Implementing multi-sensor systems in a functional language

We discuss a methodology for configuring systems of sensors using a functional language. To date no such general methodology exists, and existing multi-sensor systems have been hand-crafted around a particular application. Our main point is that the use of abstraction and of functional language features leads to a natural and simple approach to this problem. Our work exploits features of a particular functional programming environment, Function Equation Language (FEL) running on the REDIFLOW simulator, to develop a simple fault-tolerance scheme that avoids complicated issues of state restoration and switching protocols, and to develop implementations of multi-sensor systems that are very close to the abstract system specification and are hence manifestly correct.