Using Executable VDM++ Models in an Industrial Application - Self-defense System for Fighter Aircraft

When developing complex software systems, one of the most significant challenges is to make sure that the customer and developer agree on the requirements of the system. By using executable models early in the development process, a higher degree of confidence can be gained in the system design and misunderstandings or ambiguous functional requirements can be avoided. This paper presents an industrial case of a communication protocol between two parts of a selfdefense system used on-board fighter aircraft. An executable model of both systems were created using the Vienna Development Method (VDM), and exercised using many scenarios to cover different corner cases. This was done as an alternative to analysing all the scenarios by hand, which would be much more time consuming and far more error prone. The results of the scenario based tests were used to communicate with the customer and ensure that agreement of the requirements was reached

Development Process for Multi-Disciplinary Embedded Control Systems

This report contains the progress report for the qualification exam for Industrial PhD student Sune Wolff. Initial work on describing a development process for multi-disciplinary systems using collaborative modelling and co-simulation is described

Proceedings of the 9th Overture Workshop

This report contains the proceedings of The 9th Overture Workshop, held in Limerick on 20th June 2011

Secure portable execution and storage environments: A capability to improve security for remote working

Remote working is a practice that provides economic benefits to both the employing organisation and the individual. However, evidence suggests that organisations implementing remote working have limited appreciation of the security risks, particularly those impacting upon the confidentiality and integrity of information and also on the integrity and availability of the remote worker’s computing environment. Other research suggests that an organisation that does appreciate these risks may veto remote working, resulting in a loss of economic benefits. With the implementation of high speed broadband, remote working is forecast to grow and therefore it is appropriate that improved approaches to managing security risks are researched. This research explores the use of secure portable execution and storage environments (secure PESEs) to improve information security for the remote work categories of telework, and mobile and deployed working. This thesis with publication makes an original contribution to improving remote work information security through the development of a body of knowledge (consisting of design models and design instantiations) and the assertion of a nascent design theory. The research was conducted using design science research (DSR), a paradigm where the research philosophies are grounded in design and construction. Following an assessment of both the remote work information security issues and threats, and preparation of a set of functional requirements, a secure PESE concept was defined. The concept is represented by a set of attributes that encompass the security properties of preserving the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the computing environment and data. A computing environment that conforms to the concept is considered to be a secure PESE, the implementation of which consists of a highly portable device utilising secure storage and an up-loadable (on to a PC) secure execution environment. The secure storage and execution environment combine to address the information security risks in the remote work location. A research gap was identified as no existing ‘secure PESE like’ device fully conformed to the concept, enabling a research problem and objectives to be defined. Novel secure storage and execution environments were developed and used to construct a secure PESE suitable for commercial remote work and a high assurance secure PESE suitable for security critical remote work. The commercial secure PESE was trialled with an existing telework team looking to improve security and the high assurance secure PESE was trialled within an organisation that had previously vetoed remote working due to the sensitivity of the data it processed. An evaluation of the research findings found that the objectives had been satisfied. Using DSR evaluation frameworks it was determined that the body of knowledge had improved an area of study with sufficient evidence generated to assert a nascent design theory for secure PESEs. The thesis highlights the limitations of the research while opportunities for future work are also identified. This thesis presents ten published papers coupled with additional doctoral research (that was not published) which postulates the research argument that ‘secure PESEs can be used to manage information security risks within the remote work environment’

RICIS Symposium 1992: Mission and Safety Critical Systems Research and Applications

This conference deals with computer systems which control systems whose failure to operate correctly could produce the loss of life and or property, mission and safety critical systems. Topics covered are: the work of standards groups, computer systems design and architecture, software reliability, process control systems, knowledge based expert systems, and computer and telecommunication protocols

Building Signal Conditioning for Strain Gauge Sensors

Strain gauge sensors are used extensively in industrial machines, testing equipments, and weighing indicators. The output signal of these sensors is basically an analog voltage in the millivoltage range, and it needs to be monitored, measured, or analyzed. It is not suitable for direct input to popular analog to digital converters because of its low level, so it needs to be amplified using a suitable signal conditioner which is characterized by its precision, reliability, low power consumption, low price, and noise reduction. Interfacing these sensors to a computer system is a challenging problem. There are many popular solution strategies; therefore, designers must always deal with trade off among cost, accuracy, and reliability. In this research, a real design problem is presented. It is a rehabilitation of a Materials Testing Machine that was partially destroyed during the last war on Gaza. Many possible solution strategies are described and the most suitable one to the case study is adopted. We amplify the output signal from a strain gauge sensor using a precise signal conditioner designed circuit. This amplified signal is filtered and input to a microcontroller and the value of the load is then monitored using liquid crystal display .The proposed design has been successfully implemented and the machine is returned back to work properly

NASA Tech Briefs, May 1995

This issue features an resource report on Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a special focus on advanced composites and plastics. It also contains articles on electronic components and circuits, electronic systems, physical sciences, computer programs, mechanics, machinery, manufacturing and fabrication, mathematics and information sciences, and life sciences. This issue also contains a supplement on federal laboratory test and measurements