RT middleware
RT-middleware (Robotics Technology Middleware) is a common platform standards for Robots based on distributed object technology.[1] RT-middleware supports the construction of various networked robotic systems by the integration of various network-enabled robotic elements called RT-Components. The specification standard of RT-components is discussed and defined by the Object Management Group (OMG).[2]
Characteristic
In the RT-middleware, robotics elements, such as actuators, are regarded as RT-components, and the whole robotic system is constructed by connecting those RT-components. This distributed architecture helps developers to reuse the robotic elements and boosts the reliability of the robotic system.
Each RT-component has a port as an endpoint for communicating other RT-components. Every port has its type and the ports which have the same type can be connected each other.
RT-components also have state, so the RT-components behaves as state machines. The states that RT-components can have are CREATED, INACTIVE, ACTIVE, and ERROR. States and behaviors are controlled by the execution-context. If developers want to change the behavior of their RT-components, the execution-context can be replaced at runtime.
Implementations
RT-middleware is just standard of the Robotics platform software. Implementations of the RT-middleware are as follows:
- OpenRTM-aist is an implementation of the RT-middleware on the basis of CORBA platform developed by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Using CORBA's characteristics, OpenRTM-aist is available for multi-platform and multi-language environment.[3]
- OpenRTM.NET is an implementation of the RT-middleware for the .NET Framework platform.[4]
- RTM on Android is being implemented on Android OS.[5]
- RTC Lite is a future modified RT-middleware for embedded or small-resource systems.[6]
- RTM Safety to pass the IEC 61508 standard.[7]
Related projects
- ROS (Robot Operating System) developed by Willow Garage.[8][9]
- Orocos (Open Robot Control Software) C++ framework for component-based robot control software[10]
- OPRoS developed by Korea Association of Robot Industry (KAR)[11]
See also
- Robot
- Open-source robotics
- Middleware
- New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
- Object Management Group
- Japan Robot Association
References
- ^ Noriaki ANDO, Takashi SUEHIRO, Kosei KITAGAKI, Tetsuo KOTOKU, Woo-Keun Yoon, "RT-Middleware: Distributed Component Middleware for RT (Robot Technology)", 2005 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS2005), pp.3555-3560, 2005.08, Edmonton, Canada
- ^ Robotics Technology Component Specification version 1.0, Object Management Group (OMG)
- ^ OpenRTM-aist official website, http://www.openrtm.org/
- ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [SEC, Robot Site http://www.sec.co.jp/robot/download_rtm.html]
- ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/index.html]
- ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/index.html]
- ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/index.html]
- ^ ROS.org
- ^ Willow Garage
- ^ Orocos.org
- ^ OPRoS official website Archived 2011-01-26 at the Wayback Machine