Introduction to the Atlas Platform

Mobile & Pervasive Computing LaboratoryDepartment of Computer and Information Sciences

and EngineeringUniversity of Florida

Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.

Introduction

sensors

Homes

Homeland Security

Logistics

Structural monitoring

Actuators

Motivation

How do I integrate sensors and

actuators into my

application??

Atlas – In a Nutshell•A Plug and Play Service Oriented Sensor and Actuator Platform

•Represents each of the devices (sensors and actuators) connected to it as software services

• New devices automatically appear as services inside service framework upon power-up.

• Application Developers do not require hardware knowledge or need to learn embedded systems programming to integrate sensors and actuators into their applications.

• Sensors and actuators can be discovered, accessed and controlled through high-level software mechanisms

•Provides homogeneous interface to heterogeneous devices

OSGi• Open Services Gateway initiative. Founded by Sun Microsystems, IBM,

Ericsson and others in March 1999. Java based open standard.

• A standard, service oriented software component framework for manufacturers, service providers, and developers.

• Allows applications to dynamically discover and use services running inside the OSGi Service framework.

• OSGi provides life cycle management for services and applications running inside framework.

• Services/Applications (called Bundles) are installed with a standardized deployment format and can be started, stopped, updated, and uninstalled without requiring the JVM to be restarted.

Atlas Components

• Hardware nodes

• Software– Firmware running on hardware nodes– Components running inside OSGi framework– Service Bundles– Tools

Atlas Node Hardware

• Modular Hardware Design

– Processing Layer

– Device Connection Layer

– Communication Layer

Communication Layer

Processing Layer

Device Connection Layer

Firmware

• Runs on the Processing Layer of each Atlas node

• Controls communications and processing on the node including low level interaction with the sensors and actuators

• Written in C / compiled using AVR-GCC

Firmware Components

• Device Controller

• Communications Module

• Command Handler

• Onboard Processing Engine

OSGi based components

• Runs inside an OSGi (Open Services Gateway initiative) framework such as Knopflerfish, Equinox or Felix.– OSGi is a Java based open standard– Provides mechanisms for service discovery and delivery– Runs on a single JVM and provides a sandbox execution

environment

• Core Components– Atlas Manager– Service Bundle Repository

• Web based Configuration & Admin Tool• Eclipse Plug-in for creating smart space applications

OSGi Components

• Network Communicator

• Bundle Repository• Device Service

Bundles• Configuration

Manager• Network Manager• Desktop Viewer• Web based

Configuration & Admin Interface

Bundles• Service Bundle Repository allows users to manage

various sensor & actuator service bundles such as Pressure Sensor Bundle, Servo Bundle etc.

• Bundles are Java applications packaged in a standard JAR file along with a manifest file containing certain OSGi specific headers

• A Bundle can export its functionality as services to other bundles and can import other services for its own use

• Bundle can be installed, started, stopped, uninstalled and updated inside the framework

Glucose Monitoring Device

Atlas Nodes

OSGi Service Framework

Temperature Service Glucose Monitor Service

Client Application

Atlas ManagerWeb based Config Tool

Bundle Repository

Temperature Sensor

Typical Atlas deployment External

Application