Cognitive cyber-physical systems: integrating intelligence, adaptation, and real-time decision-making

Abstract

Cognitive cyber-physical systems (CCPS) represent a critical inflection point in the evolution of intelligent engineering systems, where computation, learning, and physical interaction are no longer separated but fused within a continuous adaptive loop. This editorial positions CCPS as the intermediate layer between foundational computational intelligence and fully autonomous socio-cognitive systems, extending the broader IJECE 2026 intellectual trajectory. In contrast to conventional cyber-physical systems governed by predefined control logic, CCPS embed learning-driven intelligence directly into sensing, communication, and control processes, enabling continuous real-time adaptation in uncertain and dynamically evolving environments. Intelligence in this paradigm is realized as embodied intelligence through continuous interaction across computational and physical layers rather than remaining confined to localized algorithmic modules. Tight coupling among perception, decision-making, and actuation enables continuous refinement of internal representations through environmental feedback. Multi-scale learning mechanisms further support simultaneous fast-response adaptation and long-horizon behavioral optimization. As a result, classical feedback architectures are transformed into predictive cognitive loops capable of anticipatory, context-aware, and autonomous operation under uncertainty. CCPS therefore provide the engineering realization of embodied intelligence, establishing the foundational bridge between computational intelligence and the emergence of future socio-cognitive systems.