parMERASA Multi-Core Execution of Parallelised Hard Real-Time Applications Supporting Analysability

International audienceEngineers who design hard real-time embedded systems express a need for several times the performance available today while keeping safety as major criterion. A breakthrough in performance is expected by parallelizing hard real-time applications and running them on an embedded multi-core processor, which enables combining the requirements for high-performance with timing-predictable execution. parMERASA will provide a timing analyzable system of parallel hard real-time applications running on a scalable multicore processor. parMERASA goes one step beyond mixed criticality demands: It targets future complex control algorithms by parallelizing hard real-time programs to run on predictable multi-/many-core processors. We aim to achieve a breakthrough in techniques for parallelization of industrial hard real-time programs, provide hard real-time support in system software, WCET analysis and verification tools for multi-cores, and techniques for predictable multi-core designs with up to 64 cores

Experiences and Results of Parallelisation of Industrial Hard Real-time Applications for the parMERASA Multi-core

International audienceThe EC FP-7 project parMERASA (Multi-Core Execution of Parallelised Hard Real-Time Applications Supporting Analysability, Oct. 1, 2011 until Sept. 30, 2014) provides a timing analysable system of parallel hard real-time applications running on a scalable multi-core processor. parMERASA goes one step beyond mixed criticality demands: It targets future complex control algorithms by parallelising hard real-time programs to run on predictable multi-/many-core processors. A software engineering approach was developed to ease sequential to parallel program transformation by developing and supporting suitable parallel design patterns that are analysable. The following sequential hard real-time programs were parallelised by applying the pattern-oriented parallelisation approach: 3D path planning and stereo navigation algorithms (Honeywell International s.r.o.), diesel engine management system (DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH), and the control algorithm for a dynamic compaction machine (BAUER Maschinen GmbH). The paper reports on parallelisation approach, experiences made during parallelisation with applications, tools and multi-core architecture, scalability of applications and quantitative results reached

Parallelizing Industrial Hard Real-Time Applications for the parMERASA Multicore

International audienceThe EC project parMERASA (Multicore Execution of Parallelized Hard Real-Time Applications Supporting Analyzability) investigated timing-analyzable parallel hard real-time applications running on a predictable multicore processor. A pattern-supported parallelization approach was developed to ease sequential to parallel program transformation based on parallel design patterns that are timing analyzable. The parallelization approach was applied to parallelize the following industrial hard real-time programs: 3D path planning and stereo navigation algorithms (Honeywell International s.r.o.), control algorithm for a dynamic compaction machine (BAUER Maschinen GmbH), and a diesel engine management system (DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH). This article focuses on the parallelization approach, experiences during parallelization with the applications, and quantitative results reached by simulation, by static WCET analysis with the OTAWA tool, and by measurement-based WCET analysis with the RapiTime tool

New insights into the mechanism of DNA mismatch repair

The genome of all organisms is constantly being challenged by endogenous and exogenous sources of DNA damage. Errors like base:base mismatches or small insertions and deletions, primarily introduced by DNA polymerases during DNA replication are repaired by an evolutionary conserved DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system. The MMR system, together with the DNA replication machinery, promote repair by an excision and resynthesis mechanism during or after DNA replication, increasing replication fidelity by upto-three orders of magnitude. Consequently, inactivation of MMR genes results in elevated mutation rates that can lead to increased cancer susceptibility in humans. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of MMR with a focus on the different MMR protein complexes, their function and structure. We also discuss how recent findings have provided new insights in the spatio-temporal regulation and mechanism of MMR