OPT4SMART

Distributed Optimization Methods for Smart Cyber-Physical Networks

Abstract

The combination of embedded electronics and communication capability in almost any mobile or portable device has turned this century into the age of cyber-physical networks. Smart communicating devices with their sensing, computing and control capabilities promise to make our cities, transportation systems, factories and living environments more intelligent, energy-efficient, safe and secure. This extremely complex system has raised a number of new challenges involving ICT disciplines. In particular, a novel peer-to-peer distributed computational model is appearing as a new opportunity in which a service is built-up cooperatively by peers, rather than by a unique provider that knows and owns all data. The interdisciplinary “Optimization Community” is facing this revolution sharing a common need: to find new theories, methodologies and tools to optimize over this complex network system. With this in mind, OPT4SMART has a twofold objective. First, to provide a comprehensive theoretical framework to solve distributed optimization problems over peer-to-peer networks. Second, to develop effective numerical tools, based on this framework, to solve estimation, learning, decision and control problems in cyber-physical networks. To achieve this twofold objective, we will take a systems-theory perspective. Specific problems from these four areas will be abstracted to a common mathematical set-up, and addressed by means of interdisciplinary methodologies arising from a synergic combination of optimization, controls, and graph theories. In particular, OPT4SMART will face the challenge of solving optimization problems under severe communication limitations, very-large-scale problem and data size, and real-time computational constraints. The expected result will be a combination of strong theoretical methods and effective numerical toolboxes available to people in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics and other areas, who are facing optimization in cyber-physical networks.

Project details

Unibo Team Leader: Giuseppe Notarstefano

Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Energia Elettrica e dell'Informazione "Guglielmo Marconi"

Coordinator:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)

Other Participants:
Università del Salento - Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica (Italy)

Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 2.403.894,58
Project Duration in months: 39
Start Date: 01/07/2018
End Date: 30/09/2021

Cordis webpage
Project website

Industry, innovation and infrastructure This project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 638992 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 638992