Dependable System

Research Staff

  • Professor Michiko INOUE

    Professor
    Michiko INOUE

  • Affiliate　Professor Fukuhito OOSHITA

    Affiliate Professor
    Fukuhito OOSHITA

  • Adjunct Associate Professor Michihiro SHINTANI

    Affiliate Associate
    Michihiro SHINTANI

  • Assistant Professor Ryouta EGUCHI

    Assistant Professor
    Ryota EGUCHI

E-mail dsl-contact@is.naist.jp
To the site https://sites.google.com/view/dependablesyslab/english-home?authuser=0

Requirements

Curiosity and enthusiasm!　Good programming skills or math skills if possible.

Policy of Supervision

We set research themes based on each student's opinion and background, starting with the acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills, and aiming for research results that can be presented at international conferences and in international journals. Students are guided to acquire the ability to think logically and verify things scientifically, as well as the ability to communicate research results to others. For example, in research on algorithms, students represent systems in mathematical models, consider solutions and limitations, and evaluate them through theoretical analysis or simulation. On the other hand, in research on hardware, we propose a solution that considers the essence of the problem, and evaluate it through circuit simulation and actual measurement.

Ability to Acquire

Skills to think and analyze logically, presentation skills, English conversation, and the ability to read and write technical documents in English. Ability to design and analyze algorithms, program implementation techniques, techniques for evaluating distributed processing and circuits through simulation, techniques for implementing state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, and hardware design and analysis techniques.

Career Opportunities

Asahi Kasei, Analog Devices, Omron, Kioxia, Cookpad, Brainpad, Cybozu, Sumitomo Electric Information Systems, Sony LSI Design, Daikin, Dainippon Screen, Denso, Nomura Research Institute, VIC - Visible Information Center, Fujitsu Computer Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric, Murata Manufacturing, MonotaRO, Ricoh, Renesas Electronics, Rohm, Shimane University, Ateneo de Manila University, Prime University (Bangladesh), etc.

Research Areas

Fig.1 Mobile robots

Fig.1 Mobile robots

Fig.2 Various types of distributed systems

Fig.2 Various types of distributed systems

Fig.3 Hardware security (Recycled FPGA detection)

Fig.3 Reliable design for neuromorphic computers

Distributed algorithms

We focus on designing algorithms to improve the dependability and performance of various distributed systems such as the Internet, ITS, IoT, blockchain (bitcoin), sensor networks, and nano-scale systems.

  • Self-stabilizing algorithms that autonomously recover from failures
  • Mobile agents that autonomously move around networks
  • Application of random algorithms in sequential processing to distributed algorithms
  • Probabilistic analysis in natural random procedures such as random walk
  • Swarm robotics
  • Distributed algorithm for dynamic graphs
  • Distributed ledgers used in block chains
  • Population protocols for nano-scale systems
  • Dynamic distributed algorithms

Hardware Design

We are conducting research on hardware dependability which ranges broadly across robust computing, VLSI design, CAD, testing, photovoltaic systems, security, and power converters using new wide-bandgap semiconductors.

  • VLSI design for testability
  • Test optimization through machine-learning-based analysis
  • Dependability of neuromorphic computers
  • Dependability of ReRAM based systems
  • Hardware Security (Trojan detection)

Key Features

Today's information society is supported by various levels of advanced technology such as applications, systems, computers and VLSIs. The Dependable System Laboratory is pursuing research on safe and secure systems including distributed systems with hundreds of computers and VLSIs with billions of transistors. "Dependability" is a concept from the user's point of view, when systems can be used reliably and securely.

In order to achieve dependable systems, we need to consider various aspects of these systems from the user's point of view. For example, whether all the systems are completely tested before shipping, whether the systems can function correctly in the presence of faults, whether the systems can predict and avoid system failure caused by transistor aging, whether the system can handle malicious users, and whether the photovoltaic systems can efficiently generate power with partial shade or faulty cells. This laboratory performs research to improve dependability through various approaches.

The Dependable System Lab also fosters skills for logical thinking, presentation, design and analysis of algorithms, CAD tools, machine learning, software programming (C/C++, Java, Python etc.) and hardware programming (Verilog/VHDL) through our research.