A Symbiotic Digital Environment Framework for Industry 4.0 and 5.0: Enhancing Lifecycle Circularity
Name
eng-06-00355-v2.pdf
Size
11.63 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
987bd1609dd2effbd42daeed6133a231
Author(s)
Ponce, Pedro
Maldonado-Romo, Javier
Anthony, Brian W.
Bradley, Russel
Montesinos, Luis
Date Issued
December 6, 2025
Journal
Eng
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Citation
Ponce, P.; MaldonadoRomo, J.; Anthony, B.W.; Bradley, R.;
Montesinos, L. A Symbiotic Digital
Environment Framework for Industry
4.0 and 5.0: Enhancing Lifecycle
Circularity. Eng 2025, 6, 355.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
This paper introduces a Symbiotic Digital Environment Framework (SDEF) that integrates Human Digital Twins (HDTs) and Machine Digital Twins (MDTs) to advance lifecycle circularity across all stages of the CADMID model (i.e., Concept, Assessment, Design, Manufacture, In-Service, and Disposal). Unlike existing frameworks that address either digital twins or sustainability in isolation, SDEF establishes a bidirectional adaptive system where human, machine, and environmental digital entities continuously interact to co-optimize performance, resource efficiency, and well-being. The framework’s novelty lies in unifying human-centric adaptability (via HDTs) with circular economy principles to enable real-time symbiosis between industrial processes and their operators. Predictive analytics, immersive simulation, and continuous feedback loops dynamically adjust production parameters based on operator states and environmental conditions, extending asset lifespan while minimizing waste. Two simulation-based scenarios in VR using synthetic data demonstrate the framework’s capacity to integrate circularity metrics (material throughput, energy efficiency, remanufacturability index) with human-machine interaction variables in virtual manufacturing environments. SDEF bridges Industry 4.0’s automation capabilities and Industry 5.0’s human-centric vision, offering a scalable pathway toward sustainable and resilient industrial ecosystems by closing the loop between physical and digital realms.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3390/eng6120355
