Extending a Functional Programming System for Embedded Applications

Functional languages do not usually mesh well with embedded applications because of the need for special I/O device-handling. By introducing a process model to a language, however, it becomes possible to express register-level device operations and interrupts in a modular manner. This paper describes such a model, its implementation by extension to the Gofer programming system, and examples of its use. Performance results indicate that even this prototype interpretive system is adequate for small applications. The major gain of using a functional language is the ease with which abstraction can be layered over low-level detail, improving both the readability of code and its tractability.