Companies are going all in on digital twins
Imagine if you could have a virtual double to attend meetings for you, see a drug’s side effects before you take it or, my personal favorite, do the laundry. Analysts say the digital twin market will be worth $379 billion in 2034 — 10 times what it is today. That’s why I’m telling you about it; I always want to keep you ahead of the tech curve, not left in the dust.
So, what is a digital twin?
Exactly what it sounds like: A virtual imitation of a person or thing. Digital twins can monitor their target’s behavior and send feedback in real time, whether that twin is representing a hurricane, city traffic — or you.
Who’s twinning?
💻 Tech founders: LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman created a digital twin of himself called “Reid AI” to help him become a better person.
Reid AI is built on two decades’ worth of Hoffman’s writing, speeches and videos. It also uses AI voice cloning and a digital avatar. Reid AI looks pretty darn real to me.
Hoffman says chatting with his digital twin helps him finetune the way he thinks, interacts with people and expresses himself. It’s like talking to yourself in the mirror … if your reflection could talk back. Kinda cool, kinda freaky.
🚄 Smart trains: Italy is using digital twin tech to build a smart railway system, complete with stations, bridges, tunnels and 10,000 miles of track. A digital copy helps them know when stations need maintenance and sends safety alerts to the remote Italian countryside.
🧑⚕️ Health care providers: To create a digital twin with Twin Health, you wear a special watch that monitors your heart rate, along with a Bluetooth sensor. The twin gives you and your health care providers all kinds of trackable data, helping you get truly personalized medicine.
Get this: One 66-year-old was able to reverse his Type 2 diabetes and get off his medication. So cool. I hope this tech makes it to more people who need it.
Here’s some rapid-fire trivia for you: Who coined the term “digital twin?”
Answer: NASA scientist John Vickers, back in 2010. These days, NASA uses digital twins to simulate space capsules in orbit.
🥁 Speaking of … What did the drummer call his twin daughters? Anna One, Anna Two.
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