Udayanto Dwi Atmojo

System-level approach to the design of ambient intelligence systems based on wireless sensor and actuator networks

Wireless sensor and actuator networks (WSANs) have become pervasive and are used in many embedded and intelligent systems. However, the complexity of applications based on these networks is limited due to lack of tools for designing distributed systems on top of WSANs. In this paper, we present how a system-level programming language, SystemJ, is used to develop a middleware-free Ambient Intelligence (AmI) system. The system consists of a combination of Internet-enabled stationary and mobile WSAN nodes, which resembles an Internet of Things scenario. A distributed warehouse monitoring and control scenario with collaborating stationary and mobile WSAN nodes is used as a motivating example designed and implemented in SystemJ. This example demonstrates the capabilities of SystemJ for designing distributed AmI systems with inherent support for reactivity and composition of concurrent behaviors based on a formal model of computation, without the need for any additional middleware. The approach is compared with existing software agent, robotic and WSAN middleware approaches in designing the same type of systems.

SOSJ: A new programming paradigm for adaptive distributed systems

A new programming paradigm that supports development of adaptive distributed control systems found in many applications, such as flexible manufacturing systems, is introduced in the paper. The paradigm merges two powerful concepts, a formal GALS language SystemJ suitable for designing concurrent static programs and service oriented architectures suitable for dynamic system composition. The new tool, called SOSJ, designed based on the proposed paradigm has the strengths from both sides and can support programming adaptive distributed systems. The use of the new design tool and methodology is illustrated on an example of a distributed manufacturing system. It demonstrates usability and ease of design with SOSJ in developing flexible, dynamic and fault-tolerant manufacturing systems.

A New Design Paradigm for Designing Reactive Pervasive Concurrent Systems with an Ambient Intelligence Example

Modern ubiquitous computing systems are created with large number of embedded sensing and actuation devices, which together form complex distributed collaborative systems. While the advancements in underlying embedded sensing, actuation and control technologies are tremendous, the system designers still lack proper software approach that can handle systems with complex and concurrent control flow on distributed networked infrastructure. In this paper, a system-level design language, SystemJ, which is based on a formal Model of Computation, is used to provide a new design paradigm for ambient intelligence systems. SystemJ has a set of kernel statements for modeling reactivity, preemptions and concurrency, which allow intuitive handling and composition of complex systems based on concurrent software behaviors. It also provides high level objects called signals and channels, to abstract away the underlying hardware devices and communication mechanisms. The run-time support of the language provides functionalities similar to middleware. An access and environment control system demonstrates the use of SystemJ in implementing typical reactive behaviors in ambient intelligence applications.

IP-enabled smart sensor and actuator node for ambient intelligence systems

Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is achieved using ubiquitous sensing and autonomous control implemented on distributed and embedded computing resources hidden within the environment. Modern AmI systems are typically built on wireless sensor and actuator networks (WSANs). The most recent trend is to implement such systems using small embedded devices, such as wireless sensor nodes, with Internet accessibility. Such nodes allow AmI systems to be implemented based on the concept of Internet of Things (IoT), which not only enables autonomous sensing and control, but also allows information to be accessed and processed remotely. In this paper, we present an IP-enabled smart sensor and actuator node that can interface with various digital/analogue sensors and actuators, and communicate with each other using 6LoWPAN protocol. The node can be programmed in a system-level programming language, SystemJ, which supports the design of distributed, reactive and concurrent AmI systems. The high-level programming abstraction and system-level design methodology provided by SystemJ removes the needs of additional middleware and significantly reduces the complexity of designing highly distributed AmI systems.

Extending SOSJ framework for large-scale dynamic manufacturing systems

This paper presents new changes and improvements in the architecture of a programming paradigm Service Oriented SystemJ (SOSJ) to tackle large distributed systems. The programming paradigm makes use of the synergy of two programming concepts of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) suitable for dynamic system composition and formal GALS (Globally Asynchronous Locally Synchronous) language SystemJ amenable for designing safe static concurrent distributed systems. The use of SOSJ framework based on the new architecture is demonstrated in an industrial manufacturing example and initial benchmarks that evaluate the frameworks performance in large distributed systems are shown.

Extending SOSJ Framework for Reliable Dynamic Service-Oriented Systems (Short Paper)

This paper presents enhancements of Service Oriented SystemJ (SOSJ) framework, which extends a system-level language based on GALS model of computation SystemJ with services, into a new programming paradigm amenable for designing dynamic distributed automation systems such as reconfigurable manufacturing systems. The new paradigm combines correct-by-construction software systems development available in SystemJ with the dynamic features of service oriented architecture. The new approach introduces macro states into fundamental concurrent and distributed entities of SOSJ, called clock domains, which address typical behaviors in dynamic distributed systems. We showcase the use of the new paradigm on an example of reconfigurable manufacturing scenarios in a dynamic manufacturing system.

A unified framework for the design of distributed cyber-physical systems - industrial automation example

Modern manufacturing systems are best examples where networked embedded controllers and mechatronic devices form the so-called distributed cyber physical systems (CPS). Design and deployment of such systems pose significant challenges to traditional PLC-based software design approaches. In this paper, a unified framework for the design and deployment of such systems based on a formal language, SystemJ, is presented. The proposed framework supports implementing distributed CPS at system level abstraction with correct by construction design. The designed software components can easily interact with each other and with web-based interface for modelling and validation via simulation and subsequently run on embedded controllers without any change, which simplifies the design and implementation process significantly. An ice-cream manufacturing system (ICMF) example is presented to illustrate the proposed approach.

A framework for designing dynamic and interoperable automation and robotics systems

In this paper, we propose using an approach based on the system-level programming language SystemJ extended with service oriented features, called SOSJ, to design dynamic interoperable software systems. The approach abstracts and integrates the worlds of automation and robotics systems by using a simple service interface based on abstract objects within SOSJ. We demonstrate our approach in a real-life automated bottling system scenario that uses multiple FESTO modular stations operating in SOSJ and integrating them with two Baxter robots operating in ROS without the need for any modification of the underlying mechatronics or robotics systems.

Designing Dynamic and Collaborative Automation and Robotics Software Systems

The heterogeneity of execution platforms and operating software in manufacturing machines and robots, as well as various sensors and actuators, creates challenges for integration into larger systems. Existing approaches make use of different types of middleware to mitigate the challenges of designing interoperable systems. However, middleware can significantly impede modular design and composition of software systems that are dynamic in nature. This paper elaborates upon those challenges and proposes using an approach called service-oriented SystemJ (SOSJ), based on the system-level programming language SystemJ enhanced with service oriented features. This approach allows developers to design dynamic software systems while adopting and incorporating legacy solutions. The approach is demonstrated on the integration of an industrial automation system, incorporating the use of multiple modular mechatronics stations and service robotics systems, represented by robot operating system-enabled Baxter robots. The proposed approach offers a simple service interface based on abstract objects for integrating robots and automation machines in the SOSJ world, without the need to modify the underlying mechatronics or robotics systems.