Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) - Introduction

 

Definitions

NSF (2008) “Cyber-physical systems are physical, biological, and engineered 

systems whose operations are integrated, monitored, and/or controlled

by a computational core. Components are networked at every scale. 

Computing is ‘deeply embedded’ into every physical component, 

possibly even into materials. The computational core is an embedded 

system, usually demands real-time response, and is most often 

distributed. The behavior of a cyber-physical system is a fully-integrated 

hybridization of computational (logical) and physical action.”

NIST (website) “Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) comprise interacting digital, analog, 

physical, and human components engineered for function through 

integrated physics and logic.”

CPS PWG NIST SP 

1500-201 (2017)

“Cyber-physical systems integrate computation, communication, 

sensing, and actuation with physical systems to fulfill time-sensitive

functions with varying degrees of interaction with the environment 

including human interaction.”

IEEE Standard 2413 

(2019)

“A cyber-physical system is a system in which the physical world, 

such as production sites, and the digitalized cyber world are 

harmoniously combined.”

An academic work 

group website on 

CPSs

“Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are integrations of computation, 

networking, and physical processes. Embedded computers and 

networks monitor and control the physical processes, with feedback 

loops where physical processes affect computations and vice versa.”

IEEE Technical 

Committee on CPS 

(website)

“CPS addresses the close interaction and deep integration between 

the cyber components such as sensing systems and the physical 

components such as varying environment and energy systems.”

ACM14 “Cyber-physical systems are systems with a coupling of the cyber 

aspects of computing and communications with the physical 

aspects of dynamics and engineering that must abide by the laws of 

physics.”

Cyber-Physical 

Systems Virtual 

Organization 

(website)

CPSs “are engineering systems that are built from, and depend 

upon, the seamless integration of computational algorithms and 

physical components.”

NASA (website)16 “Cyber-Physical (CPS) denotes the emerging class of physical 

systems that exhibit complex patterns of behavior due to highly 

capable embedded software components. Also known as hybrid 

systems (a hybrid of hardware and software), or mechatronic 

systems (mechanical + electronic), these include devices with 

content, or knowledge, that gives them unprecedented capabilities 

in interoperability and interaction, resilience, adaptivity, and 

emergent behavior.”

U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

(2014)

(From a presentation): A CPS is connected system with a path to 

vehicle automation using an infrastructure and new data for asset 

monitoring, predictive modeling, and control. Impacts safety, 

mobility, and the environment.

U.S. Department 

of Homeland 

Security 

(website)

“Smart networked systems with embedded sensors, processors 

and actuators that sense and interact with the physical world and 

support real-time, guaranteed performance in safety-critical

applications.”

Cyber-Physical 

Systems Program 

Solicitation NSF 

(2021)

“Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are engineered systems that are built 

from, and depend upon, the seamless integration of computation 

and physical components.”

 Note that IEEE Standard 2413 

states, “An IoT system is a cyberphysical 

system, which interacts with the physical world through sensors and actuators.” Does this imply equivalency?