of the entire car— engine, battery, wheels, ignition, and cooling systems— would be an asset twin. A few use case examples of a Product DT are discussed below.
1.1.1 DEFENSE AND AVIATION
In the defense and aviation sector, DTs are used for designing, testing, and monitoring products like fighter jets, commercial aircraft, and drones. The use of Product DT in this sector can enhance longevity by prompting timely repairs and maintenance, as well as improve durability through testing and adjustments. Here are a couple of use cases.
Intelligent Engines
Rolls Royce ' s IntelligentEngine vision uses digital technology to design, test, and maintain aircraft engines in the‘ digital sphere.’ The company employs a DT of the physical engine to simulate potential test scenarios. 4 Additionally, their Engine Health Management feature transfers data from physical engines to operational centers for ongoing performance monitoring. 5
DT Army
The Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force contracted McKinsey & Co. to create a DT of the army and two air bases for training and decision-making on personnel deployment. 6 While details remain unclear due to security concerns, DTs in defense may be used to( i) test fighter jets under various simulated weather conditions,( ii) monitor asset performance, and( iii) simulate and test defense systems like missiles [ 6 ].
1.1.2 HEALTHCARE
DTs of specific organs are utilized to monitor the functioning of the respective organ and to simulate its behavior under varying conditions. These DTs may be classified as Product DTs, as their scope is confined to individual organs and their respective functions. Overall, DT technology has seen growing adoption in healthcare, with companies like Siemens and Microsoft offering DT-based services [ 7 ].
4
Intelligent Engine – Our vision for the future of aircraft power, Rolls Royce – Our Stories, 2020. https:// www. rolls-royce. com / media / our-stories / discover / 2020 / intelligentengine-explainer. aspx
5
Intelligent Engine Health Monitoring, Rolls Royce- Our Stories, Jan 2019. https:// www. rolls-royce. com / media / our-stories / discover / 2019 / intelligent-engine-health-monitoring. aspx
6
Chirgwin R( 2022), Digital twins for Defense a $ 16m win for McKinsey, itnews. https:// www. itnews. com. au / news / digital-twins-for-defence-a-16m-win-for-mckinsey-578380
Journal of Innovation 73