The objective of this research is to investigate novel techniques and tools to enable geographically-distributed, multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers to design, integrate, and test complex digital systems for high energy physics. The approach is to: (1) develop design methodologies that allows investigators from different institutions and disciplines to collaborate on complex digital systems; (2) establish an Internet-based design framework that includes version control, automated testing, and hardware/software change tracking; and (3) utilize hierarchical dataflow specifications to model, test, and implement these systems.
With respect to intellectual merit, the project has the potential to provide new techniques to design complex digital systems and to offer new insights into these systems. These techniques are applied to design and test a trigger system in the upgraded Large Hadron Collider. The upgraded collider has the potential to lead to exciting discoveries in high-energy physics, such as improved understanding of particle mass generation, extra dimensions, dark matter, and supersymmetry, which introduces a partner for each known particle.
With respect to broader impacts, project results are integrated into courses on digital system design and programming concepts, and presented to K-12 students and teachers. Results and tools are to be disseminated to other researchers through a project website. Project participants, including minorities and women, will benefit from exposure to multidisciplinary research. Resulting techniques and tools should be applicable to a wide variety of complex digital systems, including those for high-energy physics, wireless communications, medical imaging, and scientific computing. The project should also advance understanding of issues in long-distance collaboration on complex design projects.
