In this episode of Embedded Toolbox, Part 3 of our "Let's Build a Robot Series," we begin integrating the Robot Operating System (ROS) into our VxWorks-based design. So, why use an operating system alongside an operating system?

Applications built on top of Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) are being incorporated into larger and more complex environments every day. A fighter jet, for example, has many different computer systems that could potentially be running different operating systems.

Today’s robotic systems are no longer the static ones of the past. They must be dynamic, with the ability to run different workloads, applications, and potentially even perform different tasks than they did when initially deployed. And they have to be able to acquire this new functionality without needing a field technician physically present to update them.

In this episode of Embedded Toolbox, the first of five in our “Let’s Build a Robot” series, Rob Woolley, Principal Technologist in the Technology Office at Wind River, lays out the drivers behind next-generation autonomous robot platforms built on frameworks like the Robot Operating System and capabilities like enterprise-class AI. He then proceeds to demonstrate how these software solutions can be supported on safety-critical edge robots using the VxWorks real-time operating system and docker containers.

According to IDC, there will be an estimated 42 billion connected devices by 2025. Each of these devices represents a point of entry that can be exploited by a cyberattack. But for devices and systems with safety-critical functionality, the stakes are even higher as a security breach can have catastrophic consequences on physical property and human safety.

Most of the world’s computation will occur on the intelligent edge by the year 2030.

Open-source technology has become a game changer for innovation, from the data center to the IoT's far edge. Software developers use open-source Linux, for instance, because of its ease of access, flexibility, and leading-edge features. It also has one of the largest and most prolific developer communities, with vast amounts of resources.