A DSL for specifying run-time adaptations for embedded systems: an application to vehicle stereo navigation

Abstract

The traditional approach for specifying adaptive behavior in embedded applications requires developers to engage in error-prone programming tasks. This results in long design cycles and in the inherent inability to explore and evaluate a wide variety of alternative adaptation behaviors, critical for systems exposed to dynamic operational and situational environments. In this paper, we introduce a domain-specific language (DSL) for specifying and implementing run-time adaptable application behavior. We illustrate our approach using a real-life stereo navigation application as a case study, highlighting the impact and benefits of dynamically adapting algorithm parameters. The experiments reveal our approach effective, as such run-time adaptations are easily specified in a higher level by the DSL, and thus at a lower programming effort than when using a general-purpose language such as C.