Holonic Overlays in Cyber-Physical System of Systems

Abstract

This paper gives a novel perspective about the role of the self-similarities in the modelling of system of systems with cyber-physical representation. With the adoption of virtual overlays of dynamically self-adapting holarchies, the emergent characteristics and behaviors of the information and automation systems are mapped into a recursive tree of autonomic components that can be typically realized through holonic multiagent systems. The nested computing structures that are used to achieve a productivity goal are kept simple by means of self-similarities. This simplification provides a viable methodology for the pervasive management and the automated programming of the holonic components. The technique described is suitable for a prompt adoption on a vast class of manufacturing, robotics, mechatronics, and facility management processes, whilst enabling a continuum between humans and machines. An advantage of the proposed method is its agnosticism with respect to most of the specific but heterogeneous technological means adopted in the already existent automation realizations.