In addition to customer specific task we're currently working in the following research projects:

Virtual Spacecraft Design

Virtual Spacecraft Design (VSD) is a project within the European Space Agency's Technology Research Program.

ScopeSET will build the MBSE tools and related services. The new tool-set will allow the consistent definition of a spacecraft system level design, covering requirements, functional architecture, physical architecture, AIT and verification definition. All tools will be based on Eclipse and the Graphical Modeling Framework (GMF).

SuReal, Safety conditions for Real-Time Requirements

SuReal is a project funded by the ' Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung'. Together with partners form the industry, research institutes and universities, ScopeSET defines a specialized process for the development of embedded systems. Safety critical aspects play an important role in this project, and a specific tool chain will ensure a formal verification of development results at any point in time within the process.

ScopeSET provides the UML tool support within SuReal. This includes the definition of a new UML profile to describe “Non Functional Properties” (NFP) like timing aspects in embedded systems. Specific MDA based transformation rules will provide the information to a model checker for verification. Later in the process, modeling information will be transformed to the target environment, where additional formal verification will take place.

The SuReal results will allow the development of reliable embedded systems which fully comply with timing aspects as specified in UML models.

More details on SuReal on request.

SysML based on Eclipse

Together with a customer from the avionics industry, ScopeSET develops a graphical editor to model extended SysML Internal Block Diagrams. Currently there is no tool available in the market which meets our customers requirements. Most SysML Environments are modified UML tools, which are suitable only to a limited extent for system engineers. Therefore a completely UML independent prototype of an Internal Block Diagram Editor is created in this study.

The editor is based on the Eclipse Graphical Modeling Framework (GMF). By following the GMF MDA process, the underlying meta-model is automatically validated in the generated editor. In addition, this approach provides a high degree and flexibility for later enhancements. Another aspect in this project is the consideration of SysML specific modeling techniques, especially in the area of diagram layout. These kind of requirements are much more derived from a CAD like design approach than from software design.

The results of this project will be published under the Eclipse Public License. There are plans to enhance this prototype to support other SysML diagram types and to provide integrations to other standards like STEP.

More details on this project on request.