LabMate: a prospectus for types for MATLAB

Conor McBride; Georgi Nakov; Fredrik Nordvall Forsberg; Andre Videla; Alistair Forbes; Keith Lines

doi:10.1016/j.measen.2024.101460

LabMate: a prospectus for types for MATLAB

Conor McBride, Georgi Nakov^*, Fredrik Nordvall Forsberg, Andre Videla, Alistair Forbes , Keith Lines

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

Many computations in science and engineering are implemented in the programming language MATLAB. However the high-level meaning of such MATLAB programs stays informal, which can lead to implementation errors and bugs, for example relating to incompatible units of measure for quantities, or incompatible sizes of matrices at runtime. We are in the process of developing LabMate, which is a tool for reifying current informal programmer practices into a language of formal comments. These comments are ignored by MATLAB, but acted on and checked by LabMate. We outline the design principles behind LabMate, our current progress, and our future plans.

Original language	English
Article number	101460
Journal	Measurement: Sensors
Early online date	25 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measen.2024.101460
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 25 Jan 2025

Funding

This work was undertaken jointly by the Mathematically Structured Programming Group of the University of Strathclyde and the National Physical Laboratory's Data Science department as part of Data Science's Tools for Trustworthiness National Measurement System (NMS) project 2023–2024.

Keywords

MATLAB
Software correctness
Dimensional consistency
Type theory

Access to Document

10.1016/j.measen.2024.101460

Embargoed Document

npl_labmate_imeko2024
Accepted author manuscript, 246 KB
Embargo ends: 1/01/99

Trusted Systems
Ghani, N. (Principal Investigator), McBride, C. (Co-investigator) & Nordvall Forsberg, F. (Co-investigator)
National Physical Laboratory NPL
1/10/19 → 30/09/24
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "LabMate: a prospectus for types for MATLAB",

abstract = "Many computations in science and engineering are implemented in the programming language MATLAB. However the high-level meaning of such MATLAB programs stays informal, which can lead to implementation errors and bugs, for example relating to incompatible units of measure for quantities, or incompatible sizes of matrices at runtime. We are in the process of developing LabMate, which is a tool for reifying current informal programmer practices into a language of formal comments. These comments are ignored by MATLAB, but acted on and checked by LabMate. We outline the design principles behind LabMate, our current progress, and our future plans.",

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AU - Nordvall Forsberg, Fredrik

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AU - Forbes , Alistair

AU - Lines, Keith

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N2 - Many computations in science and engineering are implemented in the programming language MATLAB. However the high-level meaning of such MATLAB programs stays informal, which can lead to implementation errors and bugs, for example relating to incompatible units of measure for quantities, or incompatible sizes of matrices at runtime. We are in the process of developing LabMate, which is a tool for reifying current informal programmer practices into a language of formal comments. These comments are ignored by MATLAB, but acted on and checked by LabMate. We outline the design principles behind LabMate, our current progress, and our future plans.

AB - Many computations in science and engineering are implemented in the programming language MATLAB. However the high-level meaning of such MATLAB programs stays informal, which can lead to implementation errors and bugs, for example relating to incompatible units of measure for quantities, or incompatible sizes of matrices at runtime. We are in the process of developing LabMate, which is a tool for reifying current informal programmer practices into a language of formal comments. These comments are ignored by MATLAB, but acted on and checked by LabMate. We outline the design principles behind LabMate, our current progress, and our future plans.

KW - MATLAB

KW - Software correctness

KW - Dimensional consistency

KW - Type theory

U2 - 10.1016/j.measen.2024.101460

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M3 - Conference article

SN - 2665-9174

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M1 - 101460

ER -

LabMate: a prospectus for types for MATLAB

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

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Trusted Systems

Cite this