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Cyber-Physical Systems - Are Computing Foundations Adequate?
Edward A. Lee

Citation
Edward A. Lee. "Cyber-Physical Systems - Are Computing Foundations Adequate?". Position Paper for NSF Workshop On Cyber-Physical Systems: Research Motivation, Techniques and Roadmap, October, 2006.

Abstract
Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are integrations of computation with physical processes. Embedded computers and networks monitor and control the physical processes, usually with feedback loops where physical processes affect computations and vice versa. In the physical world, the passage of time is inexorable and concurrency is intrinsic. Neither of these properties is present in today’s computing and networking abstractions.

I argue that the mismatch between these abstractions and properties of physical processes impede technical progress, and I identify promising technologies for research and investment. There are technical approaches that partially bridge the abstraction gap today (such as real-time operating systems, middleware technologies, specialized embedded processor architectures, and specialized networks), and there is certainly considerable room for improvement of these technologies. However, it may be that we need a less incremental approach, where new abstractions are built from the ground up.

The foundations of computing are built on the premise that the principal task of computers is transformation of data. Yet we know that the technology is capable of far richer interactions the physical world. I critically examine the foundations that have been built over the last several decades, and determine where the technology and theory bottlenecks and opportunities lie. I argue for a new systems science that is jointly physical and computational.

Electronic downloads

Citation formats  
  • HTML
    Edward A. Lee. <a
    href="http://chess.eecs.berkeley.edu/pubs/329.html"
    >Cyber-Physical Systems - Are Computing Foundations
    Adequate?</a>, Position Paper for NSF Workshop On
    Cyber-Physical Systems: Research Motivation, Techniques and
    Roadmap, October, 2006.
  • Plain text
    Edward A. Lee. "Cyber-Physical Systems - Are Computing
    Foundations Adequate?". Position Paper for NSF Workshop
    On Cyber-Physical Systems: Research Motivation, Techniques
    and Roadmap, October, 2006.
  • BibTeX
    @inproceedings{Lee06_CyberPhysicalSystemsAreComputingFoundationsAdequate,
        author = {Edward A. Lee},
        title = {Cyber-Physical Systems - Are Computing Foundations
                  Adequate?},
        booktitle = {Position Paper for NSF Workshop On Cyber-Physical
                  Systems: Research Motivation, Techniques and
                  Roadmap},
        month = {October},
        year = {2006},
        abstract = {Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are integrations of
                  computation with physical processes. Embedded
                  computers and networks monitor and control the
                  physical processes, usually with feedback loops
                  where physical processes affect computations and
                  vice versa. In the physical world, the passage of
                  time is inexorable and concurrency is intrinsic.
                  Neither of these properties is present in
                  today’s computing and networking abstractions.
                  <p>I argue that the mismatch between these
                  abstractions and properties of physical processes
                  impede technical progress, and I identify
                  promising technologies for research and
                  investment. There are technical approaches that
                  partially bridge the abstraction gap today (such
                  as real-time operating systems, middleware
                  technologies, specialized embedded processor
                  architectures, and specialized networks), and
                  there is certainly considerable room for
                  improvement of these technologies. However, it may
                  be that we need a less incremental approach, where
                  new abstractions are built from the ground up.
                  <p>The foundations of computing are built on the
                  premise that the principal task of computers is
                  transformation of data. Yet we know that the
                  technology is capable of far richer interactions
                  the physical world. I critically examine the
                  foundations that have been built over the last
                  several decades, and determine where the
                  technology and theory bottlenecks and
                  opportunities lie. I argue for a new systems
                  science that is jointly physical and
                  computational. },
        URL = {http://chess.eecs.berkeley.edu/pubs/329.html}
    }
    

Posted by Christopher Brooks on 7 Jun 2007.
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