Decentralized Governance for Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems
* Article: Decentralised Governance for Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems. Kelsie Nabben, Hongyang Wang, and Michael Zargham. July 2024
"This paper examines the potential for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) to be governed in a decentralised manner, whereby blockchain-based infrastructure facilitates the communication between digital and physical domains through self-governing and self-organising principles."
Context
Kelsie Nabben et al :
"Public blockchain infrastructure is dependent on the governance of physical components of the technology stack. For example, Bitcoin validators, as a core component of the function and governance of public blockchain networks, have always been concerned with mining hardware and related energy requirements that are required to participate in the system. Blockchain projects are increasingly cognisant of the decentralised, physical infrastructure networks that are essential to the operation of decentralised technology ecosystems (known as “DePIN”). Yet, conceptual frameworks for the decentralised governance of physical infrastructure networks that effectively bridge the digital-physical divide in the context of blockchain technology and autonomous systems are lacking. It is important to consider the design principles of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS),
Description
"This paper examines the potential for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) to be governed in a decentralised manner, whereby blockchain-based infrastructure facilitates the communication between digital and physical domains through self-governing and self-organising principles. Decentralised governance paradigms that integrate computation in physical domains (such as ‘Decentralised Autonomous Organisations’ (DAOs)) represent a novel approach to autonomous governance and operations. These have been described as akin to cybernetic systems. Through the lens of a case study of an autonomous cabin called “no1s1” which demonstrates self-owner-ship via blockchain-based control and feedback loops, this research explores the potential forblockchain infrastructure to be utilised in the management of physical systems. By highlighting the considerations and challenges of decentralised governance in managing autonomous physicalspaces, the study reveals that autonomy in the governance of autonomous CPS is not merely a technological feat but also involves a complex mesh of functional and social dynamics. These findings underscore the importance of developing continuous feedback loops and adaptive governance frameworks within decentralised CPS to address both expected and emergent challenges. This investigation contributes to the fields of infrastructure studies and Cyber-Physical Systems engineering. It also contributes to the discourse on decentralised governance and autonomous management of physical spaces by offering both practical insights and providing a framework for future research."
Excerpts
Cyber-Physical Systems
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” ."