Ephemeral-Cyber-Physical System: A Cloud-Like CPS Using Shared Devices in Open IoT

With the spread of Internet of Things (IoT), a lot of devices have been connected to networks. We believe that Open IoT, where devices are shared by multiple services, will be common in the future. However, constructing cyber-physical systems (CPS) by using shared devices has challenges. Since there are many combinations of devices and software in the network, designing and testing systems cannot be done manually as with current CPS. The system model and technologies suitable for Open IoT are necessary. In this article, we propose a new concept of CPS. It is “Ephemeral-Cyber-Physical System (E-CPS),” which is temporarily constructed by combining devices in the network similar to an instance of cloud computing. Also, we propose a method of actuator control optimization for automatically constructing E-CPS by using nonconfigured devices connected to the network. This method will significantly contribute to not only E-CPS but also quick and inexpensive provision of conventional CPS. Experiments with a simulator, and with lighting devices and cameras confirmed that the method can automatically optimize the actuator control value and it enables satisfying the service requirements at a low cost.