The features of RTAI (scheduler, fifos, shared memory, semaphores, message
queues and RPCs) were described. Typical performance
statistics were presented: Pentium-based oneshot tasks running kHz,
486-based oneshot tasks running at
kHz, periodic timer tasks running
in excess of
kHz with average zero jitter peaking to
(UP)
and
(SMP).
Some detail on kernel module programming, including coding examples, were
presented showing a typical data acquisition system generating simulated
(random) data writing to a shared memory buffer and a fifo buffer to communicate
between real time Linux and user space. All coding examples were complete and
tested under RTAI v0.6 and the 2.2.12 kernel.
Finally, arguments were raised in support of real time Linux: it's open source, free under GPL, enables rapid prototyping, has good support and the ability to have a fully functioning workstation capable of co-existing hard real time performance. The counter weight--the negatives--of lack of platforms (x86 and PowerPC only at present), lack of board support, promiscuous root access and the danger of ignorance of real time programming issues were also discussed. See
ftp://orion.tuc.noao.edu/pub/pnd/rtlbof.tgz for the StarOffice overheads for this presentation.