Model-Driven Design of Simulation Support for the TERRA Robot Software Tool Suite

Model-Driven Development (MDD) based on the concepts of model, metamodel, and model transformation is an approach to develop predictable and reliable software for Cyber-Phsical Systems (CPS). The work presented here is on a methodology to design simulation software based on MDD techniques, supporting the TERRA tool suite to describe and simulate process communication flows. TERRA is implemented using MDD techniques and Communicating Sequential Process algebra (CSP). Simulation support for TERRA helps the designer to understand the semantics of the designed model, hence to increase the probability of first-time-right software implementations. A new simulation meta-model is proposed, abstracting the simulation process of a TERRA model. With this new meta-model and our previously designed CSP metamodel, a simulation model can be transformed from its TERRA source. The Eclipse Modelling Framework (EMF) is used to implement the meta-model. The Eclipse Epsilon Framework includes the Epsilon Transformation Language (ETL) and the Epsilon Generation Language (EGL) are used for model-to-model and model-to-text transformation. The simulation support is shown using an example, in which the generated trace text is shown as well. Further work is to implement an animation facility to show the trace text in the TERRA graphical model using colours.