Mind the Trust Gap !
that the static approach is too inflexible to deal with the realities of today ’ s software-laden connected systems where systems may be connected to achieve new functionality even when that connection was not anticipated at the time of the original design of the individual systems 4 .
A similar stasis has historically applied to systems design and integration : in order to communicate devices needed explicit , design-time integration and often special code adaptations to speak each other ’ s protocols , making combinations fairly static and favoring preexisting relationships . If we can only certify things that we have seen before ( A . K . A . “ Proven in Use ”), then how can we build anything new , especially when creating something new can consist of interconnecting existing systems in new ways ? This problem has been noted in the desire to interconnect systems in a medical setting , for example , but until trustworthiness can be established dynamically , regulations will require each combination to go through a lengthy certification process 5 .
But now with recent advances in standards and norms for Digital Twin operation , we are much better positioned to make new , even ad-hoc trustworthy connections between systems in a dynamic manner . This enables flexibility in system design and operation supporting business needs and extending the value of systems by allowing them to operate in a trustworthy manner in a changing world .
Adopting this approach also shifts from avoidance to pro-active trustworthiness . Having access to data from more sensors and being able to make sense of it using digital twin models means that this data can be used to support better safety decisions that are dynamic and based on the situation , going beyond attempting to avoid previously understood hazards . This new approach allows for a changing context , system and set of hazards while allowing safety measures to adapt . An example is the introduction of mobile robots to a factory floor and how use of a digital twin model can be used to adjust their use depending on the conditions , such as whether there has been a liquid spill leading to a slippery floor hazard , for example . Using data can be invaluable in making good safety decisions , especially in the face of dynamic and novel situations . This requires knowing how to use that information in context .
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In some sense this new dynamic captures the original vision of service oriented architectures .
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62 July 2022