Exploration of network alternatives for middleware-centric embedded system design

The paper addresses the design-space exploration of network alternatives for complex distributed systems of embedded devices, e.g., for smart power grid or telecommunication services. While past research mainly provided efficient programming abstractions and HW/SW simulation tools, this work introduces the network perspective in the verification of different design solutions (e.g., different task decomposition and assignment to network nodes). To do that, network simulation capability has been added to the so-called Abstract Middleware Environment and its effectiveness has been shown experimentally through the design of a wireless sensor network application taken from a real-world case study.