Cyber Physical Systems: Design Challenges

TLDR

Cyber‑Physical Systems integrate computation with physical processes, using embedded computers and networks to monitor and control them, yet their safety, reliability, and physical‑component differences pose challenges that current software abstractions cannot address, despite the technology’s vast economic potential. The paper aims to determine whether existing computing and networking technologies can adequately support CPS design and argues that realizing CPS’s full potential requires rebuilding abstractions that unify physical dynamics and computation. The authors examine CPS design challenges by questioning the adequacy of today’s computing and networking foundations. They conclude that improving design processes, raising abstraction levels, or verifying designs built on current abstractions will not suffice.

Abstract

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are integrations of computation and physical processes. Embedded computers and networks monitor and control the physical processes, usually with feedback loops where physical processes affect computations and vice versa. The economic and societal potential of such systems is vastly greater than what has been realized, and major investments are being made worldwide to develop the technology. There are considerable challenges, particularly because the physical components of such systems introduce safety and reliability requirements qualitatively different from those in general- purpose computing. Moreover, physical components are qualitatively different from object-oriented software components. Standard abstractions based on method calls and threads do not work. This paper examines the challenges in designing such systems, and in particular raises the question of whether today's computing and networking technologies provide an adequate foundation for CPS. It concludes that it will not be sufficient to improve design processes, raise the level of abstraction, or verify (formally or otherwise) designs that are built on today's abstractions. To realize the full potential of CPS, we will have to rebuild computing and networking abstractions. These abstractions will have to embrace physical dynamics and computation in a unified way.