Towards a Value-Complemented Framework for Enabling Human Monitoring in Cyber-Physical Systems

2025-02-11

AI Summary

This study addresses value conflicts—including privacy violations, security risks, and diminished human autonomy—arising from runtime human behavior monitoring in human–cyber–physical system (HCPS) collaboration. To resolve these tensions, we propose a value-driven monitoring requirements engineering method. Innovatively integrating Schwartz’s theory of basic human values with value-based tactics modeling, we establish a traceable “value–requirement–role” framework that explicitly links functional and non-functional monitoring requirements to core values such as privacy, security, and self-direction—marking the first such explicit binding in CPS monitoring. Through value-oriented requirements analysis, traceability modeling, and preliminary conceptual validation, we formulate a comprehensive research roadmap. The framework provides both theoretical foundations and methodological support for designing ethically aligned, adaptive, value-sensitive monitoring systems in HCPS environments.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Learning Human Values and Preferences
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Simulating Human Behavior
• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User privacy protection in personalized systems

Abstract

[Context and Motivation]: Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) have become relevant in a wide variety of different domains, integrating hardware and software, often operating in an emerging and uncertain environment where human actors actively or passively engage with the CPS. To ensure correct and safe operation, and self-adaptation, monitors are used for collecting and analyzing diverse runtime information. [Problem]: However, monitoring humans at runtime, collecting potentially sensitive information about their actions and behavior, comes with significant ramifications that can severely hamper the successful integration of human-machine collaboration. Requirements engineering (RE) activities must integrate diverse human values, including Privacy, Security, and Self-Direction during system design, to avoid involuntary data sharing or misuse. [Principal Ideas]: In this research preview, we focus on the importance of incorporating these aspects in the RE lifecycle of eliciting and creating runtime monitors. [Contribution]: We derived an initial conceptual framework, building on the value taxonomy introduced by Schwartz and human value integrated Software Engineering by Whittle, further leveraging the concept of value tactics. The goal is to tie functional and non-functional monitoring requirements to human values and establish traceability between values, requirements, and actors. Based on this, we lay out a research roadmap guiding our ongoing work in this area.

Problem

• Ensuring privacy in human monitoring within CPS.
• Integrating human values in requirements engineering.
• Developing a framework for value-complemented monitoring.

Innovation

• Integrates human values in monitoring
• Leverages value tactics for requirements
• Ensures traceability between values and monitors