At ReFLEX Lab, we focus on advancing real-time and embedded systems across topics like scheduling on many-core architectures, harnessing digital twins for performance gains, ensuring reliable timing in robotics and AI, verifying long-lived cyber-physical systems, and innovating hardware for real-time and IoT solutions. By blending theory and practice, we aim to push the boundaries of computing and deliver safer, more efficient technologies that can serve both industry and society.

Research Fellows

• Dr. Nan Chen (2023-2027), Adaptive Scheduling in Avionics (SCHEME project)
• Dr. Felix Ulrich-Oltean (2025-2027), Safety-Critical Digital Twin for Avionics (SCHEME project)

PhDs

• Dr. Zou Jie (2019-2023), Safety-Driven Timing-Predictable and Resource-Efficient Scheduling for Autonomous Systems, co-supervisor: Prof. FREng. John McDermid → Research Fellow, University of York

MSc students

• Zirui Yuan (2023), Simulation and Optimization of Routerless Networks-on-Chips
• Zhijian Wang (2021), Priority Assignment Algorithms in Multiprocessor Real-Time Systems with Shared Resources → Research Scientist, TESLA
• Zixun Yu (2021), Smart Intersection Control with Back-Pressure Algorithms (co-supervised)

UG students

• Chase Mo (2024/25), Traffic detection for deriving KPIs
• Dom Decicco (2024/25), Routerless Netwowk-on-Chip optimization
• James Sutton (2024/25), Multi-robot scheduling for warehouses
• Phoebe Russell (2024/25), Traffic control with back-pressure
• Aron Hogarth (2024/25), Gamification on High Education studying and learning of programming
• Riko Puusepp (2024/25), AR for accellerating learning of programming
• Dean Kenny (2020/21), Simulating and improving the scheduling in time-sensitive networks

Collaborators / Alumni

• Prof. Alan Burns, University of York, UK
• Prof. Iain Bate, University of York, UK
• Prof. John McDermid, University of York, UK
• Prof. Tim Kelly, University of York, UK
• Prof. Neil Audsley, University of York, UK
• Prof. Wanli Chang, Hunan University, China
• Prof. Zhe Jiang, Southeast University, China
• Dr. Pengcheng Liu, University of York, UK
• Dr. Shuai Zhao, Sun Yat-Sen University, China
• Dr. Benjamin Lesage, ONERA, France
• Dr. Seyed Amir Tafrishi, University of Cardiff, UK

Opportunities

for prospective PhD students:

Note that a PhD programme is a commitment of 3-4 years of hard work. You should have the expectation that this is a hard path to go, and not everyone can finish it. If you are (still) interested in applying for a PhD, please continue to read —

I am happy to supervise the following research directions with some example topics:

• (R.1) Scheduling and allocation of real-time systems
  • Novel scheduling and allocation methods for real-time systems
  • Interference and contention modelling and analysis on multi- and many-cores
  • Scheduling on complex architectures, including many-cores and CPU-GPU heterogeneous platforms
• (R.2) Digital Twins for real-time embedded systems
  • Dynamic modelling and verification of real-time systems
  • Use digital twins to improve scheduling and allocation of real-time systems
  • Fault and hazard identification using digital twins
• (R.3) Addressing timing problems in Robotics and AI
  • Timing assurance of robotic and autonomous systems using, for example, probabilistic models and formal methods
  • Multi-robot systems scheduling, management and coordination
  • Timing analysis of ROS 2 executors
• (R.4) Design and verification of Long-lived Cyber-Physical Systems
  • Using digital twin to develop and improve CPS
  • Formal verification of CPS
• (R.5) Hardware for real-time systems and internet-of-things
  • Efficient, safe, secure hardware for RTS and IoT applications.
  • Instruction set architecture (ISA) for real-time systems.

Please drop me an email (xiaotian.dai (at) york.ac.uk) if you want to discuss this further. I am happy to discuss immature ideas and would appreciate it if a more detailed proposal (details are here) could be provided to ease the discussion. The entry date for PhDs is normally in October, but other starting dates can be settled.

The department is offering a limited number of studentships, details can be found here. If you are from China, please find details on the China Scholarships Council Scholarship (CSC).

for PhD Student/Professor visitors:

Please check this page for more details on visiting our lab. Information on visa can be found here.

for UG/PG projects:

ReFLEX lab is open for supervising undergraduate/MSc projects related to cyber-physical systems, some examples are:

• Simulating and improving the scheduling in Time-Sensitive Networks
• Large-scale scheduling of Time-Sensitive Networks
• Traffic scheduling for smart transportation
• Discrete simulation of Routerless Network-on-Chips

For more details, please look at the departmental project lists. We also accept self-defined projects should that align with the lab research objectives.