article published Junjie Shi author Kuan-Hsun Chen author <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Reinforcement Learning (RL) has emerged as a promising tool for decision-making in various applications, particularly in uncertain environments. While its adoption in embedded systems—especially hard real-time systems—faces challenges due to stringent timing constraints, integrating shielding mechanisms may offer a pathway for RL to optimize its scheduling decisions, preserving worst-case timing guarantees. This position paper shows a use case where RL selects compliant execution versions for fault-tolerant real-time systems while minimizing the system utilization in runtime. Furthermore, we discuss possible directions for further exploring RL’s role in real-time systems for improved adaptability.</jats:p> Springer Science and Business Media LLC2025 eng 0922-6443 1573-138310.1007/s11241-025-09441-z 612306-310 Shi, J., &#38; Chen, K.-H. (2025). Shielded reinforcement learning for fault-tolerant scheduling in real-time systems. <i>Real-Time Systems</i>, <i>61</i>(2), 306–310. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a> J. Shi and K.-H. Chen, “Shielded reinforcement learning for fault-tolerant scheduling in real-time systems,” <i>Real-Time Systems</i>, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 306–310, 2025, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a>. J. Shi, K.-H. Chen, Real-Time Systems 61 (2025) 306–310. Shi, Junjie, and Kuan-Hsun Chen. “Shielded Reinforcement Learning for Fault-Tolerant Scheduling in Real-Time Systems.” <i>Real-Time Systems</i> 61, no. 2 (2025): 306–10. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a>. Shi, Junjie, and Kuan-Hsun Chen. “Shielded Reinforcement Learning for Fault-Tolerant Scheduling in Real-Time Systems.” <i>Real-Time Systems</i>, vol. 61, no. 2, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2025, pp. 306–10, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a>. Shi J, Chen K-H. Shielded reinforcement learning for fault-tolerant scheduling in real-time systems. <i>Real-Time Systems</i>. 2025;61(2):306-310. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a> @article{Shi_Chen_2025, title={Shielded reinforcement learning for fault-tolerant scheduling in real-time systems}, volume={61}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z">10.1007/s11241-025-09441-z</a>}, number={2}, journal={Real-Time Systems}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Shi, Junjie and Chen, Kuan-Hsun}, year={2025}, pages={306–310} } 661472026-07-03T21:07:18Z2026-07-05T14:48:45Z