CPS: Synergy: Collaborative Research: Hybrid Continuous-Discrete Computers for Cyber-Physical Systems

CPS：协同：协作研究：用于网络物理系统的混合连续离散计算机

• 批准号: 1239136
• 负责人: Michael Bryant
• 金额: $ 21万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-10-01 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1239136&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CPS; Synergy; Collaborative; Research; Hybrid

This research aims at hybrid (discrete-continuous) computation for cyber-physical systems. The research augments the today-ubiquitous discrete (digital) model of computation with continuous (analog) computing, which is well-suited to the continuous natural variables involved in cyber-physical systems, and to the error-tolerant nature of computation in such systems. The result is a computing platform on a single silicon chip, with higher energy efficiency, higher speed, and better numerical convergence than is possible with purely discrete computation. The research has several thrusts: (1) Hardware: modern silicon chip technology is used to merge analog computing hardware on the same chip with digital hardware, the latter used for control and co-computation, (2) Architecture: methods are devised for making hybrid computing functionality accessible to the software, (3) Microarchitecture: Choices are made on the granularity, type and organization of analog and hybrid analog-digital functional units, and (4) Concrete application to a realistic cyber-physical system consisting of a team of robots. The research extends modern computer architecture techniques, and advances in mixed analog/digital chip technology mainly developed in the context of communications, to hybrid computing for cyber-physical systems. It brings higher levels of energy efficiency to error-tolerant workloads that future computers will have to handle. The techniques developed can be extended to other systems in which efficient computation is a must, such as weather forecasting and high-energy physics. The work integrates research with education and includes plans for broad dissemination of the results obtained.

本研究针对网络物理系统的混合（离散-连续）计算。该研究用连续（模拟）计算增强了当今无处不在的离散（数字）计算模型，该模型非常适合网络物理系统中涉及的连续自然变量，以及此类系统中计算的容错性。其结果是在单个硅芯片上的计算平台，具有更高的能源效率，更高的速度，以及比纯离散计算更好的数值收敛性。本研究有几个重点：(1)硬件：使用现代硅芯片技术将同一芯片上的模拟计算硬件与数字硬件合并，后者用于控制和协同计算；(2)架构：设计了使软件可访问混合计算功能的方法；(3)微架构：对模拟和混合模数功能单元的粒度、类型和组织进行了选择；(4)在由机器人团队组成的现实网络物理系统中的具体应用。该研究扩展了现代计算机体系结构技术，并将主要在通信背景下开发的混合模拟/数字芯片技术推进到网络物理系统的混合计算。它为未来计算机必须处理的容错工作负载带来了更高水平的能源效率。所开发的技术可以扩展到其他需要高效计算的系统，如天气预报和高能物理。这项工作将研究与教育结合起来，并包括广泛传播所取得成果的计划。