Abstract

Skills: Best Papers Lent 2008

Each member of the group will submit an entry for the best paper they have read this term. We will have very a brief presentation on as many as we can fit in to 30 minutes.

Research: Language-Based Optimisation of Sensor-Driven Distributed Computing Applications, Jonathan Davies

In many distributed computing paradigms, especially sensor networks and ubiquitous computing but also grid computing and web services, programmers commonly tie their application to a particular set of processors. This can lead to poor utilisation of resources causing increased compute time, wasted network bandwidth or poor battery life, particularly if later changes to the architecture or application render early decisions inappropriate.

This talk describes a system which separates application code from the description of the resources available to execute it. Our framework and prototype compiler determines the best location to execute different parts of the distributed application. In addition, our language encourages the programmer to structure data, and the operations performed on it, as monoids and monoid homomorphisms. This approach enables the compiler to apply particular program transformations in a semantically-safe way, and therefore further increase the flexibility of the assignment of application tasks to available resources.