mlm@cs.brown.edu (Moises Lejter) (07/07/89)
We at the Robotics group at Brown University are putting together a standalone robot to use as a platform for research in robot architectures and spatial reasoning. At the moment, the CPU on our robot is an IBM AT. The first question is, are there any real-time UNIX-like operating systems for the IBM AT that you people would recommend we use? Our longer term plans are to switch to a 680x0-based system running on the VME bus, mainly because of the improvement in processing speed we would likely buy this way. Second question: any CPU boards you would recommend? It would be nice to have a clear migration path from our current AT-based system to the future 680x0-based system, so a real-time OS that would be available for both would be a win. However, I realize it may not be possible. Please reply directly to me, and I'll summarize any responses. Moises ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet/CSnet: mlm@cs.brown.edu BITNET: mlm@browncs.BITNET UUCP: ...!uunet!brunix!mlm Phone: (401)863-7664 USmail: Moises Lejter, Box 1910 Brown University, Providence RI 02912
krukar@pprg.unm.edu (Richard Krukar [CHTM]) (07/07/89)
A Unix box running a robot can be interesting, I've seen a robot get severly lost when its tracking job got swapped out... Anyway. I am working under similar constraints and have decided on a real time kernel called RTUX from Emerge Systems 114th Avenue Indialantic, Florida 32903 (305) 723-0444 I've only got the docs so far, the whole package should be here by now. It looks like it sits under the Unix kernel and catches and generates interupts. The glitch here is that the kernel has to be system five :( The box I'm using is a Motorola 1147 - basically one of their mvme147 cpu cards in a vme chassis. The other boards are an mvme332xt ( lotsa terminal lines ) and the following boards from Xycom: xvme200 ( access to two Motorola PI/T chips with associated parallel io, timers, counters, etc. ) xvme230 ( counter timer module - will drive 4 stepper motors, can do a few other goodies as well) and an xvme540 ( DtoA and AtoD converters ). So far I am really pleases with the Xycom equipment and support. They seem to figure that they have to support their products regardless of when you got them and what they are. Motorola, on the other hand, is a nightmare to deal with. The only people who know how to call back are salesmen. Among the problems I have encountered are archaic networking and poor configurabitity. A major player in these problems is the fact that the include files are clearly not the ones that the kernel was compiled from. Meanwhile, the machine arps for the broadcast address and can't seem to understand net masks. I have had similar reports of non-support from people at Sandia and Los Alamos national labs. To sum it all up, buy what you can from Xycom and good luck on on the Unix. BTW the guys at Xycom told me that OS-9 is looking better. (OS-9 is kind of a ROMable Unix subset ). Motorola makes good hardware, but doesn't want to support mine. I have heard of a company called Tadpole that makes an 88k based board, I can't find their ad right now, but will look further if you need it. Richard Krukar (krukar@pprg.unm.edu)
oscarh@hpdml93.HP.COM (Oscar Herrera) (07/07/89)
> Our longer term plans are to switch to a 680x0-based system > running on the VME bus, mainly because of the improvement > in processing speed we would likely buy this way. HP offers HPUX, which has real time extensions. I'm not encouraging or discouraging you to use it, simply pointing it out to you. On the VME front, HP is now offering a VXI box that may fit your needs Good luck
riddle@drivax.UUCP (Riddle) (07/20/89)
As for real-time kernels, take a look at article in EDN july 6, 1989. Among the others, DRI's FlexOS is mentioned. What isn't mentioned is what CPUs these kernels run on. So, here I plug FlexOS because it runs on 80x86 and 680x0 and some others. -- [replace with your own cute .signature] amdahl!drivax!riddle
piner@pur-phy (Richard Piner) (07/20/89)
In article <MLM.89Jul6153918@tahoe.cs.brown.edu> mlm@cs.brown.edu writes: > > We at the Robotics group at Brown University are putting > together a standalone robot to use as a platform for research > in robot architectures and spatial reasoning. At the moment, > the CPU on our robot is an IBM AT. The first question is, > are there any real-time UNIX-like operating systems for the > IBM AT that you people would recommend we use? > > Our longer term plans are to switch to a 680x0-based system > running on the VME bus, mainly because of the improvement > in processing speed we would likely buy this way. Second > question: any CPU boards you would recommend? It would be > nice to have a clear migration path from our current AT-based > system to the future 680x0-based system, so a real-time OS > that would be available for both would be a win. However, > I realize it may not be possible. Mail never works, so I'll go ahead and post this. Contact Microware. I think OS9/68000 may be the system of choice for you. Microware's address is; Microware Systems Corp. 1900 N.W. 114th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50322 Phone: 515-224-1929 Ask them for their source book listing vendors. There are a couple of companies that make 68000 based cards that plug into AT boxes and run OS9/68K. Then ungrading to VME/OS9 would be easier. In the VME world, I've found Heurikon to be top notch. R. Piner (Microware is also connected to this network.)
m5@lynx.uucp (Mike McNally) (07/20/89)
In article <MLM.89Jul6153918@tahoe.cs.brown.edu> mlm@cs.brown.edu writes: > > We at the Robotics group at Brown University are putting > together a standalone robot to use as a platform for research > in robot architectures and spatial reasoning. At the moment, > the CPU on our robot is an IBM AT. The first question is, > are there any real-time UNIX-like operating systems for the > IBM AT that you people would recommend we use? > > Our longer term plans are to switch to a 680x0-based system > running on the VME bus, mainly because of the improvement > in processing speed we would likely buy this way. Second > question: any CPU boards you would recommend? It would be > nice to have a clear migration path from our current AT-based > system to the future 680x0-based system, so a real-time OS > that would be available for both would be a win. However, > I realize it may not be possible. Though I have some ethical reservations in general about plugging my own company on the net, the man *did* ask. Lynx sells a real-time OS that mimics all the system and library calls of UNIX (including Berkeley and System V calls). The scheduler is a real-time scheduler, so a high-priority process really does get as much CPU as it wants. The kernel is preemptive, so a big fork() doesn't delay urgent context switches. Ths system includes a big bunch of UNIXy (i.e., mostly identical, but some differences) utilities. We're also porting lots of GNU stuff (it's compatible enough with UNIX that this process is pretty simple, like typing "make" at the right time). Some guys at Rice University are doing some robotics research using an older Lynx board based on the 68010. Lynx also sells an 8-axis servo board for VME, and the Rice folks use a couple of those to control a big autonomous robot thing. LynxOS runs on 386 AT compatibles, on PS/2's (80s and maybe 70s), and on the Moto 147 68030 VME board. For details, contact Lynx: Lynx Real-Time Systems 550 Division Campbell CA 95008 (408) 370 2233 Ask for Vik. Once again, I ordinarily don't like to advertise on the net. Any more questions should be directed via mail or phone to Lynx. -- Mike McNally Lynx Real-Time Systems uucp: {voder,athsys}!lynx!m5 phone: 408 370 2233 Where equal mind and contest equal, go.
rick@cortex.neuro.bcm.tmc.edu (Rick Gray) (07/27/89)
Please don't forget Masscomp (now Concurrent) has had a real-time
Unix kernel since around 1983. In fact, 'Real-time Unix' is one of their
trademarks.
I don't sell 'em, just use them (happily).
Rick Gray uucp:{uunet,shell,rice}!soma!rick
Division of Neuroscience Internet: rick@soma.neuro.bcm.tmc.edu
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Tx 77030mati@dy4.uucp (Mati Sauks) (07/29/89)
In article <MLM.89Jul6153918@tahoe.cs.brown.edu> mlm@cs.brown.edu writes: > > We at the Robotics group at Brown University are putting > together a standalone robot to use as a platform for research > in robot architectures and spatial reasoning. At the moment, > the CPU on our robot is an IBM AT. The first question is, > are there any real-time UNIX-like operating systems for the > IBM AT that you people would recommend we use? > > Our longer term plans are to switch to a 680x0-based system > running on the VME bus, mainly because of the improvement > in processing speed we would likely buy this way. Second > question: any CPU boards you would recommend? It would be > nice to have a clear migration path from our current AT-based > system to the future 680x0-based system, so a real-time OS > that would be available for both would be a win. However, > I realize it may not be possible. At DY-4 systems we have a product that may meet your requirements. It is called the Harmony RTOS. Harmony is a message passing real time operating system designed for robotics and multi-processor systems. A single processor multitasking version called WS-Harmony runs on the AT. It can communicate with MS-DOS. A multiprocessor version that runs on the 680x0 family of processors can be used stand alone, or on a VMEbus based system. One uses Turbo C to program the AT based applications and Microtec C to cross-compile to the 680x0 target. There is also a source level cross debugger to support multiprocessor target debugging from the AT host. WS-Harmony was designed as a tool to teach peaople how to do real time programming on a low cost computer like an AT. It turns out that it is also a good evaluation tool and is very useful for embedded PC or 80286 applications. Please send any requests for more information to: Jeremy James DY-4 Systems Inc. 21 Fitzgerald Rd. Nepean, Ontario, Canada K2H 9G1 Tel. (613) 596-9911 Fax. (613) 596-0574
q1aqf@ingram.newcastle.ac.uk (A Waterworth) (07/31/89)
In article <4678@freja.diku.dk> m5@lynx.uucp (Mike McNally) writes: >LynxOS runs on 386 AT compatibles, on PS/2's (80s and maybe 70s), and >on the Moto 147 68030 VME board. For details, contact Lynx: I am looking at adding real-time transactions to a reliable, distributed programming system, developed here at Newcastle. The system currently runs on a small network of Suns and my job would be made much easier if I could add the necessary hooks for real-time without having to port the programming system on to some other machine to get a real-time scheduler. So... Is there a version of LynxOS which will run on Suns? If so, is there a UK source for LynxOS? If not, does _anyone_ out there know of other possibilities? Any help/info gratefully received... Adrian W. _______________________________________________________________________ * | * * FROM : Adrian Waterworth. PHONE : +44 91 222 6000 | /\ / * * JANET : A.Waterworth@uk.ac.newcastle | /__\ /\ / * * UUCP : ...!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!A.Waterworth | / \/ \/ * * ARPA : A.Waterworth@newcastle.ac.uk | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * POST : Computing Laboratory, | \ /\ /\ * * University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, | \--/ \/ \ * * UK. NE1 7RU | \/ \ * * | * -----------------------------------------------------------------------