Ph.D. Student Rohit Dureja presented a poster at Formal Methods in Computer-Aided Design (FMCAD’16) on “Comparative Safety Analysis of Wireless Communication Networks in Avionics.”
Abstract: Comparative Safety Analysis of Wireless Communication Networks in Avionics
Existing wired networks add weight and complexity to current aircraft design. To reduce weight of aircraft, it is essential to decrease the number of wired components and move them to wireless. However, migration of wired to wireless needs to be supported by a thorough analysis of the complexities and failure aspects of the two mediums. The wireless network needs to be at least as reliable and fault tolerant as the existing wired network. This paper proposes a formal framework for a comparative safety analysis of wired and wireless networks. Due to the plug-and-play nature of the framework, it is adaptable to a wide variety of network protocols. It facilitates identification of the minimum set of events that lead to system failure, and using quantified failure probabilities recommends fault tolerant mechanisms that increase system reliability. Designers can then compare candidates for wireless protocols among each other, as well as the wired network, and make informed design decisions.
