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SOSA Working Groups

Technical Working Group (TWG)

The SOSA Technical Working Group (TWG) is the Consortium body responsible for all technical products and the establishment and governance of the processes that are used to create them.  The TWG ensures quality Systems Engineering (SE) and multi-discipline alignment through employment of SE best practices. The processes and practices of the TWG are in service of achieving the goals of the SOSA Consortium as embodied in the SOSA CV-1, products consistent with the SOSA Quality Attributes, and processes framed in the SOSA Architecture Principles.  The TWG establishes and manages bi-directional relationships with other OSA initiatives and technical programs.  The TWG defines the SOSA Technical Standard for the SOSA Reference Architecture, provides guidance supporting the standard, develops additional support documentation, provides implementation guidance, and provides input on procedures to establish SOSA Conformance.   The SOSA TWG leverages open standards where such exist, defining where they do not yet exist.

  • Hardware Subcommittee:
    • The SOSA Hardware Sub-Committee is responsible for all hardware technical aspects that affect the development of a SOSA Hardware Element. The SOSA Hardware Sub Committee is responsible for the development of a viable hardware architecture specification that executes the Quality Attributes developed for SOSA for hardware capabilities across multiple sensor platforms (Sensor Types); with the added benefit of allowing disparate Sensor Types operation on a reusable (portable)  Open System Architecture hardware set of Plug-In Card Profiles, hardware backbone and network. The SOSA Hardware Sub Committee adopts existing Open Architectures and Open Standards that apply to the current effort, adapt existing Open Architectures and Open Standards, or define new Open Standards (which include specific rules, recommendations, and observations)  if no current Open System Architecture capability exists. The SOSA Hardware Sub-Committee will focus on all Hardware Elements inside the enclosure.  It is noted that efforts within the SOSA Hardware Sub-Committee could span multiple enclosures and multiple platforms. The SOSA Hardware Sub Committee works with the SOSA Security Subcommittee through a liaison to help develop any relevant Security Architecture features, and how it may affect any and all development methodologies towards a SOSA Technical Standard. The SOSA Hardware Sub Committee works to successfully adopt a hardware convergence strategy with Government Agencies and Industry.  The convergence will focus on alignment of all relevant Hardware elements that maximize reuse and portability across a variety of platforms and use cases.  This will include the development and codification of a set of high-level use cases into the SOSA Consortium. 
  • Electrical Mechanical Subcommittee:
    • Electrical/Mechanical Sub Committee (EMSC) – Specifies electrical & mechanical interface standards to facilitate the interconnections and installation of SOSA sensor physical elements as shown in the SOSA SV-1.The EMSC specifies relevant existing standards and, as necessary, develop new standards to achieve modularity, interoperability, and scalability between and among sensor elements and the host platform.
  • Inter-Module Interactions Subcommitte:
    • ​​​​​​​The Inter-Module Interaction Subcommittee (IMISC) operates under the Technical Working Group in order to make recommendations and perform evaluations of the methodologies, approach, and techniques used to exchange signals, data, and information between and among the SOSA Modules and Hardware Elements (the data items being identified in the SOSA SvcV-4).  These scope of the IMISC covers the protocols and other techniques that encapsulate and deliver/disseminate the data payload as defined in the DIV-3 of the SOSA Data Model. 
  • Software Environment Subcommitte:
    • ​​​​​​​The Software Environment Subcommittee (SESC) defines and makes recommendations on the Software Environment (operating environments, the software/operating system abstraction, hardware abstraction, language mappings, approaches to layering, virtual machines, and containers) for developing and verifying SOSA software components.  This includes defining and recommending the environment for the reuse of software across different hardware configurations, profiles to define subsets of those standards when support of the entire standard would lead to safety or security certification issues, or when supporting only a defined subset would lead to a more cost effective solution and promotes the reuse of software. The SESC applies published industry standards to provide normative references, allowing the use of widely-available software libraries and tools whenever possible.
  • Data Model Subcommittee:
    • ​​​​​​​Guided by existing standards and methodologies, the Data Model Subcommittee (DMSC) is responsible for following a top-down process to develop the structure and content of the Conceptual, Logical, and Physical Data Models (DIV-1, -2, and -3) for the SOSA Technical Standard.  The DMSC operates under the Technical Working Group and derives input from the Architecture Standing Committee and the other TWG Subcommittees. The DMSC serves as the Consortium's oversight and guidance to organizations under government-issued contract to support data modeling efforts on behalf of the SOSA Consortium.
  • Sensor Management Subcommittee:
    • ​​​​​​​The Sensor Management SC operates under the Technical Working Group in order to make recommendations and perform evaluations of the methodologies, approach, and techniques that are used to manage and monitor a SOSA sensor. SOSA Sensor Management is an all-encompassing set of functions, processes, and interactions that enable the SOSA Sensor to accomplish its designated tasks, as well as managing configuration, control, and health aspects of sensors and their Hardware Elements, Software Components, and SOSA Modules. The scope of the Sensor Management SC includes the Task and System Managers and their respective interactions with each other and the other SOSA Modules and Hardware Elements. The role of the Sensor Management SC is to recommend a top-down SOSA Sensor Management construct and ensures that the SOSA Technical Architecture incorporates a coherent, holistic approach to SOSA Sensor Management.
  • Standards Alingment Subcommittee:
    • ​​​​​​​The Standards Alignment Subcommittee (SASC) is made up of sensor subject matter experts with expertise with various OSAs, and is responsible for the alignment and cross-convergence of  the SOSA Technical Standard with various OSAs as designated by the TWG.  The SASC generates recommendations and negotiates for modular decomposition and inter-module interactions  that lead to the achievement of physical and logical (including data) commonality between SOSA and the selected OSAs.
  • Security Subcommittee:
    • The SSC makes recommendations and performs evaluations of the security aspects (including cybersecurity, software assurance, and resiliency) of the SOSA Technical and Business Architectures supporting the achievement of the SOSA Consortium goals.In the spirit of “baked in, not bolted on,” the SSC does not produce security products distinct from the SOSA Technical and Business Architectures. Instead, the role of the SSC is to ensure that the security is cohesively infused into them. 
  • Small Form Factor Subcommittee:​​​​​​​
    • The SOSA Small Form Factor Subcommittee is responsible for the definition and drafting of any standards language needed to support small form factor needs within the SOSA community, which is alignment with the SOSA architecture and business goals.

The SFFSC is chartered to investigate exisiting, adapt exisiting, and/or recommend new form factors for their applicability to SOSA systems, and to generate appropriate language for inclusion into the SOSA Standard.

The SOSA SFFSC will work under many of the exisiting definitions and rules defined in the SOSA Snapshots and various SOSA working groups and subcommittee requirements including, but not limited to:

  • The SOSA architecture
  • Environmental requirements
  • Software frameworks and environments
  • Conformance rules and methodologies

Business Working Group (BWG)

The Business Working Group (BWG) is chartered by the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Consortium to develop, document and advocate business and acquisition strategies that are consistent with the SOSA vision and mission and are mutually beneficial to government and industry.  We will do this by engaging with all stakeholders to:

–Develop business models, views, and use cases which balance government and industry interests and support a successful Conformance Certification Program

–Promote development and adoption of the technical standard through various methods of outreach

–Advocate for development and sustainment of an enduring ecosystem supporting the technical standard

–Develop and document guidance for incorporating the SOSA technical standard into procurements

  • Business Model Subcommittee:
    • The Business Model Subcommittee is chartered by the BWG to:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Solicit, produce, and mature models, views and use cases which characterize the business aspects and drivers of the SOSA consortium, supporting ongoing development of the SOSA Technical Standard & Collaborate to align business and technical architecture products and priorities 
  • Outreach Subcommittee:
    • The Outreach Subcommittee is chartered by the BWG to promote the SOSA Approach (business and technical strategies) and advance the SOSA Consortium by doing the following:
    • Advise and support consortium members in promoting the consortium and the technical standard 
      • Review and assure the accuracy and consistency of marketing materials
      • Advise on social media engagement locations and messaging
      • Design and produce marketing materials for Consortium use
    • Collaborate with Open Group marketing and events personnel
      • Coordinate events, exhibits, speakers, and presentations
      • Coordinate and drafts press releases and news articles
      • –Conduct other promotional activities as required

Conformance Standing Committee:

The Conformance Standing Committee (CStC) is chartered and tasked to guide the overall development of a SOSA Conformance Program that includes Verification and Certification arms to assist the creation of SOSA Conformant products through SOSA Conformance Certification.

The CStC coordinates to understand and develop a proper set of Conformant documents that apply equally to all aspects of the SOSA Consortium.

The CStC is responsible for the creation of a SOSA Conformance Policy (SCP), a SOSA Conformance Certification Guide (SCCG), a PR/CR program (process), and Certification and TMLA Agreements. 

The CStC is also responsible for coordinating and guiding the development of Conformance Requirements Matrices, Conformance Methodologies, any and all Conformance Test Procedures (whether they are Hardware, Software, or Architecture related), and Test Suite Development that includes Test specifications, Test Report Template(s), and Test Suite(s).

The CStC is responsible for developing a Problem Report and Change Request (PR/CR) program for addressing updates to any existing Conformance process.  The PR/CR program will create Problem Report templates and Change Request templates for use by SOSA Consortium members.

Architecture Standing Committee:

Define and develop formal architecture products that communicate a clear picture of the SOSA Enterprise suitable for a wide variety of Consortium and outside audiences

Ensure internal consistency among the SOSA business strategy and technical architectures through collaboration and coordination with stakeholders that are both internal (e.g., other Subcommittees, Standing Committees, Technical Working Group, and Business Working Group) and external (e.g., related OSA activities)

Support the SOSA Technical Standard by using end user input to develop rigorous technical and operational use cases (and associated scenarios and vignettes) that fully characterize the employment, development and evolution of SOSA sensors

Sponsor-Level Members

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