As the IoT industry is still in its early stages, its fragmented nature will inevitably lead to a diverse demand for software in the IoT era. No single operating system or development tool can support all devices in IoT systems, and it is unlikely that IoT operating systems will form a duopoly like Android and iOS in smartphones anytime soon.
The origins of IoT OS can be traced back to two open-source OSs from sensor networks: TinyOS and Contiki. The TinyOS project was initiated in 2000 by the University of California, Berkeley, Intel, and Crossbow Technology, and it stopped updating after version 2.1.2 in 2012. The author of the Contiki project is Dr. Dunkels, who previously worked at the Swedish Institute of Computer Science and is now the founder of Thingsquare, as well as the author of uIP/LWIP. The Contiki project is very active, especially in the area of network protocols; Contiki uses the uIP protocol and has expanded to support IPv6 and low-power 6LoWPAN routing protocols.
When the topic of IoT and operating systems arises in the IT community, you often hear the term “embedded operating system” used interchangeably with “real-time operating system (RTOS)”. However, some embedded operating systems have real-time capabilities while others do not.
True RTOS IoT devices need to process data without buffering delays. The benefits of RTOS include two main categories:
First: the ability to achieve multitasking, schedule and prioritize tasks, and manage resource sharing among multiple tasks. Such operating systems are typically used in more complex aerospace, industrial, and medical IoT devices.
Second: lower power consumption and lower resource requirements, such as processing power and memory. In most cases, the growth rate of such operating systems will exceed that of RTOS, at least for the first generation of IoT devices, as these types of operating systems are less complex and relatively feature-complete.
The ten different operating systems listed in this article may drive the IoT industry. While many alternative operating systems are not covered, this article represents a broad range of operating system functionalities, including some open-source and some commercial operating systems. Ultimately, they embody operating systems that can support all devices: from satellites and connected refrigerators to smart technologies embedded in watches and clothing.
Let’s take a look at the various operating systems and the companies/communities surrounding them. Which of these operating systems do you think will have the biggest impact on IoT, or do you believe we’ve missed a couple that should be on the list?
1. RIOT OS
RIOT OS is an open-source community project that has been in operation since 2008. RIOT can run on a wide range of platforms, including embedded devices and PCs (as well as a multitude of very popular sensor/actuator boards), and it has an easy-to-use API. This operating system is well-known for its efficiency in power consumption and resource needs.
2. Windows 10 for IoT
Microsoft’s latest embedded operating system is called Windows 10 for IoT. Under this umbrella, there are three sub-operating systems depending on your requirements. The first is Windows 10 for IoT Mobile, which supports ARM architecture. The next is Windows 10 for IoT Core, which supports Raspberry Pi and Intel Atom. The last is Windows 10 for IoT Enterprise, which is somewhat like a fully functional Windows 10 Enterprise but limited to running a single application.
Since Windows 10 for IoT is a new product, it clearly lags behind many other IoT operating systems in terms of user base and experienced developers. That said, this operating system has great potential—especially if you want to develop applications internally. Ultimately, those accustomed to using Visual Studio and Azure IoT services will be attracted to the entire Windows 10 for IoT suite.
3. WindRiver VxWorks
WindRiver’s VxWorks is likely the most popular commercial RTOS in use today. It provides a reliable operating system with high flexibility. VxWorks also offers many security features that are crucial for IoT projects that require them. VxWorks has a strong reputation in industries such as industrial, medical, and aerospace because it is one of the few RTOS vendors that meet the necessary certification requirements for those industries.
4. Google Brillo
Google announced its intention to launch Brillo at the Google I/O conference last fall, entering the embedded operating system market. The development platform for Android-based embedded operating systems is well-suited for those who have a solid background in writing Android applications. Brillo uses a communication protocol called Weave. This means that smart devices do not necessarily have to use embedded Android as their operating system—they just need to be able to communicate using Weave. This opens the door for a large number of manufacturers to integrate Weave into their IoT products, ultimately allowing these products to connect with Brillo.
5. ARM mbed OS
ARM developed its own open-source embedded operating system called mbed OS. Since it is developed by ARM itself, ARM is the only supported architecture. That said, this operating system is expected to shine in the IoT segments of smart homes and wearable devices. This operating system differs from many other embedded operating systems because it is single-threaded rather than multi-threaded. ARM believes this is essential for the operating system to run on the smallest size and lowest power consumption devices. If physical size and battery life are crucial, IoT devices may ultimately run on mbed OS.
6. Embedded Apple iOS and OS X
Although Apple has not yet played a significant role in the current IoT market, it is expected to take on this role soon. So far, Apple has adopted variants of its operating system platform to develop several IoT devices, such as Apple TV, CarPlay (with BlackBerry QNX), and Apple Watch.
Looking ahead, Apple is expected to continue using its iOS and modify OS X so that it can run more streamlined and efficiently on IoT endpoint devices. Developers can use tools such as the recently released HomeKit framework for building applications that control home automation devices.
7. Nucleus RTOS
Nucleus RTOS is an embedded operating system developed by Mentor Graphics. This company claims that its software currently runs on over 3 billion devices, which is a considerable installation base. The operating system provides robust support for numerous embedded architectures and is very popular in vertical industries such as automotive, healthcare, utilities, industrial, and consumer electronics.
8. Green Hills Integrity
Another long-standing commercial RTOS solution is Green Hills’ Integrity. It competes fiercely in verticals such as aerospace/defense, automotive, industrial, and medical. The company also continues to be popular in the consumer IoT market, thanks to its long-standing reputation for performance, security, and reliability.
Domestic newcomer Huawei’s LiteOS and Qink’s MICO system.
9. Lite OS
Lite OS is currently the world’s lightest IoT operating system, with a system size as small as 10KB, featuring zero configuration, self-organizing network, and cross-platform capabilities, making it suitable for applications in smart homes, wearables, and industrial sectors. Since LiteOS is open-source, partners can quickly build their own IoT products, making the development of smart hardware simpler and accelerating the interconnectivity of all things. The model of LiteOS is similar to the Contiki system invented by researchers at Oxford University and the TinyOS developed by the University of California, Berkeley, both possessing lightweight and open-source characteristics.
LiteOS features the lowest energy consumption, smallest size, and fastest response time, and has launched a fully open-source community, providing chips, modules, and open-source hardware boards, such as HiSilicon’s PLC chip HCT3911, media chip 3798M/C, IPCamera chip Hi3516A, and LTE-M chips (developers can also choose third-party chips like STM32, etc.).
LiteOS is primarily applied in smart homes, wearables, vehicle networking, smart metering, and industrial IoT fields, with data collection and real-time control being its typical usage environments.
10. MICO
MICO stands for Micro-controller based Internet Connectivity Operating system.
It is an internet access operating system based on microcontrollers. Developers can design innovative smart products that access the internet based on MICO on various microcontroller platforms, achieving human and object interconnectivity.
MICO is a highly portable real-time operating system optimized for smart hardware and runs on microcontrollers, containing various software middleware to reduce development costs and improve development efficiency. It is the first IoT operating system in China. MICO offers a complete solution that includes recommended wireless network configurations, initial setup for smart hardware, quick wireless network access, local device and service discovery, authentication, and other components. These can lower R&D investments and maintenance costs while shortening R&D cycles.
Conclusion:
In this race for IoT OS, Chinese companies are confident, while foreign companies appear conservative and hesitant. Combining the above companies, we can see that open-source still plays the leading role.
As the IoT industry is still in its early stages, its fragmented nature will inevitably lead to a diverse demand for software in the IoT era. No single operating system or development tool can support all devices in IoT systems, and it is unlikely that IoT operating systems will form a duopoly like Android and iOS in smartphones anytime soon. New needs for IoT characterized by security and integration challenge traditional embedded software and present opportunities for new industry entrants represented by internet companies. The ten operating systems mentioned in this article indicate a broad range of choices and the fields they may be used in.
This article is selected from: Shanghai IoT Solutions Technology
Do
Dear readers, how do you find this article we have pushed today?
If you find it good, please give us a thumbs up below, and we will strive to do better with your affirmation;
If you think it needs improvement, please leave your valuable suggestions in the comment section below, and we will continue to improve to provide you with more valuable insights and information!
Scan the QR code above to follow RFID headlines, and you will receive the latest, comprehensive, and unique industry information about RFID!
↓↓↓ Click “Read the original text” 【View more information】