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

• http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/publications/papers/06/CPSPositionPaper/

• 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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