SE4CPS Laboratory: Software Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems

About the Lab

The SE4CPS Laboratory is a dedicated research community within SDU Software Engineering with a focus on cyber physical systems (CPS). Taking an outset in the internationally recognized hub for robotics in Odense.
Modern CPS increasingly relies on complex software to function safely, intelligently, and autonomously. While these systems have traditionally been treated merely as application areas, the SE4CPS Laboratory was established to provide a dedicated "home" for foundational software engineering research applied to CPS at SDU. By unifying previously dispersed initiatives, we foster interdisciplinary collaboration, consolidate knowledge across diverse platforms, and position SDU Software Engineering as a leading global contributor at the intersection of software and physical systems.

Our Mission

The core focus of the SE4CPS Lab is the development of robust software technologies and the rigorous application of software engineering disciplines to cyber-physical and robotic systems. Our work aims to solve real-world challenges by:

• Extending Capabilities: Using advanced software technologies to enhance the intelligence, autonomy, cognition, and functionality of cyber-physical systems.
• Maturing the Engineering Process: Establishing reliable, sustainable, and scalable software engineering practices specifically tailored for the CPS and robotics domains.
• Fostering Collaboration: Serving as a central node for internal knowledge sharing and building strong partnerships with external stakeholders in the broader technology ecosystem.

Key Research Themes

Our research spans a wide spectrum of software engineering disciplines applied to cyber-physical systems, grouped into the following core areas:

1. Architecture & Programming

• Modular software architectures supporting both research and practical CPS applications.
• Programming environments for robotic and cyber-physical systems.
• Accessible (end-user) programming interfaces.

2. Simulation & Digital Twins

• Advanced simulation of physical systems and operational verification.
• Development of Digital Twins for cyber-physical systems (e.g., applied to precision agriculture).

3. AI & Data-Driven Software Engineering

• Data-driven and AI-assisted software engineering for CPS.
• Software architectures designed for perception management and system cognition.

4. Trustworthy & Sustainable Systems

• Reliability, safety & security analysis, and verification & validation for system-of-systems.
• Sustainable software engineering practices for hardware-integrated software.