Adaptive hardware and software systems

Complex systems often need to evolve throughout their lifetime. Frequently, they also need to adapt in a structural sense: system components and their connectivity changes during operation. This research effort addresses the special problems of structurally adaptive hardware and software systems.

Diagnostics of complex systems

The model-based diagnosis of complex, dynamic systems is a rather difficult problem. In this effort, we are developing modeling techniques, and analysis and diagnosis algorithms to identify fault-sources based sensory observations.

Embedded system applications

Performance and dependability requirements of embedded systems necessitate novel design and development techniques that provide support for the creation of embedded systems. This effort deals with the design principles, synthesis methods, analysis techniques, and the run-time infrastructure issues of embedded systems.

Generic support for visual modeling

ISIS has developed a generic modeling environment (GME) that supports the editing of domain-specific models. This tool is a "meta-tool" as it can be tailored for the needs of specific domains with various semantics. The further development of this tool and the supporting infrastructure for meta-modeling is a very active area of research.

Graph grammars and transformations

model-interpretation is the key component in MIC and is currently specified and implemented in programming languages. The goal is to use a high-level graph transformation and grammar based approach for specifying model-interpreters

Model Integrated Computing

Providing rich, domain-specific modeling environments including model analysis and model-based program synthesis tools.

Modeling languages

ISIS has developed a large number of visual languages for modeling complex systems. Designing and implementing modeling languages for domain-specific applications is one of the key characteristics of our research.

Semantic integration of design tools

Large-scale engineering processes require the seamless integration of engineering tools. In this effort we are developing the methods and supporting infrastructure for integrating these design tools by mapping the semantics of design information as captured in the tools.

Synthesis and generation of software and hardware

In the MIC paradigm high-level, domain-specific models are translated into customized configurations of components. This effort deals with developing techniques for model interpretation, i.e. how to map models into software and hardware implementations.

Techniques for managing complex design spaces

Designers of complex systems often want to specify design alternatives, i.e. a design "space" rather than a fixed single design. This activity focuses on developing techniques for the management of very large design spaces (with number of elements on the order of 10^4), and the constraint-based pruning of the space.

Verification of complex finite-state systems

Finite-state systems with extremely large state-spaces often arise in common electro-mechanical systems. Yet, their formal verification is a difficult problem. In this effort we are developing techniques and tools based on symbolic model checking to perform these verification tasks.