Embedded PC and Internet technologies for real-time control of mobile robots

The use of embedded personal computers (PC) allows desktop applications to be used into real-time control. Such systems are reliable, compact, and low in cost. The mainstream Windows family based PC platforms have drawbacks concerning their real-time capabilities. The integration of embedded PC and Internet technologies make distributed real-time control reality and eliminate the limitations of operating systems (OS). This paper discusses the general hardware, OS, and software development tools for distributed, Internet enabled, embedded control systems. A specific application to Internet control of mobile robot is discussed. The application example verifies the approach and illustrates its potential applicability. Several techniques for distributed object sharing are tested and it is shown that HORB appears to be most suitable for the purpose of the application, because of its high reliability, high speed, and easy-to-implement features. At present, the feedback relies on camera interface and some sensors. In the future, A.I. elements will be introduced into the robot.