A DEVS-based engine for building digital quadruplets. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Niyonkuru, Daniella; Wainer, Gabriel
• Is Part Of: Simulation. Volume 97:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 485
• Page End: 506
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: Digital Twin -- Digital Quadruplet -- DEMES -- Discrete-Event Modeling of Embedded Systems -- cyber-physical systems -- DEVS -- real-time DEVS; Computer simulation -- Periodicals; 003.3
• DOI: 10.1177/00375497211003130
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-5497

Abstract

Development of Embedded Real-Time Systems is prone to error, and developing bug-free applications is expensive and no guarantees can be provided. We introduce the concept of Digital Quadruplet which includes: a 3D virtual representation of the physical world (a Digital Twin), a Discrete-Event formal model of the system of interest (called the "Digital Triplet"), which can be used for formal analysis as well as simulation studies, and a physical model of the real system under study for experimentation (called the "Digital Quadruplet"). We focus on the definition of the idea of a Digital Quadruplet and how to make these four apparati consistent and reusable. To do so, we use the Discrete-Event formal model as a center for both simulation and execution of the real-time embedded components with timing constraints, as well as a common mechanism for interfacing with the digital counterparts, providing model continuity throughout the process. Here we focus on a principal part of the Digital Quadruplet idea: the provision of an environment to allow models to be used for simulation (in virtual time), visualization, or execution in real-time. A Discrete-EVent Systems specifications (DEVS) kernel runs on bare-metal hardware platforms, avoiding the use of an Operating RTOS in the platform, and the combination with discrete-event modeling engineering.