## 4 Results and Discussions
### Emerging Digital Technologies
#### 4.1.1 Digital Twin  
DT is a pivotal technology that enables the shift from traditional to smart business systems [56]. DTs are real-time digital replicas of physical entities, such as machines, production systems, or human workers, capable of continuously updating data from physical entities to the virtual world to attain optimized goals through data analytics, simulation, and predictive techniques [4; 18; 19; 41; 56]. DTs consist of three main components: a physical object, its digital counterpart, and the data link between them for continuous information exchange [9; 46]. Moreover, unlike static digital models and one-way digital shadows, DTs provide a dynamic, two-way data exchange between the physical and virtual systems, allowing fully automated and real-time updates [13; 57]. According to [58], DTs exist in diverse forms, such as physics-based, data-driven, hybrid, and those focused on maintenance or process optimization. Similarly, the study by [56] highlights the significance of DT technology in enhancing the competitiveness of the shipbuilding industry, particularly through the improvement of advanced outfitting, which reduces the danger of work injuries. The development of dynamic systems and predictive DT platforms has been advanced through the application of real-time sensor data and AI algorithms. In DT systems, numerous IoT sensors facilitate real-time digital replication, which optimizes the workflow, enhances throughput, and ensures quality [59]. Similarly, a DT leverages the IoT, simulation, and data analytics to create a virtual replica that mirrors an asset's data, processes, operational states, and lifecycle [3]. AI-powered, IoT-driven DTs optimize production by utilizing real-time sensor data to improve efficiency and decision making [3; 60; 60]. For example, in a 3D DT environment, physical object data are integrated into a digital model via sensors and cameras, enabling simulations to predict behavior and performance, with the resulting insights fed back to optimize real-world operations and decision-making [7; 41]. DT technologies are foundational in modern manufacturing, offering a wide range of benefits and applications. They enable real-time monitoring, remote control, and predictive maintenance, while also supporting virtual risk assessments, improved team collaboration, faster decision-making, and better communication through enhanced documentation [61]. DTs are essential for virtualizing and digitizing key physical components, functions, and systems, providing deeper insights into manufacturing processes [61; 62]. DTs seamlessly integrate virtual and physical manufacturing environments using real-time data (from sensors, machines, and other sources) to enable smart, adaptive, and sustainable processes by optimizing production, minimizing downtime, enhancing quality, and supporting predictive maintenance [61; 63]. They are also critical for understanding system resilience and detecting potential risks [9]. For instance, DTs can enhance workplace safety and boost operational efficiency. As shown by [18], DTs can simulate workplace airflow and the concentration of airborne contaminants released during manufacturing, thereby enabling the optimization of hazard control systems such as ventilation. Moreover, VR serves as an enabling technology for DTs. According to [56], when combined with AR tools, DTs streamline the alignment of virtual and physical environments, cutting communication time between design and production teams. In addition to asset monitoring, human DTs are rapidly gaining traction in manufacturing due to their ability to provide real-time monitoring of machines, products, and worker conditions, such as health, stress levels, and posture, within an integrated ecosystem [9; 22]. DTs support system design by predicting performance and adapting to workers' needs [59]. Unlike conventional training simulations, DTs support closed-loop feedback systems that continuously adapt to operator states and machine interactions, thus aligning with the human-centric design of Industry 5.0.