Cyber-Physical Systems
Description
1. 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)
2. Hongyang Wang et al. :
"Cyber-Physical Systems”, as an application of Cybernetics, refers to integrations of computation, networking, and physical processes creating a symbiotic relationship between the cyber (computational) and physical (real-world) contexts. These systems typically involve embedded, computational networks, consisting of interconnected networks of sensors, actuators, and computational de-vices, all working in tandem to monitor, control, and optimise physical processes. Circular information flows and feedback loops establish simple feedback and control loops, consisting of “observability” (the ability to infer knowledge from outputs) and “controllability” (the ability to steer the system, including physical processes, using a control input) to monitor and control the system to-wards self regulation. These computational principles can also be applied to physical systems. The fundamental concepts of CPS are critical when it comes to thinking about technology, automation, and society at various scales. CPSs are pervasive in modern society, found in various domains such as manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and smart infrastructure. They enable automation, real-time monitoring, and adaptive responses to changing environmental conditions, leading to im-proved efficiency, safety, and reliability. Some researchers refer to the integration of cyberspace, physical space, and social space as “Cyber-Physical Social Systems” (CPSSs), highlighting the interplay between physical, virtual, and social worlds, as well as the need to ensure that such complex systems are governed or “controlled” ."
More information
* Book: Cyber-physical Systems: Theory, Methodology, and Applications. By Pedro H. J. Nardelli. Wiley,
URL = https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119785194
"Provides a unique general theory of cyber-physical systems, focusing on how physical, data, and decision processes are articulated as a complex whole
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) operate in complex environments systems with integrated physical and computational capabilities. With the ability to interact with humans through variety of modalities, cyber-physical systems are applied across areas such as Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices, smart grids, autonomous automotive systems, medical monitoring, and distributed robotics. Existing engineering methods are capable of solving technical problems, yet the deployment of CPS in a net-enabled society requires a general theory of cyber-physical systems that goes beyond specific study cases and their associated technological development."