Due to rapid advances in computation, sensor, and communication technologies, there is an increasing interest in networked embedded hybrid system or cyber-physical system (CPS) applications such as transportation systems, autonomous vehicle systems (e.g., unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and autonomous driving cars), sensor networks, and biological systems. In these applications, the typical system consists of a group of subsystems which have unique properties such as interacting physical and logical (cyber) dynamics and decentralized decision making. In addition, inherent to these systems is the presence of uncertainty. Thus, a networked embedded hybrid system is much more complex than the current control theory can efficiently and effectively handle. The complexity of a networked embedded hybrid system presents major challenges in the areas of real-time information inference, control, and safety and security monitoring and verification. Since the complex behavior of such systems with uncertainties could be modeled as a stochastic hybrid system, the objective of this NSF CAREER research is to develop theory, computationally efficient algorithms, and experimental testbeds for stochastic hybrid systems, with applications to networked embedded systems. In this project, Air Traffic Control (ATC) and UAS are considered as driving applications which embody the major problems to be addressed, and thus this CAREER project would help address some of the important problems to achieve the objectives of the future air traffic control system called the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and support safe operations of UAS. The algorithms and methods that have been developed include aircraft tracking and trajectory prediction in a complex NextGen environment, conflict detection and resolution, aircraft conformance monitoring for airspace safety monitoring, fault detection and identification of safety critical systems such as aircraft, and cyber security analysis of UAS. Since the problems studied in this proposal arise from a diverse range of applications, in addition to air transportation systems and UAS, such as ground transportation systems, the power grid, communication systems, autonomous driving cars, and biological systems, and thus the successful completion of the proposed research will contribute to making our society safer and more efficient. In addition, many undergraduate and graduates students have been involved in this project through independent research classes and programs. An unmanned autonomous system has been developed and used for classes and demonstrations at local schools, inter-university and academia-industry activities. Two new courses have been developed and the research results have been disseminated to industrial and academic communities through scholarly publication and attendance in technical conferences and academy-industry joint meetings, and via a dedicated webpage.

Last Modified: 06/10/2015
Modified by: Inseok Hwang