Hardware/software test and validation system

Abstract

The MDP is an essential module for students in the College of Computing and Data Science emphasizing collaboration between teams managing various components to build a functional robot car. The utilization of diverse sensors and hardware components particularly the STM32, plays a critical role in the project. However, challenges often arise in testing and validating the functionality of these components, hindering students' progress and resulting in inefficiencies during the development of the robot car. Currently, no standardized system exists to address the unique challenges of the MDP. This forces students to write separate code to test individual hardware components of the robot, leading to wasted time and effort. To address this, the objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive Hardware/Software Test and Validation System tailored for MDP students. A desktop app named MDPHelper was developed to assist students in testing and validating their embedded systems. The app provides tools for hardware testing, communication with STM32, flashing custom firmware to the STM32, and visualizing real-time data from connected hardware components. The system was developed using .NET MAUI for the frontend, with a .NET Core and MongoDB backend to manage firmware files and app updates. This solution simplifies the testing and validation process, enabling students to focus on the design and integration aspects of their projects while improving overall efficiency and collaboration.