Component-based Architectures for the Synthesis of Intelligent Networked Systems

Advances in Information Technology have enabled the design of complex networked systems, with large number of heterogeneous components and capable of multiple complex functions. These advances have at the same time increased the capabilities of such systems and have increased their complexity to such an extent that systematic design towards predictable performance is extremely difficult if not unfeasible today. This is especially manifested in the area of cyber-physical systems, of all scales, that have become ubiquitous. In addition, the need for systems that can rapidly adapt to new situations and change their structure and behavior accordingly has also increased dramatically. We present methodologies that show promise in addressing these challenges. They include model-based systems engineering, component-based synthesis and architectural design towards efficiency and adaptability. We demonstrate their effectiveness in various applications: collaborative robotics, collaborative heterogeneous sensor networks, cyber security of critical infrastructures, human-machine teams and organizations, and composite trust.