Digital twins are a virtual replica of everything数字孪生，万物的虚拟复制品

江苏 刘 煜

Imagine a world where every car or plane,every patient,every building,or even entire cities have their own virtual,real-time computerized replica(复制品)—a digital double.

That concept is known as the digital twin.It is a virtual representation that serves as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process.Basically,we have a physical element that's connected to the Digital Model(Twin),which enables real-time monitoring,analysis of data,issues'prediction and more.New applications are discovered every day.

“If in doubt,clone it.”could be the mantra(口头禅)of the next generation of engineers,construction managers or doctors.More than just simulation,digital twins take information from Internet-connected objects using sensors,software,and control systems—Internet of Things(IoT)devices.They measure data like temperature,position,air quality or speed to adapt and improve design or function.

For real-world entities(实体)like bridges,buildings and other large construction projects,this is hardly new.Engineers have used sensors and other devices to gather this information for decades.But the falling cost of IoT devices connected to the Net allows digital twins to use data almost instantaneously to see the effects of changing conditions,and then make adjustments rapidly.

In construction,that means buildings become safer and cheaper to build because digital twins have access to real weather,structural and stress-point data.Bridges like the Queensferry Crossing in Scotland,for example,use waterlevel and wind speed threshold measurements to improve safety and manage traffic flow.

In health care,the digital twin concept means creating computer models of disease or even a virtual human body.Personalized medicines or treatments could then be developed using a medical twin of each patient.

Filling in the blanks for individual organs using body data-linked digital models like Philips'virtual heart or the Blue Brain Project is just the start.The idea of a medical twin that takes whole-person data from health trackers—including heart rate,blood pressure,breathing and other vital signs,and then advises on ways to improve our lifestyle which could cut out health problems before they begin.

Reading

Check

1.What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?

A.Digital twins'effects.

B.The types of digital twins.

C.New applications'benefits.

D.The definition of the digital twin.

2.What does the underlined sentence“If in doubt,clone it.”in paragraph 3 mean?

A.Using the method of cloning is alternative.

B.The digital twin is the solution to problems.

C.The next generation of engineers are good at cloning.

D.Internet of Things devices function well if cloned.

3.What do we know from the fourth paragraph?

A.Entities hardly use digital twins.

B.Engineers need decades to gather information.

C.Sensors will be used to get information.

D.Lower Net's price makes the digital twin work better.

4.What's the advantage of using the digital twin in health care?

A.It can prevent you from falling ill.

B.It can solve health problems in advance.

C.It can help patients get special medicines or treatments.

D.It can provide patients with developed health care.

Language

Study

Ⅰ.Difficult sentence in the text

Basically,we have a physical element that's connected to the Digital Model(Twin),which enables real-time monitoring,analysis of data,issues'prediction and more.从根本上说，我们有一个连接到数字模型（孪生）的实体元素，它可以实现实时监控、数据分析、问题预测等。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，句中that引导定语从句；which引导非限制性定语从句，修饰先行词the Digital Model(Twin)。

Ⅱ.Text-centered chunks

be known as以……知名；被认为是

serve as充当

be connected to与……连接

for decades几十年来

cut out停止；裁剪；消除