Engineering Distributed Collective Intelligence in Cyber-Physical Swarms

Cyber-physical swarms represent a paradigm shift in distributed systems, mirroring characteristics akin to natural swarms, such as self-organization, scalability, and fault tolerance. This paper delves into these complex systems, characterized by vast networks of cyber-physical entities with limited environmental awareness, yet capable of exhibiting emergent collective behaviors. These systems encompass a diverse array of scenarios, ranging from swarm robotics to the interconnectivity in smart cities, as well as the collaboration among augmented humans. The engineering of such systems presents unique challenges, primarily due to their intricate complexity and the spontaneous nature of their collective behaviors. This paper aims to dissect these challenges, offering a clear delineation of potential approaches. We present a comprehensive analysis, shedding light on the intricacies of engineering cyberphysical swarms and discussing modern solutions in engineering collective applications for such systems.