Living on the edge: A survey of Digital Twin-Assisted Task Offloading in safety-critical environments

Abstract

This survey delves into the synergy between Digital Twin technology and Task Offloading within safety-critical sectors, offering a nuanced understanding of their integration, potential benefits, and associated challenges. By defining fundamental concepts and exploring real-world implementations, this study evaluates the impact of Digital Twin-Assisted Task Offloading on optimizing resource utilization in safety-critical environments. Central to our analysis is the evaluation of key performance metrics guiding task offloading strategies, notably latency, and energy consumption, which are critical for achieving real-time efficiency and sustainable operations in edge computing environments. The survey further identifies a gap in the literature concerning cybersecurity and privacy concerns, crucial elements given the vulnerability of these systems to cyber threats and data breaches. It also highlights the emerging significance of 6G technology as a pivotal enabler for future advancements. This work not only serves as a valuable resource for professionals and researchers in safety-critical industries but also underscores the importance of addressing cybersecurity measures, advocating for standardized frameworks, and aligning with future technological trends to fully harness the potential of Digital Twin-Assisted Task Offloading.