Harnessing the Computing Continuum for Programming Our World

This chapter outlines a vision for how best to harness the computing continuum of interconnected sensors, actuators, instruments, and computing systems, from small numbers of very large devices to large numbers of very small devices. The hypothesis is that only via a continuum perspective one can intentionally specify desired continuum actions and effectively manage outcomes and systemic properties—adaptability and homeostasis, temporal constraints and deadlines—and elevate the discourse from device programming to intellectual goals and outcomes. Development of a framework for harnessing the computing continuum would catalyze new consumer services, business processes, social services, and scientific discovery. Realizing and implementing a continuum programming model requires balancing conflicting constraints and translating the high‐level specification into a form suitable for execution on a unifying abstract machine model. In turn, the abstract machine must implement the mapping of specification demands to end‐to‐end resources.