Reread NSF call for proposals. It needs to be a cyberphysical system. The examples given look more like networks of smart bots for environmental monitoring, etc. Perhaps we should promise a small flock of planes in Phase III? Planes exchange information with each other, learn from each other. Talk about relevance of such fliers to environmental monitoring.

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Abstract of a similar awarded project at UC Berkeley: #0931463 CPS: Medium: Learning for Control of Synthetic and Cyborg Insects in Uncertain Dynamic Environments.

• Note the statements on broader intellectual merit + broader impact

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From the 2008 Cyberphysical Info. session: Components are networked at every scale. Computing is “deeply embedded” into every physical component, possibly even into materials.

• The networking thing is a bit off topic for us unless we talk about a flock of UAVs and inter-plane learning.

Cyber–computation, communication, and control that are discrete, logical, and switched

• Physical –natural and human-made systems governed by the laws of physics and operating in continuous time
• Cyber-Physical Systems–systems in which the cyber and physical systems are tightly integrated at all scales and level
  • Change from cyber merely appliquéd on physica
  • Change from physical with off-the-shelf commodity “computing as parts” mindset

Some hallmark characteristics:

• Cyber capability in every physical component
• Networked at multiple and extreme scales
• Complex at multiple temporal and spatial scales
• Dynamically reorganizing/reconfiguring
• High degrees of automation, control loops must close at many scales
• Unconventional computational and physical substrates (Bio? Nano?)
• Operation must be dependable, certified in some cases

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More background information:

A proposal to do research in any application domain should explain why the domain is relevant to cyber-physical systems, how the proposed research contributes to the broader CPS agenda, its potential to advance the state of the art toward realizing a new systems science for CPS, and what the anticipated innovation consequences will be. As mentioned above, research focusing exclusively on a topic covered by an existing NSF core program should be submitted to that program. For example, a proposal focusing exclusively on kinematics for robotics may be appropriate as a core program proposal, not a CPS proposal. A CPS proposal should advance the fundamental science and engineering combining cyber and physical components and lead to systems ideas/architectures that are applicable to a variety of CPS sectors (i.e., not just in one application sector, in this case robotics, but also to some other application sector, e.g., transportation or the power grid).

What other application do we think our approach could be adapted to? Pursuit, spacecraft docking, spacecraft landing with atmosphere (or surface uncertainties,

Problem is realtime and controllability diminishes as information increases (quantity and quality))

high speed autonomous driving.

household robots - pursuit and evasion. tracking a somewhat unpredictable target in changing ambient conditions.

of course military applications too...

network idea - unlike animals, robots can communicate very rapidly. still, we have challenge in terms of what we can or should communicate from one very light platform with few comparatively sensors to another ,

NSF encourages interaction with the international research community. The NSF routinely supports collaborative research efforts with other nations around the world. For such international collaboration, NSF normally supports the U.S. participants and the international participants are supported by their respective countries. Requests for funds for international collaboration must be justified, including the scope and relevance to CPS objectives.

It is recommended that you discuss your planned proposal for CPS with a program officer. The discussion will be limited to the suitability of the proposal for the CPS solicitation, and not on the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposal. Furthermore, once submitted, proposals may not be discussed with NSF officers, as this would constitute unfair competition, or the perception thereof.

The CPS program is seeking proposals that address research challenges in three CPS themes: Foundations; Methods and Tools; and Components, Run-time Substrates, and Systems. Foundations research will develop new scientific and engineering principles, algorithms, models, and theories for the analysis and design of cyber-physical systems. Research on Methods and Tools will bridge the gaps between approaches to the cyber and physical elements of systems through innovations such as novel support for multiple views, new programming languages, and algorithms for reasoning about and formally verifying properties of complex integrations of cyber and physical resources. The third CPS theme concerns new hardware and software Components, Run-time Substrates (infrastructure and platforms), and (engineered) Systems motivated by grand challenge applications.

Medium Projects also span one or more CPS themes and may include one or more PIs and a research team of students and/or postdocs. Funding for Medium Projects will be provided at levels up to $500,000/year for up to three years.

-- MarkCutkosky - 29 Dec 2009