IUMENTA: A generic framework for animal digital twins within the Open Digital Twin Platform

IUMENTA (Latin for livestock) is an innovative software framework designed to construct and simulate digital twins of animals. By leveraging the powerful capability of the Open Digital Twin Platform (ODTP) alongside advanced software sensors, IUMENTA offers researchers a user-friendly tool to seamlessly develop adaptive digital replicas of animal-based processes. This framework establishes a dynamic ecosystem that integrates insights from diverse experiments, consequently enhancing our understanding of animal behavioural and physiological responses. Through real-time tracking of an animal’s energy balance. IUMENTA provides valuable insights into metabolic rates, nutritional needs, emotional states, and overall well-being of animals. In this article, we explore the application of the IUMENTA framework in developing a digital twin focused on the animal’s energy balance. IUMENTA includes the EnergyTag system, a state-of-the-art wearable software sensor, which facilitates real-time monitoring of energy expenditure, allowing for continuous updates and personalisation of the energy balance digital twin. Index Terms—Digital Twin, Open Research Data, Internet of Things, Precision Livestock Farming, Animal Physiology, Software Sensor