Digital Twin Domains

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What are Cognitive Digital Twins?

Cognitive Digital Twins (CDTs) are digital replicas of real-world entities that possess cognitive capabilities – they can learn from data, adapt, and make intelligent decisions. The IXO Spatial Web Stack implements CDTs through three core components:

1. AI/ML Models for Cognition: CDTs integrate artificial intelligence to simulate cognition. With runtime learning, a twin can analyze streaming data and update its behavior or predictions autonomously. On IXO, Oracle Twins serve this role – they are AI-powered agent services that evaluate data, perform verifications, and automate intelligent actions within the twin system.

2. Federated Data Architecture: CDTs draw from distributed data sources in a federated manner. IXO implements a “data matrix” layer of secure data nodes for each twin, allowing data to be shared across a network of stores rather than one silo. This federated design ensures scalability and resilience.

3. Decentralized Identity Integration: Every twin is anchored by a decentralized identity to establish trust and uniqueness. Each Digital Entity is identified by a W3C Decentralized Identifier (DID).

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Digital Entity Types

IXO distinguishes different types of twins in its architecture:

• Physical Twins: Correspond to real-world devices and sensors (e.g., IoT-enabled cooking stoves)
• Cognitive Twins: Model higher-level constructs like Organisations, projects, or processes
• Oracle Twins: AI agents that provide analytical and decision-making capabilities
• Twin Systems: Capture the relationships and feedback loops between entities

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Digital Domain Properties

Each physical or conceptual element is represented as a Digital Entity with a digital Domain. The domain infrastructure is implemented on blockchain with the following components:

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Domain Components

1. Digital Identifier
   Created as a DID for verifiable ownership and uniqueness; can be enhanced with verifiable credentials.

2. Domain Controllers
   Defined by public keys or blockchain accounts. Only those with permission can update a domain’s data.

3. Services
   Internet-based services tied to the domain, providing necessary functionalities (e.g., data ingestion endpoints).

4. Linked Resources
   Digital materials (documents, media) referenced via URIs, often with cryptographic proofs for authenticity.

5. Accorded Rights
   Object capabilities (zCAPs, Cacao) specify who can perform specific actions, preserving privacy and security.

6. Linked Claims
   Verified data items that update the domain’s state (e.g., device usage records, fuel delivery confirmations).

7. Linked Entities
   Builds a network of related domains—such as funders, projects, or oracles—and formalizes their interconnections.

8. Economic Accounts
   Domains function as economic actors with blockchain accounts, enabling DeFi-related actions (e.g., staking, payments).

9. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
   Each domain is represented as an NFT, facilitating ownership transfers and interactions with other decentralized ecosystems.

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Data Security and Privacy

IXO implements a federated, end-to-end encrypted data architecture built on the Matrix protocol. Key features include:

• Sovereign Data Stores: Each digital twin domain has its own secure data store where structured data and real-time streams are recorded
• End-to-End Encryption: All data is protected with E2EE, ensuring only authorized agents can access the data
• Interoperable Data Sharing: Data can be securely shared across different servers and Organisations while maintaining encryption
• Decentralized Storage: Integration with decentralized file storage networks like IPFS for larger files or public datasets

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Trust and Verification

Trust is established through:

1. Verifiable Claims: Digitally signed data or assertions produced by agents or devices
2. Oracle Verification: AI or human validators evaluate and verify claims
3. Verifiable Credentials: W3C-standard digital certificates that encapsulate verified claims
4. End-to-End Trust Pipeline: From data origin to verification and credential issuance

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Using Protocols

Manually configuring domains can be intricate, so the IXO platform offers Protocols to streamline the process. A protocol is a predefined template of properties, relationships, and data models for a specific type of domain.

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Instantiating Protocols

When developers create an entity from a protocol “class,” it inherits the protocol’s default configurations. These inherited settings can be forked and updated to fit the specific use case, promoting:

• Rapid deployment of standard domain types
• Consistent data structures across projects
• Hierarchical Organisation, allowing child entities to trace back to a parent protocol

Example: Climate Mitigation Project Protocol
A protocol designed for clean cooking initiatives can include:

• Default data fields (fuel types, reporting standards, usage metrics)
• Relationships (verification oracles, project developers, funders)
• Services (data analytics, payment frameworks, governance tools)