🎤 Listen to the full podcast segment on Mon Carnet by Bruno Guglielminetti
Émilie Delvoye, Director of Communications at Prompt, welcomes Gabriela Nicolescu from Polytechnique and Nicolas Ulysse from Mannarino to discuss an innovative solution that reduces hardware and software interference in aircraft operating systems.
Discover the podcast, in full text
Émilie: Today we’re talking about a project you’ve been working on together, linked to the reduction of hardware and software interference for multi-core operating systems in aerospace. Gabriella, can you explain what this is all about and tell us about the problem behind your project?
Gabriela: We addressed the issue of software design for avionics systems. Avionics systems are critical systems. This means systems which, in the event of failure, can lead to significant loss of life or property.
The software that runs on these systems is specialized software, subject to severe constraints. When we design them, we have to comply with standards, norms and certifications. So when we change the technology on an aircraft, as for example when we change the on-board computers to increase computing capacity, we need new software that is compatible with this new technology. We worked together to find solutions.
How do you design new software to enable the integration of new technologies? What was the challenge? It was to minimize the uncertainty, the unpredictability that is brought about by these new technologies. We wanted to make sure that the software would provide a safe response, and a response with a precise timeframe, to ensure that even in the most complex situations, we’re in a safe world.
Émilie: We talk a lot about complexity. Nicolas, could you explain a little what we’re talking about? What kind of complexity are we talking about?
Nicolas: Yes, of course. The commercial aviation sector is changing. We have more traffic, and we want aircraft whose operation is optimized. This requires more computing power, which is why it’s in our industry’s interest to use multi-core processors.
Unfortunately, microprocessors are expensive to manufacture, and only profitable at high volume. The volumes demanded by the aerospace industry are not sufficient for us to change the way this hardware is designed.
This creates the kind of problems we’ve been working on with Gabriela, in the sense that we need the computing power of this new hardware, but we don’t necessarily have the guarantees of predictability and determinism required for the aerospace industry.
Émilie: Can you tell me a little bit about how you began this collaboration? How did this project come about?
Nicolas: Yes, as you mentioned, we’re basically a service company, but a few years ago, we started developing a product, an operating system called M-RTOS. It was a very niche sector, in which we have competitors.
The development of products such as M-RTOS on multi-core processors is something that is still new to the industry. We knew we had some difficult problems to solve in order to be able to deliver an innovative product, so there would be a lot of research, trial and error.
Working with Polytechnique and Gabriela’s team made a huge difference. It enabled us to come up with a product that is truly innovative.
Émilie: And so, because Gabriela, you had this expertise on your side, but in other sectors, didn’t you?
Gabriela: Yes, I had applied this expertise in the field of entertainment and computer vision. This project enabled me to apply it in the field of avionics, which is a fascinating and strategic field too. This journey from idea to product was very instructive and interesting.
Émilie: For the benefit of our listeners, when we talk about multi-core, can you explain what it is? Can you explain the concept to us?
Nicolas: Basically, it’s a hardware architecture that allows you to run several tasks at the same time. This used to be possible thanks to certain software tricks, before the advent of multi-core processors. But with the advent of multi-core processors, hardware can run several tasks at the same time.
To refer to an everyday problem, this would be something that would allow a phone to offer the user to consult a social network while having, in the background, software that checks e-mail and sends a notification when a new message arrives.
Émilie: Thank you. So, what exactly has this collaboration brought you?
Gabriela: It enabled me to walk this path, from idea to product. We were able to demonstrate that research-based solutions can contribute to economic stimulation and strengthen competitive advantage. It’s been a truly rewarding journey. It was punctuated by a lot of very interesting exchanges between the partners, and this helped the students understand that it’s important to have a rigorous, theoretical approach, but to question how to apply it in a concrete situation.
Nicolas: In our case, it has enabled us to bring a highly innovative product to market. There are very few companies in the world capable of producing this. And to continue with the references to Gabriela’s students, it has enabled us to add engineers to our team; we have a former Gabriela student working with us, who is a very successful engineer, and who has become a specialist within our company on the subject of multi-body processors.
Émilie: What is the impact of your innovation?
Nicolas: The product is on the market right now, being integrated into aircraft under development. Cycles are quite long in aerospace, so between marketing and installation, it may take a few years, but it’s underway.
Gabriela: I would add the fact that it has opened doors for us to other projects. We currently have a project in cybersecurity, so we’re working on key issues: how to secure avionics software and communications.
Émilie: So the collaborative relationship continues with new projects.
Nicolas: Yes, absolutely. It worked very well, so we’re continuing.
Émilie: So, what motivates the two of you to innovate when you get up in the morning?
Gabriela: As a researcher, it’s important for me to anticipate the future, the challenges of technology. I think it’s essential to follow our passion, our will. We have a curiosity, we want to participate in the progress of science, but I think we must also participate in the economy, respond to the needs of society. It’s important that our results are transferred and visible in the industrial world, especially in a field like aerospace and defense.
Nicolas: In our case, I’d say that a company like ours solves difficult technological problems. It’s kind of in our DNA. It’s a basic motivation to take a more personal angle. I’ve been passionate about aviation since I was a kid, so I feel like I’m in the right place. I also feel that, through the innovations we make, we’re helping to make aviation more efficient and less energy-consuming, and contributing to our society in a more general way.
Émilie: Thank you for sharing. If, like Gabriela and Nicolas, you too would like to engage in collaborative projects that can solve problems in society and in strategic sectors for Quebec, I invite you to submit your proposals to Prompt.
