From RTLola to SRTLola: A Block-Based Syntax for Stream-Based Specification Languages
Julia Laichner
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) appear in various aspects of modern life, finding applications in medicine, industries, and domestic environments. Ensuring the safety of these systems is significant, as they induce risk to both humans and the environment. Given their safety-critical nature, CPS must fulfill specific correctness properties, which are typically expressed with specification languages. However, writing correct specifications is challenging, especially for newcomers. Visual programming languages like Scratch provide a user-friendly graphical interface where constructing programs is simplified by a block-based syntax using drag-and-drop components. Such tools reduce the cognitive load and enhance overall usability. Currently, these approaches exist primarily for imperative programming languages. This thesis presents a visualization environment that uses a block-based syntax for stream-based specification languages, using RTLola as an example. This tool illustrates the RTLola language with a block-based syntax, allowing users to create a visua representation of the specification. Moreover, users can translate the block-based specification into the text-based one. With this approach, we strive to lower the entry barrier for future users to learn the RTLola language and create a more user-friendly developing environment for CPS.
Master Thesis.