A Middleware for Control over Networks

Our thesis is that a well-designed software architectural framework and middleware are critical for the widespread deployment and proliferation of networked control systems. We develop a list of key requirements for such middleware, and present Etherware, a message oriented component middleware for networked control. We describe the application models supported, and illustrate these vis-á-vis a vehicular control testbed. We conclude with experiments that demonstrate the support for system management and evolution in Etherware.