Abstract
The objective of this research is the design of innovative routing, planning and coordination strategies for robot networks, and their application to oceanography. The approach is organized in three synergistic thrusts: (1) the application of queueing theory and combinatorial techniques to networked robots performing sequential tasks, (2) the design of novel distributed optimization and coordination schemes relying only on asynchronous and asymmetric communication, (3) the design of practical routing and coordination algorithms for the USC Networked Aquatic Platforms. In collaboration with oceanographers and marine biologists, the project aims to design motion, communication and interaction protocols that maximize the amount of scientific information collected by the platforms. This proposal addresses multi-dimensional problems of relevance in Engineering and Computer Science by unifying fundamental concepts from multiple cyberphysical domains (robotics, autonomy, combinatorics, and network science). Our team has expertise in a broad range of scientific disciplines, including control theory and theoretical computer science and their applications to multi-agent systems, robotics and sensor networks. The proposed research will have a positive impact on the emerging technology of autonomous and reliable robotic networks, performing a broad range of environmental monitoring and logistic tasks. Our educational and outreach objectives are manifold and focus on (1) integrating the proposed research themes into undergraduate education and research, e.g., via the existing NSF REU site at the USC Computer Science Department, and (2) mounting a vigorous program of outreach activities, e.g., via a well-developed collaboration with the UCSB Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2015
Institution: University of California-Santa Barbara
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035917
Abstract
The objective of this research is to develop the theoretical foundations of robust cyber-physical systems. Robustness is the property ensuring that slight perturbations in the cyber, physical, or in the interaction between the cyber and the physical components, e.g., noise in sensor measurements, causes only slight changes in the system execution. While it is theoretically possible to enumerate all possible faults that can occur in a cyber-physical system and to design software components that correctly handle all such faults, the resulting specifications would be unwieldy and difficult to understand or verify. Instead, this project investigates the design of software components that guarantee robustness of cyber-physical systems with respect to unmodeled faults. The approach consist in abstracting and generalizing several key ideas from robust control theory to cyber-physical systems. The project's intellectual merit is divided in two parts. The first part consists in defining a notion of robustness for cyber-physical systems relying on finite-state abstractions of the physical world retaining metric information about physical quantities. The second part consists in developing the methods and tools for automatically synthesizing software modules enforcing desired specifications in a robust manner. The tools and techniques developed in this project will significantly enhance our ability to produce robust cyber-physical systems and thus have a broad impact in several application areas transcending computer science and control engineering. Moreover, the broader impact of the proposed research is amplified by explicitly addressing the lack of robustness in legacy software through the development of robustifying software patches. To enhance the transfer of the research results to industry, the PIs and the Electrical Engineering Office of Industrial Relations will host a workshop for the local industry on robust cyber- physical systems.
Paulo Tabuada
Paulo Tabuada was born in Lisbon, Portugal, one year after the Carnation Revolution. He received his "Licenciatura" degree in Aerospace Engineering from Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon, Portugal in 1998 and his Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2002 from the Institute for Systems and Robotics, a private research institute associated with Instituto Superior Tecnico. Between January 2002 and July 2003 he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. After spending three years at the University of Notre Dame, as an Assistant Professor, he joined the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he established and directs the Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory. Paulo Tabuada's contributions to cyber-physical systems have been recognized by multiple awards including the NSF CAREER award in 2005, the Donald P. Eckman award in 2009 and the George S. Axelby award in 2011. In 2009 he co-chaired the International Conference Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control (HSCC'09) and in he was program co-chair for the 3rd IFAC Workshop on Distributed Estimation and Control in Networked Systems (NecSys'12). He currently serves as associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and his latest book, on verification and control of hybrid systems, was published by Springer in 2009.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2014
Institution: University of California-Los Angeles
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035916
Abstract
The objective of this research is to check correct functioning of cyber-physical systems during their operation. The approach is to continuously monitor the system and raise an alarm when the system seems to exhibit an erroneous behavior. Correct functioning of cyber-physical systems is of critical importance. This is more so in safety critical systems like medical, automotive and other applications. The approach employs hybrid automata for specifying the property to be monitored and for modeling the system behavior. The system behavior is probabilistic in nature due to noise and other factors. Monitoring such systems is challenging since the monitor can only observe system outputs, but not it's state. Fundamental research, on defining and detecting whether a system is monitorable, is the focus of the work. The project proposes accuracy measures and cost based metrics for optimal monitoring. The project is developing efficient and effective monitoring techniques, based on product automata and Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes. The results of the project are expected to be transformative in ensuring correct operation of systems. The results will have impact in many areas of societal importance and utility for daily life, such as health care, nursing/rehabilitation, automotive systems, home appliances, and more. The benefits in nursing/rehabilitation emanate from the deployment of advanced technologies to assist caregivers. This can lead to improved health and quality of life of older patients at reduced costs. The project includes education and outreach in the form of K-12 outreach and involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in research. The project is committed to involving women and minorities in education and research.
Performance Period: 10/01/2010 - 09/30/2015
Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035914
Abstract
The objective of this research is to develop methods and tools for a multimodal and multi-sensor assessment and rehabilitation game system called CPLAY for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). CPLAY collects and processes multiple types of stimulation and performance data while a child is playing. Its core has a touch-screen programmable game that has various metrics to measure delay of response, score, stamina/duration, accuracy of motor/hand motion. Optional devices attached to extend CPLAY versions provide additional parallel measurements of level of concentration/participation/engagement that quantify rehabilitation activity. The approach is to model the process as a cyber-physical system (CPS) feedback loop whereby data collected from various physical 3D devices (including fNIR brain imaging) are processed into hierarchical events of low-to-high semantic meaning that impact/ adjust treatment decisions. Intellectual Merit: The project will produce groundbreaking algorithms for event identification with a multi-level data to knowledge feedback loop approach. New machine learning, computer vision, data mining, multimodal data fusion, device integration and event-driven algorithms will lead towards a new type of cyber- physical rehabilitation science for neurological disorders. It will deliver fundamental advancements to engineering by showing how to integrate physical devices with a computationally quantitative platform for motor and cognitive skills assessment. Broader Impacts: The project delivers a modular & expandable game system that has huge implications on the future of US healthcare and rehabilitation of chronic neurological disabilities. It brings hope to children with Cerebral Palsy via lower cost and remote rehabilitation alternatives. It brings new directions to human centered computing for intelligent decision-making that supplements evidence-based practices and addresses social and psychological isolation problems.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 02/29/2016
Institution: University of Texas at Arlington
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035913
Abstract
The objective of this research is to establish a foundational framework for smart grids that enables significant penetration of renewable DERs and facilitates flexible deployments of plug-and-play applications, similar to the way users connect to the Internet. The approach is to view the overall grid management as an adaptive optimizer to iteratively solve a system-wide optimization problem, where networked sensing, control and verification carry out distributed computation tasks to achieve reliability at all levels, particularly component-level, system-level, and application level. Intellectual merit. Under the common theme of reliability guarantees, distributed monitoring and inference algorithms will be developed to perform fault diagnosis and operate resiliently against all hazards. To attain high reliability, a trustworthy middleware will be used to shield the grid system design from the complexities of the underlying software world while providing services to grid applications through message passing and transactions. Further, selective load/generation control using Automatic Generation Control, based on multi-scale state estimation for energy supply and demand, will be carried out to guarantee that the load and generation in the system remain balanced. Broader impact. The envisioned architecture of the smart grid is an outstanding example of the CPS technology. Built on this critical application study, this collaborative effort will pursue a CPS architecture that enables embedding intelligent computation, communication and control mechanisms into physical systems with active and reconfigurable components. Close collaborations between this team and major EMS and SCADA vendors will pave the path for technology transfer via proof-of-concept demonstrations.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2014
Institution: Arizona State University
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035906
Abstract
The objective of this research is to understand the loosely coupled networked control systems and to address the scientific and technological challenges that arise in their development and operation. The approach is to (1) develop a mathematical abstraction of the CPS, and an online actuation decision model that takes into account temporal and spatial dependencies among actions; (2) develop algorithms and policies to effectively manage the system and optimize its performance with respect to applications' QoS requirements; and (3) develop an agent-based event-driven framework to facilitate engineers easily monitor, (re)configure and control the system to achieve optimized results. The developed methodologies, algorithms, protocols and frameworks will be evaluated on testbeds and by our collaborating institution. The project provides fundamental understanding of loosely coupled networked control systems and a set of strategies in managing such systems. The components developed under this project enables the use of wireless-sensor-actuator networks for control systems found in a variety of disciplines and benefits waterway systems, air/ground transportation systems, power grid transmission systems, and the sort. The impact of this project is broadened through collaborations with our collaborating institution. This project provides a set of strategies and tools to help them meet the new standards. The inter-disciplinary labs and curriculum development at both undergraduate and graduate level with an emphasis on CPS interdisciplinary applications, theoretical foundations, and CPS implementations prepare our students as future workforce in the area of CPS applications.
Xiangyang Li
Dr. Xiang-Yang Li is a professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
He is recipient of China NSF Outstanding Overseas Young Researcher (B). Dr. Li received MS (2000) and PhD (2001) degree at Department of Computer Science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Bachelor degree at Department of Computer Science and a Bachelor degree at Department of Business Management from Tsinghua University, P.R. China, both in 1995. He published a monograph "Wireless Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks: Theory and Applications". He also co-edited the book "Encyclopedia of Algorithms". His research interests include the cyber physical systems, wireless sensor networks, security, game theory, and algorithms. Dr. Li is an editor of several journals, including IEEE Transaction on Parallel and Distributed Systems, IEEE Transaction on Mobile Computing. He is a senior member of IEEE. For more information, please check www.cs.iit.edu/~xli
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2015
Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035894
Abstract
The objective of this research is the design of innovative routing, planning and coordination strategies for robot networks, and their application to oceanography. The approach is organized in three synergistic thrusts: (1) the application of queueing theory and combinatorial techniques to networked robots performing sequential tasks, (2) the design of novel distributed optimization and coordination schemes relying only on asynchronous and asymmetric communication, (3) the design of practical routing and coordination algorithms for the USC Networked Aquatic Platforms. In collaboration with oceanographers and marine biologists, the project aims to design motion, communication and interaction protocols that maximize the amount of scientific information collected by the platforms. This proposal addresses multi-dimensional problems of relevance in Engineering and Computer Science by unifying fundamental concepts from multiple cyberphysical domains (robotics, autonomy, combinatorics, and network science). Our team has expertise in a broad range of scientific disciplines, including control theory and theoretical computer science and their applications to multi-agent systems, robotics and sensor networks. The proposed research will have a positive impact on the emerging technology of autonomous and reliable robotic networks, performing a broad range of environmental monitoring and logistic tasks. Our educational and outreach objectives are manifold and focus on (1) integrating the proposed research themes into undergraduate education and research, e.g., via the existing NSF REU site at the USC Computer Science Department, and (2) mounting a vigorous program of outreach activities, e.g., via a well-developed collaboration with the UCSB Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2015
Institution: University of Southern California
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035866
Abstract
The objective of this research is to develop formal verification tools for human-computer interfaces to cyber-physical systems. The approach is incorporating realistic assumptions about the behavior of humans into the verification process through mathematically constructed "mistake models" for common types of mistakes committed by the operator during an interactive task. Exhaustive verification techniques are used to expose combinations of human mistakes that can lead to system-wide failures. The techniques are evaluated using case studies involving medical device interfaces. The problem of verifying human-machine interfaces requires new approaches that combine rigorous formal verification techniques with the empirical human-centered approach to user-interface evaluation. The research addresses challenges of integrating empirical user-study data into formal game-based models that describe common types of operator mistakes. Using these models to detect subtle flaws in user-interface design is also a challenge. It is well-known that a poorly designed interface will enable harmful operator errors, which remain a major cause of failures in a wide variety of safety-critical cyber-physical systems. This project will automate user-interface verification by detecting likely defects, early in the design process. Open source verification tools will be made freely available to the community at large. The ongoing research will be integrated into a set of graduate-level computer science courses focused on the theme of "Safety in Human Computer Interfaces". Results from the project will also be integrated into educational materials for the ongoing eCSite GK12 project with the goal of promoting awareness of user-interface design issues amongst high school students.
Sriram Sankaranarayanan
Sriram Sankaranarayanan is an assistant professor of Computer Science
at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research interests include
automatic techniques for reasoning about the behavior of computer and
cyber-physical systems. Sriram obtained a PhD in 2005 from Stanford
University where he was advised by Zohar Manna and Henny Sipma.
Subsequently he worked as a research staff member at NEC
research labs in Princeton, NJ. He has been on the faculty at CU
Boulder since 2009. Sriram has been the recipient of awards including
the President's Gold Medal from IIT Kharagpur (2000), Siebel
Scholarship (2005), the CAREER award from NSF (2009) and the Dean's
award for outstanding junior faculty for the College of Engineering at
CU Boulder (2012).
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2014
Institution: University of Colorado at Boulder
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035845
Abstract
The objective of this research is to develop an atomic force microscope based cyber-physical system that can enable automated, robust and efficient assembly of nanoscale components such as nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, nanowires and DNAs into nanodevices. The proposed approach is based on the premise that automated, robust and efficient nanoassembly can be achieved through tip based pushing in an atomic force microscope with intermittent local scanning of nanoscale components. In particular, in order to resolve temporally and spatially continuous movement of nanoscale components under tip pushing, we propose the combination of intermittent local scanning and interval non-uniform rational B-spline based isogeometric analysis in this research. Successful completion of this research would lead to foundational theories and algorithmic infrastructures for effective integration of physical operations (pushing and scanning) and computation (planning and simulation) for robust, efficient and automated nanoassembly. The resulting theories and algorithms will also be applicable to a broader set of cyber physical systems. If successful, this research will lead to leap progress in nanoscale assembly, from prototype demonstration to large-scale manufacturing. Through its integrated research, education and outreach activities, this project will provide advanced knowledge in cyber-physical systems and nanoassembly for students from high schools to graduate schools and will increase domestic students? interest in science and engineering and therefore strengthen our competitiveness in the global workforce.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2014
Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035844
Abstract
The objective of this research is the creation of a coastal observing system that enables dense, in situ, 4D sensing through networked, sensor-equipped underwater drifters. The approach is to develop the technologies required to deploy a swarm of autonomous buoyancy controlled drifters, which are vehicles that can control their depth, but are otherwise carried entirely by the ocean currents. Such Lagrangian sampling promises to deliver a wealth of new data, ranging from applications in physical oceanography (mapping 3D currents), biology (observing the dispersion of larvae and nutrients), environmental science (tracking coastal pollutants and effluents from storm drains), and security (monitoring harbors and ports). This observing system fundamentally requires accurate positions of the drifters (to interpret the spatial correlations of data samples), swarm control algorithms (to achieve desired sampling topologies), and wireless communication (to coordinate between the individual drifters). This research will create distributed techniques to self-localize the drifter swarm, novel swarm control algorithms that enable topology manipulation while purely leveraging the stratified flow environment, and efficient wireless underwater communication for information sharing. This project has significant societal impact and educational elements. Underwater drifter swarms will enable novel insights into a wide array of scientific questions, including understanding plankton transport, accumulation and dispersion as well as monitoring harmful algal blooms. Undergraduates will play an active role in many aspects of this project, thereby offering them a uniquely interdisciplinary experience. Finally, outreach to high school students will occur through the UCSD COSMOS summer program.
Performance Period: 09/15/2010 - 08/31/2014
Institution: University of California-San Diego
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1035828