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Electronics
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Digital Twinning: Trends Challenging the Future
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Digital Twinning: Trends Challenging the Future

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Computer Science & Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2025) | Viewed by 2783

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Branko Rade Perišić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center Novi Sad, University Singidunum Belgrade, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: model-driven software engineering; meta-modeling; digital twin frameworks; digital transformation; enterprise information system design; higher education management; curriculum design frameworks; higher education accreditation frameworks; engineering education
Dr. Ana Perišić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: engineering animation; 2D and 3D visualization; simulations; user interface and user experience; computer graphics; game design; digital twin frameworks; digital transformation; engineering education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Digital twinning has matured thanks to its profound proliferation across diverse human activity domains. Therefore, we believe contemporary digital and virtual twinning trends will challenge the future more than the future will challenge them. It is not about how the future will streamline digital twinning but how digital twinning will transform the future. This paradigmatic shift drives this Special Issue's attitude. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Machine learning and artificial intelligence empowering;
  • Human digital twins;
  • Digital twinning-integrated development environments and DevOps;
  • Digital twin software;
  • Hyper-asset twinning (system-of-systems, cyber–physical systems; socio-technology systems);
  • Modeling and simulations, fidelity and synchronization challenges, complexity reduction, network digital twins, digital twin definition language;
  • Repository management, smart data protection, security and privacy;
  • Standardization, services, and interoperability issues;
  • Real-time decision making through edge computing (automotive, robotics, metaverse, agent-based);
  • Domain-specific digital twinning challenges in the following smart applications:
    • Manufacturing;
    • Cities and communities;
    • Education (teaching, learning, training, and performing);
    • Healthcare;
    • Logistics;
    • Communications (4G, 5G, and 6G);
    • Space industry;
    • Agriculture;
    • Arts and engineering animation.

Prof. Dr. Branko Rade Perišić
Dr. Ana Perišić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital twins
  • virtual twin
  • edge computing
  • digital twinning
  • digital twin frameworks
  • digital twin technology
  • domain-specific digital twinning

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 6826 KB  
Article
MetaD-DT: A Reference Architecture Enabling Digital Twin Development for Complex Engineering Equipment
by Hanyu Gao, Feng Wang, Taoping Zhao and Yi Gu
Electronics 2026, 15(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15010038 - 22 Dec 2025
Abstract
Digital twin technology is emerging as a critical enabler for the lifecycle management of complex engineering equipment, yet its implementation faces significant hurdles. Generic, one-size-fits-all digital twin platforms often fail to address the unique characteristics of this domain—such as tightly coupled multi-physics, high-fidelity [...] Read more.
Digital twin technology is emerging as a critical enabler for the lifecycle management of complex engineering equipment, yet its implementation faces significant hurdles. Generic, one-size-fits-all digital twin platforms often fail to address the unique characteristics of this domain—such as tightly coupled multi-physics, high-fidelity modeling requirements, and the need for real-time model execution under harsh operating conditions. This creates a critical need for a structured, reusable blueprint. However, a dedicated reference architecture that systematically guides the development of such specialized digital twins is notably absent. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes MetaD-DT, a reference architecture designed to enable and streamline the development of digital twins specifically for complex engineering equipment. We detail its comprehensive four-layer architecture, core functional modules, and streamlined graphical development workflow. The MetaD-DT’s efficacy and practical value are validated through two distinct industrial case studies: a health management system for diesel engine Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and an intelligent control optimization system for Indirect Air-Cooled (IAC) towers. These applications validate the framework’s ability to support the creation of robust digital twins that can effectively handle complex industrial dynamics and improve O&M (Operation And Maintenance) efficiency. This work provides a systematic architectural blueprint for the future development of specialized and efficient digital twins in the engineering equipment domain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Twinning: Trends Challenging the Future)
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23 pages, 3277 KB  
Article
Behaviour-Based Digital Twin for Electro-Pneumatic Actuator: Modelling, Simulation, and Validation Through Virtual Commissioning
by Roman Ruzarovsky, Tibor Horak, Richard Skypala, Roman Zelník, Martin Csekei, Ján Šido, Eduard Nemlaha and Michal Kopček
Electronics 2025, 14(12), 2434; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14122434 - 14 Jun 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1963
Abstract
A digital twin is an effective tool for the design, testing, and validation of control strategies for electro-pneumatic actuators in industrial automation. This study presents and compares three different digital twin models of a pneumatic cylinder with varying levels of physical fidelity—from basic [...] Read more.
A digital twin is an effective tool for the design, testing, and validation of control strategies for electro-pneumatic actuators in industrial automation. This study presents and compares three different digital twin models of a pneumatic cylinder with varying levels of physical fidelity—from basic discrete control, through analogue control without pneumatic dynamics, to a complex model simulating pressure, friction, and airflow. The experiments were conducted using the Siemens NX Mechatronics Concept Designer, integrated with the SIMIT emulation platform and a PLC control system via the standardized OPC UA protocol. The main objective was to evaluate simulation accuracy, model flexibility for testing various control strategies, and the ability of the digital twin to reflect changes in PLC algorithms. The results showed that while simple models are suitable for verifying basic logic, only advanced models can realistically replicate the dynamic behaviour of pneumatic systems, including delay phases and pressure influence. A comparison with the experimental study by Jiménez confirmed a strong correlation between the simulated and actual actuator behaviour. In future work, the developed control algorithm will be connected to a physical cylinder to further validate the models and refine control strategies under real-world conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Twinning: Trends Challenging the Future)
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Review

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22 pages, 349 KB  
Review
Toward Trustworthy Digital Twinning: Taxonomy, Analysis, and Open Challenges
by Farag Azzedin, Turki Alhazmi and Md Mahfuzur Rahman
Electronics 2025, 14(23), 4732; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14234732 - 1 Dec 2025
Viewed by 326
Abstract
The proliferation of Digital Twins (DTs) across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics is leading to the formation of complex ecosystems where heterogeneous DTs must cooperate. In such environments, establishing trust becomes paramount. However, trust in DTs remains an under-investigated problem, with current [...] Read more.
The proliferation of Digital Twins (DTs) across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics is leading to the formation of complex ecosystems where heterogeneous DTs must cooperate. In such environments, establishing trust becomes paramount. However, trust in DTs remains an under-investigated problem, with current research predominantly focused on security and privacy, which are prerequisites but not sole constituents of trust. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for analyzing and enhancing the trustworthiness of Digital Twins. First, we propose a novel five-layer symmetrical reference architecture (Asset, Synchronization, Data, Application, Integration) that models physical and digital twins as peers, improving reusability and maintainability. Using this architecture as a foundation, we then develop a multi-dimensional taxonomy to categorize DT trust issues from three critical perspectives: (1) an architectural perspective, which identifies and maps trust issues (e.g., model accuracy, data latency, application usability) to specific layers and behavioral attributes like conformance and dependability; (2) a massive twinning perspective, which explores emergent challenges in ecosystems of cooperating DTs, such as relationship complexity and data management; and (3) a stakeholder perspective, which addresses the need for both qualitative and quantitative trust assurances. Our analysis reveals that trust is a composite property requiring a holistic approach beyond conventional security. The paper concludes by synthesizing these perspectives into a unified view of DT trust and outlining critical open challenges and future research directions, providing a foundational roadmap for developing truly trustworthy Digital Twin systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Twinning: Trends Challenging the Future)
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