The Institute of Informatics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (II SAS) was established in 1999 by gradual transformation from the Laboratory of Mechanics and Automation (1956), from the Institute of Technical Cybernetics (1966) and from the Institute of Computer Systems (1991). The aim of the II SAS is in research and scientific work in computer science and information technologies oriented into two directions: Parallel and distributed information processing, and Design of information system elements and their technological implementation. Research and scientific work in these spheres is aimed at the design of theoretical models, methods, algorithms, simulations, program tools, architectures, performance analyses, diagnostics and testing, as well as at measurement, analysis of parameters and properties of microelectronics structures and pattern transfer by sub-micrometer electron beam lithography. To handle these tasks, the Institute applies its laboratories that are the only workplace of this type in Slovakia. The Institute has the following departments:
The Institute is taking part in numerous international projects
(e.g. PECO, COPERNICUS, ESPRIT), in other bilateral co-operations
and it is a member of EUROPRACTICE. The Institute is the co-editor
of the journal Computers and Informatics.
Activities of the Department of Design and Diagnostics of Digital
Structures are split into two parts: Research in the field of
diagnostics of digital structures, and Application in the field
of design and test of digital structures. The research objectives
include methods and algorithms for test pattern generation; Built-in
and scan test design techniques for digital systems. The scientific
goals are oriented towards fault modelling, fault simulation and
test pattern generation on different levels of abstraction. The
main scientific results are algorithms and techniques for Automatic
Test Pattern Generation (ATPG) on gate, register-transfer and
functional levels. The implemented algorithms have been verified
on benchmark circuits. Research activities are supported by the
Slovak Grant Agency through national projects and by international
projects based on the PECO and COPERNICUS programmes since 1993:
VEGA 2/3041: Advanced Test Pattern Generation Algorithms for Diagnosis
of Digital Structures, Grant of the Slovak Grant Agency, 1996-1998
VEGA 6091/99: Behavioral and Real Defects Oriented Test Generation
for Digital Circuits and Systems, 1999-2001
PECO 7668-EEMCN: East European Microelectronics Co-operation Network
of Support and Competence Centers of Central Eastern European
Countries, 1993-1996
COPERNICUS CP93 9624 - FUTEG: Functional Test Generation and Diagnosis,
1994-1997
ESPRIT 6575 ATSEC: Advanced Test Generation and Testable Design
Methodology for Sequential Circuits, 1994-1995
COPERNICUS CP94 0391 - UBISTA: Unified Built in Self Test Approach
for Full Defect Testing in Mixed Signal Devices, 1995-1998
INCO COPERNICUS CP97 7133 - VILAB: Microelectronics Virtual Laboratory
for Co-operating in Research and Knowledge Transfer, 1998-2001.
The other part of the department activities is oriented towards
design and test of in-house FPGAs and ASICs digital circuits and
board design. There are two laboratories for design and testing
of digital circuits and systems. The Department has a close co-operation
with the Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava (Department
of Microelectronics and Department of Computer Science and Engineering)
via joint research projects and two courses: Diagnostics and Reliability
of Digital Systems and Testing of Digital Systems. The Department
co-operates with INFOTRANS, Ltd., Bratislava and INFOSEC, Ltd.,
Bratislava, Slovakia. International co-operation is based on common
European projects (FhG-IIS/EAS Dresden, DLR Cologne, TU Darmstadt,
Germany, KHBO-IMEC Oostende, Belgium, Electronic Competence Centre
and TU Tallinn, Estonia, TU Prague, TU and CEDO Brno, Czech Republic,
TU Budapest, Hungary, WTU and IET Warsaw, STU Gliwice, Poland,
TU Linkoeping, Sweden). The Department organised two international
workshops ­ 3rd Design and Diagnostics of Electronic Circuits
and Systems (DDECS) in year 2000, 2nd Design Methodologies for
Microelectronics (DMM) in year 1995 and 2nd VILAB USER FORUM ­
Advanced Electronic Circuits and Systems and several Copernicus
meetings.
Key persons to be involved in the project:
Elena Gramatová
Dr. Elena Gramatová was born in Bratislava, Slovakia,
on June 21, 1948. In1971 she received the Diploma degree in mathematics
from the Comenius University in Bratislava. She got the Candidate
degree of technical sciences (PhD) in Technical Cybernetics in
1984 from the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava. In years
1971-1982 she worked as a researcher at the Institute of technical
cybernetics in the system diagnostics area. From 1984 she is head
of the Department of design and diagnostics of digital structures
at the Institute of Informatics. She took part in several COPERNICUS,
PECO and ESPRIT projects as the key person. She is a lecturer
at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and a supervisor
in PhD studies. She has also served as a member of the programme
committees of several European conferences. Her publication activity
is oriented to diagnostics of digital circuits and systems.