Advanced Embedded Computing
Syllabus
Instructor
Lui Sha, 4122 Siebel Center, Tel: 778 0691
Office Hours: Fridays, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, 4122 Siebel Center
Lecture Times
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 – 3:15pm, 1109 Siebel Center
Description
An expanding frontier for computer scientists lies at the intersection of the logical and physical realms. As computing elements become embedded more pervasively in our environment, a new cyber-physical fabric arises in which logical processing is deeply intertwined with the distributed physical environment in which it occurs. Computing becomes less obtrusive and a more natural part of the external world. It becomes more autonomous and less reliant on human input, intervention, and administration. Physical objects acquire new logical properties due to embedded computation, sensing, and actuation. New applications arise that improve the quality of life (e.g., smart assisted living facilities), enhance social experiences and human communication (e.g., participatory sensing and social media), improve accessibility of information (e.g., wide-area data services), and help advance fundamental knowledge in many environmental, biological, and physical disciplines. In such systems, the logical computing realm and the physical realm must operate together under constraints of physical time, space, and energy.
This course explores the science of designing and analyzing CPS systems that are guaranteed to perform their functions in a timely and reliable manner and interact with the physical laws of nature in which they are embedded. The target application area are autonomous systems. A robotic testbed is used to experiment with some of the results. Selected topics include:
- Review of Real-Time concepts (tasks, threads, blocking, priorities, importance, multicore and single core equivalence, etc.)
- The Reliability Dimension: Complexity reduction, well-formed dependencies, and fail-safe operation
- The System Engineering Dimension: From mission requirements to system requirements and designs
- Other Challenges
Grading
- Participation and Quiz: 10%
Members of the team can work together, but each has to submit his or her answer individually in compass by the NEXT day.
- Homework: 24% (individual)
You are encouraged to discuss questions with your peers, but you have to complete all the questions by yourself.
Assigned for 4 homeworks
- Programming Assignments: 30%
4 iRobot Create Labs: 24%
2 Multicore Labs: 6%
Assigned for teams
- Team Presentations: 20%
Show us what you have learned, how would you apply them with use cases
See the grading sheet here
8% at midterm, 12% before final
- Final: 16% (individual)
- Late Policy:
We will try our best to accommodate reasonable late requests, given that you have contacted the TA at least one week before assignment is due.
You can submit one homework (at your choice) late for up to a week, with a 10% penality.
You can demo one programming assignment (at your choice) late for up to a week, with a 10% penality.
Please note that we will not shift subsequent deadlines for you if you choose to submit assignment late.