Iowa State Researchers Use Digital Twins to Advance Agriculture, Health, and Manufacturing

At Iowa State University, researchers across engineering disciplines are pushing the boundaries of what's possible with digital twins—dynamic, data-updated virtual models that mirror real-world physical systems. With support from the AI Institute for Resilient Agriculture and the National Science Foundation, teams are applying digital twin frameworks across fields ranging from crop science to cardiovascular health and 3D printing.

In agriculture, scientists are converting real-time plant data—captured via mobile phones and neural radiance field (NeRF) models—into rich point clouds for crop simulation. These digital plants allow for predictive insights into growth patterns, soil health, and disease resilience. In healthcare, digital twins of the cardiovascular system built from imaging and wearable data are being used to track aging and detect disease long before symptoms emerge.

Meanwhile, in manufacturing, researchers are developing twin systems to optimize novel 3D printing techniques, accelerating the pace of materials development under the U.S. Materials Genome Initiative.

🌀 Remix Reality Take:

Digital twins are no longer niche. What’s happening at Iowa State is a clear signal: simulation is becoming a core tool across science and industry. The ability to mirror the real world in real time is unlocking a new mode of experimentation — and we’re just scratching the surface.

Source: Iowa State University News