"Digital twins (DTs) are virtual replicas of components, assets, systems, or processes, linked to their real-world counterparts, continuously updating their states and simulating their behavior in real-time, as illustrated in Figure 1. They are adopted for monitoring, predicting, and optimizing the performance of diverse systems, bridging the gap between design, testing and deployment. Through conceptual design, virtual verification, and commissioning, DTs open ample room for data-driven optimization and decision making, enhancing strategic planning and risk mitigation in verticals of paramount importance to the Arab world's economic development and citizen's safety and well-being."
"Significant efforts are being devoted across Arab R&D institutions to export technology tackling challenges that are not only pertinent to the region, but also of global importance, e.g., energy, sustainability, disaster management, healthcare, and urbanization, among many others. For instance, Khalifa University, UAE, is pioneering research into optical wireless communication using DTs.8 Similarly, several institutions across the region like LPRI Lab, Morocco, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon, Alexandria University, Egypt, and University of Bahrain are harnessing the power of DTs in energy and urban infrastructure.3,7"
"However, despite these promising advancements, the region also faces several challenges that are slowing down the adoption of DTs. These include, but are not limited to, the pressing need for a skilled workforce with ICT expertise, resistance to change by employees, interoperability with legacy systems, limited multidisciplinary collaborations, disparities in digital infrastructure, and inconsistent policy frameworks.9"
Digital twins create continuously updated virtual replicas of components, assets, systems, or processes to monitor, predict, and optimize performance in real time. Applications span energy, sustainability, disaster management, healthcare, and urbanization, supporting conceptual design, virtual verification, commissioning, and data-driven decision making. Regional R&D institutions such as Khalifa University, LPRI Lab, Beirut Arab University, Alexandria University, and University of Bahrain are applying DTs to optical wireless communication, energy systems, and urban infrastructure. Key technology enablers include high-fidelity models, real-time sensing and IoT, AI/ML analytics, cloud and edge computing, cybersecurity, and interoperability standards. Adoption barriers include ICT skills shortages, legacy-system integration, organizational resistance, uneven digital infrastructure, and fragmented policy frameworks.
#digital-twins #energy-and-urban-infrastructure #research-and-development #workforce-and-policy-challenges
Read at Acm
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]