R&D
We invest strongly in R&D, recognising its importance in bringing new technologies, products and processes to the market, as well as in incorporating innovation into our customers’ projects. This investment has already brought successful and innovative products and technologies to the market.
Research Focus
At Critical we are always looking at different ways of providing an integrated and standards-based design environment to assist the analysis, recording and documentation of projects.
FORMAL METHODS and MODEL DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
Critical Software invests heavily in methods that can truly improve the identification of problems early in the lifecycle of a project, and aims to improve confidence of the system under development and reduce the cost of developing the system. This approach can drastically increase the quality of the findings in ISVV projects. These methods also save time and cost by automating steps that would otherwise be performed manually. It also improves the quality of design and software code by better assuring the traceability between artefacts.
Formal Methods is the sound approach for developing a system by using mathematical formalism and set theory. It is the approach that in a non-subjective way informs the system engineer where there is a problem with the requirements or design.
Model Driven Development is a methodology by which a system is developed using a set of models which can be converted into specific artefacts such as software code, documentation, scripts.
CONDITION MONITORING
Condition Monitoring is the exploitation of Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) to assess the status of complex assets in the operational environment. Critical Software Technologies has experience in the development, rollout and support of both airborne and ground based HUM systems. Research opportunities in the development of new HUMS methods and exploitation are of interest with the group. There are still many advantages to be gained form the further exploitation of HUMS and the transfer of aerospace condition monitoring methods into other sectors.
DATA ENGINEERING
We have also defined a role for Aerospace Data Scientists which is built on the exploitation of engineering and logistics data generated within the operational environment. Based on the experience gained with aerospace OEMs, Critical Software offers both capability and domain appreciation to provide access to the information your business needs to succeed.
The overheads of data generation, management and analysis need to be transferred into a business benefit. Our Data Science capability is focused on deriving information to support prompt and accurate decision-making. By working closely and in an agile manner, our solutions reflect business needs and are made available in a timely manner with phased rollout.
Projects
Such investment in these research interests has already brought successful and innovative products and technologies to the market. A few illustrative R&D projects where Critical is or has been involved are:
EMMON
The EMMON Project is a collaborative venture within the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission. EMMON will evolve through a partnership between Critical Software Technologies and eight other corporate and academic organisations: Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Intesys, Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones Tecnicas de Gipuzkoa, Critical Software S.A., Trinity College Dublin, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, SESM S.c.a.r.l., Akting Ingeniaritza S.L.
EMMON intends to develop a functional prototype for the real-time monitoring of specific natural scenarios (related to the quality of urban life, forest environment, civil protection, etc.) using Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) devices. The project will provide the technology to effectively monitor and control an area of 50km2 , using thousands of wireless sensor nodes. EMMON will be a massive advance on the current state-of-the-art.
Set to complete in late May 2012 after an extension of three months, the EMMON project is in full swing. The ‘Over The Air Programming’ of the network has proved an interesting challenge, since this requires the need to propagate to potentially 10,000 nodes without compromising the functionality of the system. But the team is feeling optimistic despite some technical challenges.
ADVANCE
Critical Software Technologies is participating in an international consortium running a project focused on Advanced Design and Verification Environment for Cyber-physical System Engineering (ADVANCE). The aim is to develop a unified tool-based framework for automated formal verification and simulation-based validation of cyber-physical systems. Critical’s links with industry, in particular with the energy sector, together with our expertise in providing solutions for mission and business critical information systems will not only be used to deploy the advanced engineering method on a real case study but also to provide requirements for the development of the toolset.
As well as managing the consortium, Critical’s engineers will lead the exploitation of the ADVANCE framework using a Smart Energy Grid Case Study. Critical will model and formally verify the trusted, secure and reliable data interchange needed between supplier and consumer, with a view to achieving compliance with international standards for Smart Grid Interoperability, developed by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The other industrial partner on the project is Alstom Transport Information Solutions and we have two academic partners, Southampton University and the University of Dusseldorf, and one technological partner, SYSTEREL. ADVANCE is funded by the FP7 Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Programme and it addresses Strategic Objective IST-2011.3.3 New Paradigms for Embedded Systems, Monitoring and Control towards Complex Systems Engineering.
DEPLOY
The focus of the DEPLOY project is on the exploitation of formal methods and understanding how the current state-of-the-art in this domain can be effectively used in the development of dependable systems. Event-B is the formal method language that has been selected.
FLOATING POWER PLANT
Critical Software Technologies (UK), Critical Software (PT) and Critical Materials (PT) are working with Floating Power Plant to help the company adopt a proactive approach to monitoring the condition and structural health of its Poseidon off-shore plant.
Poseidon is a concept for an integrated floating power plant that transforms wave and wind energy into electricity in-situ. The wave energy plant serves as a floating foundation for offshore wind turbines, thus creating a sustainable energy hybrid. A 37 metre wide offshore demonstration plant was launched in 2008 and a full scale Poseidon plant measures from 80 and up to 230 metres, depending on wave and wind conditions at the chosen location.
The first phase of the Floating Power Plant has occurred. This involved capturing the requirements from the companies involved -- which span the three Critical companies as well as the Floating Power Plant -- and coming to agreement on the scope of work to be performed. Redeployment of the power plant back to sea is approximately July. An implementation list has been generated along with suggested modifications to the software. Critical Materials performed a site visit to inspect the 'Poseidon' demonstrator in person and Floating Power Plant will be adding some further sensors to the already well instrumented (close to 1 million EUR) onboard sensor package.
VICS-FM
VICS-FM (Verification and Integration of Closed Systems through Formal Methods) is a proof of concept to formally verify the integration and functionality of closed systems, in particular commercial off the shelf (COTS) products. The approach brings together the formal language Event-B, mathematical proof theory and the Rodin toolset and provides the mechanism for creating abstract models of COTS systems and to then verify these system properties against operational requirements. The formal models can also be reused across different military scenarios. The approach proposed represents a step change in the use and successful integration of COTS products; using formal methods to guarantee their integration and functionality. The outcomes of VICS-FM will provide a solution that will increase the level of confidence on complex system of system solutions containing COTS systems. Moreover, it will support the production of safety-cases by providing formal proofs of a system’s correctness.
