We distinguish traditional implementations of autonomous Maxwell demons from related linear devices that were recently proposed, not relying on the notions measurements and feedback control. In both cases a current seems to flow against its spontaneous direction (imposed, e.g., by thermal or electric gradient) without external energy intake. However, in latter case, this inversion may only be a...

This paper describes the development of an ontology for autonomous systems, as the initial stage of a research programme on autonomous systems' engineering within a model-based control approach. The ontology aims at providing a unified conceptual framework for the autonomous systems' stakeholders, from developers to software engineers. The modular ontology contains both generic and domain-speci...