A framework for developing real-time programs on embedded PC hardware
is presented. Programs consist of a number of real-time tasks and a
single non real-time task. Program development and testing is assisted by
the automatic collection of task execution times and frequencies during
system operation.
Tasks have access to device drivers for input/output and can
communicate with each other. Additionally, the non real-time task has
access to local disk storage and remote hosts via a network.
Flexible non real-time facilities, including an embedded scripting
language, provide access to the timing data as it is generated.
The same facilities are also used to implement both local and remote
user interfaces to the system.
Application areas include control systems for autonomous robots and
vision based controllers. Although still under active development, the
framework has been used in a number of projects, proving its potential.
