CPS: Small: Control of Distributed Cyber-Physical Systems under Partial Information and Limited Communication

Abstract: The objective of this research is the development of novel control architectures and computationally efficient controller design algorithms for distributed cyber-physical systems with decentralized information infrastructures and limited communication capabilities. Active safety in Intelligent Transportation Systems will be the focus cyber-physical application. For the successful development and deployment of cooperative active safety systems, it is critical to develop theory and techniques to design algorithms with guaranteed safety properties and predictable behavior. The approach is to develop a new methodology for the design of communicating distributed hybrid controllers by integrating in a novel manner discrete-event controller design and hybrid controller design and optimization. The methodology to be developed will exploit problem decomposition and will have significant technological impact for a large class of cyber-physical systems that share features of modularity in system representation, partial information, and limited communication. The focus on distributed control strategies with limited communication among agents is addressing an important gap in existing control theories for cyber-physical systems. The approach will mitigate the computational limitations of existing approaches to control design for hybrid systems. Given the focus on cooperative active safety in Intelligent Transportation Systems, the results of this effort will have significant societal impact in terms of increased traffic safety and reduced number and severity of accidents. The broader impacts of this proposal also include involvement of high-school and undergraduate students and curriculum development by incorporating results of research into existing courses on cyber-physical systems.