Parallel and Real-Time Research Group (PART)

Our research interests encompass all the aspects of parallel computations, including distributed systems. We are also interested in real-time computations. Unsurprising, our main focus is therefore at the intersection of these two areas, that is, in the domain of parallel and distributed real-time computations.

We approach the mentioned areas from three perspectives: complexity-theoretic, formal methods and testing, and systems. Currently our main drive is in the former area, namely in formal language models of parallel computations. We are investigating several such models in the family of parallel communicating grammar systems, with research into corresponding automata being considered.

At the same time we are active in formal methods. Conformance testing is mostly focused on finite-state systems and is thus suitable for the verification of hardware and communication protocols, and less suitable for the verification of complex software. Conformance testing of infinite systems—more suitable for software verification—has received however sustained attention recently, though most of this attention is on the logical (model checking) side. Another direction in our research is thus the study of algebraic, compositional approaches to this area. This research is based on visibly pushdown languages as well as grammar systems. Our work on the matter is not real time, but we plan to extend it into the real-time domain in the near future.

We are also interested in the complexity theory of massively parallel systems. Recent, continuing work on the matter includes the characterization of models with reconfigurable busses as opposed to models with shared memory.

Some research in the systems area exists, though this is currently on the back burner (but will increase in importance as soon as the supporting theoretical work is completed).