IoT-enabled digital twins for robotics over private 5G networks: security, fault detection, and environmental monitoring

This paper presents an IoT Digital Twin (DT) frame work for real-time monitoring of robotic systems in Industry 4.0, using a robotic arm as a case study. The framework combines 5G connectivity with SATCOM backhaul to address latency, security, and efficiency challenges in physical-virtual synchronisation. The architecture includes a Jetson Nano processor, a sensor-equipped robotic arm, ROS for control, and Unity for 3D visualisation. Three design objectives guide implementation: (1) real-time syn chronisation between physical robot and digital model; (2) fault detection and environmental response via threshold-based algo rithms; and (3) security through facial recognition. Connectivity uses Vodafone’s 5G mobile private network augmented by Star link SATCOM to ensure consistent data transfer across varied environments. Performance evaluation across 5G standalone, 5G non-standalone, and SATCOM-enhanced configurations shows average latencies of 130-270 ms over 10 iterations per setup, with variations due to deployment location and backhaul factors.