Simulation Model Continuity for Efficient Development of Embedded Controllers in Cyber‐Physical Systems

Abstract

The problem of designing a control system for Cyber-Physical Systems usually involves three main classes of activities: analytical, experimental, and simulation-based. The orchestration of different stages across these activities can become a challenge, as there are no clear rules on how and when to use results from simulations to support or enhance results of the analytic or experimental activities. Furthermore, designing controllers raises the need to interact with embedded platforms, robotic applications being a paradigmatic example. This can become a difficult, time consuming, and error-prone task for non-specialists as it demands for background on low-level software/hardware interfaces often falling beyond the scope of control designers. We present a simulation-driven methodology and tool for designing hybrid controllers based on a model continuity approach. The simulation model of a controller should evolve progressively and transparently from a desktop-based mocking up environment until its final embedded target without the need of intermediate adaptations. DEVS-over-ROS (DoveR) is a practical implementation of this model continuity paradigm. DoveR relies on the DEVS formal framework for robust modeling and real-time simulation of hybrid controllers, and on the ROS middleware for flexible abstraction of software/hardware interfaces for sensors and actuators. We show how to apply DoveR in a case study where a custom-made crafted robotic system is built concurrently with the design of its controller, spanning all the typical activities in a control design project.