Design support and tooling for dependable embedded control software

The efficient design of resilient embedded systems is hampered by the separation of engineering disciplines in current development approaches. We describe a new project entitled "Design Support and Tooling for Embedded Control Software" (DESTECS), which aims to develop a methodology and open tools platform for collaborative and multi-disciplinary development of dependable embedded real-time control systems. We also present some initial results from a small co-simulation case study. The DESTECS methodology combines continuous-time and discrete-event modelling via co-simulation, allowing explicit modelling of faults and fault-tolerance mechanisms from the outset. Continuous-time models are expressed using differential equations, which we represent using the well-known bond graph notation, supported by the 20-sim tool. We model discrete-event controllers using the Vienna Development Method (VDM), supported by the Overture tools. An open, extensible tools platform will be developed, populated with plug-ins to support static analysis, co-simulation, testing and fault analysis. Trials will be conducted on industrial case studies from several domains, including document handling, inertial measurement and personal transportation.