Effects of mixing design styles on the synthesis of RTL components

By mixing design styles during synthesis of RTL components such as adders, multipliers, and ALUs, it is possible to generate a range of designs from small to fast, where intermediate designs make favorable and possibly desirable tradeoffs between area and delay. Although module generators can be written to reflect design styles that reduce either area or delay, the current approach to generator execution does not examine the effects of mixing different design styles. We have developed an approach to RTL component synthesis that searches the space of design alternatives, and we have implemented this approach with the DTAS Design Language. The significance of our approach is that it allows DTAS to generate designs use a combination of design styles and to compare the effects of mixing styles. In this paper, we outline the operation of DTAS and describe how DTAS expands and constrains the design space. We present results from applying DTAS to large RTL components using an MCNC benchmark library. We also present results of integrating DTAS with the MISII logic optimizer

Towards Identifying and closing Gaps in Assurance of autonomous Road vehicleS - a collection of Technical Notes Part 1

This report provides an introduction and overview of the Technical Topic Notes (TTNs) produced in the Towards Identifying and closing Gaps in Assurance of autonomous Road vehicleS (Tigars) project. These notes aim to support the development and evaluation of autonomous vehicles. Part 1 addresses: Assurance-overview and issues, Resilience and Safety Requirements, Open Systems Perspective and Formal Verification and Static Analysis of ML Systems. Part 2: Simulation and Dynamic Testing, Defence in Depth and Diversity, Security-Informed Safety Analysis, Standards and Guidelines

Refining SCJ Mission Specifications into Parallel Handler Designs

Safety-Critical Java (SCJ) is a recent technology that restricts the execution and memory model of Java in such a way that applications can be statically analysed and certified for their real-time properties and safe use of memory. Our interest is in the development of comprehensive and sound techniques for the formal specification, refinement, design, and implementation of SCJ programs, using a correct-by-construction approach. As part of this work, we present here an account of laws and patterns that are of general use for the refinement of SCJ mission specifications into designs of parallel handlers used in the SCJ programming paradigm. Our notation is a combination of languages from the Circus family, supporting state-rich reactive models with the addition of class objects and real-time properties. Our work is a first step to elicit laws of programming for SCJ and fits into a refinement strategy that we have developed previously to derive SCJ programs.Comment: In Proceedings Refine 2013, arXiv:1305.563

Redesign optimization for manufacturing using additive layer techniques

Improvements in additive manufacturing technologies have the potential to greatly provide value to designers that could also contribute towards improving the sustainability levels of products as well as the production of lightweight products. With these improvements, it is possible to eliminate the design restrictions previously faced by manufacturers. This study examines the principles of additive manufacturing, design guidelines, capabilities of the manufacturing processes and structural optimisation using topology optimisation. Furthermore, a redesign methodology is proposed and illustrated through a redesign case study of an existing bracket. The optimal design is selected using multi-criteria decision analysis method. The challenges for using additive manufacturing technologies are discussed

Towards a theory of software engineering

A theory of software engineering (SE) is presented and its application to explaining and analysing SE situations is illustrated. The theory is based on a characterization of SE representations and the fundamental activities that are applied to them. Motivations for developing a theory and means of establishing its validity are also discussed

FORTEST: Formal methods and testing

Formal methods have traditionally been used for specification and development of software. However there are potential benefits for the testing stage as well. The panel session associated with this paper explores the usefulness or otherwise of formal methods in various contexts for improving software testing. A number of different possibilities for the use of formal methods are explored and questions raised. The contributors are all members of the UK FORTEST Network on formal methods and testing. Although the authors generally believe that formal methods are useful in aiding the testing process, this paper is intended to provoke discussion. Dissenters are encouraged to put their views to the panel or individually to the authors

Explaining variation in nascent entrepreneurship

This paper aims at explaining cross-country variation in nascent entrepreneurship. Regression analysis is applied using various explanatory variables derived from three different approaches. We make use of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor database, including nascent entrepreneurship rates for 36 countries in 2002 as well as variables from standardized national statistics. The first approach relates the level of entrepreneurship of a country to its level of economic development. We find evidence for a U-shaped relationship. The second approach deals with a regime switch where the innovative advantage moves from large, established enterprises to small and new firms, because new technologies have reduced the importance of scale economies in many sectors. The third approach assumes that nascent entrepreneurship partly depends upon various non-economic conditions in the domains technology, demography, culture and institutions, influencing opportunities, resources, skills and preferences. Several indicators of these aggregate conditions are found to influence nascent entrepreneurship.