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Elsevier

Foundations of Digital Twins

  • 1st Edition - May 27, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Tuan Anh Nguyen, Jun Cai, Marjan Kuchaki Rafsanjani
  • Language: English

Foundations of Digital Twins explains the fundamentals of digital twins, how digital twin technologies can gather real world data using the sensor networks that comprise the Intern… Read more

Description

Foundations of Digital Twins explains the fundamentals of digital twins, how digital twin technologies can gather real world data using the sensor networks that comprise the Internet of Things, and how that data can be sorted, analyzed, and used to improve services and increase sustainability. Structured in five sections, the book begins with an introductory overview of each technology, establishing a clear understanding of their individual roles and their potential when combined. The second section delves into data acquisition, featuring advanced sensors, drones, robots and actuators. Part Three considers data exchange and security, focusing on CPS, the internet of things, and blockchain.

Part Four looks at how digital twins can impact on data computing, such as video streaming, cloud computing, fog computing and edge-computing. The final section explores the future opportunities and risks of adopting advanced technologies in this evolving field, including artificial intelligence, the ethical issues concerned when collecting and using data, and the security implications.

Key features

  • Explains how digital twins gather real world data to create a virtual model of a real world environment
  • Discusses how the virtual model can be utilized in making informed decisions about the real world environment
  • Considers the associated technologies that support digital twins, including blockchain, sensor networks, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
  • Explores how digital twins can be used to monitor and improve real world services

Readership

Academic researchers, and professional engineers/scientists working in the field of advanced sensor networks, computer science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, public management, infra-structure management, traffic information management.

Table of contents

PART 1. INTRODUCTION

1. Overview of digital twins. Brief discussion of digital twin technologies. Cross-disciplinary use of digital twins. Things you need to know. Case studies. Applications. Calculations / worked examples. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Literature review

2. Key Technologies of Digital Twins. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Case studies. Applications

3. Layers based digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Case studies. Applications

PART 2. DATA ACQUISITION

4. Advanced sensors/actuators for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Applications

5. Advanced Drones for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Applications

6. Advanced Robots for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions

7. Digital twin networks. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions

PART 3. DATA EXCHANGE, TRANSMISSION, AND SECURITY

8. CPS and digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications. Literature review

9. Iot and digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications. Literature review

10. Blockchain and digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications. Literature review

PART 4. DATA COMPUTING

11. Video streaming and digital twins. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

12. Cloud computing for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

13. Fog-computing for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

14. Edge-computing for digital twin. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

PART 5. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DIGITAL TWINS

15. The Role of AI in Enhancing Digital Twins. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

16. Ethical Considerations and Challenges of AI in Digital Twins. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

17. Security risks and privacy challenges in digital twins. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary. Definitions. Methods and techniques. Applications

18. Future perspectives. Chapter Introduction. Chapter summary

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: May 27, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

TN

Tuan Anh Nguyen

Dr. Tuan Anh Nguyen is Senior Principal Research Scientist at the Institute for Tropical Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam. He received B.S. in Physics from Hanoi University in 1992, and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Paris Diderot University (France) in 2003. He was Visiting Scientist at Seoul National University (South Korea, 2004) and University of Wollongong (Australia, 2005). He then worked as Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Scientist in the Montana State University (USA), 2006-2009. In 2012, he was appointed as the Head of the Microanalysis Department at Institute for Tropical Technology. His research activities include smart sensors, smart networks, smart hospitals, smart cities and advanced nanomaterials. He edited over 70 Elsevier, 12 CRC Press, 1 Springer, 1 RSC and 2 IGI Global books. He is Editor-In-Chief of "Kenkyu Journal of Nanotechnology & Nanoscience".
Affiliations and expertise
Institute for Tropical Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam

JC

Jun Cai

Jun Cai received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada, in 2004. From 2004 to 2006, he was a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Post-Doctoral Fellow with McMaster University, Canada. From 2006 to 2018, he was with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba, Canada, where he was a Full Professor and the NSERC Industrial Research Chair. In 2019, he joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Canada, as a Full Professor and the PERFORM Research Chair. His current research interests include human digital twin, distributed learning, edge/fog computing, eHealth, radio resource management in wireless communications networks, and performance analysis. He served on the editorial board for IEEE Internet of Things Journal, IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine, IEEE Systems Journal, IET Communications, and Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing. He also served as the General Chair for 2023 Biennial Symposium on Communications, the Technical Program Committee (TPC) Co-Chair for IEEE GreenCom 2018, and the Track/Symposium TPC Co-Chair for IEEE VTC 2019, IEEE CCECE 2017, IEEE VTC 2012, IEEE GLOBECOM 2010, and IWCMC 2008.

Affiliations and expertise
Concordia University, Montreal, QC Canada

MR

Marjan Kuchaki Rafsanjani

Prof. Marjan Kuchaki Rafsanjani is currently a professor at the Department of Computer Science at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran. She received her PhD in Computer Engineering in 2009. She is a member of international experts of CCRI (International Center for AI and Cyber Security Research and Innovations) at Asia university, Taiwan. She serves on the editorial board of the Elsevier Journal of Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, International Journal of Computational Systems Engineering, Journal of Computing Science and Information Technology, Transactions on Fuzzy Sets and Systems and Advisory board of Iranian Journal of Fuzzy System. She has published more than 200 research papers in international journals and conference proceedings. She also published a book and a few book chapters and has working experience on many projects. She has served as chair/ organizer/ session chair /a program committee member for several international conferences. Her current research interests include Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Systems, Cyber Security, Machine Learning, Bio-inspired Systems, Smart Cities and Networks (MANETs, WSNs, WRSNs, VANETs and FANETs), Optimization, Fuzzy Systems, Bioinformatics and Soft Computing.
Affiliations and expertise
Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran