An Educational Open Source Real-Time Kernel for Small Embedded Control Systems

This paper describes ERIKA Educational, an open source, integrated real-time kernel architecture used for developing embedded real-time applications. This version of the kernel is especially targeted for an educational audience, that wants to experiment embedded system design, real-time scheduling and wireless communication on a simple inexpensive platform such as the LEGO Mindstorms RCX. The kernel architecture provides support for advanced scheduling algorithms and primitives, and for the standard devices available on the LEGO Mindstorms. A radio frequency module that interact with the RCX IR sensor has also been developed to enable easy cooperation between different entities. A case study is finally presented showing how ERIKA Educational can be used to create small networked embedded control systems.