Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that cause a processor to receive an indication of an event associated with an industrial automation system, wherein the industrial automation system includes a plurality of devices configured to perform a plurality of operations within the industrial automation system, and wherein each of the plurality of devices includes a compute surface configured to perform one or more software tasks, determine a plurality of data processing tasks to perform based on the event, identify a portion of the plurality of devices to perform the plurality of data processing tasks based on the compute surface available for each of the plurality of devices, and deploy a container to each of the portion of the plurality of devices, wherein each container of each of the portion of the plurality of devices is configured to perform at least one of the plurality of data processing tasks.

Abstract: An asynchronous conveyor system with controlled smooth stopping and starting. The conveyer system defines a path with sections (Z1 . . . Z6) independently driven. The conveyed items (2A, . . . 2D) may be independently accumulated on one or more path sections of the conveyor system. External sensors (8, 8A, 14, 14A) are distributed along different path sections of the conveyors system and are used to control the location and the flow of items in either direction. An idler wheel with a sensed rest position is also disclosed as an item sensing mechanism. The drive system for the conveyor system may be stepper motors, DC, AC, hysteresis motors or other such motors. In each case the motors are controlled to provide smooth transportation of the items. In another embodiment, servomotors are used and an internal sensed characteristic of the servo motor provides and indication of an item being on the conveyor path section associated with the servo. The operation then is similar to the use of an actual sensor.