Mobile devices are increasingly expected to sup-port high-performance cyber-physical applications in small form factors, e.g., drones and rovers. However, the gap between hardware limitations of these devices and application requirements is still prohibitive – conflicting goals such as robust, accurate, and efficient execution must be managed carefully to achieve acceptable operation. In this paper, we explore the tradeoff between performance and efficiency in such cyber-physical systems, specifically with respect to localization (a core task for any mobile autonomous device). We perform a design space exploration (DSE) given a number of configurable parameters for both localization algorithm and platform layers. Given the configuration space, we formulate a cross-layer multi-objective optimization problem to explore the tradeoff between localization accuracy and power consumption. We then propose a predictive model for robust execution that can be used to determine desirable configurations at runtime in the face of environmental changes.

In this paper, a method for online parameter estimation and automatic control of a system of rigidly attached quadcopters is introduced. First, the method performs an estimation of the physical structure attaching the quadcopters by relying solely on information from the quadcopters' Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). This information is obtained via simple and short online experiments, allowing their plug and play assembly without any human intervention. Then, given the estimated physical attachment's parameters, a stable operation of the quadcopters is achieved via an adaptive controller architecture, where the controller parameters are obtained using Reinforcement Learning. Finally, experimental results validate the proposed method, showing that a correct estimation of the physical structure is obtained allowing the autonomous flight of a pair of attached quadcopters.

The IEEE “Tactile Internet” (TI) Standards working group (WG), designated the numbering IEEE 1918.1, undertakes pioneering work on the development of standards for the TI. This paper describes the WG, its intentions, and its developing baseline standard and the associated reasoning behind that and touches on a further standard already initiated under its scope: IEEE 1918.1.1 on “Haptic Codecs for the TI.” IEEE 1918.1 and its baseline standard aim to set the framework and act as the foundations for the TI, thereby also serving as a basis for further standards developed on TI within the WG. This paper discusses the aspects of the framework such as its created TI architecture, including the elements, functions, interfaces, and other considerations therein, as well as the novel aspects and differentiating factors compared with, e.g., 5G Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication, where it is noted that the TI will likely operate as an overlay on other networks or combinations of networks. Key foundations of the WG and its baseline standard are also highlighted, including the intended use cases and associated requirements that the standard must serve, and the TI's fundamental definition and assumptions as understood by the WG, among other aspects.

The tactile internet will enable a new range of capabilities to enable immersive remote operations and interactions with a physical world. Tactile internet use cases span over many fields, from remote operation of industrial applications in, e.g., hazardous environments, via remote-controlled driving in a fully automated intelligent transport system, to remote surgery where the unique expert skills can be delivered to different locations in the world. Fifth-generation (5G) communication will play a fundamental part in this tactile internet vision, as it will provide necessary capabilities for the demanding communication needs in terms of reliability and low latency, for operators or teleoperated systems that are connected wirelessly. This paper provides an overview of tactile internet services and haptic interactions and communication. The 5G functionality for ultrareliable and low-latency services is described in depth and it is shown how 5G new radio (NR) and the evolved long-term evolution (LTE) radio interface can achieve guaranteed low-latency wireless transmission. The costs for providing reliable and low-latency wireless transmission in terms of reduced spectral efficiency and coverage are discussed. The 5G system architecture with a software-based network design based on a distributed cloud platform is presented. It is shown how the 5G network is configured for tactile internet services via multidomain orchestration.

Wide deployment of wireless sensor and actuator networks in cyber-physical systems requires systematic design tools to enable dynamic tradeoff of network resources and control performance. In this paper, we consider three recently proposed aperiodic control algorithms which have the potential to address this problem. By showing how these controllers can be implemented over the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, a practical wireless control system architecture with guaranteed closed-loop performance is detailed. Event-based predictive and hybrid sensor and actuator communication schemes are compared with respect to their capabilities and implementation complexity. A two double-tank laboratory experimental setup, mimicking some typical industrial process control loops, is used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach. Experimental results show how the sensor communication adapts to the changing demands of the control loops and the network resources, allowing for lower energy consumption and efficient bandwidth utilization.

The increasing demand for wireless cyber-physical systems requires correct design, implementation and validation of computation, communication and control methods. Traditional simulation tools, which focus on either computation, communication or control, are insufficient when the three aspects interact. Efforts to extend the traditional tools to cover multiple domains, e.g., from simulating only control aspects to simulating both control and communication, often rely on simplistic models of a small subset of possible communication solutions. We introduce GISOO, a virtual testbed for simulation of wireless cyber-physical systems that integrates two state-of-the art simulators, Simulink and COOJA. GISOO enables users to evaluate actual embedded code for the wireless nodes in realistic cyber-physical experiments, observing the effects of both the control and communication components. In this way, a wide range of communication solutions can be evaluated without developing abstract models of their control-relevant aspects, and changes made to the networking code in simulations is guaranteed to be translated into production code without errors. A double-tank laboratory experimental setup controlled over a multi-hop relay wireless network is used to validate GISOO and demonstrate its features.

Nowadays, intrusion detection systems do not only aim to detect attacks; but they go beyond by providing reaction mechanisms to cope with detected attacks, or at least reduce their effects. Previous research works have proposed several methods to automatically select possible countermeasures capable of ending the detected attack, but without taking into account their side effects. In fact, countermeasures can be as harmful as the detected attack. Moreover, sometimes selected countermeasures are not adapted to the attacker’s actions and/or knowledge. In this paper, we propose to turn the reaction selection process intelligent by giving means to (i) quantify the effectiveness and select the countermeasure that has the minimum negative side effect on the information system by adopting a risk assessment and analysis approach, and (ii) assess the skill and knowledge level of the attacker from a defensive point of view.