Testing real-time embedded systems using high level architecture

This work proposes an environment for testing of heterogeneous embedded systems by means of distributed co-simulation. The test occurs in real-time, co-simulating the system software and hardware platform using the high level architecture (HLA) as a middleware. The novelty of this approach is not only providing support for simulations, but allowing the synchronous integration of heterogeneous simulators with a physical real-time environment. In this work we use the Ptolemy framework as a simulation platform. The approach of co-simulation based on HLA allows different simulators and physical devices to inter-operate, for example robots can operate and be tested with a Ptolemy simulations. Case studies are presented to prove the concept, showing the successful integration between Ptolemy and the HLA and test systems using Robot-in-the-loop. The integration of real-time devices through robot operating system was also presented. The approach proved to be able to detect logical and physical design flaws.