Model Checking of Robot Gathering

Recent advances in distributed computing highlight models and algorithms for autonomous mo- bile robots that self-organize and cooperate together in order to solve a global objective. As results, a large number of algorithms have been proposed. These algorithms are given together with proofs to assess their correctness. However, those proofs are informal, which are error prone. This paper presents our study on formal verification of mobile robot algorithms. We first propose a formal model for mobile robot algorithms on anonymous ring shape network under multiplicity and asynchrony assumptions. We specify this formal model in Maude, a specification and pro- gramming language based on rewriting logic. We then use its model checker to formally verify an algorithm for robot gathering problem on ring enjoys some desired properties. As the result of the model checking, counterexamples have been found. We detect the sources of some unforeseen design errors. We, furthermore, give our interpretations of these errors

Formalization and Verification of Behavioral Correctness of Dynamic Software Updates

AbstractDynamic Software Updating (DSU) is a technique of updating running software systems on-the-fly. Whereas there are some studies on the correctness of dynamic updating, they focus on how to deploy updates correctly at the code level, e.g., if procedures refer to the data of correct types. However, little attention has been paid to the correctness of the dynamic updating at the behavior level, e.g., if systems after being updated behave as expected, and if unexpected behaviors can never occur. We present an algebraic methodology of specifying dynamic updates and verifying their behavioral correctness by using off-the-shelf theorem proving and model checking tools. By theorem proving we can show that systems after being updated indeed satisfy their desired properties, and by model checking we can detect potential errors. Our methodology is general in that: (1) it can be applied to three updating models that are mainly used in current DSU systems; and (2) it is not restricted to dynamic updates for certain programming models

CafeOBJ: Logical Foundations and Methodologies

CafeOBJ is an executable industrial strength multi-logic algebraic specification language which is a modern successor of OBJ and incorporates several new algebraic specification paradigms. In this paper we survey its logical foundations and present some of its methodologies

A More Faithful Formal Definition of the Desired Property for Distributed Snapshot Algorithms to Model Check the Property

The first distributed snapshot algorithm was invented by Chandy and Lamport: Chandy-Lamport distributed snapshot algorithm (CLDSA). Distributed snapshot algorithms are crucial components to make distributed systems fault tolerant. Such algorithms are extremely important because many modern key software systems are in the form of distributed systems and should be fault tolerant. There are at least two desired properties such algorithms should satisfy: 1) the distributed snapshot reachability property (called the DSR property) and 2) the ability to run concurrently with, but not alter, an underlying distributed system (UDS). This paper identifies subtle errors in a paper on formalization of the DSR property and shows how to correct them. We give a more faithful formal definition of the DSR property; the definition involves two state machines - one state machine M_UDS that formalizes a UDS and the other M_CLDSA that formalizes the UDS on which CLDSA is superimposed (UDS-CLDSA) - and can be used to more precise model checking of the DSR property for CLDSA. We also prove a theorem on equivalence of our new definition and an existing one that only involves M_CLDSA to guarantee the validity of the existing model checking approach. Moreover, we prove the second property, namely that CLDSA does not alter the behaviors of UDS

Electrodeposition of platinum and silver into chemically modified microporous silicon electrodes

Electrodeposition of platinum and silver into hydrophobic and hydrophilic microporous silicon layers was investigated using chemically modified microporous silicon electrodes. Hydrophobic microporous silicon enhanced the electrodeposition of platinum in the porous layer. Meanwhile, hydrophilic one showed that platinum was hardly deposited within the porous layer, and a film of platinum on the top of the porous layer was observed. On the other hand, the electrodeposition of silver showed similar deposition behavior between these two chemically modified electrodes. It was also found that the electrodeposition of silver started at the pore opening and grew toward the pore bottom, while a uniform deposition from the pore bottom was observed in platinum electrodeposition. These electrodeposition behaviors are explained on the basis of the both effects, the difference in overpotential for metal deposition on silicon and on the deposited metal, and displacement deposition rate of metal