Open Kernel Labs

Open Kernel Labs are working on the next- generation micro-kernel that's already powering ten million new mobile phones per month, and their main source of talent is here at UNSW COMPUTING.

"These days, a modern smart phone runs a complete operating system such as Linux or Windows, " says OK Labs CTO and UNSW Professor of Operating Systems Gernot Heiser, "it's a PC in the shape of a mobile phone."

The complexity of mobile phones present some unique efficiency and security requirements. "Mobile phones get hijacked, you could turn the thing into a jammer, and Bluetooth viruses mean you can cause distributed denial of service attacks," says Gernot.

Indeed, high profile mobile phone hacking is only becoming more prevalent as phones increase in complexity. So what is Gernot and his team's solution?

"Formal verification. Finally, you will have an operating system you can rely on, prove it has certain properties," he says. This includes guarantees that critical parts of the system are isolated under all circumstances, including a mathematical proof that the kernel code is free of bugs.

"This is something that's going to completely change the world", adds Gernot. Leading wireless chipset maker Qualcomm has already taken notice, including OK Labs' technology on their latest chips that have been shipping since 2006 in mobile phones from Toshiba, HTC, LG and others.

Gernot built his team through his Advanced Operating Systems course and moved the research from UNSW to NICTA - a government funded research institute. "At one stage I had 14 PhD students, all of whom have come through the Advanced OS course", he says. "They called it Gernot's PhD trap. We've also had some really smart second years involved. For the students, it's some of the coolest stuff you can think of."

Professor Gernot Heiser, Chief Technology Officer and Founder of Open Kernel Labs, never thought he would be in the business world. However, this die-hard academic couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the commercialization of this research. Despite his busy schedule, he remains at UNSW as well as at NICTA.