Fall Semester, 2006
Location: WPH 205
Time: TTh
Class number: 048-30161D
Prerequisite: CSCI 577A
Instructor | Overview | Readings | Assignments
| Schedule
Teaching Assistant
Over the past decade, the world of computing has moved from large, static, desk-top machines to small, mobile, palm-top, and embedded devices. The methods, techniques, and tools for developing software systems that were successfully applied in the former scenario are not as readily applicable in the latter. Software systems running on networks of mobile, embedded devices must necessarily exhibit properties that are not always required of more traditional systems: near-optimal performance, robustness, distribution, dynamism, mobility. This class will examine the key properties of software systems in the embedded, resource constrained, mobile, and highly distributed world. The class will assess the applicability of mainstream software engineering methods and techniques (e.g., object-orientation, component-based development, software architecture) to this domain. While not the primary focus of the class, enabling advances in other areas (e.g., embedded, real-time operating systems, wireless networking, the Internet) will be studied from a software application development perspective. A class project will give students hands-on experience with building software development infrastructure and/or applications in this important domain.
Course requirements are
[1] reading assigned papers,
[2] presenting one of the papers and/or leading the discussion on a given topic,
[3] participating in class discussions,
[4] completing a written exam, and
[5] completing a group project.
Name |
Description |
Weight |
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Questions about papers |
A small set of questions will be posted about each reading set by the Friday of the week before the readings are due. Each student will be required to provide short answers (no longer than a single paragraph) to these questions, and mail them in plain text to the teaching assistant before the class in which the readings are due. Each student will be allowed to skip up to three questions during the semester without penalty. |
10% |
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Presentation and Discussion |
Each student will either present the details of one paper from the textbook or from additional readings, or (s)he may be tasked with preparing and leading the discussion on a topic; in certain cases two students may be assigned to a single paper and/or discussion topic. The presentation and discussion should include at least, but need not be restricted to, the material covered in the paper. The presentation should also address the following four issues:
The discussions should be organized around the cross-cutting
issues identified in the given set of papers. The presenters and
discussion leaders are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the
necessary additional background information. They are also responsible
for staying within the time allotted for the presentation/discussion.
All presentations are 30 minutes long. |
15% |
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Class participation |
Students are expected to prepare for each class (by
reading papers) and actively participate in the discussions of the topics for
which they are not presenters. |
10% |
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Class project |
Design and implementation of a novel application or development tool that exploits one or more existing approaches to software engineering in the context of embedded systems, demonstrates a novel idea in this domain, or overcomes a known significant challenge posed by embedded systems. The class project will be discussed in Week 4. Intermediate project reports will be due in Week 10. |
40% |
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Examination |
The written exam will assess the students’ understanding of the material covered in class. |
25% |
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Week |
Discussion Topics |
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Presenters |
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9 |
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Project Part I Due |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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14 |
Exam |
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Thanksgiving – No Class |
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15 |
Project Presentation and Demonstration |
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Project Presentation and Demonstration (2) |
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Finals |
Final Project
Write-ups Due |
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