Automatic training system for DSP software development

Abstract

In a training process for DSP software developers' major schools and scientific societies see an actual problem for a kind of transformation from a traditional form of training into different remote forms, using one-to-many online training courses and interactive case study. We have analyzed many different examples of such a new forms of trainings that have been used or trialed by major technical universities. Within our analysis we have defined requirements for automatic training system (ATS) for a developers of DSP software. The major goal for specified ATS should be a possibility for any trainee to get a knowledge and skills in a practical stand-alone way, with near zero interaction with anyone else except ATS. Basic scenarios, short tests allows trainee not only get soft-start and to achieve fast wins, but also motivate him for a professional development and deeply involve him into process of SDP software development. Comparing to widely and massively used courses covering basic tasks and general questions of DSP software development, proposed ATS is more specialized and requires higher level of entry qualification for trainee. From practical point of view we suppose to include game-approach and real-time interaction with trainee during whole process of ATS. This leads to a problem of real-time computation and real-time automating for a trainees solution check and giving a relevant feedback in a way of showing radio signal in a logical visual way both for source and processed signals. This allows forming right understanding not only for SDP software development skills but also understanding of major functional principles of complex radio systems. For example, for DSP ECC decoding we are using visualized encoded and decoded signals, and for spectrum processing tasks we are using visualized spectrum areas. Another interesting approach is to use the best solutions done by trainees to include them into a kind of knowledge library for further use. Today we have implemented proposed approach onto SW being deployed and used during courses of DSP software development from year of 2016. We see first outcome of usage this ATS.