The Role of Models in Engineering of Cyber-Physical Systems: Challenges and Possibilities

Dr. Bernhard Schätz - Technische Universität München

March 6, 2015, 2:30 p.m. - March 6, 2015, 3:30 p.m.

MC12


In the engineering process of embedded systems, models are most commonly used to support the early definition of the system (or parts thereof) or the environment. However, with the move from embedded systems to cyber-physical systems (CPS), we are experiencing a paradigm-shift. In contrast to traditional embedded systems, CPS are driven by three dimensions of complexity: The “cross”-dimension, with issues like cross-application domains, cross-technologies, cross-organizations, etc; the “self”-dimension, with issues like self-monitoring, self-adapting, self-optimizing, etc.; and the “live”-dimension, with issues like live-configuration, live-update, live-enhancement, etc. Due to the necessary shift from the development process in dedicated application domains with a clear distinction between Design/Implementation and Maintenance/Operation to the continuous development cycle merging these phases as well as roles like developer/operator/user, also the role of models in CPS requires a rethinking. In this presentation, we sketch how the model-based approach with construction, analysis and synthesis of models has to be adapted to support the engineering of cyber-physical systems, using the domain of smart energy systems for illustration. Bernhard Schätz received his Ph.D. and Habilitation degree in Informatics from the Technische Unversität München. At the fortiss Transfer Institute associated with the Technische Universität München, he leads the research department “Software & Systems Engineering” with the fields of Analysis and Design of Dependable Systems, Optimized Design Space Exploration, Model-Based Engineering Tools, with Smart Grid, Automotive, and Automation as fields of application. Besides his scientific activities, he acts as Lecturer at the Technische Unversität München, he is co-founder and member of the advisory board of the Validas AG, and works as a consultant (incl. BMW, Bosch, Eurocopter) in the field of Software and Systems Engineering.