Form 9.B Project Summary

Chron:

971160

Proposal Number:

24.03-2099

Project Title:

A Systematic Integrated Diagnostic

Approach to Software Testing

Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)

The goal of this work is to leverage QSI's vast

experience and mature software toolset in

Integrated Diagnostics to assist software engineers

in writing quality software with fewer undetectable

defects, an optimized strategy for detection and

isolation of defects, and run-time support for fault

detection, isolation and possible reconfiguration of

safety critical fault-tolerant software. In particular,

such a solution will let a software engineer: a)

assess the testability of software, and suggest

placement of new tests or assertions to improve

coverage and defect isolation; b)identify effective

test sets to execute for achieving appropriate

coverage, while reducing redundancies in tests ;

c)provide optimized troubleshooting procedures to

isolate the faulty code segment or routine in the

event of faulty behavior; and d)provide a run-time

software monitoring and diagnosis capability with

minimal impact on performance by identifying a

minimal set of tests that need to be monitored to

assure software integrity. Our approach is not

aimed at replacing the current test-centric approach

to software testing - it will help design better, more

testable, software with statistically quantifiable

quality, by identifying where to put tests and how to

use them to maximize their benefits.

Potential Commercial Applications (Limit 200 words)

The technology developed here can be applied to

mission and safety critical systems that employ a

mix of hardware and software to perform their

functions. Such systems include:

1. Spacecrafts and satellites

2. Quality control and real-time monitoring of

manufacturing processes

3. Aircraft diagnosis and prognosis

4. Patient health monitoring in Emergency Rooms

and Intensive Care Units

5. Monitoring of hardware and software systems in

safety critical systems, such as the various Wind

Tunnel Systems at NASA, and major power plants.

6. Tele-diagnostics and help desks. Smart agents

for remote maintenance and monitoring.

Name and Address of Principal Investigator (Name,

Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)

Dr. Somnath Deb

Qualtech Systens,Inc.

66 Davis Road

Storrs , CT 06268

Name and Address of Offeror (Firm Name, Mail Address,

City/State/Zip)

Dr. Krishna R. Pattipati

Qualtech Systems, Inc.

66 Davis Road

Storrs , CT 06268