Fluid Computing & Digital Twins for intelligent interoperability in the IoT ecosystem

The integration of physical and digital systems is fundamental to enabling intelligent, adaptive, and scalable solutions in modern IoT environments. This paper explores Fluid Digital Twins (FDTs), a novel framework combining Fluid Computing (FC) principles with Digital Twin (DT) technology, to address challenges related to interoperability, dynamic functionality, and adaptability in IoT ecosystems. FC introduces a paradigm shift, enabling seamless data and computational task flow across heterogeneous environments, dynamically adjusting to resource availability and system needs. This paper focuses on embedding intelligence within FDTs to enhance interoperability and enable IoT applications to adapt to changes across both physical and digital domains. By integrating intelligent interoperability mechanisms, FDTs ensure smooth data alignment and compatibility across platforms, adapting to both physical and digital changes. The proposed framework has been implemented, prototyped, and evaluated in the Modena Automotive Smart Area (MASA), a smart city testbed. The evaluation demonstrates FDTs’ ability to enhance smart mobility, optimize transportation systems, and provide actionable insights, highlighting their transformative potential in dynamic, data-rich environments. The results emphasize the practical applicability of FDTs in addressing real-world challenges and advancing the capabilities of IoT-driven smart cities. • Fluid Digital Twins (FDTs) combine Fluid Computing (FC) and Digital Twins. • FDTs enable intelligent deployment and execution of functions. • FDTs adapt to changes in physical and digital layers for enhanced interoperability. • FDTs facilitate dynamic function offloading with structured testing and validation. • FDTs ensure reliable and adaptable deployments in evolving environments.