Distributing intelligent functionalities in the Internet of Things with agents and Digital Twins
- Authors: S. Burattini, S. Mariani, S. Montagna, M. Picone, A. Ricci
- Published on: May 2025
- Publisher: Elsevier
- Journal: Internet of Things
- DOI: 10.1016/j.iot.2025.101560
We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest research on distributing intelligence in the Internet of Things (IoT) through the synergistic use of Autonomous Agents (AAs) and Digital Twins (DTs). The work addresses a fragmented landscape in which these two powerful abstractions have often been used separately, inconsistently, or without clear guiding principles.
Our study systematically analyzes the roles, similarities, and differences between AAs and DTs in the engineering of intelligent IoT systems. We introduce general, domain-agnostic design principles to help practitioners select and combine these technologies according to specific system requirements rather than technological trends.
Applying these principles, we illustrate how integrating AAs and DTs can lead to flexible and scalable architectures for distributed intelligence. The findings are conceptually validated through a smart manufacturing case study, showing how the proposed approach enables better system modularity, efficient distribution of intelligence, and adaptability to evolving needs.
This research contributes a structured methodology for designing interoperable IoT systems, paving the way for more unified, intelligent, and maintainable solutions across domains.
For more information, check out the article the article in Google Scholar.