Ethnos

ETHNOS is an open source environment for developing a real-time management system. This environment consists of a console, a network protocol for robots, a programming interface, and additional tools for development. In software development, an “environment” is a set of processes and tools used to develop, test, package, and debug a source code or program. ETHNOS is an integrated development environment (IDE) in which the tools and procedures work together. Such coordination permits software makers to share a common user interface for viewing and contributing in the development process of the code.

The console is also called “Ethnos,” from which the name of the overall environment is derived. It is an operating system that functions in real time and was conceived as a Linux extension. The system supports various high-level requirements for communication, representation, and execution. In particular, it supports real-time execution of tasks, handling of events, allocation of resources, and synchronizing functions.

The network protocol is designed for both single and multiple robot environments. It is also engineered for wireless communication with electronic noise. The protocol aims to optimize exchange of information among robots across cable or wireless media. The programming interface is an object-oriented API (Applications Programming Interface). It is a collection of standards and instructions or blueprints for programming. Its purpose is to use the programming blueprint that dictates how interaction should take place among various software components.