An Introductory Capstone Design Course on Embedded Systems

Jeff C. Jensen, Edward A. Lee, and Sanjit A. Seshia. An Introductory Capstone Design Course on Embedded Systems. In Proc. International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), pp. 1199–1202, May 2011.

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Abstract

We review an introductory course in embedded systems thatcharacterizes embedded systems not by resource constraints, but ratherby interactions with the physical world. This course teaches studentsthe basics of models, analysis tools, and design for embedded systems.Traditional undergraduate courses in embedded systems focus on ad-hocengineering practices and the use of existing modeling techniques, oftenomitting critical analysis and meta-modeling; we emphasize model-baseddesign of embedded and cyber-physical systems. Students learn how tomodel the physical world with continuous time differential equations,and how to model computation using logic and discrete models suchas state machines. Students evaluate these modeling techniques throughthe use of meta-modeling, illuminating the interplay of practical designwith formal models of systems that incorporate both physical dynamicsand computation. Students learn formal techniques to specify and verifydesired behavior. A combination of structured labs and design projectssolidifies these concepts when applied to the design of embedded andcyber-physical systems with real-time and concurrent behaviors.

BibTeX

@inproceedings{jensen-iscas11,
  author    = {Jeff C. Jensen and Edward A. Lee and Sanjit A. Seshia},
  title     = {An Introductory Capstone Design Course on Embedded Systems},
 booktitle = {Proc. International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS)},
 month = "May",
 year = {2011},
 pages = {1199--1202},
 abstract = {We review an introductory course in embedded systems that
characterizes embedded systems not by resource constraints, but rather
by interactions with the physical world. This course teaches students
the basics of models, analysis tools, and design for embedded systems.
Traditional undergraduate courses in embedded systems focus on ad-hoc
engineering practices and the use of existing modeling techniques, often
omitting critical analysis and meta-modeling; we emphasize model-based
design of embedded and cyber-physical systems. Students learn how to
model the physical world with continuous time differential equations,
and how to model computation using logic and discrete models such
as state machines. Students evaluate these modeling techniques through
the use of meta-modeling, illuminating the interplay of practical design
with formal models of systems that incorporate both physical dynamics
and computation. Students learn formal techniques to specify and verify
desired behavior. A combination of structured labs and design projects
solidifies these concepts when applied to the design of embedded and
cyber-physical systems with real-time and concurrent behaviors.},
}