The HCI component of dependable real-time systems

The operator interface is an important aspect of any real-time system. If the system is a safety-critical one, the HCI components must themselves be dependable. Such applications constrain the time an operator has to assimilate and respond to system data. This paper focuses on the specific constraints these hard real-time applications present. Attention is focused on the interface between the application code and the HCI components. An architecture is outlined that allows these interfaces to be specified, and thus enables the application software and the HCI components to be designed and implemented separately