Collaborative Research: Design and Integration of Complex Digital Systems for High Energy Physics

这项研究的目标是研究新的技术和工具，使地理上分散的多学科科学家和工程师团队能够设计、集成和测试用于高能物理的复杂数字系统。其方法是：(1)开发设计方法，允许来自不同机构和学科的研究人员就复杂的数字系统进行协作；(2)建立基于互联网的设计框架，包括版本控制、自动化测试和硬件/软件更改跟踪；以及(3)利用分层数据流规范对这些系统进行建模、测试和实施。在智力方面，该项目有可能提供新的技术来设计复杂的数字系统，并提供对这些系统的新见解。将这些技术应用于升级后的大型强子对撞机的触发系统的设计和测试。升级后的对撞机有可能导致高能物理领域令人兴奋的发现，例如提高对粒子质量生成、额外维度、暗物质和超对称性的理解，这为每个已知粒子引入一个合作伙伴。在更广泛的影响方面，项目成果被整合到数字系统设计和编程概念的课程中，并向K-12学生和教师展示。结果和工具将通过一个项目网站传播给其他研究人员。项目参与者，包括少数群体和妇女，将受益于多学科研究。由此产生的技术和工具应该适用于各种复杂的数字系统，包括用于高能物理、无线通信、医学成像和科学计算的系统。该项目还应促进对复杂设计项目远程协作问题的理解。

The objective of this research is to investigate novel techniques and tools to enable geographically-distributed, multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers to design, integrate, and test complex digital systems for high energy physics. The approach is to: (1) develop design methodologies that allows investigators from different institutions and disciplines to collaborate on complex digital systems; (2) establish an Internet-based design framework that includes version control, automated testing, and hardware/software change tracking; and (3) utilize hierarchical dataflow specifications to model, test, and implement these systems.With respect to intellectual merit, the project has the potential to provide new techniques to design complex digital systems and to offer new insights into these systems. These techniques are applied to design and test a trigger system in the upgraded Large Hadron Collider. The upgraded collider has the potential to lead to exciting discoveries in high-energy physics, such as improved understanding of particle mass generation, extra dimensions, dark matter, and supersymmetry, which introduces a partner for each known particle.With respect to broader impacts, project results are integrated into courses on digital system design and programming concepts, and presented to K-12 students and teachers. Results and tools are to be disseminated to other researchers through a project website. Project participants, including minorities and women, will benefit from exposure to multidisciplinary research. Resulting techniques and tools should be applicable to a wide variety of complex digital systems, including those for high-energy physics, wireless communications, medical imaging, and scientific computing. The project should also advance understanding of issues in long-distance collaboration on complex design projects.