-These miniature computers contain integrated circuits that accomodates a microprocessor designed for use in embedded applications.
-Typically, microcontrollers are therefore tiny in size; have little memory; contain a slow, but energy-efficient processor; and allow for a lot of connectivity to connect peripherals such as sensors and actuators in order to interact with their surroundings.
-%
-%\begin{figure}[ht]
-% \centering
-% \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{esp}
-% \caption{A typical ESP32 microcontroller prototyping board.}%
-% \label{fig:esp_prototype}
-%\end{figure}
-
-Programming and maintaining \gls{IOT} systems is a complex and error-prone process.
-Unlike the conductor in the orchestra waving their baton to orchestrate the ensemble of instruments in an orchestra, in the universe of software there is room for little error.
-An \gls{IOT} programmer has to program each device and their interoperation using different programming paradigms, programming languages, and abstraction levels resulting in semantic friction.
-
-This thesis describes the research carried out around orchestrating these complex \gls{IOT} systems using \gls{TOP}.
-\Gls{TOP} is an innovative tierless programming paradigm for interactive multi-tier systems.
-By utilising advanced compiler technologies, much of the internals, communications, and interoperations of the applications are automatically generated.
-From a single declarative specification of the work required, the compiler makes a ready-for-work application.
+These miniature computers contain integrated circuits that accommodate a microprocessor designed for use in embedded applications.
+Hence, microcontrollers are therefore cheap; tiny; have little memory; and contain a slow, but energy-efficient processor.
+
+Unlike the conductor in the orchestra waving their baton to instruct the ensemble of instruments, in the universe of software there is room for little error.
+Moreover, in dynamic \gls{IOT} applications, often there is not even a conductor or coordinator.
+Even though edge devices—the instruments—come and go, perform their own pieces, or are instructed to perform a certain piece, they operate without a central authority.
+In the traditional setting, an \gls{IOT} engineer has to program each device and their interoperation using different programming paradigms, programming languages, and abstraction levels.
+Thus resulting in semantic friction, making programming and maintaining \gls{IOT} systems is a complex and error-prone process.
+
+This dissertation describes the research carried out around orchestrating these complex \gls{IOT} systems using \gls{TOP}.
+\Gls{TOP} is an innovative tierless programming paradigm for interactive multi-layered systems.
+By utilising advanced compiler technologies, much of the internals, communications, and interoperation between the tiers\slash{}layers of the applications is automatically generated.
+From a single declarative specification of the work required, the compiler makes a ready-for-work application consisting of interconnected components for all tiers.