CFTel: A Practical Architecture for Robust and Scalable Telerobotics with Cloud-Fog Automation

TL;DR

CFTel introduces a distributed Cloud-Fog architecture for telerobotics that enhances real-time performance, scalability, and resilience in industrial cyber-physical systems by leveraging edge computing, 5G, and AI technologies.

Contribution

The paper presents a practical, scalable architecture for robust telerobotics using Cloud-Fog automation, integrating emerging technologies to overcome latency and reliability challenges.

Findings

CFTel improves real-time control and scalability in telerobotics.

Integration of 5G and Edge Intelligence enhances deterministic connectivity.

CFTel addresses cybersecurity, interoperability, and standardization challenges.

Abstract

Telerobotics is a key foundation in autonomous Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS), enabling remote operations across various domains. However, conventional cloud-based telerobotics suffers from latency, reliability, scalability, and resilience issues, hindering real-time performance in critical applications. Cloud-Fog Telerobotics (CFTel) builds on the Cloud-Fog Automation (CFA) paradigm to address these limitations by leveraging a distributed Cloud-Edge-Robotics computing architecture, enabling deterministic connectivity, deterministic connected intelligence, and deterministic networked computing. This paper synthesizes recent advancements in CFTel, aiming to highlight its role in facilitating scalable, low-latency, autonomous, and AI-driven telerobotics. We analyze architectural frameworks and technologies that enable them, including 5G Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication, Edge Intelligence, Embodied AI, and Digital Twins. The study demonstrates that CFTel has the potential to enhance real-time control, scalability, and autonomy while supporting service-oriented solutions. We also discuss practical challenges, including latency constraints, cybersecurity risks, interoperability issues, and standardization efforts. This work serves as a foundational reference for researchers, stakeholders, and industry practitioners in future telerobotics research.