ITR: TADE - Timeliness-Assured Design Environment for Distributed Object-Based Embedded Computing

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Distributed real-time embedded computing applications have entered an explosive growth pattern in both, variety and production volume. This growth is evident even in safety-critical applications. An extremely challenging part of the reliability assurance process is timeliness assurance. The goals of this research project are: (1) to strengthen technical foundations that enable system engineers to produce guarantees for timely service capabilities of various subsystems of distributed real-time embedded computing systems, especially on the basis of the recently established distributed real-time object-oriented programming methods and tools; and (2) to develop an integrated tool-set, the Timeliness-Assured Design Environment (TADE), for enabling major reduction in system engineering effort required to produce systems with service time guarantees. The research foci of this research project are: (1) a new general and high-level style of RT object-oriented distributed programming called the TMO (Time-triggered Message-triggered Object) programming that can be easily learned by programmers through natural application program interface extensions of C++ or Java; (2) middleware supporting real time program objects (TMO support middleware); (3) real-time fault-tolerant communication protocols and infrastructure; (4) operating system and middleware support for fault-tolerant real-time distributed computing; (5) a testbed using an advanced transportation model and prototype, ZEVNET, that enables shared use of small electric-engine cars and shuttles. With this framework, the team is developing and evaluating new design methods and supporting technologies for a practical development environment. Significant broader impact is sought through specific attention to both, increased dependability and reduced engineering effort entailed to certify acceptable quality of the embedded system design and implementation. Research results are being used enable modernization of the curricula in distributed real time embedded software, systems theory, and engineering.