Part of the research will involve developing a set of open-source tools based on the novel formal analysis techniques. Experience has shown that developers interested in multi-core programming are reluctant to adopt new languages and formalisms, and will only consider new techniques if they are easy and intuitive to use, and can be integrated into an existing development tool-chain.

To increase the potential for eventual adoption by industry, the new techniques developed during the Fellowship research will involve regular input and advice from Codeplay Software Ltd., a UK based company specialising in tools for multi-core programming, as Industrial Partner to the project.

Dr. Donaldson commented “I am very excited at this opportunity to build on the work that I’ve done with Codeplay over the last two years on multicore programming tools and I am looking forward to extending the body of knowledge in this area”.

Andrew Richards, CEO of Codeplay said “Alastair has played a major part in our product innovation and development process. I expect our links to academia to be strengthened by his move to Oxford and I look forward to with interest to the results of his research”.

About Codeplay Software

Codeplay is an innovative software technology company based in Edinburgh, UK. The company was formed in March 2002 and its first product was launched in July 2002. Codeplay’s mission, with its award winning Sieve C++ Multicore Programming Platform, is to make it easy for non-specialist programmers to exploit the power of multi-core processors, whether they are converting legacy code or writing original code.
Codeplay now employs 18 highly skilled engineers, supporting clients in the USA, Japan, Ireland and UK from its Edinburgh HQ.
Codeplay is a member of the Multicore Association and the KHRONOS Group
Further information about Codeplay is available on www.codeplay.com

About Sieve C++

Codeplay’s Sieve C++ Multi-core Programming Platform is a scalable programming system aimed at those who need to create C++ code for use on multi-core processors.
The Sieve System consists of a code profiler, a memory profiler, an extension to a C++ compiler, a multi-core linker, a runtime to schedule the processes and a debugger. Sieve incorporates features such as automatic function duplication, designed to automatically spread work across the different cores in heterogenous processor architectures.
The Codeplay Sieve C++ solution reduces programmer intervention to a minimum, and, for existing software, needs no changes to data structures. Sieve C++ is easy to use for programmers who have no prior experience of writing software for multi-core. By comparison, competitor products require significant changes to data structures and a complete re-write of existing software.
For programmers, Sieve brings the benefit of productivity improvement (compared to traditional means of programming for multi-processor systems) – as Sieve allows even inexperienced programmers to create code for use with multi-core processors.

About EPRSC

The EPSRC is the UK Government's leading funding agency for research and training in engineering and the physical sciences.
Full details of Dr. Donaldson’s research award can be seen at the EPSRC website: http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/ViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/G051100/1

Contact information

Mike Breewood, VP Sales & Marketing, Codeplay Software Limited, 45 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3HP.  Telephone: +44 (0) 131 466 0503

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Web: www.codeplay.com