The Carnegie Mellon University ECE department is conducting leading research in the fast-growing area of embedded systems. Additionally, we are putting our research expertise to use in the classroom, and offer world-class, hands-on courses in a variety of embedded system areas.
| Embedded communication networks are playing an increasingly important role in embedded and safety-critical systems. Networking is being used to give greater system design flexibility, improve diagnosability, and reduce wiring weight/size/cost. As an example, prototype vehicles are using "drive-by-wire" capabilities, in which critical functions are performed entirely by networked computers. As this shift toward digital technology takes place, the importance of designing inexpensive yet dependable control networks for dependable real-time operation will increase dramatically. Current work in this area includes creating a web-based performance simulator for ensuring that designs will meet real-time deadlines under worst-case operating conditions. |
On-line
project brochure | General embedded communications
web page
Contact: Prof. Phil Koopman
The INSERT objective is to development a capability package that will permit
safe on-line upgrading of hardware and software in spite of residual errors in
the new components. This package will facilitate a paradigm shift from static
design and extensive testing to safe upgrades of real-time safety critical
systems. The packageis being implemented and demonstrated in the Lockheed
Martin flight simulation hotbench. The project has four major thrusts: the
development of application-independent INSERT run-time capabilities, the
development of domain-specific components for application to avionics systems,
the methods and tools for supporting dependency analysis and tracking and the
implementation and demonstration of INSERT on avionics application in the
Lockheed Martin flight simulation hotbench.
A project web page
is available.
Contact: Prof. Bruce
Krogh
The objective of this research program is to provide the capability to verify executable controller specifications under all possible operating conditions. To realize this goal, the following three problems are being addressed:
Current projects include verification of control features for embedded
systems in automotive power trains and verification of fault-tolerant software
for the F-16 Auto Pilot. Sponsors include Ford and DARPA.
A project web
page is available.
Contact: Prof. Bruce
Krogh
Decades of research in computer science have provided the technology for
hands-off computing using speech and gesturing for input. Miniature heads-up
displays weighing less than a few ounces have been recently introduced.
Combined with mobile communication technology, it is possible for users to
access information anywhere. It is indeed possible to sense a user's position
so that the information can be superimposed upon the user's workspace. Wearable
computers deal in information rather than programs, becoming tools in the
user's environment much like a pencil or a reference book. The wearable
computer provides automatic, portable access to information. Furthermore, the
information can be automatically accumulated by the system as the user
interacts with or modifies the environment thereby eliminating the costly and
error-prone process of information acquisition. Much like personal computers
allow accountants and bookkeepers to merge their information space with their
workspace (i.e., a sheet of paper) wearable computers allow mobile
processing and the intergration of information with the user's work, much like
power tools that are used in construction work. Carnegie Mellon has pioneered
the wearable computer area, and has produced more than a dozen generations of
working systems.
Visit the wearable
computer project web page
Contact: Prof. Dan
Siewiorek
Gary Fedder: MEMS (MicroElectro-Mechanical Systems) A relatively new effort in the embedded area is creating integrated electro-mechanical systems using semiconductor process technology. The result will be a true integration of electronics with mechanical sensors and actuators, as well as new techniques that promise to put hard-disk-like storage capacity on the same chip as a processor.
Rick Carley: If its not already too late, my current interest is in the creating of IC-based mass data storage that can be integrated directly into embedded computing systems giving them vastly greater capabilities without the cost increase of todays mass data storage.
Don Thomas & JoAnn Paul: JoAnn and I are doing work in representing and simulating systems described as mixed hardware/software systems. (So, yes it has notions of embedded systems in there, but it's also aimed a little differently). If you saw the CRCD proposal we put out last Spring, that's some of it. Essentially, you can say that the goal is to tie Verilog and C very closely together in simulation so that people can write models that co-execute on a peer basis. i.e., we're not writing models of ALUs in C and the rest of a system in Verilog -- rather we're looking at multithreaded C applications along side Verilog hardware models. Part of a good story for the newsletter -- the crcd grant ties in both research and education. We're impacting a course with the research work.
Phil Koopman: Robust Self-configuring Embedded Systems (RoSES):
Embedded and Reliable Information Systems Laboratory
Institute for Complex Engineered Systems (ICES)
Classes:
18-549 Advanced Embedded Systems (Koopman).
18-545 Advanced Digital Design Project (Paul).
18-778/16-778/24-778 Mechatronics Design (Fedder). The objective is to experience design as part of an interdisciplinary team, to perform hands-on mechatronic system integration, and to learn basics about mechatronic technology. We're using a 68HC16 board as the controller, doing PWM motor drive, interfacing to sensors, etc. This year's project will be a demining robot. The web page is www.ece.cmu.edu/~ece778
05-872, 15-540A, 15-849A, 18-745, 39-648 Rapid Prototyping of Computer Systems (Siewiorek). http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~wearable/class/spring99/spring_1999_syllabus.html
18-849A Dependable Embedded Systems (Koopman)
Phil Koopman's web pages for: