SERTS: Software Engineering for Real-Time Systems Laboratory

MISSION

RESEARCH

• Real-Time Operating Systems
  • Echidna^TM: A Reconfigurable RTOS for Microcontrollers and DSPs
    • More Information
    • Documentation
    • Register for Free to Download
  • Hardware-Software Co-Design of an Experimental Real-Time Operating System and a Microcontroller Architecture
  • Device Drivers for Embedded Real-Time Systems
  • Error Handling Mechanisms for Real-Time Software
  • Real-Time Decision Making in Component-Based Software Systems

• Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) Tools
  • Automated Analysis, Debugging, and Fine-Tuning of Temporal Properties
  • Memory Configuration for Optimized Performance

• Applications
  • Experimental Testbeds
    • Pinball Project
    • Computer-Controlled Train Project
    • User Consoles
    • Speed Control
  • High-Speed Inkjet Imagers (600 pages per minute)
  • Autonomous Vehicles

• Graduate Research Assistantships
• Undergraduate Research Assistantships

EDUCATION

• Current Opportunities (Undergraduate Research Assistantships
• ENEE445: Computer Laboratory
• Design and Implementation of a Pinball Machine
• Electric Train Project
• Embedded Systems Conference
  • 25 Most Common Mistakes with Real-Time Software Development
    • ESC 99 paper
    • PowerPoint presentation (full-size format)
    • PowerPoint presentation (6 per page format)
  • Designing Software Components for Real-Time Applications, Part I
    • ESC 99 paper
    • PowerPoint presentation (full-size format)
    • PowerPoint presentation (4 slides per page format)
    • download sample software
  • Designing Software Components for Real-Time Applications, Part II
    • ESC 99 paper
    • PowerPoint presentation (full-size format)
    • PowerPoint presentation (4 slides per page format)
    • download sample software
  • 1999 Embedded Systems Programming Magazine
    • October Issue - 30 Pitfalls for Real-Time Software Developers, Part 1
    • November Issue - 30 Pitfalls for Real-Time Software Developers, Part 2 (not yet available)

PUBLICATIONS

• Journal Articles
  • A Study of the Applicability of Existing Exception-Handling Techniques to Component-Based Real-Time Software Technology
  • Design of dynamically reconfigurable real-time software using port-based objects
  • The Chimera Methodology: Designing Dynamically Reconfigurable and Reusable Real-Time Software using Port-Based Objects
  • The Chimera II Real-Time Operating System for Advanced Sensor-Based Control Applications

• Magazine Articles
  • 30 Pitfalls for Real-Time Software Developers (Part 1)
  • 30 Pitfalls for Real-Time Software Developers (Part 2)
  • Mechanisms for Detecting and Handling Timing Errors
  • A Human-Machine Interface to Support Reconfigurable Software Assembly for Virtual Laboratories

• Book Articles and Chapters
  • Real-Time Scheduling of Sensor-Based Control Systems

• Conference Papers
  • An Interprocess Communication Mechanism to Enable Real-Time Component-Based Software for Embedded Microcontrollers
  • Designing Software Components for Real-Time Applications
  • Hardware/Software Co-Design of I/O Interfacing Hardware and Real-Time Device Drivers for Embedded Systems
  • A Predictable Device Driver Model for a Variable-Rate Software-Controlled Switch Matrix
  • A Tool to Assist in Fine-Tuning and Debugging Embedded Real-Time Systems
  • An I/O Device Driver Model and Framework for Embedded Systems
  • A Mechanism for Communicating in Dynamically Reconfigurable Embedded Systems
  • AFTER: A CASE tool to Assist in Fine-Tuning of Embedded Real-Time Systems
  • Dynamically Reconfigurable Embedded Software - Does It Make Sense?
  • Policy-Independent Real-Time Operating System Mechanism for Timing Error Detection, Handling, and Monitoring
  • Design of a Real-Time Co-Operation System for Multiprocessor Workstations
  • Rapid Development of Robotic Applications using Component-Based Real-Time Software
  • The Chimera Methodology: Designing Dynamically Reconfigurable Real-Time Software using Port-Based Objects
  • Using Hypermedia and Reconfigurable Software Assembly to Support Virtual Laboratories and Factories
  • Software Assembly for Real-Time Applications based on a Distributed Shared Memory Model
  • A Human-Machine Interface For Reconfigurable Sensor-Based Control Systems
  • A Software Architecture-Based Human-Machine Interface for Reconfigurable Sensor-Based Control Systems
  • Integration of Real-Time Software Modules for Reconfigurable Sensor-Based Control Systems
  • An Iconic Programming Language for Sensor-Based Robots
  • Real-Time Scheduling of Dynamically Reconfigurable Systems
  • Implementing Real-Time Robotic Systems Using CHIMERA II
  • CHIMERA II: A Real-Time Multiprocessing Environment For Sensor-Based Robot Control

• Thesis
  • A Communication Mechanism to Enable Real-Time Component-Based Software for Embedded Microcontrollers
  • An O(1) Distributed Exception Handling Mechanism for Dynamically Reconfigurable Real-Time Software
  • Automated Analysis and Prediction of Timing Parameters in Embedded Real-Time Systems Using Measured Data
  • A Visual Programming Environment for Real-Time Control Systems
  • Real-Time Software Design and Analysis of Reconfigurable Multi-Sensor Based Systems
  • CHIMERA II: A Real-time UNIX-compatible Multiprocessor Environment for Sensor-based Robot Control

• SERTS Documents (unpublished)
  • Echidna Documentation
  • SERTS Naming and Style Conventions

• Presentations
  • 25 Most Common Mistakes with Real-Time Software Development
  • Designing Software Components for Real-Time Applications

• CMU Technical Reports
  • Design of Dynamically Reconfigurable Real-time Software Using Port-based Objects
  • Chimera 3.1: The Real-Time Operating System for Reconfigurable Sensor-Based Control Systems
  • Chimera 3.0 Real-Time Programming Environment
  • Users' Guide to the Direct Drive Arm II
  • CHIMERA II: A Real-time UNIX-compatible Multiprocessor Operating System for Sensor-based Control Applications

PERSONNEL

• Faculty
• Graduate Students
• Undergraduate Students
• Former Students
• Photo
• Website Contributors

RESOURCES

• UNIX Workstations
• Windows-based PCs
• VMEbus-based System
• Embedded Processors
• Instrumentation
• Experimental Testbeds
  • Robotic Manipulator
  • Pinball Project
  • Computer-Controlled Train Project
• Tools

SPONSORS

• National Science Foundation
• Pulse Electronics
• Telogy Networks, A Texas Instrument Company
• Marconi N.A.
• Maryland Industrial Partnerships
• Minta Martin Foundation
• Information on Sponsoring

AWARDS

• by Date
• by Student
• by Award