Cyber-Physical Systems

Description

Michael Zargham:

“Wikipedia defines CPS as follows:

A cyber-physical system (CPS) is a computer system in which a mechanism is controlled or monitored by computer-based algorithms. In cyber-physical systems, physical and software components are deeply intertwined, able to operate on different spatial and temporal scales, exhibit multiple and distinct behavioral modalities, and interact with each other in ways that change with context.

Cyber-physical systems are further distinguished from the internet of things by its focus on higher order systems of systems which depend upon the application of expertise from multiple disciplines.

CPS involves transdisciplinary approaches, merging theory of cybernetics, mechatronics, design and process science. The process control is often referred to as embedded systems. In embedded systems, the emphasis tends to be more on the computational elements, and less on an intense link between the computational and physical elements. CPS is also similar to the Internet of Things (IoT), sharing the same basic architecture; nevertheless, CPS presents a higher combination and coordination between physical and computational elements.

Another authoritative source on Cyber-physical systems is the Ptolemy Project out of UC Berkeley. The CPS concept map makes clear how closely the considerations match with those of web3. It helps identify the areas that need the most development.

The following description of cyber-physical systems accompanies the concept map on the Ptolemy Project’s website:

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are integrations of computation, networking, and physical processes. Embedded computers and networks monitor and control the physical processes, with feedback loops where physical processes affect computations and vice versa. The economic and societal potential of such systems is vastly greater than what has been realized, and major investments are being made worldwide to develop the technology. The technology builds on the older (but still very young) discipline of embedded systems, computers and software embedded in devices whose principle mission is not computation, such as cars, toys, medical devices, and scientific instruments. CPS integrates the dynamics of the physical processes with those of the software and networking, providing abstractions and modeling, design, and analysis techniques for the integrated whole.

In Voshmgir S, Zargham M. Foundations of Cryptoeconomic Systems, 2020, a case is made that following the definition of Cyber-Physical Systems, the web3 internet native social and economic infrastructure projects should be approached as Cyber-Physical systems. While CPS predates web3, it is also plagued by ethical questions as algorithms take the role of administering policies which directly impact human activities. In Zargham, M, Nabben, K., Algorithms as Policy, 2020, comparisons are drawn between algorithm design in online platform and policy making activities. Although, these are new digital infrastructures, it is traditionally the role of (civil) engineers to represent the public in settings where policy manifests as technology, (historically in the form of physical infrastructure).”

(https://medium.com/token-engineering-commons/engineering-ethics-in-web3-18d981278018)