A holistic approach to energy-aware design of cyber-physical systems

In this paper we present a new approach to the design of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) with limited energy availability. CPSs are normally composed of subsystems of very different nature, such as electromechanical, computational or communication subsystems. Despite this heterogeneity all of them consume energy, making this a cross-cutting concern. This approach is said to be holistic because it addresses all the subsystems that compose the CPS in a joint design effort, hence allowing tackling the energy consumption challenge effectively. Additionally, modelling is used to support it using different methods and tools depending on the subsystem under consideration. This approach has been applied to two different case studies: the development of a compression stocking to treat leg-venous insufficiency and the development of a wearable heart monitor. In both cases its application has enabled the understanding of the system's energy consumption better and from different angles, providing useful input to the creation of energy efficient realisations. Copyright © 2017 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.