The Real-time Control System (RCS) is a software system developed by NIST based on the

Real-time Control System Real-time Control System (RCS) is a reference model architecture, suitable for many software-intensive, real-time computing control problem domains. It defines the types of functions needed in a real-time intelligent control system, and how these ...

Reference Model Architecture, that implements a generic

Hierarchical control system A hierarchical control system (HCS) 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 sy ...

. 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 Real-time Control System (RCS) is a reference model architecture, suitable for many software-intensive, real-time computing control problem domains. It defines the types of functions needed in a real-time intelligent control system, and how these ...

s (especially those using the Reference Model Architecture for Intelligent Systems Design).Real-Time Control Systems Library –– Software and Documentation
at nist.gov. Accessed Aug 4, 2009.

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 in a variety of software languages. The Software Library 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

* Robocrane - RCS controlled a crane having six degrees of freedom. It incorporated tactile, proximity and vision

sensors A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...

. * 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 vehicle Vehicular automation involves the use of mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and multi-agent systems to assist the operator of a vehicle (car, aircraft, watercraft, or otherwise).Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Lanzon, A.,Group Coordinated Control o ...

s, at a high level coordinating their movements, and a low level controlling their steering, throttle and brakes. Sensors included an

Inertial navigation system An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors ( gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (dir ...

and

differential GPS Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPSs) supplement and enhance the positional data available from global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). A DGPS for GPS can increase accuracy by about a thousandfold, from approximately to . DGPSs c ...

. * Enhanced Machine Controller, or EMC - an NIST research project in

CNC Numerical control (also computer numerical control, and commonly called CNC) is the automated control of machining tools (such as drills, lathes, mills, grinders, routers and 3D printers) by means of a computer. A CNC machine processes a p ...

software that uses RCS.

References

External links

RCS Overview

NIST Real-Time Control Systems (RCS) Library: Tools for Control System Development

RCS software library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Real-Time Control System Software Control engineering Control System Software

Introduction

RCS applications

See also

References

Further reading

External links