Symmetry in Sensing, Computing and Intelligence for Cyber–Physical Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Cyber–physical systems (CPSs) are complex integrations of computing, communication, and control that merge cyber and physical components to enhance overall system performance. Symmetry, which is inherent in various aspects of CPSs, plays a vital role in achieving efficiency, coherence, and balance across system operations. By leveraging symmetry, CPSs can streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and enhance system responsiveness, making it a valuable tool in tackling the system's inherent challenges. CPSs encounter several significant challenges, including:

Scalability: As systems expand, maintaining consistent performance and reliability becomes increasingly complex. Symmetry can facilitate scalable designs by ensuring uniformity and balance across system components, thus simplifying integration and coordination.

Real-time Performance: Ensuring timely responses in dynamic and unpredictable environments is critical. Symmetry can help synchronize operations across cyber and physical domains, leading to a more predictable and efficient real-time performance.

Interoperability: Integrating diverse components with different protocols and standards poses a major challenge. Symmetry can provide a common framework or reference point, enhancing compatibility and seamless communication between heterogeneous systems.

Security and Privacy: Protecting CPSs from cyber threats while safeguarding data privacy is essential. Symmetric structures can enhance security by simplifying encryption schemes and improving system integrity, making it harder for attackers to exploit asymmetrical vulnerabilities.

Resilience: CPSs must be able to withstand and recover from disruptions. Symmetry can contribute to resilience by providing redundancy and a balanced load distribution, ensuring that the system can maintain functionality even under adverse conditions.

The implementation of advanced technologies such as sensing, computing, communication, control, and artificial intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges. Symmetry, when embedded within these technologies, can offer innovative solutions that enhance system robustness, adaptability, and performance. For instance, symmetric algorithms can optimize resource usage, while symmetric designs in control systems can ensure consistent and stable operations.

This Special Issue seeks contributions that explore how symmetry can address the challenges of CPSs, with topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Theoretical models and frameworks of symmetry in CPSs;
• Symmetry-aware algorithms for sensing, computing, and communication to improve system performance;
• Applications of AI in exploiting symmetry for system optimization and resilience;
• Case studies demonstrating the impact of symmetry in solving CPS challenges, such as scalability, interoperability, and security;
• Cross-disciplinary methods for integrating symmetry into CPS design and implementation.

By focusing on these areas, this Special Issue aims to highlight the transformative potential of symmetry in advancing CPSs, leading to more intelligent, efficient, and resilient systems.

Dr. Chao Wang
Dr. Zhiqin Zhu
Dr. Jian Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• cyber-physical systems
• artificial intelligence
• resillence
• security control
• symmetry
• scalability
• interoperability
• optimization algorithms