Our work

Description

STM32MP1 customized firmware manages smart robotics operations

RTSoft designed and developed the firmware for a smart robotics controller that makes the controller an excellent platform for educational and business uses. 

The system software implements the abstraction interface for work with various sensors and actuators like ultrasonic, camera, thermo, photo, encoder motor, servo motor, and many others in real-time. The programming API is available in python and C/C++. 

The robotics platform features a color touch display with a graphical interface, which can also be customized by the user via the programming API.

Besides an on-board GUI the solution implements two remote interfaces: WebDAV and ssh. Integration with a cloud is supported via MQTT protocol. 

The connectivity is available via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB Ethernet. SD card and USB flash drives can be used to distribute data to/from the controller. Multiple controllers can be connected with each other via a CAN interface where a Master controller can seamlessly operate with remote sensors and actuators connected to a Slave controller(s) in the same real-time manner.

Key facts

  • Linux-based OS. Long-term maintenance
  • Cloud-native connectivity
  • RTOS implementing a smart motor controller running on a dedicated MCU
  • OTA updates
  • Seamless (autodiscovery) expandability via СAN-Bus

Solution

The smart robotics controller is based on the emerging STM32MP157 big-little microprocessor combining dual CPU cores running Linux OS and an ARM Microcontroller (MCU) core running real-time applications. It is taking the best features from both MCU and CPUs.


RTSoft performed the careful customization of operating system (Linux Open Embedded) BSPs and drivers.


The solution is required to have a long lifecycle with a defined road map. Thus, the system software includes device maintenance tools and an automatic update build process is embeded. The device is capable of monitoring available operating system patches and their delivery on a schedule or they can be event-driven.


A dedicated MCU core runs a customized real-time OS and performs smart motor control and sensor monitoring tasks achieving a 1ms real-time loop. Linux communicates with RTOS through the shared memory with no latencies.


QT/QML extendable graphic interface is implemented to control many system hardware and software parameters. The design is developed by Germany’s leading design agency.

Benefits

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