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Journals
Future Internet
Special Issues
Advances in Smart Environments and Digital Twin Technologies
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Advances in Smart Environments and Digital Twin Technologies

A special issue of Future Internet (ISSN 1999-5903).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2691

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mariusz Żytniewski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland
Interests: process management; knowledge management; software agents; digital twins; multiagent systema; ontology; IoT; smart cities
Prof. Dr. Małgorzata B. Pańkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland
Interests: smart ecosystem architecture; digital twin; business process automation; technology acceptance models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mariia Rizun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland
Interests: business process management; knowledge management; management information systems
Dr. Francesca Fallucchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Engineering Sciences, Guglielmo Marconi University, 00193 Roma, Italy
2. Leibniz Institute for Educational Media, Georg Eckert Institute, Freisestraße 1, 38118 Braunschweig, Germany
Interests: digital analysis; machine learning; natural language processing; knowledge discovery; semantic technology; big data
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

New concepts regarding the use of technology to assist humans in their daily lives are closely linked to Smart Ecosystems and Digital Twins. A Smart Ecosystem is a network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, computers, software, and services that communicate, collaborate efficiently, manage resources, and adapt their behaviors to environmental changes. These systems promote sustainable practices, improve quality of life, enhance safety, and generate large amounts of valuable data.

The concept of a Smart Ecosystem can be applied in various domains, such as smart cities, smart homes, smart healthcare, and smart manufacturing, and is primarily associated with the Digital Twin theory.

A Digital Twin is a type of software that replicates the behavior of a physical system. Using Digital Twins, system designers and engineers can analyze entire processes within Smart Environments or replicate specific physical systems within those environments for continuous monitoring, simulation, optimization, and predictive analytics. Integrating Digital Twins into Smart Ecosystems enhances responsiveness and adaptability to foster innovation across various industries.

Researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts of Smart Ecosystems and Digital Twins are invited to submit original articles related to these theories.

The areas of interest for the Special Issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Applications of Digital Twins in Smart Ecosystems;
  • Standards and protocols for ensuring interoperability between Digital Twins and other systems in Smart Ecosystems;
  • Data security, privacy, and governance in Digital Twin and Smart Ecosystems implementations;
  • Machine learning and AI-driven optimization in Smart Ecosystems and for enhancing Digital Twin accuracy and functionality;
  • Smart cities, smart homes, smart healthcare, smart manufacturing, smart agriculture theory, and implementations;
  • Designing and implementing IoT devices based on Digital Twin systems: the theory of cyber–physical systems;
  • Advanced simulation techniques for Digital Twins in Smart Environments;
  • Modeling complex interactions within Smart Ecosystems with the support of Digital Twins;
  • Sustainable practices in Smart Ecosystems;
  • Environmental monitoring and management using Digital Twin technologies;
  • User interfaces and UX theory in interacting with Smart Ecosystems;
  • Security and resilience of cyber–physical integrations in Smart Ecosystems;
  • Emerging trends and future prospects in Smart Ecosystems and Digital Twins;
  • Economic benefits of deploying Digital Twins in Smart Ecosystems;
  • Smart Ecosystems' social impact and acceptance models;
  • Cross-disciplinary approaches and novel applications in the field of Smart Ecosystems and Digital Twins.

Dr. Mariusz Żytniewski
Prof. Dr. Małgorzata B. Pańkowska
Dr. Mariia Rizun
Dr. Francesca Fallucchi
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Future Internet is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1600 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

  • smart ecosystem
  • smart environments
  • digital twin
  • smart city

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 482 KiB  
Article
Understanding Consumer Acceptance for Blockchain-Based Digital Payment Systems in Bhutan
by Tenzin Norbu, Joo Yeon Park, Kok Wai Wong and Hui Cui
Future Internet 2025, 17(4), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17040134 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 431
Abstract
Blockchain is a secure, digital ledger that enables faster transactions, reduces fraud, lowers costs, and enhances transparency. The blockchain is capable of changing the face of digital payments by providing greater opportunities for transformation. Consumer acceptance in emerging markets such as Bhutan depends [...] Read more.
Blockchain is a secure, digital ledger that enables faster transactions, reduces fraud, lowers costs, and enhances transparency. The blockchain is capable of changing the face of digital payments by providing greater opportunities for transformation. Consumer acceptance in emerging markets such as Bhutan depends on a number of key factors. This paper explores the impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions on consumer acceptance of blockchain-based digital payment systems in Bhutan. Sustained by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study uses PLS-SEM to analyze survey data from 302 respondents. The results show that performance expectancy, the expectation of blockchain’s usefulness, is the most influential factor determining customer acceptance. Effort expectancy and facilitating conditions are equally important. Social influences, although rather marginal, play an important role in Bhutan’s collectivist culture. The paper sheds light on factors for consumer acceptance of blockchain adoption. The findings add to the literature on blockchain adoption in burgeoning economies and provide the foundation for further research on blockchain adoption in multi-cultural contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Smart Environments and Digital Twin Technologies)
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24 pages, 9612 KiB  
Article
Developing an Urban Digital Twin for Environmental and Risk Assessment: A Case Study on Public Lighting and Hydrogeological Risk
by Vincenzo Barrile, Emanuela Genovese, Clemente Maesano, Sonia Calluso and Maurizio Pasquale Manti
Future Internet 2025, 17(3), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17030110 - 1 Mar 2025
Viewed by 681
Abstract
Improvements in immersive technology are opening up new opportunities for land management and urban planning, enabling the creation of detailed virtual models for examining and simulating real-world short-, medium-, and long-term scenarios. The goal of this research is to present the creation of [...] Read more.
Improvements in immersive technology are opening up new opportunities for land management and urban planning, enabling the creation of detailed virtual models for examining and simulating real-world short-, medium-, and long-term scenarios. The goal of this research is to present the creation of an urban digital twin based on a virtual reality city replica, that models and visualizes the urban environment in three dimensions using advanced geomatics techniques and IoT technologies. The methodology focuses on two case studies that utilize environmental analysis and virtual simulation: assessing hydrogeological risk and evaluating public light pollution. The Cesium platform was employed to build high-precision 3D models based on topographic, meteorological, and infrastructure data. The proposed methodology calculated a correlation between light pollution and CO2 equal to 0.51 and a correlation between precipitation, slope, and risk area higher than 0.80. The most critical and high-risk classes are as follows: Dense Discontinuous Urban Fabric, Roads and Associated Lands, Pastures, and Forests. Results show how an urban digital twin can be a powerful tool for monitoring and territorial planning, with concrete applications in the public and risk management fields. This study also highlights the importance of geomatics technologies in the creation of realistic and functional virtual environments for the assessment and sustainable management of urban resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Smart Environments and Digital Twin Technologies)
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21 pages, 553 KiB  
Article
User-Generated Content and Its Impact on Purchase Intent for Tourism Products: A Comparative Analysis of Millennials and Centennials on TikTok
by Eva Correia Ramos and Célia M. Q. Ramos
Future Internet 2025, 17(3), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17030105 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1022
Abstract
In an increasingly technological society, online social networks are essential to support consumer purchasing decisions, primarily through User Generated Content (UGC). In this research, we look at the influence of UGC on purchase intent applied to the tourism product on the TikTok social [...] Read more.
In an increasingly technological society, online social networks are essential to support consumer purchasing decisions, primarily through User Generated Content (UGC). In this research, we look at the influence of UGC on purchase intent applied to the tourism product on the TikTok social network. In this sense, a survey was applied to TikTok users aged between 18 and 42 to compare their behaviour with that of the two generations: Millennials and Centennials. The results indicate a relationship of influence between credibility and the usefulness of information and between usefulness and social influence on the intention to buy tourism products and services. In addition, a comparison was made between the results of the sample of individuals belonging to the Millennial Generation and the sample of individuals belonging to the Centennial Generation, with the main discrepancy in the results being the relationship between the need for information and the usefulness of information. These insights pave the way for further research aimed at establishing more robust conclusions in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Smart Environments and Digital Twin Technologies)
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