Files
SCADA-project/docs/decisions/0002-hybrid-ai-architecture.md
T

1.5 KiB
Raw Blame History

ADR 0002: Hybrid AI Architecture for SCADA Platform

Status: Accepted Date: 2026-06-19

Context

The SCADA platform needs to support both real-time local decision making on edge devices (Raspberry Pi) and complex reasoning / long-term analysis in the cloud. A single model size cannot efficiently satisfy both requirements while keeping egress costs low.

Decision

We will use a hybrid AI architecture:

  • Edge (small models, 1B9B parameters): Run on Raspberry Pi for local signal classification, simple alert triage, OCR/needle gauge interpretation, and immediate control decisions.
  • Cloud (larger models, 30B+ or frontier models): Handle complex reasoning, anomaly detection across time, user intent understanding, report generation, and high-level planning.
  • A small "triage" model on the edge decides whether to escalate a situation to the cloud model or handle it locally.

Consequences

  • Lower ongoing data egress costs (only rich context is sent during alerts or when requested).
  • Better responsiveness for time-critical local events.
  • Increased system complexity (model routing, context handoff, versioning).
  • Requires careful design of the handoff protocol between edge and cloud models.

Alternatives Considered

  • Pure cloud architecture: Rejected due to high egress costs and latency on poor cellular connections.
  • Pure on-device large models: Rejected due to hardware constraints on Raspberry Pi and inability to handle very complex reasoning.