Sensor Lattices

Abstract

Using the newly introduced idea of a sensor lattice, this project con- ducts a systematic study of the "granularity" at which the world can be sensed and how that affects the ability to accomplish common tasks with cyberphysical systems (CPSs). A sensor is viewed as a device that par- titions the physical world states into measurement-invariant equivalence classes, and the sensor lattice indicates how all sensors are related. Several distinctive characteristics of the pursued approach are: 1) Virtual sensor models are developed, which correspond to minimal information require- ments of common tasks and are independent of particular physical sen- sor implementations. 2) Uncertainty is decoupled into disturbances and preimages, the latter of which yields the measurement-invariant equiva- lence classes and sensor lattice. 3) The development of particular spatial and temporal filters that are based on minimal information requirements of a task. 4) Formally establishing the conditions that enable sensors in a CPS to be interchanged, and then determining the relative complex- ity tradeoffs. The intellectual merit is to understand how mappings from the physical world to sensor outputs affect the solvability and complexity of commonly occurring tasks. This is a critical step in the development of mathematical and computational CPS foundations. Broader impact is expected by improving design methodologies for CPS solutions to so- cietal problems such as assisted living, environmental monitoring, and automated agriculture. The sensor lattice approach is transformative be- cause it represents a new paradigm with which to address basic sensor- based inference issues, which extend well beyond the traditional academic boundaries.

Award ID: 1035345