CPS Industry Panel

1st International Conference on Cyber-Physical Systems (ICCPS)
Panel Discussion 
Industrial Challenges in Cyber-Physical Systems
15 April 2010 @ 15:30-17:30

Co-organized by
Janos Sztipanovits, Vanderbilt University
Jorge Pereira, European Commission

There is an emerging consensus that basic research in CPS needs to be performed in the context of real engineered systems – typically conceived, built and deployed by industry. The nature of CPS research requires reinterpreting the usually accepted differences between basic and applied research. The usual model of innovation, where scientific discovery is eventually followed by practical applications, is less prevalent because discoveries will occur while solving challenges of high and immediate practical value. This fact does not change the need for long term commitment in conducting and exploiting full benefits of the research, because general methods and tools cannot be validated and applied without deep domain knowledge. The panel focused on the nature of the innovation enterprise in CPS. Industry experts discussed present and emerging challenges, expressed their view on barriers that need to be overcome in creating a new science and technology foundation and discuss effective forms of industry- academy interactions.

US Panelists

David Corman - Technical Fellow, the Boeing Company
Shige Wang - General Motors R&D and Planning
Clas Jacobson - United Technologies Research Center

EU Panelists

Nereo Pallaro - Head of Automation & Systems Department, FIAT Automotive 
Martijn Bennebroek - Principal Scientist, Electronic Systems and Silicon Integration, Philips Research 
Europe
Armando Walter Colombo - Schneider Electric (Process Automation)