DIGITAL TWIN

Digital twin technology involves using data to

create a digital representation of a real-world asset,
facilitating better collaboration, data access, and
decision-making. This technology combines simulation
and data from various sources, allowing engineers to
construct a virtual counterpart of a physical object or
process. The exchange of data between the physical
and virtual twins forms a beneficial feedback loop,
with the physical object's data aiding in twin
optimization, and the twin's data helping improve the
physical object (Altair, 2022).
B. WHAT FACTORS OR EVENTS LED TO THIS DILEMMA?

1. Rapid advancement of IoT (Internet of Things) Devices

• Enabled the creation of highly detailed digital replicas of physical systems and assets.
• Raised concerns about data security and privacy, cyber attacks, and vulnerabilities (Lee et al., 2019)
• Increasing reliance on digital twins in industries has made them potential targets for espionage or sabotage.

2. Proliferation of wearable devices and health-monitoring technologies

• Enabled the continuous collection of personal health data to create digital replicas of individuals.
• Raised ethical and privacy concerns, as well as the potential misuse of sensitive health information, as discussed by Bell
et al. (2020).

3. Rapid development of AI and machine learning algorithms for healthcare applications

• Analyzes data from human digital twins to make predictions/ recommendations for treatments.
• Raised concerns about autonomy and consent, as individuals may have limited control over how their digital twins are used
(Celi et al. ,2020).
• Concerns about the accuracy, fairness, transparency, and accountability of these algorithms have created a dilemma.
(Rajkomar et al., 2019).
 D. WHY IS IT IMPORTANCE TO QUESTION THE MORAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY?

There are many successful applications of digital twins in the society but there are also attempts to build digital twins of
human bodies with respect to the health of people. However, it is faced with big data challenges, extreme levels of complexity, and
ethical issues since applications that interfere with individual thoughts, decisions, behaviours, and bodies involves concerns needed
to be considered such human rights and human dignity. While this may create opportunities for entirely new health services, it may
also enable body hacking and the stealing of highly sensitive personal health data. Hence, besides many new opportunities, new
kinds of cybercrime may arise, including forms of identity theft that are probably hard to uncover and defend against. To unlock the
full potential of new innovations, the public involvement and response, and participatory governance frameworks are required,
which give particular weight to a scientific approach and to the individuals affected by any (potential) measures taken, considering
relevant alternatives.
There are better ways to use technologies for a more sustainable and healthier world, in harmony with nature, than creating
something like a technocracy, question and analyze innovations that lacks sufficient
consideration of privacy, ethics, transparency, participation, democracy, and human rights. Rather than aiming for perfect digital
twins, a predictable future, and total-control, one should use computer simulation technology to create better opportunities for
everybody, for digital assistance of creativity, innovation, self-organization, coordination, cooperation, and co-evolution. The
metaverse, for instance, if used well, could provide a helpful experimental playground that would allow one to try out alternative
organizations of cities and societies.
E. IN THE FACE OF THIS DILEMMA, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO STUDY STS?

In the face of Digital Twin Dilemma, it is important to study STS because;

• STS allows us to determine / and evaluate the limitations of emerging technology in the modern
world.
• STS urges us to understand how the advancement of Digital Twin technology will revolutionize
human life.
• STS gives us a grasp of how new technical processes are created and how various knowledge
processes are implemented
• STS gives knowledge and understanding of technology as well as the ethical and moral
perspectives
• STS helps in improve the learning outcomes of students
• Through STS we can look for the benefits and possible opportunities of this innovation to make
life easier.
C. WHAT ARE THE SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DILEMMA?

According to Bruynseels, Sio and Hoven (2018), Digital Twins provide a conceptual framework to analyze emerging
data-driven health care practices, as well as their conceptual, ethical and social implications for therapy, preventative care
and human enhancement. Digital Twins stand for a specific engineering paradigm, where individual physical artifacts are
paired with digital models that dynamically reflects the status of those artifacts. When applied to persons, Digital Twins
are an emerging technology that builds on in silico representations of an individual that dynamically reflect molecular
status, physiological status and life style over time. These are used as the hypothesis that one would be in the possession
of very detailed bio-physical and lifestyle information of a person over time which could
help that person to track a variety of healthcare indicators.
On the other hand, digital twin use is most prolific in the manufacturing industry. This is because manufacturing
produces high volumes of data which aids the creation of digital twins. In manufacturing, digital twins can be used to test
the feasibility of products before launch. Based on the insights derived from the digital models, producers can offer more
personalized goods and services.
In automotive industry, digital twins are used to design ideal products. This way manufacturers can simulate and
analyze the entire production process, including stress testing. In addition, digital twins aid the production of self-driving
cars. Due to the limitations and risks surrounding self-driving cars, it would be very difficult to test the cars without
digital twins.