Life at Eclipse

Musings on the Eclipse Foundation, the community and the ecosystem

Posts Tagged ‘iot’

Bringing Open Source Hardware and Software Together: The Eclipse Foundation’s Vision for Embedded and Safety-Critical Innovation

The Eclipse Foundation has long been a leader in driving open source innovation across IoT, edge computing, and embedded ecosystems. For over 20 years the Eclipse C/C++ Development Tools (CDT) platform has seen broad adoption in the embedded market. For over a decade the Eclipse IoT and Edge community has been delivering great technology components, runtimes, and platforms. And more recently, the Eclipse Software Defined Vehicle working group and community have started to extend our footprint into the security and safety-conscious automotive industry. Now, the recent additions of Eclipse ThreadX and the OpenHW Group are cementing our position as the go-to destination for developers building embedded systems, particularly in safety-critical domains. These milestones, combined with the Foundation’s robust ecosystem, highlight our role as a hub for collaborative innovation in embedded technologies, especially at the intersection of software and hardware.

Expanding the Ecosystem: ThreadX and the OpenHW Foundation

The ThreadX journey at the Eclipse Foundation began in November  2023 when Microsoft contributed this trusted Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) to the Eclipse community. Originally developed by Express Logic and later acquired by Microsoft, ThreadX has been a cornerstone of safety-critical applications across industries like home appliances, medical devices, automotive, aerospace, and industrial automation. Renowned for its reliability and adherence to stringent functional safety standards, ThreadX continues to empower developers worldwide. Earlier this year the Eclipse ThreadX project was re-certified under functional safety standards IEC 61508, IEC 62304, ISO 26262, and EN50128, making ThreadX the world’s first community-driven, open source RTOS with functional safety certifications. 

Building on this strong foundation, we recently launched the ThreadX Alliance. This initiative unites key industry stakeholders to maintain a healthy ecosystem and advance ThreadX development and adoption, particularly in safety-critical applications. 

Adding to this momentum, the OpenHW Group has now joined the Eclipse ecosystem as the OpenHW Foundation, bringing its expertise in implementing RISC-V architectures to complement our software initiatives. OpenHW provides developers with permissively licensed, high-quality hardware IP, enabling the creation of advanced embedded real-time systems. In short, OpenHW takes the RISC-V instruction set architecture and makes it real by delivering verified open source-licensed processor designs written in industry standard System Verilog. 

Together, ThreadX and OpenHW deliver a powerful combination of proven RTOS capabilities and cutting-edge hardware innovation, providing a solid foundation for embedded and IoT applications.

By combining the proven safety-critical and real-time capabilities of ThreadX, the cutting-edge processor core designs of  OpenHW and other Eclipse initiatives—such as Eclipse Zenoh, Sparkplug, and the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Working Group —we are building an unmatched environment for embedded developers. These advancements position the Eclipse Foundation as the premier destination for open source innovation in safety-critical and high-performance embedded systems.

A Strategy Built on Collaboration

Our vision is to create a cohesive ecosystem where projects across software and hardware domains can collaborate to accelerate embedded systems innovation. The Eclipse Foundation’s collaborative infrastructure ensures that projects like ThreadX and OpenHW are not siloed but rather integrated into a broader strategy that benefits developers and organisations alike:

  • IoT and Connectivity: Fundamental protocols like MQTT, Sparkplug, Eclipse Zenoh and Eclipse uProtocol provide robust real-time data sharing and control for industrial IoT and automotive applications. Zenoh’s recent 1.0.0 release sets a new standard for connectivity, particularly in robotics and edge systems.
  • Developer Tools: In addition to the widely adopted Eclipse CDT, Eclipse Theia, our modern, extensible IDE, supports safety-critical workflows and can be easily integrated with ThreadX-based projects, simplifying the development of complex embedded solutions.
  • Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV): The SDV Working Group is shaping tomorrow’s automotive software landscape. Its intersection with ThreadX and Zenoh, as manifested in uProtocol, enables more robust functional safety and advanced vehicle connectivity, ensuring that developers can confidently build next-generation automotive and mobility systems.
  • Multiplatform Integration: The Oniro Working Group develops a distributed operating system for smart devices, collaborating with projects like Theia or Kanto. This cross-project integration fosters an environment where developers can easily combine diverse technologies into coherent, scalable solutions.
  • Eclipse Functional Safety Process: The emergence of ThreadX and Eclipse SDV as critical technologies for safety-critical applications will not be possible without a robust development process enabling requirements traceability and comprehensive testing. The evolving Eclipse Foundation functional safety process will guide project teams in the embedded realm and beyond towards code and product certifiability in a uniform, predictable way.

As the home for these initiatives and technologies, the Eclipse Foundation offers an unparalleled ecosystem for developing sophisticated, safety-critical, and connected embedded systems.

The Road Ahead

The additions of Eclipse ThreadX and the OpenHW Foundation mark the start of an exciting new chapter in embedded systems innovation. By uniting cutting-edge hardware, trusted RTOS software, and advanced connectivity solutions, the Eclipse Foundation is poised to become the leading destination for developers working on safety-critical and high performance embedded systems.

We invite developers, organizations, and contributors to join us in shaping the future of embedded technology. Whether you engage through the ThreadX Alliance, the OpenHW Foundation, Eclipse SDV, or other projects within our vibrant ecosystem, you’ll find endless opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

Together, let’s build the future of embedded systems.

Learn More About the Eclipse Foundation and our Projects

Written by Mike Milinkovich

December 16, 2024 at 8:00 am

Posted in Foundation, Open Source, Strategy

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Introducing Our Keynote Speakers at OCX 2024

As we approach the Open Community Experience (OCX), scheduled to take place from 22-24 October in Mainz, Germany, my anticipation and excitement continues to build. This event marks a new chapter for our community, with a fresh conference format that I believe will bring even more value to all of us. The focus on collocated events is something I’m particularly enthusiastic about, as it allows us to explore a broader range of topics including automotive and Java, while EclipseCon remains at the heart of this experience. 

Whether you’re a regular EclipseCon attendee or joining us from one of the many communities that make up our “community of communities,” I look forward to connecting with you. For me, our flagship conference is more than just an event—it’s a yearly highlight where I get to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and engage in the meaningful conversations that drive our collective work forward. 

I’m honoured to be delivering the keynote on “The State of the Eclipse Foundation” this year. I’ll be sharing key updates, our vision for the future, and how we plan to continue driving innovation in the open source space. As we celebrate the Eclipse Foundation’s 20th anniversary, it’s a pivotal moment for us, and I’m excited to take you along on this journey.

But it’s not just me you’ll hear from. We’ve lined up a stellar group of keynote speakers, each bringing their unique expertise and deep expertise in their respective fields. Prepare to be inspired by some of the brightest minds in the industry:

And that’s just the beginning. OCX 2024 is packed with sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to spark innovation, collaboration, and growth. Whether you’re deeply involved in open source software or just beginning your journey, there’s something here for everyone.

I’m genuinely excited about what we’ll experience together at OCX 2024. This is our chance to come together, share our knowledge, and set the stage for the future of open source development. Don’t miss the opportunity to save by taking advantage of early bird pricing—register before 7 October 2024. 

See you there!

Written by Mike Milinkovich

September 25, 2024 at 4:00 am

Posted in Foundation

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Introducing Eclipse ThreadX

TL;DR – Get Engaged!

What We’re Announcing

Every once in a while, a new open source initiative comes along which is truly an industry changing event. Today, Microsoft announced that Azure RTOS, including all of its components, is going to be made available as the Eclipse ThreadX open source project. This new project is exactly what the highly fragmented embedded software market has needed for a very long time. ThreadX is going to be the world’s first open source real time operating system which is:

  1. Mature and scalable technology. ThreadX has been developed for over 20 years, is currently running on over 12 billion devices around the world, and is highly regarded as a high-performance, highly deterministic, real time operating system.
  2. Made available under a permissive open source license. ThreadX is going to be licensed under the MIT license, which provides highly permissive license terms for users and adopters.
  3. Governed under a vendor-neutral open source foundation. ThreadX is going to be governed by the Eclipse Foundation and its development process. This will guarantee a vendor-neutral governance model to manage the evolution and sustainability of ThreadX for the benefit of the entire industry.

    AND
  4. Certified for functional safety and security. ThreadX is IEC 61508, IEC 62304, ISO 26262, and EN 50128 conformance certified by SGS-TÜV Saar. ThreadX has also achieved EAL4+ Common Criteria security certification. These certifications are a big differentiator, and are unprecedented in the industry. They are a game changer, as there are currently no open source RTOS’s which have them. 

While there are other open source RTOS’s out there, none have all of the four attributes listed above. We are optimistic that, because of these attributes, ThreadX is going to rapidly expand its adoption in a wide range of use cases including aerospace, automotive, IoT, medical, transportation, automation, and consumer wearables. 

Next Steps

In addition to the project, we are also announcing the creation of an interest group focused on developing an industry-supported, sustainable funding model for ThreadX. We are excited that AMD, Cypherbridge, Microsoft, NXP, PX5, Renesas, ST Microelectronics, Silicon Labs, and Witekio (an Avnet company) have all committed to supporting this conversation. We highly encourage every company with an interest in embedded technology to join to help create the future. 

The ThreadX interest group’s sole focus will be on establishing a working group focused on the following:

  1. Consolidate the project: There is going to be a great deal of focus on getting ThreadX moved under Eclipse Foundation governance as quickly as possible. This will involve transferring and re-licensing the code and documentation, and assigning the trademarks over the next few weeks. In parallel, we are looking for developers who have experience with the ThreadX code base to get involved as key resources from Cypherbridge, PX5, and Witekio have already done. The intent is to have the first release of ThreadX under Eclipse Foundation governance completed by the end of January 2024.
  2. Preserve the certifications: As I mentioned above, the safety and security certifications are a key differentiator for ThreadX. Maintaining those certifications while under open source governance is going to be a key factor in the evolution of ThreadX as an open source project. Fortunately, the Eclipse Foundation has been thinking about and staffing for this capability for a long time as our IoT and Software Defined Vehicle communities have similar requirements. Our intent is to develop best practices for the ThreadX community and, if required, modify and enhance our Eclipse Foundation Development Process to support the additional process requirements necessary to support safety and security. The documentation which will enable downstream adopters of ThreadX to certify their products will be made available under open licenses. This will significantly shorten the lifecycle of safety-certified products based on Eclipse ThreadX.
  3. Build the community: ThreadX represents an amazing opportunity to build an open source embedded software developer community. There will be a great deal of focus on nurturing new contributions, driving adoption via developer advocacy, and creating cross-pollination with our other communities within the Eclipse Foundation such as IoT and SDV, all while preserving the processes required for the certifications which differentiate ThreadX.
  4. Promote the brand: Returning to the original ThreadX name is purposefully intended to assure the many current adopters of this technology that this is and will remain the RTOS that they trust for their products. The new mission will be to associate the ThreadX brand with vendor-neutral governance, communicate clear market positioning, and establish compatibility programs that will provide value to current and future adopters.
  5. Grow the ecosystem: With over 10 billion devices deployed using ThreadX, it is clear that this is an important and mature technology. To ensure a sustainable future for ThreadX we need to obtain the support, participation, and contributions of all ecosystem participants: silicon/SBC manufacturers, embedded system integrators, and tool vendors. We highly encourage every company with an interest in embedded technology to join the interest group to help define and secure the future of ThreadX.

Eclipse ThreadX presents the industry with a game-changing opportunity. Having a performant, mature, safety and security certified, permissively-licensed, open source RTOS under vendor-neutral governance will enable new business and product opportunities around the world. We are very excited to work with the community to make ThreadX a huge success.

Written by Mike Milinkovich

November 21, 2023 at 11:00 am

Posted in Foundation, Open Source

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Introducing Oniro: A Vendor Neutral, Open Source OS for Next-Gen Devices

It’s a rare event when a new operating system comes along. And it’s even rarer to have the opportunity to influence the direction of that OS at its earliest stages. So I’m delighted to tell you that today we are announcing a new working group and top-level project that gives you that opportunity. The Oniro community will nurture and evolve the Oniro operating system, a transparent, vendor-neutral, and independent OS for the next generation of distributed systems.

The Oniro OS will provide a true, community-driven open source solution that runs on a wider spectrum of devices than today’s operating systems. And it will make it far easier to integrate different types of next-gen hardware and software.

Architected to Go Beyond Today’s Operating Systems

The Oniro OS can run on more devices than current operating systems because it features a multi-kernel architecture:

  • A Linux Yocto kernel allows the OS to run on larger embedded devices, such as Raspberry Pi-class devices 
  • A Zephyr kernel allows the OS to run on highly resource-constrained devices, such as a coffee maker or a thermostat

With the ability to run the same OS on different classes of devices, Oniro will provide an ideal solution to support the future of IoT, machine economy, edge, mobile, and other next-gen devices:

  • Consumers and adopters of the Oniro OS will have a more seamless experience than they have with the current generation of operating systems.
  • Devices will be able to directly connect to one another and share data, enabling a much higher degree of interoperability than is possible today.
  • Data exchanged between devices can flow directly to one another rather than always being shared via the cloud, enabling low latency architectures which are also inherently more secure and private. 

We expect the initial use cases for Oniro will be in the IoT and industrial IoT domains with applications for mobile devices coming later as the community evolves, grows, and establishes its roadmap.

Enabling the Global Ecosystem for OpenHarmony

Oniro is an independent open source implementatio of OpenAtom’s OpenHarmony. To deliver on the promise of Oniro, the community will deliver an independent, but compatible implementation of the OpenHarmony specifications, tailored for the global market. OpenHarmony is based on HarmonyOS, a multi-kernel OS that was developed by Huawei and contributed to the OpenAtom Foundation last year. In the future Oniro will also deliver additional specifications to help drive global adoption.

By creating a compatible implementation of OpenHarmony, the Oniro community can ensure that applications built for Oniro will run on OpenHarmony and vice versa. This interoperability will allow the Oniro community to create a global ecosystem and marketplace for applications and services that can be used across both operating systems, anywhere in the world. 

Join an Innovative Open Source Community

I truly believe that Oniro is open source done right. It’s a huge opportunity to build an operating system that rethinks how devices across many different device classes can interoperate in a secure and privacy-preserving way. 

Because Oniro’s evolution is being guided by an open and vendor-neutral community using the Eclipse Development Process, openness and transparency are a given. This will go a long way towards building the engagement and stakeholder trust necessary to create the global ecosystem.

The founding members of the Oniro Working Group include telecom giant, Huawei, Arm software experts Linaro, and industrial IoT specialists Seco. As more organizations become aware of Oniro, we expect the community to encompass organizations of all sizes and from all industries. 

I strongly encourage everyone with an interest in next-gen devices — corporations, academics, individuals — to take the opportunity to get involved in Oniro in its earliest stages. To get started, join the Oniro conversation by subscribing to the Oniro working group list.

Written by Mike Milinkovich

October 26, 2021 at 8:01 am

Posted in Foundation, Open Source

Tagged with , , ,

How Real Is IoT & Edge Commercial Adoption in 2021?

Our 2021 IoT and Edge Commercial Adoption survey results are out now. 

In this second edition of the survey, we wanted to gain a better understanding of the overall IoT & edge ecosystem challenges and concerns of today’s organizations. This year’s survey not only focuses on how today’s organizations are perceiving IoT and edge adoption on a macro level, but also to gain valuable insights on the overall IoT & Edge ecosystem’s challenges and concerns. We found — as organizations adapt to market changes and a world impacted by COVID-19 — that IoT and edge adoption has risen. 

Here are some of the key findings from the survey:

  • IoT technologies are being adopted at an accelerated rate. 47% of respondents currently deploy IoT solutions and an additional 39% plan to deploy within the next 12 to 24 months.
  • Edge computing adoption is also picking up. 54% of organizations are either utilizing or planning to utilize edge computing technologies within 12 months. Another 30% have plans to evaluate edge deployments over the next 12 to 24 months.
  • 74% of organizations factor open source into their deployment plans, a 14% increase over the  2019 survey. This clearly demonstrates that the dominant IoT & Edge platforms will either be open source or based on open source.
  • The top 3 IoT and edge operational challenges are: 1) End-to-end IoT solution monitoring and management; 2) Device management; and 3) Securing the network / devices / data.
  • There is a trend towards a Hybrid Cloud strategy. 44% of respondents suggest that their IoT deployments are using, or will use, a Hybrid Cloud (i.e. composed of two or more distinct cloud infrastructures such as private and public), an increase from 22% in 2019.

Reading Between The Commercial Lines

The survey asked respondents to identify the requirements, priorities, and challenges they’re facing as they are planning, implementing, and managing commercial IoT and edge solutions, including those based on open source technologies. The survey ran for two months in early 2021 and received responses from more than 300 individuals from a wide range of industries and organizations. You can download the 2021 IoT & Edge Commercial Adoption Survey Report now.

As our survey results revealed, each player in the IoT and edge ecosystem has an important role in driving commercial adoption. Here are some key recommendations broken down by stakeholder group.

  • Enterprises:
    • Should select vendors and service providers that embrace open standards and the use of customizable, production-ready open source building blocks. Open source enables scalability and flexibility in IoT and Edge solutions, while avoiding the lock-in and cost issues associated with proprietary solutions.
    • Should start planning deployments of IoT and edge technologies at scale. The ecosystem has matured significantly, allowing enterprises to be more ambitious in their IoT and Edge initiatives. With a robust ecosystem, industry leaders can confidently deploy and start realizing the full benefits of the technology.
  • Solution Providers:
    • Should incorporate open source platforms that are capable of running seamlessly across all environments (i.e. at the edge, on-premises, and in the cloud), with a focus around hybrid, multi-cloud and private cloud offerings that enable customers to avoid using a public cloud for their mission-critical data.
    • IoT-focused solution providers should add edge computing into their offerings. Enterprises are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of edge computing, including reduced latency and bandwidth savings. To stay competitive,  solution providers need an edge computing strategy if they do not have one already.
  • Platform & Software Vendors:
    • Should implement data security and sovereignty solutions across devices and applications. Organizations must pay particular attention to their ability to retain control over data flow and storage, e.g. for data gathered from IoT sensors and devices.
    • Should create offerings that optimize certain workflows and/or mitigate specific challenges.  While Enterprises and Solution Providers are adept at integrating and deploying the various components, broadscale adoption will be accelerated through targeted platform innovations that simplify critical processes and resolve deployment challenges out of the box. 

Be Part Of Something Big

It will take a diverse community co-developing a uniform set of building blocks based on open source and open standards to drive the broad industry adoption of IoT and edge technologies. If you’re interested in participating in the industry-scale collaboration in open source IoT and edge technologies, please visit Eclipse IoT and the Edge Native Working Group to get involved. As an added benefit of membership, Eclipse IoT and Edge Native members receive early and exclusive access to detailed industry research findings and expert guidance.

Written by Mike Milinkovich

June 10, 2021 at 9:01 am

Posted in Foundation, Open Source

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