A Real-Time Systems Laboratory to Improve Undergraduate Instruction Computer Science

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Many of the manufactured products of the future will be computer controlled by real-time software embedded in microchips as we have already seen, for example, with microwave ovens, refrigerators, and fuel-injected automobiles. In addition, real-time industrial control systems are becoming one of the fastest growing fields within computer science. Automated manufacturing is leading the advanced technology revolution as companies vie for the competitive edge utilizing real-time robotic automation systems. It is crucial for today's computer science and engineering graduates to be exposed to these complex real-time programming techniques and experiment with them in a laboratory, so that they may develop the skills necessary to write the software embedded in microchips in these sophisticated products and control systems. A Real-Time Systems course is seldom incorporated in a typical computer science program at a liberal arts college. At the nation's larger engineering schools this is addressed. As we compete with the Japanese and other industrialized nations developing the products and control systems of the future, all computer science and engineering students will benefit from exposure to these skills.This project improves the quality of instruction in computer science by providing students with a powerful computer workstation and a laboratory of three real- time platforms from which to study and experiment with the techniques of real-time systems: (1) a real-time model railroad switching yard system, (2) real-time robotic automation, and (3) real-time ROMable microchip code development. With this equipment, students majoring in computer science, computer engineering, and physics will be able to develop advanced real- time software projects. Also, students in senior research projects, independent study projects, and in the honors program will be able to develop sophisticated real-time engineering software using this laboratory. This laboratory project will give students who wish to pursue careers in industry, exposure to skills that are in high demand as we compete in a world marketplace developing the products and control systems of the future. The laboratory will also provide better preparation for students who wish to go on to graduate school because of the opportunity to engage in advanced software projects. The grantee will provide funds for this project that are an equal amount for this NSF proposal.