Building Resource Adaptive Software Systems (BRASS): Objectives and System Evaluation
This tackles the problem of costly and frustrating software updates, particularly for critical systems like those in the U.S. military, though it is an incremental step as it focuses on foundational research rather than a deployed solution.
The paper addresses the challenge of software obsolescence by proposing a research project to develop software systems that can dynamically adapt to changes in resources and environments, aiming for functionality over 100 years, with MIT Lincoln Laboratory providing evaluation support.
As modern software systems continue inexorably to increase in complexity and capability, users have become accustomed to periodic cycles of updating and upgrading to avoid obsolescence -- if at some cost in terms of frustration. In the case of the U.S. military, having access to well-functioning software systems and underlying content is critical to national security, but updates are no less problematic than among civilian users and often demand considerable time and expense. To address these challenges, DARPA has announced a new four-year research project to investigate the fundamental computational and algorithmic requirements necessary for software systems and data to remain robust and functional in excess of 100 years. The Building Resource Adaptive Software Systems, or BRASS, program seeks to realize foundational advances in the design and implementation of long-lived software systems that can dynamically adapt to changes in the resources they depend upon and environments in which they operate. MIT Lincoln Laboratory will provide the test framework and evaluation of proposed software tools in support of this revolutionary vision.