RTOS Integration Services
Real-Time Operating Systems That Do Their Job and Get Out of the Way
Many clients tell us they need a device design that runs in real time, but real time never means the same thing between projects. So, the first question we ask is what the client needs their device to do. The answer to that question can range from sampling a sensor a thousand times a second and storing every reading, or it can mean a status report every fifteen minutes. Those are two very different answers, and they need very different hardware, firmware, and oftentimes they don’t even need RTOS at all.
At EES, the first thing we do when working with RTOS integration is pin down what exactly your device needs to do, and how fast it needs to do that task. Then, we build the real time layer to match or deliberately leave it out if it’s not actually necessary.
What We Do
Our team designs, integrates, and fine tunes real-time operating systems for any embedded device that is required to juggle multiple tasks at once. Whether that is reading sensors, driving motors, or talking to the cloud, we make sure your products can handle all those tasks at once.
Primarily we work with FreeRTOS and Zephyr, but we have also built custom schedulers for projects that needed them in the past. We work with whichever platform fits your design hardware and your budget, and then we build the task structure, priorities, and timing around those product needs.
When You Actually Need an RTOS (and When You Don't)
- Your device has to handle multiple things at once, sensors, motors, comms, a user interface, that can’t afford to wait on each other.
- Timing matters enough that a missed deadline means a dropped reading, a late motor command, or a product that just feels laggy.
- The system has to scale as features get added, without every new feature threatening to break the last one.
There are many embedded products that have no need for any of the above. A single sensor polling on a fixed interval and running on a simple state machine is often the better answer, and it is much cheaper to build and maintain. Our team makes sure to tell you when bare metal is a better call than an RTOS. We have no desire to waste your time or ours putting an RTOS on a project that doesn’t need one.
How We Approach RTOS Integration
- Define what “real time” means for your product. This is the question we ask first, and it drives everything after it.
- Map the tasks: what has to run, how often, and what actually happens if it runs late.
- Pick the platform, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or a custom scheduler, based on your MCU, your memory budget, and what your team can maintain after we hand it off.
- Build and tune priorities, stack sizing, and interrupt handling, including the failure modes nobody thinks about until a task misses its deadline in the field.
Why This Matters
The RTOS layer is a critical piece of a project, but oftentimes the symptoms of a mistake in that layer don’t show up until much later in the project. Buttons lag when put under load or sensor readings may go stale while waiting for other parts of the system. The device that worked fine while being tested on the bench doesn’t actually work when all the systems are running simultaneously.
At EES, we know the fix for those kinds of problems, because we’ve dealt with them, across multiple projects, from industrial equipment to connected consumer devices to specialized instrumentation. It’s almost always the same fix across the board; the task structure and priorities weren’t designed for the actual timing needs of the product.
Knowing this, we design for that up front, to save everyone time and avoid debugging it later.
FAQs
Do I need an RTOS, or is bare metal enough for my product?
This is highly dependent on the demands on your specific device. If it's a relatively simple device, reading one or two sensors and handling the results, it's likely best to go with a bare metal design. However, once you introduce multiple inputs, outputs, and communication channels, and they all must work at the same time, then a RTOS starts to earn its keep. Our team will assess your specific project needs and tell you honestly what design choice will work best to meet your goals.
Which RTOS platforms do you work with?
Mostly FreeRTOS and Zephyr, and we've built custom schedulers when a project needed something neither platform offered out of the box. The right choice depends on your MCU, your memory budget, and what your team wants to maintain after we're done.
What does “real time” actually mean for my product?
That's the first question we ask, because the term means different things to different people. We've had clients who needed sensor reads a thousand times a second, and others where a status update every fifteen minutes qualified. Your answer to the preliminary questions determines the hardware, the firmware, and whether you need an RTOS at all.
Can you integrate an RTOS into firmware that's already partway built?
Yes. It's more work than designing the task structure from the start, but it's a normal part of what we do, especially for inherited or legacy firmware.
How do you decide how many tasks and what priorities to use?
We map out what has to run, how often, and what actually happens if it runs late. Priorities and stack sizing come out of that map, rather than being pulled from a default template.
What happens if the RTOS layer is designed wrong?
That particular problem usually doesn't show up on the bench. It shows up in the field, with laggy buttons and sensors falling behind. This is why designing the task structure and priorities is so crucial in the beginning of a project and saves everyone money on debugging later.
Not sure if your product needs an RTOS, or want a second opinion on one that's already causing problems?
Talk to a senior engineer. Start with a free Engineering Reality Check if you’re still scoping the project, or a Firmware Flaw Finder audit ($499) if code already exists and something feels off.