I read the (read only) archive all about DuinOS real-time OS developed by juliandasilva, and was very interested to know the current status of integration with the Arduino IDE and use with an Arduino UNO v3 dual processor design. In my opinion a real-time OS option would be a great addition to the Arduino IDE. With your permission I'd offer my help with this. I wrote three RTOS implementations myself (a long time ago, 8085, Z80 and 80C39) ...
Here's my questions, just to check current status ... I'd be really grateful for input
a) Can Admins please start a new forum section for DuinOS, since the "old" section has been marked read only?
b) Is it possible to run DuinOS on both the ATMEGA8U2 (USB) processor and the ATMEGA328P (Arduino) processor?
c) Is there a preworked serial bootloader and JTAG debug configuration that runs under DuinOS on both the ATMEGA8U2 (USB) processor and the ATMEGA328P (Arduino) processor?
d) Has anyone developed a full library of USB class endpoints that run under DuinOS?
e) Can the Arduino IDE be enhanced to specify either the ATMEGA8U2 (USB) processor and the ATMEGA328P (Arduino) processor as tragets for sketches?
f) Has anyone developed a full MIDI over USB endpoint (both Host and Device) that runs under DuinOS?
g) Is there any mechanism whereby I can set up a forked "in development" version of the current Arduino IDE, for integration with Duinos?
h) Julian, are you willing to help me?
a) I don't know if the Admins here do that, but your own post may be a good starting point for a new DuinOS thread.
b) I think that the 8U2 is too small to run the FreeRTOS kernel. Specially regarding RAM (512 bytes seems small). Even the M168 is not a good MCU for DuinOS.
c) No. In fact, we did not used JTAG with DuinOS.
d) This guys made FreeRTOS work with LUFA: Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.. We (at RGLabs) are working on a nice core and booloader for the ATMega32U4, but did not used it with DuinOS.
e) I think it's perfectly possible to expand the Arduino IDE to support both MCUs. But we did not do it. It seems as a development completely independent form the DuinOS development.
f) No as far as I know.
g) I don't know if there is an "official" mechanism to do that. But you can always fork the IDE, since it's under an open source license (if someone knows that there is a problem with this, please let us know and forget my possible ignorance).
e) It's possible that the DuinOS development will be advancing again, but not soon, since RobotGroup (robotgroup.com.ar) has plans to work with it again.
An update following a nice SKYPE conversation with Julián today in which he gave me lots of help about DuinOS and FreeRTOS.
His company "RobotGroup" in Argentina are busy working on robotics for education, and have several "Arduino" compatible robots available already, plus a controller:
They have also developed a pictorial development environment aimed at the Education sector, called Minibloq. It works with Arduino boards as well as many others.
Julián is very keen for people to use Minibloq, it's completely free and well documented and is being enhanced based on user feedback.
This was very interesting for me, I hope for other Arduino hobbyists as well.
