Remote control of a fusion facility

Magnetic fusion experiments keep growing in size and complexity resulting in a concurrent growth in collaboration between experimental sites and laboratories worldwide. This scientific collaboration activity is strong at existing experimental sites, is a major element of machines just coming on line, and is also a thrust of experiments that will come on line in the next decade. Computer science research into enhancing the ability to scientifically participate in a fusion experiment remotely has been growing in size in an attempt to better address the needs of fusion scientists worldwide. The natural progression of this research is to examine how to move from remote scientific participation to remote hardware control. This paper examines the challenges associated with remote experimental device control and proposes a solution based on a semantic approach that defines a Gatekeeper software system that will be the only channel of interaction for incoming requests to the experimental site. The role of the Gatekeeper is to validate the identification and access privilege of the requestor and to ensure the validity of the proposed request. The Gatekeeper will be a modular system, transparent to end-users, and allow a high volume of activity.