DEBT2026 Talk
Multi-Mode Debugging for FRP-Based Embedded Systems
Yugo Otani, Sosuke Moriguchi & Takuo Watanabe
4th ACM International Workshop on Future Debugging Techniques (DEBT ’26),
Brussels, Jun., 29, 2026.
Abstract
Emfrp is a functional reactive programming (FRP) language designed for small-scale embedded systems. Time-varying values are the primary abstraction mechanism in FRP and enable concise descriptions of reactive behavior. In practice, however, Emfrp programs are compiled into C and combined with platform-dependent input/output components written in C or C++. Consequently, developers must debug the resulting mixed C/C++ program using conventional debuggers such as GDB, even though the application logic is written in Emfrp. This situation creates an abstraction gap between the source-level FRP program and the executable system.
This paper presents a multi-mode debugging framework for Emfrp-based embedded applications. The framework supports debugging at the level of Emfrp abstractions while also allowing inspection of platform-specific C/C++ I/O code. Our approach uses a source code mapping technique that relates Emfrp constructs to corresponding locations in the compiled program. A case study on an ESP32 microcontroller using representative debugging scenarios demonstrates improved debugging efficiency.
Publication
Yugo Otani, Sosuke Moriguchi, & Takuo Watanabe,
Multi-Mode Debugging for FRP-Based Embedded Systems,
In ECOOP-Companion (ECOOP-C ’26), 8 pages, ACM, Jun., 2026 (to appear).
DOI: 10.1145/3849733.3849776