CAREER: Domain-Specific Modeling Techniques for Cyber-Physical Systems

The objective of this research is an injection of new modeling techniques into the area of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs). The approach is to design new architectures for domainspecific modeling tools in order to permit feedback from analysis, validation, and verification engines to influence how CPSs are designed. This project outlines new research into the integration of existing, heterogeneous modeling languages in order to address problems in CPS design, rather than a single language used to design any CPS. The algorithms and software developed in this project run validation and verification tools on models, and then close the loop by using the tool outputs to automatically modify the system models. The satisfaction of design requirements in CPSs is of tremendous importance for tomorrow’s societal technologies such as smart buildings, home healthcare, and water management. Perhaps the most compelling design requirements are those of safety, and CPSs such as autonomous vehicles exemplify this well. By involving a full-sized autonomous vehicle in this project, the validation and verification of safety requirements is tied to a concrete platform that is broadly understood. The full-sized vehicle is now integrated into a Tucson elementary school’s curriculum for 2015-2016, culminating in final demonstrations at the school. Using the domain-specific tools from the project, selected designs will be executed on the vehicle after they are verified for safety. This year’s work results reflect new model transformation theory to synthesize the model transforms from failures in the verification code. We applied the theory to several problems: (1) those in modifying control structures to meet CPS-like requirements, (2) modifying state models to prevent deadlock, (3) modifying models of embedded hardware configurations to enable codesign solutions without a human in the loop.

Related Publications:

1. S. Whitsitt, “Automatic Verification of Dynamic Constraints in LTI Control Systems Through Model Transformations”, NSF Young Professionals Workshop on Exploring New Frontiers in Cyber-Physical Systems. Washington, DC, 2014.

2. Sean Whitsitt. “A Methodology for Mending Dynamic Constraint Violations In Cyber Physical Systems By Generating Model Transformations.” PhD Dissertation. Dec. 2014.

3. Sean Whitsitt and Jonathan Sprinkle. “Modeling Autonomous Systems.” AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, 10(8):396-413, 2013.

4. P. Morley, Warren, A., Rabb, E., Bunting, M., Whitsitt, S., and Sprinkle, J., “Generating a ROS/JAUS Bridge for an Autonomous Ground Vehicle”, in The 13th Workshop on Domain-Specific Modeling, Indianapolis, IN, pp. 13-18, 2013.

5. Kun Zhang and J. Sprinkle, “A Closed-loop Model-based Design Approach Based On Automatic Verification and Transformation”, The 14th Workshop on Domain Specific Modeling. pp. 1–6 , 2014.