Cyber-Physical Systems

Without a doubt, computer technology has been one of the main drivers of progress and change in recent decades.

PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) played an essential role in the third industrial revolution (refer to the section entitled The Third Industrial Revolution, from Chapter 2, The Industrial Revolutions). Now, cyber-physical systems (CPS) are playing a vital role in the fourth industrial revolution (refer to the section entitled The Fourth Industrial Revolution, from Chapter 2, The Industrial Revolutions).

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are not something that was invented by an individual. They are an evolutionary step that was achieved by combining separate technologies. Simply put, they combine embedded systems with their sensors and actuators with digital networks, like the internet. CPS is a glue technology between the physical and the virtual world.

In 2008, Edward A. Lee (Edward A. Lee. Cyber-Physical Systems: Design Challenges. Technical Report No. UCB...