Robust architectures for embedded wireless network control and actuation

Networked cyber-physical systems are fundamentally constrained by the tight coupling and closed-loop control of physical processes. To address actuation in such closed-loop wireless control systems there is a strong need to rethink the communication architectures and protocols for reliability, coordination, and control. We introduce the Embedded Virtual Machine (EVM), a programming abstraction where controller tasks with their control and timing properties are maintained across physical node boundaries and functionality is capable of migrating to the most competent set of physical controllers. In the context of process and discrete control, an EVM is the distributed runtime system that dynamically selects primary-backup sets of controllers given spatial and temporal constraints of the underlying wireless network. EVM-based algorithms allow network control algorithms to operate seamlessly over less reliable wireless networks with topological changes. They introduce new capabilities such as predictable outcomes during sensor/actuator failure, adaptation to mode changes, and runtime optimization of resource consumption. An automated design flow from Simulink to platform-independent domain-specific languages, and subsequently, to platform-dependent code generation is presented. Through case studies in discrete and process control we demonstrate the capabilities of EVM-based wireless network control systems.