Philips and the Rise of Digital Twins: From Smart Systems to Smarter Lives

18

September

2025

No ratings yet.

You probably think of cars, airplanes, jet engines, or heavy machinery when you hear the term ‘digital twin.’ Conversely, Philips likely evokes images of hospital monitoring, TVs, or shavers. Nonetheless, Philips, a world leader in healthcare technology, is changing the story of the digital twin by taking it from the factory floor to the hospital setting and, eventually, to the human body.

From Buildings to Bodies
Digital twins, virtual models of physical systems, have long been used to optimize industrial operations (Emmert-Streib, 2023). Now, Philips is applying these principles to healthcare, starting with infrastructure.

In a recent hospital demonstration (Philips Healthcare, 2023), a care unit was digitally replicated and simulated to track patient flow, staff shifts, and room capacity. By adjusting parameters like staff availability and care demand, the model revealed impacts on key performance indicators such as discharge times. As such, data derived from these models provides administrators with powerful insights to optimize hospital operations.

Predictive Machines and Personalized Organs
Philips isn’t stopping at buildings. Their MRI systems now use digital twin models to track performance, forecast failures, and guide maintenance. Combining live sensor data with historical information, these simulations predict machine states, moving healthcare from reactive to predictive servicing (Philips, 2018a). In clinical settings where downtime delays diagnoses, foresight like this can be lifesaving.

The company has also ventured into modeling the human heart. In 2015, it introduced HeartModel, which generates personalized 3D heart simulations using ultrasound data (Philips, 2018b). By tailoring these anatomical models to individual physiology, clinicians can better evaluate cardiac function and plan treatments. Yet challenges remain. No two hearts are identical, and building universally accurate models is complex (Philips Nederland, 2022). Therefore, instead of replicating the entire human body, Philips now focuses on modular ‘building blocks’ that already add clinical value, such as single-organ models in cardiovascular care (Philips Nederland, 2022).

Beyond Twins
Digital twins are just one part of Philips’ broader vision. The company is also exploring technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). VR, for instance, would enable simulations of lifelike medical scenarios, allowing clinicians and students to practice complex procedures in safe, controlled environments. AR holds promise in surgery: imagine overlaying patient-specific 3D models onto the body, enabling surgeons to ‘see through’ the skin and anticipate anatomy before operating (Philips, 2018b).

Why this matters now
These innovations arrive at a critical moment, as healthcare systems are under immense pressure. According to the Future Health Index 2025, over 30% of patients experience worsening conditions due to delays, and 1 in 4 are hospitalized before seeing a specialist (Philips, 2025b). AI-powered digital twins could help ease these burdens by streamlining diagnoses, predicting complications, and personalizing care.

However, adoption isn’t straightforward. While 82% of healthcare professionals believe AI tools can save lives, only 59% of patients share that trust (Philips, 2025a). Concerns over accuracy, ethics, and data security remain barriers, highlighting that building public confidence is as important as advancing the technology itself.

A New Kind of Value
Philips’ transformation is not just technological, it’s strategic. Mapped onto the Business Model Canvas, Philips’ trajectory is clear. Key resources now extend beyond hardware to include AI, cloud platforms, and patient data. Customers increasingly consist of hospitals, clinicians, and health systems, and revenue streams increasingly revolve around ‘insight-as-a-service’ (McKinsey & Company, 2023), marking a shift from product-driven to data-driven ecosystems (Weill & Woerner, 2015).

The Future
So, digital twins are more than a breakthrough, they represent a shift towards predictive, personalized care that could redefine the future of healthcare. Ultimately, their impact depends not just on innovation, but on society’s willingness to embrace it.

As long as these tools remain complements to existing workflows, they have my trust. What about you, do you trust these developments?

References
Emmert-Streib, F. (2023). What is the role of AI for digital twins? AI, 4(3), 721–728. https://doi.org/10.3390/ai4030038

McKinsey & Company. (2023). How healthcare systems can become digital-health leaders. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/how-healthcare-systems-can-become-digital-health-leaders

Philips. (2018a, August 30). The rise of the digital twin: How healthcare can benefit. Philips Global. https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/archive/blogs/innovation-matters/20180830-the-rise-of-the-digital-twin-how-healthcare-can-benefit.html

Philips. (2018b, November 12). How a virtual heart could save your real one. Philips Global. https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/archive/blogs/innovation-matters/20181112-how-a-virtual-heart-could-save-your-real-one.html

Philips Nederland. (2022, May 19). Met een digitale tweeling kunnen we voorspellen hoe een patiënt reageert. Philips Nederland. https://www.philips.nl/a-w/about/news/archive/standard/about/news/articles/2022/20220519-met-een-digitale-tweeling-kunnen-we-voorspellen-hoe-een-patient-reageert.html

Philips. (2025a). Future Health Index 2025: Building trust in healthcare AI. Philips Global. https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/future-health-index/reports/2025/building-trust-in-healthcare-ai

Philips. (2025b, May 14). Philips Future Health Index 2025: AI poised to transform global healthcare, urging leaders to act now. Philips Global. https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/archive/standard/news/press/2025/philips-future-health-index-2025-ai-poised-to-transform-global-healthcare-urging-leaders-to-act-now.html

Philips Healthcare. (2023, February 16). Optimal care system design using Digital twin [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bf6VfDVtmU

Weill, P., & Woerner, S. L. (2015). Thriving in an increasingly digital ecosystem. MIT Sloan Management Review, 56(4), 27–34. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/thriving-in-an-increasingly-digital-ecosystem/

Please rate this

Digital Twin Technology in Research

16

October

2022

No ratings yet.

The idea of digital twins has been around since the start of the century, though not many are acquainted with the concept. The name seems self-explanatory, yet digital twins are often confused with digital models or digital shadows, respectively a model constitutes an idea of a physical object in virtuality, like an architect’s plans for a building, while shadows are related only through the fact that a change of the physical object leads to a change in the virtual model. A digital twin is set apart by the fact that physical changes alter the digital object and that the opposite is also true (Fuller et al., 2020). 

In essence, digital twins are virtual objects that are fully integrated with their physical parts, and that is why they are so beneficial. The digital twin can be one object or a conjunction of parts that work together as a system. Consequently, the data collected from the sensors in the physical object can then be used to see how it reacts in simulations or to see the performance within the virtual ecosystem (IBM, n.d.).

Figure 1: Digital Twin of Smart Vehicle

This technology is expected to be used in many industries, such as in healthcare, urban smart city planning, and manufacturing to name a few. The smart cities’ data can be collected and modeled to help with planning and analyzing how changes could turn out. The digital twin is like a modern version of Vyseris Targaryen’s dream of visualizing his realm, though this replica is as ‘alive’ as what it represents; a ruler’s dream.

Figure 2: HBO Series ‘House of the Dragon’: Realm sculpture of King Viserys

Recently a paper by Bhatti et al. (2021) defined how to apply this technology in the automotive manufacturing industry, they describe how smart vehicle parts could be thoroughly analyzed through complex digital twin structures. Though there are still many challenges to overcome before it is a reality. Yet through their wide applicability and data analysis power digital twins could be the future of research.

Sources

Bhatti, G., Mohan, H., & Singh, R. (2021, May). Towards the future of smart electric vehicles: Digital twin technology: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Elsevier, 141, Article 110801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.110801

Fuller, A., Fan, Z., Day, C., & Barlow, C. (2020, May 28). Digital Twin: Enabling Technologies, Challenges and Open Research. IEEE Access, 8, 108952–108971. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2998358

IBM. (n.d.). What is a digital twin? Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.ibm.com/topics/what-is-a-digital-twin

Please rate this

Solving the nitrogen crisis in a digital cow barn

12

October

2022

No ratings yet.

A soil scientist prefers to stand in the mud and a data scientist prefers to sit behind a computer, both sound very different but Claudia Kamphuis got these parties around the same table. In a project for Wageningen University, she and Thomas Been are trying to solve the nitrogen crisis in a digital world. Since agriculture is a major contributor to nitrogen emissions (Hofstede, 2022), they want to focus on this initially. They are planning to do this by developing a digital twin of a farm. But for we continue, what exactly is a digital twin?

According to Kimberly Borden and Anna Herlt (partners in McKinsey’s Operations Practice), a digital twin is a digital representation of a physical object. This object can concern a product, but also an entire office building. What is important is that data from the physical environment of the corresponding product provides real time data to the digital twin. Let me give you an example of a well-known application to make it a little less abstract: Google maps is the earth’s digital twin. Data sources on the earth continuously link real time data (like traffic jams, accidents, weather conditions etc.) to its digital Google maps twin to optimize your traffic route (Borden & Herlt, 2022).

In addition to optimizing your route, an application we are all very grateful for by the way, this technique can thus also be used at the environmental level. By representing a farm in a digital form and continuously combining this with real time data, various scenarios can be examined digitally. This is exactly what Kamphuis and her team are trying to do. For example, by placing sensors in barns that measure nitrogen emission in real time, it is possible to find out, without conducting physical tests, where and with which farming and land management techniques the most results can be achieved (Mailer, 2022; Wageningen University & Research, n.d.; Kloppenburg, Kok & van der Voort, 2021).

We are still at an early stage for developing digital twins for agriculture, but it is a promising technique and when it is fully developed, it can also be used for other organics as water and even diseases (Wageningen University & Research, n.d.).

References

Borden, K., & Herlt, A. (2022, October 10). Digital twins: What could they do for your business? McKinsey & Company. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/digital-twins-what-could-they-do-for-your-business

Digital Future Farm. (n.d.). Wageningen University & Research. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.wur.nl/formsession-expired-27.htm

Hofstede, S. (2022, October 5). Lijst met 100 grootste ammoniak-uitstoters telt 90 veebedrijven. De Volkskrant. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/lijst-met-100-grootste-ammoniak-uitstoters-telt-90-veebedrijven~bfe80b23/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Kloppenburg, S., Kok, E. J., & van der Voort, M. (2021, January 1). Digital twins in agri-food : Societal and ethical themes and questions for further research. NJAS: Impact in Agricultural and Life Sciences, 93(1), 98–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/27685241.2021.1989269

Mailer, S. (2022, October 10). Digital Twins – Simulating Agriculture for Climate-Positive Farming and Land Management. Lexology. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=25585a38-417d-41ab-b238-f9767099d6cb

Please rate this

The Digital Twin of the Ocean

4

October

2021

No ratings yet.

Although 70% of our planet is covered by the oceans, the ocean technology is not a widely discussed topic it (National Geographic, 2021). This should change as ocean technology could support climate and sustainability goals by encouraging a digital transformation of the ocean (MacDonald, 2021). In addition, this opportunity also creates new chances for business to grow and to show commitment to climate action.

The technological developments have created the opportunity to collect data and to investigate research about the underwater world. For instance, artificial intelligence and machine learning help analysing data, whereas blockchain technology supports the transparency and traceability of goods. Companies could combine these technologies in their business strategy. It provides the opportunity to keep track of CO2, fishing gear, and sea-life at a low cost to overcome huge problems concerning the excessive fishing industry, CO2 climate goals and plastic pollution.

As the ocean is complex, the society is trying to combine all these technologies to create a digital twin of the ocean (DTO), in order to support predictive movements, understand the ocean’s role and make better-informed decisions (MacDonald, 2021). According to Mayer (2021), the DTO could be seen as “a digital replica of a reference object that already exists in reality or can be foreseen to exist in the future”. Recently, several prototypes of the DTO have already been created with the goal to monitor, to create what-if scenarios and to analyse impact of preventive measures for climate risks (Marine Copernicus, 2020).

The latest developments have been made by Mercator Ocean International, as the company is the forefront of building global ocean models for at least the last two decades (Mercator Ocean International, 2021). Despite, the awareness of ocean technology remaining low, the Mercator Ocean International corporation also started developing a digital twin of the Earth (Mercator Ocean International, 2021).

In my opinion, more people should become aware of the existence of the DTO and the digital twin of the earth. In addition, people should start considering how this information acknowledged by this innovation might impact governance, customers, and entire industries. I believe that there is still a lot to learn from the ocean and we must embrace this opportunity to explore and discover the unknown to support the sustainable future.

References:

National Geographic (2021). Ocean. Viewed October 4, 2021. Retrieved from, https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/ocean/

MacDonald K. (2021). Forbes. Digitalizing Our Oceans: New Roles for Tech Companies and Workers. Viewed October 4, 2021. Retrieved from, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/07/07/digitalizing-our-oceans-new-roles-for-tech-companies-and-workers/?sh=1fa36bfc109e

Marine Copernicus (2021). Ocean and its digital twin: what’s in for Copernicus Marina?. Viewed October 4, 2021. Retrieved from, https://marine.copernicus.eu/news/ocean-and-its-digital-twin-whats-copernicus-marine

Mayer, I. Planning for the Future–Towards a Virtual Twin of the Ocean.

Mercator Ocean International (2021). Digital Twin of the Ocean. Viewed October 4, 2021. Retrieved from, https://www.mercator-ocean.fr/digital-twin-ocean/

Please rate this