Hardware architecture and a software framework, where the combination allows software to run.
1329875 (Hu). Despite their importance within the energy sector, buildings have not kept pace with technological improvements and particularly the introduction of intelligent features. A primary obstacle in enabling intelligent buildings is their highly distributed and diffuse nature. To address this challenge, a modular approach will be investigated for building design, construction, and operation that would completely transform the building industry. Buildings would be assembled from a set of pre-engineered intelligent modules and commissioned on site in a "plug-and-play" manner much like a "LEGO" set but with added capability of (a) allowing for easy configuration and re-configuration that can be integrated to provide delivery of thermal and visual comfort, ventilation; (b) providing optimized controls in terms of overall occupant satisfaction and energy efficiency and performance monitoring. The primary goal of the research is to develop and demonstrate innovative concepts for distributed intelligence along with a new paradigm for plug-and-play building control that is a necessary precursor in enabling this transformation. To accomplish these tasks, the investigators constitute a multidisciplinary team with expertise from three engineering disciplines, namely Civil (Architectural), Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering. The intellectual merit of this research lies in developing a unified approach that advances the engineering of cyber-physical systems (CPS) for buildings by contributing to the following fields: (a) modeling and identification of building subsystems and integrated systems; (b) multi-agent system networks that enable distributed intelligent monitoring and control of multi-zone buildings; (c) optimal control algorithms for stochastic hybrid systems that can optimize the operation of buildings with mode changes under uncertainty. These contributions will be integrated in simulation and experimental platforms for multi-agent building system networks to validate the developed algorithms and to provide a new CPS-based technological solution to the control and optimization of modular buildings. An initial knowledge/technology base will be provided for scalable, adaptive, robust, and efficient engineering solutions for cyber-enabled building systems that will transform the current building operation practice, enabling the next generation of smart buildings with optimized comfort delivery and energy use. The broader impacts of this project are: (a) Theoretical development of modeling representations, algorithms, and simulation tools that will impact a number of scientific communities, including Civil/Architectural, Mechanical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Operations Research. The proposed new principles for heterogeneous multi-agent system networks, distributed intelligence, and optimal hybrid control algorithms will have impacts in a diverse range of fields outside of building systems such as power systems, transportation systems, robotics, etc.; (b) Integration of the proposed modeling, simulation, and experimental platforms into new teaching modules and experiential learning activities that support the curriculum development in three engineering schools and Purdue?s first year engineering program; (c) Dissemination of research outcomes to the industry to open up a new horizon of business and economy that would enable the growth of green and intelligent buildings; (d) The creation of outreach and engagement initiatives that motivate K-12 teachers and students in STEM learning and research, broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering, and motivate undergraduate students to participate in research related to emerging CPS topics.
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Purdue University
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National Science Foundation
Panagiota Karava
James Braun
Athanasios Tzempelikos
Submitted by Jianghai Hu on December 21st, 2015
To ensure operational safety of complex cyber-physical systems such as automobiles, aircraft, and medical devices, new models, analyses, platforms, and development techniques are needed that can predict, possible interactions between features, detect them in the features' concrete implementations, and either eliminate or mitigate such interactions through precise modeling and enforcement of mixed-criticality cyber-physical system semantics. This project is taking a novel approach to reasoning about and managing feature interactions in cyber-physical systems, which encompasses interactions within software, interactions through the physical dynamics of the system, and interactions via shared computational resources. The proposed approach consists of three tightly coupled research thrusts: (1) a novel way of modeling features as automata equipped with both physical dynamics of the feature environment, and an assigned criticality level in each state of an automaton, (2) new automata-theoretic and control-theoretic analysis techniques, enabled by the modeling approach, and (3) new algorithms for adaptive sharing of computational resources between individual features that are guaranteed to satisfy the assumptions made during analysis, realized within a novel mixed-criticality cyber-physical platform architecture. The modeling approach will introduce a new model for mixed-criticality cyber-physical components and will support modern development standards, such as AUTOSAR in the automotive industry, for assigning criticality levels to features. Component interfaces in this model will capture control modes and the associated physical dynamics, operating modes and the associated resource requirements and criticality level, as well as relationships between control modes and operating modes. Analysis of features expressed in the proposed model will include detection of interactions and exploration of their effect on safety properties of the composite system. The broader impacts of the proposed work are twofold. One impact lies in the pervasive use of cyber-physical systems in our society. If the developed results are adopted in industry, it may help to promote improved safety of such systems. Results of the proposed research will be used in courses offered at both University of Pennsylvania and Washington University at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The project will also provide students with opportunities to get involved in cutting edge research within their fields of study
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Washington University in St. Louis
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National Science Foundation
Christopher Gill Submitted by Christopher Gill on December 21st, 2015
Processors in cyber-physical systems are increasingly being used in applications where they must operate in harsh ambient conditions and a computational workload which can lead to high chip temperatures. Examples include cars, robots, aircraft and spacecraft. High operating temperatures accelerate the aging of the chips, thus increasing transient and permanent failure rates. Current ways to deal with this mostly turn off the processor core or drastically slow it down when some part of it is seen to exceed a given temperature threshold. However, this pass/fail approach ignores the fact that (a) processors experience accelerated aging due to high temperatures, even if these are below the threshold, and (b) while deadlines are a constraint for real-time tasks to keep the controlled plant in the allowed state space, the actual controller response times that will increase if the voltage or frequency is lowered (to cool down the chip) are what determine the controlled plant performance. Existing approaches also fail to exploit the tradeoff between controller reliability (affected by its temperature history) and the performance of the plant. This project addresses these issues. Load-shaping algorithms are being devised to manage thermal stresses while ensuring appropriate levels of control quality. Such actions include task migration, changing execution speed, selecting an alternative algorithm or software implementation of control functions, and terminating prematurely optional portions of iterative tasks. Validation platforms for this project include automobiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. These platforms have been chosen based on both their importance to society and the significant technical challenges they pose. With CPS becoming ever more important in our lives and businesses, this project which will make CPS controllers more reliable and/or economical has broad potential social and economic impacts. Collaboration with General Motors promotes transition of the new technology to industry. The project includes activities to introduce students to thermal control in computing, in courses spanning high-school, undergraduate and graduate curricula.
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University of Massachusetts Amherst
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National Science Foundation
C.Mani  Krishna Submitted by C.Mani Krishna on December 21st, 2015
The problem of controlling biomechatronic systems, such as multiarticulating prosthetic hands, involves unique challenges in the science and engineering of Cyber Physical Systems (CPS), requiring integration between computational systems for recognizing human functional activity and intent and controlling prosthetic devices to interact with the physical world. Research on this problem has been limited by the difficulties in noninvasively acquiring robust biosignals that allow intuitive and reliable control of multiple degrees of freedom (DoF). The objective of this research is to investigate a new sensing paradigm based on ultrasonic imaging of dynamic muscle activity. The synergistic research plan will integrate novel imaging technologies, new computational methods for activity recognition and learning, and high-performance embedded computing to enable robust and intuitive control of dexterous prosthetic hands with multiple DoF. The interdisciplinary research team involves collaboration between biomedical engineers, electrical engineers and computer scientists. The specific aims are to: (1) research and develop spatio-temporal image analysis and pattern recognition algorithms to learn and predict different dexterous tasks based on sonographic patterns of muscle activity (2) develop a wearable image-based biosignal sensing system by integrating multiple ultrasound imaging sensors with a low-power heterogeneous multicore embedded processor and (3) perform experiments to evaluate the real-time control of a prosthetic hand. The proposed research methods are broadly applicable to assistive technologies where physical systems, computational frameworks and low-power embedded computing serve to augment human activities or to replace lost functionality. The research will advance CPS science and engineering through integration of portable sensors for image-based sensing of complex adaptive physical phenomena such as dynamic neuromuscular activity, and real-time sophisticated image understanding algorithms to interpret such phenomena running on low-power high performance embedded systems. The technological advances would enable practical wearable image-based biosensing, with applications in healthcare, and the computational methods would be broadly applicable to problems involving activity recognition from spatiotemporal image data, such as surveillance. This research will have societal impacts as well as train students in interdisciplinary methods relevant to CPS. About 1.6 million Americans live with amputations that significantly affect activities of daily living. The proposed project has the long-term potential to significantly improve functionality of upper extremity prostheses, improve quality of life of amputees, and increase the acceptance of prosthetic limbs. This research could also facilitate intelligent assistive devices for more targeted neurorehabilitation of stroke victims. This project will provide immersive interdisciplinary CPS-relevant training for graduate and undergraduate students to integrate computational methods with imaging, processor architectures, human functional activity and artificial devices for solving challenging public health problems. A strong emphasis will be placed on involving undergraduate students in research as part of structured programs at our institution. The research team will involve students with disabilities in research activities by leveraging an ongoing NSF-funded project. Bioengineering training activities will be part of a newly developed undergraduate curriculum and a graduate curriculum under development. The synergistic research plan has been designed to advance CPS science and engineering through the development of new computational methods for dynamic activity recognition and learning from image sequences, development of novel wearable imaging technologies including high-performance embedded computing, and real-time control of a physical system. The specific aims are to: (1) Research and develop spatio-temporal image analysis and pattern recognition algorithms to learn and predict different dexterous tasks based on sonographic patterns of muscle activity. The first aim has three subtasks designed to collect, analyze and understand image sequences associated with functional tasks. (2) Develop a wearable image-based biosignal sensing system by integrating multiple ultrasound imaging sensors with a low-power heterogeneous multicore embedded processor. The second aim has two subtasks designed to integrate wearable imaging sensors with a real-time computational platform. (3) Perform experiments to evaluate the real-time control of a prosthetic hand. The third aim will integrate the wearable image acquisition system developed in Aim 2, and the image understanding algorithms developed in Aim 1, for real-time evaluation of the control of a prosthetic hand interacting with a virtual reality environment. Successful completion of these aims will result in a real-time system that acquires image data from complex neuromuscular activity, decodes activity intent from spatiotemporal image data using computational algorithms, and controls a prosthetic limb in a virtual reality environment in real time. Once developed and validated, this system can be the starting point for developing a new class of sophisticated control algorithms for intuitive control of advanced prosthetic limbs, new assistive technologies for neurorehabilitation, and wearable real-time imaging systems for smart health applications.
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George Mason University
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National Science Foundation
Siddhartha Sikdar Submitted by Siddhartha Sikdar on December 21st, 2015
In telerobotic applications, human operators interact with robots through a computer network. This project is developing tools to prevent security threats in telerobotics, by monitoring and detecting malicious activities and correcting for them. To develop tools to prevent and mitigate security threats against telerobotic systems, this project adapts cybersecurity methods and extends them to cyber-physical systems. Knowledge about physical constraints and interactions between the cyber and physical components of the system are leveraged for security. A monitoring system is developed which collects operator commands and robot feedback information to perform real-time verification of the operator. Timely and reliable detection of any discrepancy between real and spoofed operator movements enables quick detection of adversarial activities. The results are evaluated on the UW-developed RAVEN surgical robot. This project brings together research in robotics, computer and network security, control theory and machine learning, in order to gain better understanding of complex teleoperated robotic systems and to engineer telerobotic systems that provide strict safety, security and privacy guarantees. The results are relevant and applicable to a wide range of applications, including telerobotic surgery, search and rescue missions, military operations, underwater infrastructure and repair, cleanup and repair in hazardous environments, mining, as well as manipulation/inspections of objects in low earth orbit. The project algorithms, software and hardware are being made available to the non-profit cyber-physical research community. Graduate and undergraduate students are being trained in cyber-physical systems security topics, and K-12, community college students and under-represented minority students are being engaged.
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University of Washington
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National Science Foundation
Howard Chizeck Submitted by Howard Chizeck on December 21st, 2015
This grant provides funding for the formulation of a data model, and trajectory planning platform and methodology to execute a fully digital 3D, 5-axis machining capability. Research will be performed on methods for utilizing multiple Graphical Processor Units (GPUs), which are readily available, parallel digital processing hardware, in these calculations. The methodology will be implemented in the context of an existing advanced computational framework that has tools for voxelization, variable resolution digital modeling, and parallel computing, integrating the fields of manufacturing and computer science. Experiments involving 5-axis machining will be executed to validate the methodology. Components will be machined and inspected on a coordinate measurement machine to verify that the target geometry has been achieved. If successful, this work will bring classical subtractive manufacturing back into the arsenal of rapid prototyping, providing users of typical CNC machine tools with the ability to rapidly determine if a part can be produced on a specific machine and machine the part. Having such a design and analysis tool will help to reduce the cost, improve the quality and allow rapid deployment of new innovations in components that require machining. This work will contribute to variable resolution digital representations to be employed in next generation digital manufacturing systems. It will also combine state-of-the-art concepts in computing and manufacturing to realize a completely new a cyber-physical approach to manufacturing.
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Georgia Tech Research Corporation
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National Science Foundation
Submitted by Thomas Kurfess on December 21st, 2015
This project will result in fundamental physical and algorithmic building blocks of a novel cyber-physical for a two-way communication platform between handlers and working dogs designed to enable accurate training and control in open environments (eg, disaster response, emergency medical intervention). Miniaturized sensor packages will be developed to enable non- or minimally-invasive monitoring of dogs' positions and physiology. Activity recognition algorithms will be developed to blend data from multiple sensors. The algorithms will dynamically determine position and behavior from time series of inertial and physiological measurements. Using contextual information about task performance, the algorithms will provide duty-cycling information to reduce sensor power consumption while increasing sensing specificity. The resulting technologies will be a platform for implementation of communication. Strong interactions among computer science, electrical engineering, and veterinary science support this project. Work at the interface between electrical engineering and computer science will enable increased power efficiency and specificity of sensing in the detectors; work at the interface of electrical engineering and veterinary behavior will enable novel physiological sensing packages to be developed which measure behavioral signals in real time; Project outcomes will enable significant advances in how humans interact with both cyber and physical agents, including getting clearer pictures of behavior through real time physiological monitoring. Students are part of the project and multidisciplinary training will help to provide development of the Cyber-Physical Systems pipeline. Project outreach efforts will include working with middle school children, especially women and under-represented minorities, presentations in public museums that will promote public engagement and appreciation of the contribution of cyber-physical systems to daily lives. The goal of each outreach activity is to encourage both interest and excitement for STEM topics, demonstrating how computer science and engineering can lead to effective and engaging cyber-physical systems.
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North Carolina State University
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National Science Foundation
Submitted by David L. Roberts on December 21st, 2015
Processors in cyber-physical systems are increasingly being used in applications where they must operate in harsh ambient conditions and a computational workload which can lead to high chip temperatures. Examples include cars, robots, aircraft and spacecraft. High operating temperatures accelerate the aging of the chips, thus increasing transient and permanent failure rates. Current ways to deal with this mostly turn off the processor core or drastically slow it down when some part of it is seen to exceed a given temperature threshold. However, this pass/fail approach ignores the fact that (a) processors experience accelerated aging due to high temperatures, even if these are below the threshold, and (b) while deadlines are a constraint for real-time tasks to keep the controlled plant in the allowed state space, the actual controller response times that will increase if the voltage or frequency is lowered (to cool down the chip) are what determine the controlled plant performance. Existing approaches also fail to exploit the tradeoff between controller reliability (affected by its temperature history) and the performance of the plant. This project addresses these issues. Load-shaping algorithms are being devised to manage thermal stresses while ensuring appropriate levels of control quality. Such actions include task migration, changing execution speed, selecting an alternative algorithm or software implementation of control functions, and terminating prematurely optional portions of iterative tasks. Validation platforms for this project include automobiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. These platforms have been chosen based on both their importance to society and the significant technical challenges they pose. With CPS becoming ever more important in our lives and businesses, this project which will make CPS controllers more reliable and/or economical has broad potential social and economic impacts. Collaboration with General Motors promotes transition of the new technology to industry. The project includes activities to introduce students to thermal control in computing, in courses spanning high-school, undergraduate and graduate curricula.
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University of Michigan Ann Arbor
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National Science Foundation
Kang Shin Submitted by Kang Shin on December 21st, 2015
This project aims to achieve key technology, infrastructure, and regulatory science advances for next generation medical systems based on the concept of medical application platforms (MAPs). A MAP is a safety/security-critical real-time computing platform for: (a) integrating heterogeneous devices and medical IT systems, (b) hosting application programs ("apps") that provide medical utility through the ability to both acquire information and update/control integrated devices, IT systems, and displays. The project will develop formal architectural and behavioral specification languages for defining MAPs, with a focus on techniques that enable compositional reasoning about MAP component interoperability and safety. These formal languages will include an extensible property language to enable the specification of real-time, quality-of-service, and attributes specific to medical contexts that can be leveraged by code generation, testing, and verification tools. The project will work closely with a synergistic team of clinicians, device industry partners, regulators, and medical device interoperability and safety standard organizations to develop an open source MAP innovation platform to enable key stakeholders within the nation's health care ecosphere to identify, prototype, and evaluate solutions to key technology and regulatory challenges that must be overcome to develop a commodity market of regulated MAP components. Because MAPs provide pre-built certified infrastructure and building blocks for rapidly developing multi-device medical applications, this research has the potential to usher in a new paradigm of medical system that significantly increases the pace of innovation, lowers development costs, enables new functionality by aggregating multiple devices into a system of systems, and achieves greater system safety.
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Kansas State University
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National Science Foundation
John Hatcliff Submitted by John Hatcliff on December 18th, 2015
This project's objective is to enable assertion-driven development and debugging of cyber-physical systems (CPS), in which required conditions are formalized as part of the design. In contrast with traditional uses of assertions in software engineering, CPS demand a tight coupling of the cyber with the physical, including in system validation. This project uses mathematical models of key physical attributes to guide creation of assertions, to identify inconsistent or infeasible assertions, and to localize potential causes for CPS failures. The goal is to produce methods and tools that use physical models to guide assertion-based verification of cyber-physical systems. An assertion language is being developed that is founded in mathematical logic while providing the familiarity of commonly used programming languages. This foundation enables new automated debugging techniques for CPS. By leveraging models that encode laws of physics and an automated decision procedure, the techniques being developed help identify causes of CPS failures by distinguishing inconsistent or infeasible physical states from valid ones. This model-based approach incorporates means to assess these physical states using both probabilistic and non-probabilistic measures. Two safety-critical applications guide the research and demonstrate the impact on the development of CPS: coordinated control of autonomous vehicles and monitoring and control of left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs). The focus on these safety-critical applications are motivational for recruiting and educating engineering students who have high expectations for how their lives should be enabled by computing advances. Further, this research advances methods needed to validate safe and effective CPS, promoting the public's confidence in their application to safety-critical systems.
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University of Texas at Austin
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National Science Foundation
Submitted by Christine Julien on December 18th, 2015
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