Hands-on Training in Distributed, Embedded and Real-time Systems Engineering

Distributed, embedded and real-time systems are central to the emerging applications of computing technology in daily life. The design and implementation of these systems requires that engineers gain additional training and hands on experience in topics that are at the convergence of computing, communication and control. Top universities across the world now offer specialized courses and programs that integrate these three disciplines and focus on experiential training of embedded and distributed engineers. At UBC, the Electrical and Computing Engineering department offers undergraduate courses in Distributed Systems and Real-Time Systems. These course, however, are delivered in lecture-based formats, inefficient for students to grasp the nuances of building systems that work correctly and predictably when deployed a large scales.

We would like to enhance these course offerings by strengthening the hands-on training that students get. To this end, new technology tutorials, assignments and mini-projects will be designed to provide students with direct, hands-on experience with two technology platforms: wireless devices and the PlanetLab distributed testbed.

Additionally, courses will be redesigned to emphasize the inter-disciplinary nature of new computer applications. This proposal seeks support to produce the educational materials (tutorials, assignments, projects) and to provide the hardware platforms for carrying out the training.

Sathish Gopalakrishnan, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
Matei Ripeanu, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science