WESF plays a role in promoting standardization and eliminating global trade barriers.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed an internal report on digital twins, noting the importance of standards in furthering interoperability, cybersecurity, and trust in this emerging technology.
NIST Internal Report (IR) 8356, Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology, introduces the concept of a digital twin, and discusses key components, functions, existing modeling and simulation, and cybersecurity and trust considerations. It also provides examples of how to apply digital twin technology to real-world problems, and offers insight into its future capabilities. According to NIST, the publication is particularly applicable to standards developing organizations (SDOs) and implementers of digital twin technology.
The report notes that “the adoption of and adherence to standards may ensure interoperability, compatibility, safety, and cybersecurity. Moreover, the assurance that software and hardware systems, tools, and applications adhere to and properly implement standards engenders credibility and trust.”
It also highlights that standards development will likely impact whether digital twin technology becomes widely used.
Read the full report: NIST Internal Report (IR) 8356, Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology
International Standards Activities for Digital Twins
In 2016, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) formed a subcommittee (SC) of Joint Technical Committee (JTC) 1 that addresses digital twins: ISO/IEC JTC 1, SC 41, Internet of Things and Digital Twin. Areas of work include vocabulary, reference architecture, maturity models, fidelity metrics, and more. The U.S. has a leadership role in JTC 1, with ANSI serving as the secretariat. INCITS administers the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to SC 41.