Addressing the Signal Grounding Problem for Autonomic Systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of intrinsically assigning meaning to the signals responsible for autonomic responses in a system. Without an associated cognitive system, the symbol grounding problem would constitute a major barrier in system adaptation and evolution. Based on an ongoing effort towards a formal and pragmatic development of self-regenerative software systems, this paper adopts concepts from artificial immune systems (AIS) engineering, information theory and the situation calculus dialect of predicate logic. These are used to formalise the monitoring and control of system autonomic functions. In this way danger signals as an immune (self-healing/protecting) response and evolutionary (self-adapting) responses can be formalised into autonomic conditional and anticipatory reaction triggers. Thus any threat or potential enhancement to the system can be monitored for and the appropriate action taken to facilitate system dependability and safety