A Review on RTOS in Embedded Systems
Keywords:
ARM, Effective synchronization, Pragmatic approaches, Real-time traffic, RTOS, SoCsAbstract
Embedded systems have come to depend more and more on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) due to the strict timing, reliability, and responsiveness demands of contemporary applications. This survey examines the diverse design techniques and scheduling strategies that are helpful in the evolution of RTOS in embedded systems. It starts with basic concepts such as preemptive scheduling on low-power microcontrollers, wherein hybrid algorithms such as round-robin with priority help improve effectiveness. We trace the evolution of RTOS being optimized for domain-based applications. In home automation, RTOS facilitate the smooth execution of tasks through good synchronization and real-time response to user demands. RTOS deployment over ARM-based platforms for augmented reality-powered traffic sign recognition addresses the issues of real-time in safety-critical automotive systems. Further, the compounded RTOS development is accompanied by dual-execution platforms that allow embedded programs to leverage both standard real-time control and general-purpose OS facilities without trading off timing guarantees. Leading thermal imaging platforms demonstrate how RTOS and heterogeneous SoCs enable real-time image processing with optimized power and performance. This survey highlights the architectural innovation and design practices that are enabling next-generation real-time embedded systems by synthesizing these various viewpoints.
References
T. Cernat, M. Daraban, C. Corches and G. Chindris, “Preemptive real time operating system for low power microcontrollers,” 2023 IEEE 29th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME), Craiova, Romania, 2023, pp. 281–284, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/SIITME59799.2023.10431365
V. S, M. D N and M. H, “Real-time operating system for smart home automation,” 2024 8th International Conference on Computational System and Information Technology for Sustainable Solutions (CSITSS), Bengaluru, India, 2024, pp. 1–5, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/CSITSS64042.2024.10816770
I. Banerjee and P. Madhumathy, “QoS enhanced energy efficient cluster-based routing protocol realized using stochastic modeling to increase lifetime of green wireless sensor network,” Wireless Networks, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 489–507, Oct. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11276-022-03124-4
P. Madhumathy, S. Singh, S. Shukla, and U. Krishnan, “Detection of humps and potholes on roads and notifying the same to the drivers,” Int. J. Manage. Appl. Sci. (IJMAS), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 130–133, 2017. Available: https://www.iraj.in/journal/IJMAS/paper_detail.php?paper_id=6861&name=Detection_of_Humps_and_Potholes_on_Roads_and_Notifying_the_Same_to_the_Drivers
A. Chebbah, H. Ben Fredj, and C. Souani, “Embedded system for real-time traffic signs recognition with augmented reality implemented in ARM,” 2025 IEEE 22nd International Multi-Conference on Systems, Signals & Devices (SSD), pp. 1138–1143, Feb. 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/ssd64182.2025.10989931
S. B. Prasad and P. Madhumathy, “Long term evolution for secured smart railway communications using internet of things,” Studies in Computational Intelligence, pp. 285–300, Jul. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50641-4_16
C.-F. Yang and Yasushi Shinjo, “Compounded real-time operating systems for rich real-time applications,” IEEE Access, pp. 1–1, Jan. 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3538561
P. Madhumathy and D. Sivakumar, “Reliable data gathering by Mobile Sink for wireless sensor networks,” International Conference on Communication and Signal Processing, pp. 1348–1352, Apr. 2014, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/iccsp.2014.6950069
M. R. Suma and P. Madhumathy, “An optimal swift key generation and distribution for QKD,” Scientific and Technical Journal of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 101–113, Feb. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.17586/2226-1494-2022-22-1-101-113
H. W. Oh, C.-H. Choi, J. W. Cha, H. Choi, J.-H. Shin, and J. H. Han, “A compact real-time thermal imaging system based on heterogeneous system-on-chip,” 2024 IEEE 30th International Conference on Embedded and Real-Time Computing Systems and Applications (RTCSA), pp. 97–107, Aug. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/rtcsa62462.2024.00023
A. Y. Bramhankar Sapana, “RTOS-based home automation system using ATMEGA,” International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and Communication Engineering, vol. 03, no. 02, pp. 910–915, Feb. 2015, doi: https://doi.org/10.15680/ijircce.2015.0302029
S. Anwaarullah and S. V. Altaf, “RTOS based home automation system using Android,” Int. J. Adv. Trends Comput. Sci. Eng., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 480–484, 2013. Available: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/RTOS-based-Home-Automation-System-using-Android-Anwaarullah-Altaf/ece1b8c041716f3b54827c22ffd52393c820b758