Sustaining Presence in Smart Aquaponics: A Systematic Review of Augmented Reality, Digital Twins, and IoT Integration

Abstract This systematic review analyzes the synergistic integration of Digital Twin (DT), Augmented Reality (AR), and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies within aquaponics systems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we identified and analyzed studies from IEEE Xplore and Scopus (2019–2024). The review reveals that while IoT is widely adopted, the integration of DT and AR remains fragmented, failing to function as a coordinated presence medium. The analysis identifies a critical theoretical gap: the lack of unified frameworks that align sensing, simulation, and experience. By failing to connect real-time IoT data directly into DT simulations for AR visualization, current systems increase the cognitive distance between raw data and physical action. Most existing solutions operate in isolation, resulting in systems that are computationally advanced yet experientially shallow. This paper synthesizes current architectural patterns, identifies interoperability and latency as primary technical barriers, and proposes a future research agenda focused on modular, open-standard architectures to enhance the efficiency and user-accessibility of smart aquaponics.