RT middleware

Logo mark; Japan Robot Association

RT-middleware (Robotics Technology Middleware) is a common computing platform technical standard for robots based on distributed object technology.[1] RT-middleware supports the construction of various networked robotic systems by integrating various network-enabled robotic elements named RT-Components, which specification standard is discussed and defined by the Object Management Group (OMG).[2]

## Properties

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In the RT-middleware, robotics elements, such as actuators, are regarded as RT-components, and the whole robotic system is constructed by connecting such components. This distributed architecture helps developers reuse the robotic elements and boosts the reliability of a system.

Each RT-component has a port as an endpoint for communicating to 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 they behave as finite-state machines. The states they can have are: `CREATED`, `INACTIVE`, `ACTIVE`, and `ERROR`. States and behaviors are controlled by the execution-context. If component behavior must be changed, the execution-context can be replaced at runtime.

## Implementations

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RT-middleware is only a standard of the Robotics platform software. Implementations include:

* OpenRTM-aist is based on the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) platform developed by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Using CORBA properties, OpenRTM-aist is available for environments with multiple platforms and programming languages.[3]
* OpenRTM.NET is for the .NET Framework.[4]
* RTM on Android is being implemented on Android (operating system).[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

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* Robot Operating System (ROS) – C++ software framework developed by Willow Garage.[8][9]
* Open Robot Control Software (Orocos) – C++ software framework for component-based robot control software[10]
* OPRoS[11] developed by Korea Association of Robot Industry (KAR)[12]

## See also

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* 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

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1. ^ Ando, Noriaki; Suehiro, Takashi; Kitagaki, Kosei; Kotoku, Tetsuo; Yoon, Woo-Keun (August 2005). RT-Middleware: Distributed Component Middleware for RT (Robot Technology). IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS2005). Edmonton, Canada. pp. 3555–3560.
2. ^ "Robotics Technology Component Specification version 1.0". Object Management Group (OMG).
3. ^ OpenRTM-aist official website, http://www.openrtm.org/
4. ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [SEC, Robot Site http://www.sec.co.jp/robot/download_rtm.html]
5. ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/]
6. ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/]
7. ^ SEC. Co., Ltd., [RTM Safety http://www.sec.co.jp/english/business/rtmsafety/]
8. ^ "ROS – Robot Operating System". ROS.org.
9. ^ "willowgarage.com". Willow Garage.
10. ^ Orocos.org
11. ^ "OPRoS". 3 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-04.
12. ^ "KAR". Korea Association of Robot Industry.

## External links

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* RT-middleware Project (Japanese)
* OpenRTM-aist
* OpenRT Platform
* VirCA - Virtual Collaboration Arena framework powered by RT-Middleware