Real-Time Control System
Encyclopedia
The Real-time Control System (RCS) is a software system
developed by NIST based on the Real-time Control System
Reference Model Architecture, that implements a generic Hierarchical control system
. The RCS Software Library is an archive of free C++, Java and Ada code, scripts, tools, makefiles, and documentation developed to aid programmers of software to be used in real-time control system
s (especially those using the Reference Model Architecture for Intelligent Systems Design).
Software system
A software system is a system based on software forming part of a computer system . The term "software system" is often used as a synonym of computer program or software; is related to the application of systems theory approaches in software engineering context and are used to study large and...
developed by NIST based on the Real-time Control System
Real-time Control System
Real-time Control System is a reference model architecture, suitable for many software-intensive, real-time control problem domains. RCS is a reference model architecture that defines the types of functions that are required in a real-time intelligent control system, and how these functions are...
Reference Model Architecture, that implements a generic Hierarchical control system
Hierarchical control system
A Hierarchical control system is a form of Control System in which a set of devices and governing software is arranged in a hierarchical tree. When the links in the tree are implemented by a computer network, then that hierarchical control system is also a form of Networked control system.-...
. The RCS Software Library is an archive of free C++, Java and Ada code, scripts, tools, makefiles, and documentation developed to aid programmers of software to be used in real-time control system
Embedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
s (especially those using the Reference Model Architecture for Intelligent Systems Design).
Introduction
RCS has been used in automated manufacturing, robotics, and automated vehicle research at NIST. The software consists of a C++ library and GUI and configuration tools written a variety of software languages. The Software Libraru is offering the following RCS tools:- RCS Java-based Diagnostics Tool : A tool written as a java applet that allows programmers to see the status and send commands to any RCS module.
- RCS Java-based Diagnostics Tool Instructions : Instructions on how to build applications for use with the diagnostics tool.
- RCS-Design Tool : A tool written as a java applet that allows programmers to create RCS applications graphically and generates source code.
- RCS-Design Tool Instructions : Instructions on how to build applications with the RCS-Design tool.
- RCS Data Plotter : A Java applet which plots data on a cartesian or polar graph, read either in real-time or from a text file.
- Socket Interface to NML : Describes how to connect to an NML server using sockets directly. This information should also be useful for other languages where the C++ NML client interface is not available.
- RCS Posemath Library : A library of classes for representing positions, rotations, and translations in a variety of coordinate systems and the functions to add/subtract/multiply/divide/convert them. For more info on posemath you may also want to check out: Karl Murphy's Posemath Examples
- RCS Library Lower Level Utilities : Describes many of the lower level utilities used to create the NODE, CMS, and NML components of the RCS Library but which may be useful on their own. Includes timers, semaphores, linked-lists, printing, and windows functions.
- RCS Library Installation Instructions : Provides instructions for getting and making the RCS Library.
- RCS Library Version Functions : Documentation for some functions for determining at run-time which version of the RCS library your using.
RCS applications
- RobocraneRobocraneThe Robocrane is a kind of manipulator resembling a Stewart platform but using an octahedral assembly of cables instead of struts. Like the Stewart platform, the Robocrane has six degrees of freedom .It was developed by James S...
- RCS controlled a craneCrane (machine)A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
having six degrees of freedomDegrees of freedom (physics and chemistry)A degree of freedom is an independent physical parameter, often called a dimension, in the formal description of the state of a physical system...
. It incorporated tactile, proximity and vision sensors. - Next Generation Inspection System - RCS controlled a Coordinate Measuring Machine, with sensors including analog touch probes, video camera, and laser rangefinder.
- Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles - RCS controlled a group of autonomous vehicles, at a high level coordinating their movements, and a low level controlling their steering, throttle and brakes. Sensors included an Inertial navigation systemInertial navigation systemAn inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
and differential GPSDifferential GPSDifferential Global Positioning System is an enhancement to Global Positioning System that provides improved location accuracy, from the 15-meter nominal GPS accuracy to about 10 cm in case of the best implementations....
. - Enhanced Machine Controller, or EMC - an NIST research project in CNC software that uses RCS.
Further reading
- Albus, J. S.James S. AlbusJames Sacra Albus was an American engineer, Senior NIST Fellow and founder and former chief of the Intelligent Systems Division of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology .- Biography :Born in Louisville Ky., Albus received the B.S...
4-D/RCS reference model architecture for unmanned ground vehicles. In G Gerhart, R Gunderson, and C Shoemaker, editors, Proceedings of the SPIE AeroSense Session on Unmanned Ground Vehicle Technology, volume 3693, pages 11–20, Orlando, - Albus, J. S.James S. AlbusJames Sacra Albus was an American engineer, Senior NIST Fellow and founder and former chief of the Intelligent Systems Division of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology .- Biography :Born in Louisville Ky., Albus received the B.S...
The NIST Real-Time Control System, An Applications Survey - Gazi, V., Moore, M. L., Passino, K. M., Shackleford, W. P., Proctor, F. M., Albus, J. S., The RCS Handbook, Tools for Real-Time Control Systems Software Development, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 2001.