Seeing Double: How Digital Twins Are Driving a New Era of Innovation

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Seeing Double: How Digital Twins Are Driving a New Era of Innovation
By Ayana Marshall, PhD

As technology continues to advance, digital twins have emerged as a concept that connects the physical and digital realms in innovative ways. These advanced virtual counterparts of physical assets, systems, or processes are transforming how industries approach simulation, optimization, and innovation. Beyond their practical applications, digital twins are becoming central to the growing focus on intellectual property (IP) rights, as companies increasingly file patents to protect their developments. The intersection of digital twins and IP will be explored, examining patent filings and pending applications to shed light on how this technology is influencing the landscape of innovation. 

To understand the growing impact of digital twins, it’s important to examine the key players driving innovation in this field. The figure above highlights companies with the highest number of patents and pending applications related to digital twin technologies, including industry leaders such as IBM, Philips, and Dassault. 

  • IBM (International Business Machines Corp.) holds the highest number of patents and pending applications related to digital twin technologies, as indicated by the chart. 
  • Koninklijke Philips N.V. is another leading company in this area. 
  • Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault S.A. ranks among the top 3. 
  • Emerson Electric Co. has a notable number of patents and pending applications in this field, as shown in the chart. 
  • Amazon.com, Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. are also prominent in the digital twin landscape, with significant patent and application activity. 
  • Other companies rounding out the top 10 in patents and pending application counts include SAP SE, Autodesk, Inc., Rockwell Automation, and Hexagon AB. 
  • The chart further highlights companies such as Schneider Electric SA, ANSYS, Inc., Posco, Siemens AG, and GE Aerospace with notable patent and application counts. 
  • Institutions like Beihang University and Strong Force Intellectual Capital, LLC also appear in the chart, indicating their involvement in digital twin technologies. 

Building on the insights into the leading companies driving innovation in digital twin technologies, it’s essential to also consider the broader trends in this field. The chart above highlights a significant 85.1% growth in publications over the past three years, underscoring the accelerating interest and activity in digital twin technologies. 

  • The publication trend was relatively flat from 2014 to 2020. 
  • There has been an 85.1% growth in publications related to digital twin technologies over the past three years. 
  • The most significant spike in publication activity occurred from 2021 onwards, as illustrated by the steep upward curve. 

The surge in publication activity in recent years, marked by an 85.1% growth, signals the expanding interest and investment in digital twin technologies. This trend is further supported by the competitive landscape shown in the accompanying chart, where leading companies such as IBM, Philips, and Dassault are not only securing patents but also actively filing pending applications in this field. 

The data is sourced from the Harrity Analytics Patent Pulse™ Report on Digital Twins.  For more information about the Patent Pulse™ Report visit our website HERE, download a complimentary Patent Pulse Report HERE, or contact Harrity Analytics HERE.