SPSysML: A meta-model for quantitative evaluation of Simulation-Physical SystemsRobotic systems are complex cyber-physical systems (CPS) commonly equipped
with multiple sensors and effectors. Recent simulation methods enable the
Digital Twin (DT) concept realisation. However, DT employment in robotic system
development, e.g. in-development testing, is unclear. During the system
development, its parts evolve from simulated mockups to physical parts which
run software deployed on the actual hardware. Therefore, a design tool and a
flexible development procedure ensuring the integrity of the simulated and
physical parts are required.
We aim to maximise the integration between a CPS's simulated and physical
parts in various setups. The better integration, the better simulation-based
testing coverage of the physical part (hardware and software).
We propose a Domain Specification Language (DSL) based on Systems Modeling
Language (SysML) that we refer to as SPSysML (Simulation-Physical System
Modeling Language). SPSysML defines the taxonomy of a Simulation-Physical
System (SPSys), being a CPS consisting of at least a physical or simulated
part. In particular, the simulated ones can be DTs. We propose a SPSys
Development Procedure (SPSysDP) that enables the maximisation of the
simulation-physical integrity of SPSys by evaluating the proposed factors.
SPSysDP is used to develop a complex robotic system for the INCARE project.
In subsequent iterations of SPSysDP, the simulation-physical integrity of the
system is maximised. As a result, the system model consists of fewer
components, and a greater fraction of the system components are shared between
various system setups. We implement and test the system with popular
frameworks, Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo simulator.
SPSysML with SPSysDP enables the design of SPSys (including DT and CPS),
multi-setup system development featuring maximised integrity between simulation
and physical parts in its setups.
arxiv.org