Project description
Accuracy verification for numerical programs
Rigorous verification ensures that a program behaves as expected for all valid inputs. Verifying numerical programs that use finite-precision numbers is particularly challenging due to rounding errors. The ERC-funded HORNET project aims to make rigorous numerical verification widely applicable by rethinking automated verification and debugging techniques for numerical programs. It proposes a novel approach for accuracy verification based on deductive relational reasoning, which will effectively bind the difference between specified and computed program results. The approach will be modular, automated and integrated with verification of non-accuracy properties, thus also allowing for safe program optimisations. HORNET will also develop complementary techniques to assist developers in debugging unsuccessful verification attempts.
Objective
My goal is to make rigorous numerical verification widely applicable and practically usable. Rigorous verification proves at compile-time that a program computes for all valid inputs what it is expected to. It is especially important for numerical programs, which are widely used across application domains and are often safety-critical. However, automated verification of numerical programs over finite-precision (e.g. floating-point) numbers is currently limited. Finite precision introduces rounding errors w.r.t. an ideal, real-valued specification and poses unique challenges for verification of program accuracy and other kinds of desirable properties. As a result, verification of non-trivial numerical programs today requires extensive expert knowledge and mostly manual proofs. Additionally, when verification fails, e.g. because a program is buggy, developers have little debugging help available.
I will rethink automated verification and debugging techniques for numerical programs from the ground up with accuracy as a core property. I propose a novel approach for accuracy verification based on deductive relational reasoning that will be able to effectively bound the difference between the specified (real-valued) and actually computed (finite-precision) program results. My verification approach will be modular, automated, integrate with verification of non-accuracy properties and allow safe program optimizations for real-world programs. To further ensure the practical usability of the verifier, I will develop complementary techniques that will help developers to debug unsuccessful verification attempts, by helping to fix specifications, localize faults in the program and communicate effectively with the verifier.
I will build on my comprehensive expertise with automated rigorous accuracy analysis and optimization of finite-precision arithmetic, and my recent efforts in deductive verification of floating-point runtime errors and numerical specification inference.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.