The University of Southampton
×
Electronics and Computer Science

COMP3218 Game Design and Development

Module Overview

Games design and development is an increasingly important and sophisticated topic, that draws together many of the core aspects of Computer Science and Software Engineering. This course introduces students to the fundamentals of game design, gives them practical experience in developing games within an industry-leading contemporary games framework, and encourages students to consider the wider possibilities of digital entertainment through non-linear narratives and innovative gaming forms.

The course is designed around three game development sprints. Each sprint is three weeks long and is focused around a particular aspect of games design (game mechanics, non-linear narratives, and innovative games) and is supported by lectures and workshops. In each sprint students will work in rotating pairs to produce a prototype of a game that they then present in a games expo in the third week. Each student with thus produce three game demos (with three other students) that will be submitted for assessment.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • level design
  • game difficulty and adaptivity
  • mechanics, dynamics and systems
  • game narratives
  • innovative game technologies

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Create a game design using the fundamentals of game design theory.

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • use agile methodologies
  • develop rapid prototypes
  • work in small teams
  • participate in an expo

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Implement a game design using modern game technologies (e.g. Unity 3D)

Syllabus

  • Game Design Fundamentals

    • Level Design

      • Construction of Choice and Obstacles

      • Tutorial Systems

    • Game Challenge Theory and Design

      • Difficulty vs Punishment and Accessibility vs Contest

      • Flow (Both Immersive and Adaptive Difficulty)

    • Systems, Dynamics, and Mechanisms

      • The Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics (MDA) model

      • Core Game Dynamics

      • Objectives and Motivation

      • Game Elements and Atoms

      • Rule Design

      • Game Complexity and Difficulty

  • Game Narrative

    • Basic principles of non-linear narratives

    • Interactive narrative and the narrative paradox

    • Common forms of game narrative and the Heros Journey

    • Narrative structures for games

  • Research and Digital Entertainment

    • Innovative forms of interaction and control

    • Location aware narrative

    • Adaptive games

    • Procedural generation

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

  • Type: Lecture

  • Hours per semester: 12

  • Group Size:

  • Description: 2 hours per week in Weeks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 & 10.

  • Type: Workshops in computer room

  • Hours per semester: 12

  • Group Size:

  • Description: Two-hour workshops in Weeks 2, 3, 6, 7, 10 & 11, to support students in the development sprints and share knowledge.

  • Type: Assessment exhibition

  • Hours per semester: 6

  • Group Size:

  • Description: 3 two-hour exhibitions where the students present the output of their 3-week sprint to their peers and the module team.

ActivityDescriptionHours
Lecture2 hours per week in Weeks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 & 10.12
Computer LabTwo-hour workshops in Weeks 2, 3, 6, 7, 10 & 11, to support students in the development sprints and share knowledge.12
Computer Lab3 two-hour exhibitions where the students present the output of their 3-week sprint to their peers and the module team, in Weeks 4, 8 & 12.6

Assessment

Assessment methods

Assessment will be through demonstration of games at an exposition, where the examiners will ask pre-determined questions to assess whether they have met the learning outcomes of that development sprint.

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Game sprint 1 - Fundamentals of Game Design Students will be put into pairs and over 3 weeks will develop a small game prototype or tech demo to demonstrate the principles covered in the lectures. The focus of game sprint 1 is to develop a simple set of systems and design a level to effectively introduce and tutorial these. Game will be handed in digitally, and demonstrated to examiners and other students at the exposition.-33%
Game sprint 2 - Storytelling in Games Students will be put into pairs and over 3 weeks will develop a small game prototype or tech demo to demonstrate the principles covered in the lectures. The focus of game sprint 2 is to create a short interactive narrative. Game will be handed in digitally, and demonstrated to examiners and other students at the exposition.-33%
Game sprint 3 - Digital Entertainment Research Students will be put into pairs and over 3 weeks will develop a small game prototype or tech demo to demonstrate the principles covered in the lectures. The focus of game sprint 3 is to take a novel technology developed in research and implement it in a short game. Game will be handed in digitally, and demonstrated to examiners and other students at the exposition.-33%

Referral Method: By set coursework assignment(s)

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

ELEC3214 Power Systems Technology

Module Overview

 

  • To introduce the students to fundamental concepts relating to the design and management of modern electrical power systems.
  • To develop amongst the students an awareness of technical problems associated with operation of such systems.
  • To teach the students basic theory and equip them with necessary analytical, numerical and modelling skills for handling particular problems.

Students are not required to have taken ELEC2213 before taking ELEC3214, but it is strongly recommended.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • Fundamental concepts of operation of electrical power systems; Representation of various components of the system; Theory of balanced and unbalanced faults; Basic concepts of stability; Control of power, frequency, voltage and VAr flows; Simple methods for modelling and simulation of power systems.

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Appreciate the complexity of operation of power systems; Analyse simple cases of power system stability; Identify some elements of automatic control in power systems; Benefit from application of per unit system.

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Apply modern modelling techniques; Tackle problems of interdisciplinary nature.

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Use the concept of symmetrical components in analysis; Solve typical problems associated with faults; Apply the notation of per unit system; Interpret results from power system analysis.

Syllabus

  • The physical nature of large interconnected systems.
    • The evolution of electrical power systems; the integration and interconnection of the transmission system; the various voltage and current levels.
  • Introduction to power system analysis.
    • Balanced three-phase systems; phasors, calculations in the phasor domain; equivalent line-to-neutral diagrams; complex impedance; star-delta transformation; real, reactive, apparent and complex power; power factor; power in single-phase circuits, power in three-phase circuits.
  • Relationship between voltage reactive power, power and transmission angle.
    • Importers and exporters or positive and negative VArs; power flow between active and passive units; derivation of transmission equation.
  • Representation of parameters of rotating machines, transformers, lines, cables, switchgear and loads.
    • Equivalent circuits, their simplification and justification but also limitations on use; system representation for various conditions.
  • Per unit system and symmetrical components.
    • Review of per unit system and its use; the choice of base quantities for per unit calculations; review of symmetrical component theory and derivation, both graphical and matrix.      
  • Solution of systems with balanced and unbalanced faults.
    • Simple fault analysis of single line to ground, double line to ground, line to line and three phase to ground with fault impedances, all using sequence diagrams; the introduction to transformer connections into fault calculations; basic three phase short circuit on a machine; brief review of sub-transient, transient and synchronous reactance and their physical origins; brief introduction to how computer methods are applied.
  • Control of power and frequency in interconnected systems.
    • Governor characteristic and equations; calculation of power sharing; normal methods of frequency control.
  • Control of voltage and VAr flows.
    • AVR response and VAr generation; static VAr compensators; injection of reactive power; tap-changing transformers; power factor correction; calculation of voltage profile and effect on VAr flow.
  • Stability.
    • Definition; types of stability studies; automatic control of synchronous generators, limitation of magnitude of power transmittable; steady state stability; transient stability; swing equation; equal area criterion; effects of type of fault on stability; multi-machine studies; methods for improving and maintaining systems stability; stability of loads.

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

ActivityDescriptionHours
Lecture36 hours of lecturing which includes around 50 numerical examples to illustrate theory.36

Assessment

Assessment methods

N/A

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Exam2h hours100%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

ELEC3213 Power Systems Engineering

Module Overview

 

  • To introduce the students to fundamental concepts of power flow, protection and earthing.
  • To familiarize the students with the construction of overhead lines and underground cables and give them an appreciation of the mutidisciplinary nature of their design.
  • To introduce the students to the concept of FACTS, and familiarize them with the basic design and principle of operation of HVDC systems.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • Fundamental concepts of power system stability; Components of protection systems; The concept of protection zones; Components used in earthing systems; Basic structure of different lines and cables; Types of HVDC links and their control; Fundamentals of smart grids.

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Analyse simple problems related to system stability; Appreciate the conflicting nature of the design requirements of a protection system; Explain the reasons for system earthing; Appreciate the features of power simulation packages; Discuss the principles of operation of FACTS; Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of HVDC transmission.

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Tackle multidisciplinary problems as encountered in real engineering systems.

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Explain principles of operation of protection systems; Design simple protection systems for transmission lines and transformers; Comply with power system earthing practices; Solve typical problems associated with load flow; Formulate admittance matrices and perform nodal analysis.

Disciplinary Specific

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Use commercial software for power systems analysis.

Syllabus

  • Load flows
    • Simple radial and ring feeder load flow calculations; interconnected system load flow by nodal analysis; interactive solution of nodal admittance matrix by Gauss Siedel method, with discussion of other methods.
  • Protection
    • Function of protection system; design criteria of protection systems; components of protection systems; zones of protection; protection schemes; primary and backup protection; transmission line protection; busbar protection; transformer protection; generator protection; protection of industrial power systems and fuse selection.
  • Earthing of Power Systems
    • Reasons for system earthing; earthing resistance; arc suppression coil; earthing transformers; earthing of overhead lines; earthing electrode and soil resistivity; earthing of substations; earthing of low voltage systems.
  • Overhead Lines
    • Transmission line parametres.
  • Underground Cables
    • Types of cables; methods of laying; conductors; insulation; sheath and armour; grading of cables; capacitance and inductance; charging current;  dielectric loss and heating; current ratings.
  • High Voltage Direct Current Transmission (HVDC)
    • Advantages and disadvantages; history, types of HVDC links; HVDC converters; basic operation; basic design problems; control system.
  • Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS)
    • Definition; advantages and disadvantages; FACTS devices including static VAR compensators, static condensers, phase angles regulators, series power flow controllers, unified power flow controllers.
  • Smart grids, distributed generation and future power systems

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

ActivityDescriptionHours
Lecture18h
Project supervisionCoursework using power systems software ERACS to study stability in power systems.18h

Assessment

Assessment methods

N/A

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Stability studies using ERACS-50%
Exam2h hours50%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

ELEC3211 High Voltage Engineering

Module Overview

This module aims

To provide students with an introduction to high voltage engineering, phenomena and technology.

To understand high voltage generation, measurement and testing.

To understand transient overvoltages and the protection of high voltage apparatus.

Students are not required to have taken ELEC2206 before taking ELEC3211, but it is strongly recommended.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • understanding of high voltage technology and insulation design in general

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • understand breakdown mechanisms in solids, liquids and gases
  • analyse transient overvoltages and design protection
  • apply diagnostic tests to examine the quality of insulation

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • apply statistic approach to analyse testing data

Disciplinary Specific

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • apply systematic approach to electrical system design

Syllabus

  • Introduction to high voltage engineering
    • High voltage transmission/distribution systems
    • Overvoltage types and insulation types
    • Withstand levels, S curves; insulation coordination.  
  • Breakdown mechanisms in solids, liquids, gases and      vacuum
    • High voltage transmission/distribution systems
    • Overvoltage types and insulation types
  • Testing and Weibull statistics
    • Non-destructive testing of apparatus; insulation       resistance, tan δ, partial discharge measurements;
    • Destructive testing: short term breakdown test, life       testing, accelerated life testing.
    • Weibull statistics.
  • System overvoltages
    • Occurrence and characteristics; power frequency and       harmonics, switching and lightning overvoltages; transient calculations,       Bewley lattice diagrams; wave tables; attenuation and distortion of       surges; overvoltage protection devices; rod and expulsion gaps; surge       diverters.
  • Circuit breakers
    • Types
    • General principles of operation.
  • High voltage generators
    • Impulse generators
    • Cascaded transformers and series resonant circuits
    • Rectifier circuit and Cockcroft-Walton cascade       circuits
  • High voltage measurements  
    • Electrostatic meters
    • Impedance dividers: resistive dividers and capacitive       dividers
    • Digital techniques

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

ActivityDescriptionHours
Lecture36
Tutorial6

Assessment

Assessment methods

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Exam2 hours100%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

ELEC1029 TT Electronic Labs Yr1

Module Overview

This module is the lab programme for all first-year students enrolled on an ELEC degree programme. It aims to give students the opportunity to apply the theory that they learn in their other modules, and to provide them with transferrable and subject-based skills that they will need for their degree and career.

The module is structured into a series of lectures (‘L’ sessions), skills labs (‘X’ sessions) and assignments (‘A’ sessions). All students enrolled on this module will be expected to attempt all of these sessions.

For clarity to students, the lab programme is designed to encapsulate all lab-based work in the first-year in a single location, timetable etc. Therefore, this also includes technical labs (‘T’, ‘C’, ‘P,’ and ‘M’ sessions) and design exercises (‘D’ sessions). A student will not undertake every technical session listed; this will depend on the degree programme and hence other modules that they are enrolled on (for example, Electronic Engineering students do not do ‘M’ sessions, while Electrical Engineering students do not do ‘P’ sessions).

This syllabus covers only the ‘skills’ lab material (i.e. all L, X, A sessions). The ‘technical’ labs (i.e. all T, C, P, M sessions) and ‘design exercises’ (i.e. D sessions) are incorporated into the relevant module syllabus.

There are no pre-requisites.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • understand error, accuracy and uncertainty, and analyse your results appropriately using engineering statistics

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • appreciate how an engineer is expected to conduct work ethically and professionally
  • effectively plan and monitor your time and project work using recognised methods
  • work individually or as part of a team, by profiling abilities, allocating roles, and overcoming problems issues
  • keep an appropriate record of your work using a log-book
  • find relevant technical literature in books and journals, complying with regulations on academic integrity and copyright
  • communicate your work effectively, both orally and via written reports

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • design and conduct rigorous scientific experiments, appreciating the need for assessing risks and complying with legislation
  • design, assemble and test circuits using protoboard or PCBs
  • use a range of electronic components and laboratory tools/instrumentation, appreciating their capabilities and limitations
  • use a range of industry-standard CAD tools to design, analyse and synthesise electronic circuits

Syllabus

Introduction to Part 1 Labs

Designing and Building Electronic Circuits

  • Introduction to Circuit Construction and Testing
  • Programmable Logic Devices
  • Mixed Signal Circuit Simulation
  • PCB Layout
  • PCB Assembly and Test

Designing and Conducting Effective Experiments

  • Introduction to Lab Equipment
  • Time, Project and Team Management       
  • Logbooks and Keeping Records
  • Fundamentals of Measurement
  • Error and Uncertainty
  • Engineering Statistics
  • Experimental Design and Practice
  • Effective Design, Analysis and Interpretation
  • Analysis and Interpretation Lab
  • Hardware Debugging and Fault Finding

Effective Communications

  • Communication Skills
  • Giving Effective Oral Presentations           
  • Finding Information Lab
  • Technical Writing

Professional Conduct and your Future Career

  • What is a Professional Engineer?
  • Your Future Employers: Do Labs Matter?
  • Professional Ethics
  • Academic Integrity
  • Health, Safety and Environmental Legislation
  • Being an entrepreneur

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

Physical Lectures: traditional delivery in a lecture theatre, delivered to the entire cohort during single lecture slots.

Lab Sessions: teaching is delivered through specially constructed lab notes designed to make students observe particular phenomena, and through directed self-study in the lab preparation. Lab sessions typically last 3 hours; the number of sessions depends on the degree programme that the student is enrolled on. 

Assessment

Assessment methods

This module is a zero credit module. Marks from the lab programme are distributed to other modules. Typically, one of these modules may have a contribution from ‘technical labs’, ‘skills labs’ and ‘design exercises’ (specified on their module syllabus).

Technical Labs: Every technical lab (T, C, P, M sessions) is associated with a particular module. The mark from the lab goes to the relevant module.

Design Exercises: Every design exercise (D session) is associated with a particular module. The mark from the design exercise goes to the relevant module. Where a design exercise is associated with more than one module, the mark is shared between them.

Skills Labs: This incorporates both skills labs (X sessions) and assignments (A sessions). At the end of each semester, marks for these are summed, and then spread across the relevant modules.

Referral is not required, as marks from assessments go towards other modules (which have their own referal policies)

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Labs (X, T, C, P, M)-%
Design Exercises (D)-%
Assignments (A)-%

Referral Method: See notes below

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

ELEC1028 TT Personal Tutorial

Module Overview

This is an opportunity to meet with your personal tutor once a week, to discuss any matters relating to your studies.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

ActivityDescriptionHours
Tutorial12

Assessment

Assessment methods

You are expected to attend all scheduled meetings with your tutor.

MethodHoursPercentage contribution

Referral Method: See notes below

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

COMP6230 Implementing Cyber Security

Module Overview

The module complements the Foundations of Cyber Security module for Cyber Security MSc students by providing a practical grounding in the implementation of cyber security practices, including both methodology and technical applications. The module is also offered to select other MSc programmes.

The aims at a high level are to:

  • Investigate security issues around web-based and database systems;
  • Introduce core technical security theory and concepts;
  • Review a variety of security frameworks, standards and best practices, and understand how to apply these to exemplar scenarios;
  • Implications of passive monitoring for communication software systems
  • Provide examples of posture assessment, network penetration testing and exploring system vulnerabilities;

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • Cyber security frameworks, standards and best practices, and how to apply these within an organisation;
  • The core technical elements of security systems;
  • The current trends in cyber security; threats, their importance, and why they are hard to face
  • Managing security incidents, including digital forensic principles

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Recognise and discuss examples of cyber security vulnerabilities

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Communicate effectively on a broad range of issues with security professionals

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Perform a security assessment for an organisation as part of a team
  • Use examples of security penetration testing tools

Syllabus

The syllabus includes the following topics:

  • Frameworks for implementing cyber security;
  • Cyber security standards, and best practices;
  • Implementation of secure cryptography (ciphers, hashing, digital signatures, PKI)
  • Implementation of authentication (passwords and access control)
  • Managing cyber security threats and their impact;
  • Posture assessment;
  • penetration testing;
  • Web-based systems; OWASP;
  • vulnerabilities and exploitation;
  • Security of database applications;
  • injection attacks, cross-site scripting;
  • Network security;
  • Network security monitoring (NSM) systems;
  • Case study: the Domain Name System;
  • Introduction to Malware detection and analysis;
  • Denial of service attacks, detection and mitigation;
  • Implications of pervasive passive monitoring for communicating systems
  • Incident management;
  • Principles of digital forensics;
  • Disaster recovery procedures;
  • Trust-based systems;
  • Trusted systems and the Trusted Computing initiative
  • Case study: eCash; Bitcoin;
  • Case study: Mobile platform;

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

  • Lecture - 36 hours per semester
  • Seminar - 8 hours per semester
ActivityDescriptionHours
LectureRegular lectures36
TutorialTutorials to support material and coursework8
SeminarGuest seminars by relevant experts4

Assessment

Assessment methods

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Individual hands-on security exercise; exploring vulnerabilities in specific systems, including web-based and/or database systems-20%
Group security assessment exercise-30%
Exam2 hours50%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

COMP6224 Foundations of Cyber Security

Module Overview

This compulsory module aims to give an overview of cyber security. The module will equip students with a clear view of the current cyber security landscape considering not only technical measures and defences, but also the other subject areas that apply, including legal, management, crime, risk, social and human factors.

Lectures will be given by staff from the University's Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security with invited expert speakers from industry.

Case studies are used to reinforce the concepts being introduced.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • The importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to cyber security
  • The cyber threat landscape, both in terms of recent emergent issues and those issues which recur over time
  • The roles and influences of governments, commercial and other organisations, citizens and criminals in cyber security affairs
  • General principles and strategies that can be applied to systems to make them more robust to attack
  • Key factors in cyber security from different disciplinary views including computer science, management, law, criminology, and social sciences.
  • Issues surrounding privacy, anonymity and pervasive passive monitoring

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Analyse case studies, to reinforce the different disciplinary perspectives of cyber security

Syllabus

The syllabus includes the following topics:

  • The cyber security threat landscape; history and evolution;
  • Security surfaces; intelligence, case studies, trend analysis;
  • Actors in cyber security; governments, organisations, citizens, criminals;
  • The multidisciplinary nature of cyber security;
  • ISPs as intermediaries; DPI;
  • Principles of secure communications; digital signatures, PKI, encryption, hashing.
  • Cryptography; crypto-primitives and ciphers;
  • Introduction to biometrics;
  • Privacy and anonymity protocols;
  • Crowds, onion routing, ToR;
  • Data management - anonymisation and de-anonymisation;
  • Access control; authentication techniques;
  • Passwords and password analysis; 
  • Social engineering; phishing; 
  • Security assurance and evaluation; 
  • Offensive cyber-attacks; cyber war; hacktivism;
  • Advanced Persistent Threats;
  • Critical infrastructures;
  • Security aspects of social networks, the web science perspective;
  • Management of cyber risks;
  • Multilevel security; security policies;
  • Security economics; investment, cost of breach;
  • Cyber law, regulating the online environment;
  • Computer access offences, data protection law;

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

  • Lecture - 36 hours per semester
  • Seminar - 8 hours per semester
ActivityDescriptionHours
LectureModule lectures24
SeminarGuest seminars by expert speakers.8
TutorialTutorials to support coursework and lecture material4

Assessment

Assessment methods

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Coursework related to the foundations of Cyber security -30%
Exam120 mins hours70%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

COMP3217 Secure Systems

Module Overview

The aim of this module is to equip students with the necessary skills and experience to understand, and attempt to counter, the principal threats to data and electronic system security.

It is compulsory for students wishing to obtain a GCHQ accredited MSc in Cybersecurity.

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • the range of electronic and software systems which present potential security hazards

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • understand and recognise instances of the principal attacks on such systems

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • take straightforward measures to protect systems from security breaches

Syllabus

  • Background: types of attack and attacker, range of systems
  • Software systems and vulnerabilities
    • Software Vulnerabilities : Buffer overflow
    • Reverse engineering of suspicious codes
    • OS vulnerabilities: patch management, rootkits and viruses
    • Software systems
    • Penetration testing
  • Hardware systems and vulnerabilities
    • Side channel attacks: power analysis and resistant designs
    • Wireless ID: ISO14443, Mifare, E-Passports and related near-field communications systems
    • Card security, EMV payment systems, GSM and SIM cards
    • Physical security: chip and pin machines, secure modules
    • Wired and WiFi network security
    • Examples of weak cryptosystems: GSM, WEP
  • Mixed hardware and software systems (restructured)
    • Infrastructure attacks: smart grids, the Italian Job, cyber-warfare

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

This is an unusually intensive module.

There are thirty-six lectures and a further four four-hour laboratories, making for a total of 52 contact hours.

Further reading and code practice outside the lectures and laboratories will be essential.

ActivityDescriptionHours
LectureLecturing will be split between teaching team36
Specialist LabOrganised as 4 four-hour sessions.16

Assessment

Assessment methods

Students will have the opportunity to repeat failed (<50%) or missed laboratories on their own during the semester.

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Buffer Overflow Exploitation -25%
Reverse Engineering of Code-25%
Advanced Penetration Testing and System Infiltration-25%
Tor and Tails. -25%

Referral Method: See notes below

A referral will consist of a special one-day laboratory with different morning and afternoon exercises conducted alone.

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

COMP3215 Real-Time Computing and Embedded Systems

Module Overview

This module gives a broad introduction to development of real-time and embedded systems.

Aims

We will study the tools and techniques necessary for the development of real-time and embedded systems. These will include:

  • System architecture,
  • low-level programming,
  • high-level languages,
  • design methodologies, and
  • verification

Aims & Objectives

Aims

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • The requirements placed on real-time systems
  • The design space in which real-time system designers operate

Subject Specific Intellectual

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Select an appropriate architecture to meet a real-time requirement
  • Select an appropriate operating system and program design

Transferable and Generic

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Use graduate-level literature to expand your understanding of real-time and embedded systems

Subject Specific Practical

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:

  • Implement the design of a real-time system
  • Verify at least some of the functionality of a real-time system

Syllabus

  • Issues and concepts
    • Definition of real-time
    • Temporal and event determinism
    • Architecture review and interfacing
    • Interrupts, traps and events
    • Response times and latency
    • Real-time clocks
  • Application domains
    • DSP
    • Safety critical
    • Small embedded
    • Large-scale distributed
  • Low-level programming for real-time
    • I/O
    • Concurrency: memory models and synchronisation primitives.
    • Monitors/condition variables
    • Semaphores
    • Optimistic scheduling
    • ARM and Intel assembly language, integration with C.
    • Architectural issues, memory models.
  • Scheduling
    • RMS
    • EDF
    • priority inversion
    • Time triggered
  • Operating systems
    • Protected modes, virtual memory.
    • Device drivers
    • Internet of things: examples including Contiki
    • FreeRTOS
  • Languages in embedded and real-time systems
    • C and C++
  • Correctness
    • Concurrency Issues
    • Process algebras
    • Model checkers, temporal logic
  • Embedded Systems
    • example systems/applications
    • hands-on experience with software development
    • Operating systems (eg ContikiOS, FreeRTOS, Android)

Learning & Teaching

Learning & teaching methods

ActivityDescriptionHours
Lecturelectures24
Tutorialpre-lab discussion and extra material as required3
Demonstration or Examples Sessionpre-lab or in-lab demonstration/discussion6
Specialist LabLaboratory practical sessions - self-paced learning. Weekly dedicated lab sessions. Assessed in the final lab session of that practical session.27

Assessment

Assessment methods

MethodHoursPercentage contribution
Real-time and embedded laboratories, three assessments-30%
Exam2 hours70%

Referral Method: By examination

Share this module FacebookTwitterWeibo

Pages