A formal knowledge-based data-fusion language for safety-critical applications

This paper outlines the features of a novel applications-specific language which has been developed to describe naval data fusion solutions using the DRA´s blackboard approach. This DFL is paradigm-specific in that it defines a rule-based blackboard system, and domain-specific in that the blackboard has been configured to support the fusion of radar and ESM data in a naval context. A primary design concept of the language is that solutions expressed in it have a unique and precise mapping to a formal specification comprising inter-linked VDM and CSP models. In so doing, we aim to provide a language which aids the natural expression of a data-fusion solution, whilst at the same time providing a formal underpinning which makes that solution amenable to formal analysis. Thus we attempt to create a bridge between the informal world of the domain expert and the formal world of the safety-critical system developer. Having provided a formal model of a DFL program, we can exploit this to provide animation and rapid prototyping, as well as formal bespoke system development