Learning real-time programming concepts through VxWorks lab experiments

The paper describes activities leading to the support of an academic instruction and industrial training in the area of time critical software development. Most of the modern software deals with external interfaces and has to consider various timing implications. Familiarity with real-time concepts and proper use of the software engineering process to develop real-time software became the critical component of modern software engineering. We describe a dedicated real-time laboratory infrastructure, the organization of the coursework, necessary Internet support, and the experiences of over five years offering real-time instruction in the context of software engineering focused undergraduate and graduate academic programs.