EMBODIED DIGITAL TWINS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS

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Abstract
The synergies of advances in environmental sensing and modeling and the mainstreaming of immersive technologies lay the foundation for a theoretical grounding of embodied digital twins. Embodied digital twins draw on an established understanding of the importance of place for environmental sciences as well as a paradigmatic shift in the cognitive sciences toward embodied cognition. Nonetheless, the excitement of realizing embodied experiences through immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality stands in stark contrast to a lack of consistent terminology and empirical research. In this vision paper, we are proposing to draw more deeply on the theoretical basis of embodied cognition and to establish research frameworks for advancing embodied digital twins. We discuss several examples for turning environmentally sensed and modeled information into high-fidelity immersive experiences and provide a discussion and outlook on critical topics to address.