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SoftwareEngineering@ANU Student Project Proposals

If you are interested in undertaking an individual Software Engineering project with the CECS Software-Intensive Systems Engineering (SiSE) research group, please consider the following ideas.

Note that these projects can be adapted to undergraduate or postgraduate needs.

**NEW** Robotics project

Development of Semi-Autonomous Ground Robot. Codarra Advanced Systems is preparing for the Defence MAGIC 2010 ground-robotic challenge where competing teams develop multi-robot (swarming) systems to demonstrate partial or full autonomy in conducting mapping and tactical maneuvers in a simulated urban environment. A new robot is being built for first phase selection timed for October 09 and Codarra is seeking team members to assist with the integration of sensors and subsystems. Development of Java software and interfaces for: control station, communications, drive electronics, cameras, inertial/magnetic sensor, GPS, pointing, and touch systems. Also, but probably in the second phase after October: a simulator, object and signature identification, environment mapping and strategy engine.

Aspect-Oriented Thinking projects

Most approaches to Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) rely on the use of models as specifications which can be translated in various ways to form source code and other implementation artefacts.

Aspect-Oriented Thinking is an alternative approach to MDE in which models are used to describe reusable problem, architectural, data management, interface, security, implementation and other knowledge, independently of any particular system to be built. Specifications for specific systems are then formed as a set of statements that reference applicable elements of these models. When formed in accordance with an integrated set of specification archetypes (patterns or recipes), these specifications can be processed to generate complete software systems.

An AOT proof-of-concept and tool support has been developed, and the approach is being used on the French ANR funded 3 Worlds project.

We now plan to expand the use and evaluation of AOT. The following projects are part of this effort.

• Aspect-Oriented Thinking and Could computing. As part of the 3Worlds project, the aim of this project is to explore and prototype the deployment of 3Worlds simulations on a cloud computing environment such as the Google App Engine or Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud.

  This project will involve collaboration with scientists working on the 3Worlds project.

• Aspect-Oriented Thinking and Agent-Based Modeling. As part of the 3Worlds project, the aim of this project is to develop AOT code generators for the Repast Agent-Based Modeling platform.

  This project will involve collaboration with scientists working on the 3Worlds project.

• Web-based user interface to AOT tool support. The AOT tool support is written in Java and currently has a low level programmatic interface which, while suitable for research purposes, is unsuitable for end users. The aim of this project is to develop a web-based user interface to the existing AOT tool.

  This project will involve some collaboration with end users involved in the 3 Worlds project.

• Aspect-Oriented Thinking and the Web. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness and productivity of AOT within the context of web development. The project will redevelop an existing commercial web application using AOT. Results will be evaluated against data collected for the original commercial development.

  This project will involve collaboration with a local software engineering company.

• Aspect-Oriented Thinking and Service-Oriented Architecture. The aim of this project is to develop a proof-of-concept for using AOT and existing AOT tool support to orchestrate web services. For example, can we build recipes for using an airline booking system in conjunction with hotel, car rental and other systems to organise a holiday? Can end-users then use these recipes to state their holiday requirements? Can we then automatically orchestrate the appropriate services to book the holiday?

• Using Aspect-Oriented Thinking to generate simple ecological simulations. The aim of this project is to explore the use of AOT to help scientists more rapidly generate and use simple ecological simulations. This project will involve the redevelopment of an existing simulation using the AOT approach.

  This project will involve collaboration with scientists from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society. In addition, the student may collaborate with a student working on the 'Aspect-Oriented Thinking and Could computing' project described above.

• Aspect-Oriented Thinking and Android. The aim of this project is to explore the use of AOT to enable end-users to build applications for the Android mobile phone operating system.

Domain Specific Modeling projects

• Code generators for graphical Domain Specific Modeling Languages. The aim of this project is to explore the development and use of code generators for graphical DSMLs. Specifically, the project will develop a code generator for a new graphical DSML which will be used to describe configuration of the Landscape MOdelling Shell (LAMOS).

  This project will involve collaboration with a CECS PhD student and scientists from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society.

User interface projects

• A wacky idea for a Linux desktop interface. Are you sick of KDE, Gnome and other 'windowing' interfaces? We are! So, we have a wacky idea for a new kind of interface to operating systems such as Linux. The ideas are not well formed and, as such, this project would suit someone with imagination.

  Talk to Shayne about this one!

Other projects

If you are looking for something else, please visit our research page. If you are interested in any of the listed topics, please contact the people involved.