Below is a list of both commercial and research Real-Time Operating
Systems (RTOS) which are being used around the world for implementing
robotic systems. Only the names and addresses of the distributors are
included. Since the available features of each are constantly
changing, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are greatly a
matter of opinion and target application, no such descriptions are
given.
[14.1] Commerical RTOS
Chimera and Onika
Chimera is a next generation multiprocessor real-time operating system
(RTOS) designed especially to support the development of dynamically
reconfigurable software for robotic and automation systems. Chimera is
being used by several institutions outside of Carnegie Mellon, including
university, government, and industrial research labs.
Chimera provides most of the features available in commercial real-time
operating systems, plus advanced support for the rapid deployment of
reconfigurable sensor-based control systems based on reconfigurable
and reusable software modules.
- advanced support for the creation of applications based on
reconfigurable and reusable real-time software modules
- supports multiple general purpose CPUs in a VMEbus backplane
- static and dynamic scheduling
- default scheduler may be replaced with custom code
- global error handling and detection
- full-featured standard libraries (stdio, strings, math, time)
- additional libraries useful for creating reconfigurable software
(command-interpreter framework, configuration file reading
utility, matrix functions)
- rich set of multiprocessor communication and synchronization
primitives (shared memory, semaphores, message queues)
- high-performance local (uniprocessor) semaphores
- fully integrated host workstation environment
- standard GNU development tools
- support for special purpose processors (i.e. DSPs, FPPs)
- flexible interface for I/O device access
Chimera currently runs on MC68020, MC68030 and MC68040 VMEbus single-
board computers (currently, the only models supported are the Ironics
IV-3220, Ironics IV-3230 and the Ironics IV-3207). The '020 and '030
boards all require the MC68881/2 floating-point coprocessor.
Chimera itself is not available for anonymous FTP as it has
become a commercial product marketed by Pittsburgh-based K2T Inc.
(pronounced K-squared-T). Onika is tightly bound to advanced features
in Chimera and hence is not currently suited for use on other
platforms. However, users of Chimera do receive a free copy of
Onika.
Obtaining Chimera and Onika
A selection of sample Chimera applications and reconfigurable modules will
be made available in a public FTP site to help new users get started. The
applications and modules will be available in both source and binary forms.
The one condition of this free release is that any module or application
that an institution develops under Chimera must be placed on a public
FTP site for use by other research institutions.
Chimera will be licensed on a per-installation basis, and will be released
free only to qualified institutions (i.e. universities or research labs).
Commercial ventures are welcome to contact CMU and arrange appropriate
licensing of this technology.
Chimera will be made available primarily by FTP. For institutions which
lack Internet access, the software may be supplied on tape. If requested
on tape, a small fee will be charged to cover CMU's media and handling
costs.
For More Information
For info on Chimera, you may browse Chimera's WWW page at:
chimera.html
Or you may obtain a text document with the same information by:
finger chimera@cs.cmu.edu
For more information on Onika, please consult Onika's WWW page at:
Onika.html
For information on obtaining Chimera and Onika for your university or
research lab, please send email to
chimera@cs.cmu.edu.
Technical questions about the internals of Chimera and Onika may be mailed
to chimera@cs.cmu.edu.
If you are interested in purchasing Chimera, please contact Eric
Hoffman of K2T Inc. directly:
Eric Hoffman, Chief Engineer
K2T Inc.
Suite 205, One Library Place
Duquesne, PA 15110
tel: 412.469.3150
fax: 412.469.8120
ControlShell
Real-Time Innovations, Inc.
954 Aster, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
tel: 408.720.8312
fax: 408.720.8419
contact: Stan Schneider
email: stan@rti.com
ControlShell is an Object-Oriented Framework for Real-Time System
Software
- Complete object-oriented real-time software environment.
- Graphically build your system from reusable components.
- Readily include powerful rule-based event responses.
- Easily share data between networked processors.
ControlShell is a next-generation CASE environment for real-time system
software development. ControlShell's modular, component-based structure,
powerful graphical tools, and integrated data management provide a unique
approach to real-time software development.
With ControlShell, you can:
- Build your system from reusable components with the graphical
Data-Flow Editor. Select and connect your components, set parameters,
and build your run-time system with a few mouse clicks.
- Add new components with the graphical Component Editor. Automatically
generate C++ source code to interface your new component to the system.
- Create structured strategic programs with the graphical State-Machine
Editor. Combine rule-based transition conditions, true callable sub-chain
hierarchies, task synchronization and event management.
- Manage complex system mode changes with the graphical execution
Configuration Manager.
- Perform real-time mathematics with the complete real-time matrix package.
- Take advantage of an ever-expanding library of generic and reusable
components, including controllers, estimators, filters, signal generators,
trajectory generators, and more.
iRMX III
Runs on Intel 80X86-based computers.
Intel Corporation
3065 Bowers Avenue
Santa Clara, California 95051
tel (408) 987-8080
LynxOS
Runs on wide variety of platforms, including Motorola, Intel, Sun, and
Hewlett Packard.
Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc
16780 Lark
Los Gatos, CA 95030
tel (408) 354-7770
fax (408) 354-7085
OS-9
Runs on Motorola MC680X0-based single board computers.
Microware System Corporation
1900 N.W. 114th St.
Des Moines, Iowa 50322
tel (515) 224-1929
pSOS+
Runs on a variety of Motorola 680X0 and 88100, and Intel 80386
computers. Requires a host workstation or personal computer if
pASSPORT+ real-time programming environment is to be used.
Software Components Group, Inc.
1731 Technology Drive
San Jose, CA 95110
tel (408) 437-0700
fax (408) 437-0711
E-VENIX and VENIX
VenturCom Inc
215 First St.
Cambridge, MA. 02142
tel: 617.661.1230
net: info@vci.com
- Product runs on ix86 platforms and PC/104 systems.
- Product is real UNIX, SVR3.2 and SVR4.2.
- Workstation version requires ~4MB, 120MB, 80{3|4}86 processor.
- Embedded version requirements vary depending on features used.
- Embedded product allows for completely ROMed UNIX systems,
from read-only root to stand alone applications.
VRTX
Runs on a wide variety of processors, including Motorola 680X0, Intel
80X86 and 80960, National Semiconductor series 3200.
Microtec
2350 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95054
tel: 408.980.1300
tel: 800.950.5554
fax: 408.982.8266
net: info@mri.com
url: http://www.mri.com
VxWorks
Runs on a wide variety of MC680X0 and SPARC-based single board
computers. Requires a workstation for program developments. Widely
used in Unix environments for realtime work.
Wind River Systems Inc.
1000 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
tel: 510.748.4100 or 800.545.WIND (9463)
fax: 510.814.2010
net: inquiries@wrs.com
Tools related to VxWorks:
Real-Time Innovations, Inc.
954 Aster, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
tel: 408.720.8312
fax: 408.720.8419
contact: Stan Schneider
net: stan@rti.com
- Product name:
- StethoScope
- Overview:
- Real-time networked graphical monitoring and data acquisition.
- Category:
- Software, Development tools
- Highlights:
- Real-time data collection and display.
- Monitor any program variables.
- Export data to MATLAB and MatrixX.
- Friendly multi-window environment.
- Gain insight into what's happening in your system.
StethoScope is a real-time graphical monitoring, performance analysis,
and data collection tool for VxWorks. Use it to watch any of your
program variables evolve in real time; any value in memory can be
monitored. StethoScope opens a window into your application; it shows
you what's really happening.
- Product name:
- ScopeProfile
- Overview:
- Real-time dynamic execution profiler.
- Category:
- Software, Development tools
- Highlights:
- Detailed procedure-by-procedure analysis of CPU usage.
- Tree or flat structure model.
- Quickly spot performance bottlenecks.
- Minimally intrusive. Run your code at full execution speed.
- No special compilation. Analyze already running code.
ScopeProfile is a dynamic execution profiler for VxWorks.
It shows you exactly where you're spending your CPU cycles.
- Product name:
- RTILib
- Overview:
- VxWorks tool and utility package.
- Category:
- Software, Development tools
- Highlights:
- Memory integrity and leak testing
- Re-entrant shell program
- Execution tracing utility
- Fast buffer management
RTILib is a collection of focused utilities and debugging tools.
QNX
Distributed, POSIX, real-time microkernel for Intel x86
processors. Supports fault tolerance and also hosts MS-Windows in
Standard mode.
QNX Software Systems
175 Terrence Matthews Cr.
Kanata, Ontario K2M 1W8, Canada
tel: 613.591.0931 x111
fax: 613.591.3579
QNX Software Systems
Westendstr.19 6000 Frankfurt, Germany
tel: 49 69 97546156 x299
fax: 49 69 97546110
Two QNX papers are available via anonymous FTP:
[14.2] Research RTOS
Harmony
Runs on MC680X0-based single board computers. reference: NRCC Tech Report No. 30081
In Canada:
Division of Electrical Engineering
National Research Council of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0R6
REXIS
REXIS (Real-time EXecutive for Intelligent Systems) is a small
multi-tasking preemptive real-time executive for implementing control
programs for intelligent systems such as robotics and distributed
networks. It provides functions for managing tasks, memory allocation,
message ports, timers, and event processing.
It is distributed as shareware at a low cost to
hobbyists / students. The current requirements for compiling
and running REXIS is an ANSI C HC11 cross compiler and a HC11
target with at least 24K of RAM. Other targets are under
consideration. For more information, please contact:
Richard Man
P.O. Box 6
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
tel: 508.452.5203
net: imagecft@world.std.com or man@labrea.zko.dec.com
Robot Control C Library (RCCL)
A robot programming environment embedded in C/UNIX. A graphics
simulator is provided which supports the PUMA, Stanford, and `Elbow'
manipulators. The system can be compiled on SGIs (so the Indigo should
be fine), and the graphics runs under either X or GL. You can get the
system from RCIM for a small fee to cover copying and shipping. If you
are interested send mail to:
John Lloyd
Research Center for Intelligent Machines
McGill University, Montreal
net: lloyd@curly.mcrcim.mcgill.edu
tel: 514.398.8281
fax: 514.398.7348
Last-Modified: Mon Aug 19 02:57:23 1996
Kevin Dowling <nivek@cmu.edu>