Medical software runtime checking using Petri-nets & software agents

Abstract

Nowadays, a new generation of Health Information systems (HIS) called e-health is developing. Health-related equipment can be defined as electronic devices that are able to be implanted in the patient's body to help his health state. Insulin pump and pacemaker device are some instances of such equipment. Most of the patients who use these devices do not have much technical knowledge. Therefore, these devices must be self-configuring and self-managing. More significantly, they should be able to tolerate and remove errors. As these equipment are often sensitive and may affect the life of human beings, their software are called vital software programs. Even a small error in these vital software programs may endanger lives of human being. The runtime test of these software programs is necessary. This article aims at presenting a solution to verify the performance of these devices. Pacemaker device as a sample is studied. The proposed strategy suggests the application of reactive model-based software agents which play the role of an oracle in a software test. This agent's knowledgebase is obtained by Petri net drawn based on the proper state of device implementation. Petri net first turns into matrix thanks to linear algebra and then changes to rules which the agent uses to make decisions. Using its intelligence, the agent directs the error, if identified, to the safe mode. The safe mode is meant to be the patient's proper heart rate. Checking at runtime by use of the agent in addition to the assurance of accurate performance of device can make quick decision makings at crisis time possible for those devices related to human health.