A Case Study on the Application of Digital Twins for Enhancing CPS Operations (2505.04323v1)

Abstract: To ensure the availability and reduce the downtime of complex cyber-physical systems across different domains, e.g., agriculture and manufacturing, fault tolerance mechanisms are implemented which are complex in both their development and operation. In addition, cyber-physical systems are often confronted with limited hardware resources or are legacy systems, both often hindering the addition of new functionalities directly on the onboard hardware. Digital Twins can be adopted to offload expensive computations, as well as providing support through fault tolerance mechanisms, thus decreasing costs and operational downtime of cyber-physical systems. In this paper, we show the feasibility of a Digital Twin used for enhancing cyber-physical system operations, specifically through functional augmentation and increased fault tolerance, in an industry-oriented use case.

Digital Twin Integration in Cyber-Physical Systems: Insights from a Case Study

In the context of growing interest in leveraging Digital Twins (DTs) for optimizing Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), this paper presents a focused case paper that evaluates the role of DTs in augmenting functionalities and improving fault tolerance of CPSs. By utilizing the fortissimo rover platform, the research explores DTs as virtual counterparts to physical systems, paving the way for enhanced operations, particularly in industry-oriented applications. This paper effectively substantiates the feasibility of DTs in improving operations for advanced CPS.

Feasibility of Digital Twins in Enhancing CPSs

Delineated within this paper is the application of DTs for functional augmentation and enhanced fault tolerance in CPSs, demonstrated through the fortissimo rover. The paper outlines two primary use cases: (1) augmenting the functionality of the CPS through DTs, and (2) employing DTs for redundancy and fault tolerance.

In the first scenario, the DT is utilized to enhance the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system of the rover. The DT, having access to additional computational resources beyond what is available on the physical rover, facilitates more sophisticated processing that incorporates multi-sensor fusion—utilizing both laser and ultrasonic sensors—enhancing the navigational capabilities and responsiveness to obstacles. Notably, the DT is able to process complex computational tasks that might otherwise overwhelm the limited onboard resources of the physical system, thereby demonstrating practical augmentation capabilities.

The second scenario showcases DTs as operationally critical redundancy mechanisms in CPSs by enabling fault tolerance. When the physical rover's ACC experiences operational failure, the DT is able to detect this failure and assume control, significantly minimizing downtime and ensuring continued functionality. The DT's ability to take over PT tasks is a crucial feature for ensuring high availability and reduced system downtime, which is vital in industrial applications where interruptions can lead to significant financial losses.

Infrastructure and Experimental Setup

The infrastructure crafted for this paper leverages robust communication protocols and simulation engines to enable seamless integration and operation between the PT and DT. Utilizing the RabbitMQ implementation of the Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP), reliable communication is established between the physical and digital twins, ensuring consistent data exchange essential for operational synchronization.

Additionally, the framework integrates Fault Injection approaches to simulate and validate operational resilience of both DT and PT under conditions of failure, providing an empirical evaluation of the potential benefits of DTs in practical CPS deployments.

Practical and Theoretical Implications

The findings from this case paper hold several key implications for future CPS deployments. Practically, the augmentation and fault tolerance offered by DTs can reduce operational costs by minimizing hardware resource requirements while ensuring system availability. This strategy underscores a promising approach for industries to integrate DT technologies without necessitating significant investments in onboard computational capabilities.

Theoretically, this work contributes to the growing body of research advocating the adoption of DTs in enhancing CPS operations. The empirical assessment lays groundwork for further explorations into developing systematic methodologies for DT-PT co-development, potentially embracing DevOps practices to streamline CPS integration processes.

Conclusions and Future Directions

In conclusion, the research encapsulates a significant step in examining DT functionalities within CPS frameworks. Future explorations might evolve toward advancing guarantees for real-time operation and communication between DT and PT, adopting formal methods to ensure synchronization across distributed architectures.

Furthermore, the exploration of DT-PT co-development methodologies, addressing the intricacies associated with legacy CPS architectures, remains a prospective avenue of inquiry. Such efforts might reveal new frameworks for DT integration that are more adaptable to the dynamic demands of CPSs across various industries, expanding both the scope and efficacy of DT applications.