ERTLEmbedded Real-Time Systems Laboratory

Welcome to TAKADA Laboratory

Our lab, Embedded Real-TimeSystem Laboratory, or ERTL, is focusing on research about implementation technology of embedded realtime system, from either aspect of software development or hardware design, as well as from both of them being as a whole. Nowadays, embedded systems are often implemented within LSI(Large-scale, with highly advanced functionalities), and we are committing ourselves to the hardware design technology of system LSI.

There are also researches that actively corporates with the industrial world at our lab. Not only participating in all kinds of research activities with enterprises, we also promote TOPPERS project that develops all kinds of open source software for embedded systems, through the collaboration among industry, universities, and government. We are also making our own contributions on international standardisation, and committing ourselves to activities such as technology exchange conferences and hosting workshops. As a result, there are many application cases of our research at the industry, and case number is increasing. Students at our lab are also participating in these activities.

One of research achievements from ERTL is a high reliability RTOS for space domain.

TOPPERS/HRP Kernel — High reliability RTOS for spacecraft. Developed together with JAXA. Implemented within the H-IIB NO.3 rocket. Launched at July.21st, 2012.(Press Release)

Features

  • We have been researching technology for realizing embedded real-time system from both software and hardware aspects
  • We have been collaborating with research institutes in the university (Edahiro Laboratory, Ishihara Laboratory, Center for Embedded Computing Systems(NCES)) and industry, and we have also been conducting joint research with numerous companies.
  • We have been developing and publishing practical, high-quality open source software as much as it is used in real products such as Nissan's Skyline and JAXA's H II-B rocket.
  • The students who belong to our lab actively participate in activities such as collaborative research, academic societies, workshops, and robocons. Through such activities, we aim to improve not only knowledge but also comprehensive knowledge but also behavioral abilities and communication skills required for researchers and engineers.

Research topics

Although our laboratory is currently working on the following research topics, we are not limited to them but we would like to broadly engage in research on embedded system technology.

Software platform technology

To support the development of embedded systems,

  • Real-time OS for multiprocessor systems
  • Real-time OS with protection function
  • Software component technology
  • Virtualization technology to make multiple OS coexist safely

Network technology

Regarding the network for automobiles, IoT devices and spacecraft,

  • Operation analysis and performance evaluation of network protocols
  • Proposal and implementation of protocol stack

Security and Functional safety technology

For the purpose of maintaining and improving security and security of Embedded/IoT systems,

  • Threat Analysis Method
  • Automatic detection technology for software vulnerabilities
  • Software Remote Update Technology

Real world data management platform technology

Devices loaded with a large number of sensors and cameras such as automobiles and smartphones are getting overflowing in town, and data management infrastructure technology for efficiently integrating, searching and analyzing a large amount of information obtained therefrom

Software development support technology

For the purpose of supporting embedded software development,

  • Requirement specification analysis tool using natural language processing technology
  • Design and implementation of design model extraction tool from program

Related organizations and projects

In the lab, we work in collaboration with numerous organizations and projects.

  • Center or Embedded Computing Research Center, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University(NCES)

    • A research organization specialized in embedded systems that promotes large-scale collaborative research and education aimed at solving technical problems required by industry and academia using the technology seeds of the university.
  • TOPPERS Project

    • A project aimed at promoting embedded system technology and industries by publishing high-quality open source software, which is the basis for building embedded systems. We publish research results as open source. We also hold training camps and joint development with other developers outside the laboratory. The software developed by students has been developed as follows.
    • [TLV] (http://www.toppers.jp/tlv.html): Trace log visualization tool
    • [ISS] (http://www.toppers.jp/sim.html): TOPPERS simulation environment for kernel
  • NCES Human Resources Development Program (NEP)

    • Education course based on the latest research results is offered by NCES's worked educational program for adults.
  • Competitive activities

Students’ Career

Most of students’ choose the work at companies that are related with embedded system. Refer to here for the list of companies that our students went to. Meanwhile, students who chose to continues their study as a doctoral students, became either college instructors or researchers at other companies.