Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity company Real-Time Innovations (RTI) has announced its RTI Connext DDS 5.3, which is the “first connectivity software designed to build layered-databus architectures for IIoT systems of systems.”

Some of the features of RTI Connext DDS 5.3—which has a number of possible use cases, including with autonomous vehicles—include interoperable security, a historical data query, and seamless device mobility, which is especially important for autonomous vehicles because of how critical it is for systems to maintain connectivity even as devices roam across networks.

“With the introduction of Connext DDS 5.3, we are making it easier for developers to ensure their systems can handle the complex performance and scalability requirements of the Industrial IoT, while integrating the level of security necessary for critical applications,” says David Barnett, vice president of products and markets at RTI.

“Scalable and secure connectivity is a crucial component driving the Industrial Internet's momentum.”

Typical IIoT systems require sharing data across several networks, from the edge to the fog to the cloud.

An example of this is in a connected hospital, where devices have to communicate within a “patient or operating room, to nurses' stations and off-site monitors, to real-time analytics applications for smart alarming and clinical decision support, and with IT health records.”

According to RTI, this level of connectivity presents its share of challenges, because hospital networks can be easily overwhelmed by the aggregate volume of streaming device data.

As patients and devices move between rooms and networks, patient data has to be securely tracked, and devices and applications have to interoperate, even when they are developed by different manufacturers.

In an effort to assist system architects in addressing these challenges, the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) recently released the Industrial Internet Reference Architecture (IIRA), which identifies a “Layered Databus pattern as the recommended framework for developing these multi-tiered IIoT systems of systems.”

RTI Connext DDS 5.3 is the first connectivity software designed to “implement the layered databus pattern while also fostering interoperability and an open architecture.”

In an interview with AUVSI, Niheer Patel, Product Manager at RTI, says that customers are “happy about the commitment” that RTI has towards making its partners successful.
 
One of those customers that is impressed with RTI and its latest product is Tab Mong, system architect at GE Transportation, who speaks very highly about the capabilities of the RTI Connext DDS.

“This system will enable us to make more intelligent train control decisions while decreasing maintenance time and increasing railroad profitability. The reliance on freight rail is continuing to increase, creating a need for a system that is more connected, efficient and secure,” Mong says.  

“By replacing our previous messaging software with RTI Connext DDS, we were able to increase efficiency by 30% while providing a secure, open architecture that will make it easy for us to monitor the system remotely into the future. Together with RTI we are building locomotives that leverage the full power of the Industrial Internet.”

In regards to autonomous vehicles, Patel says that the company is working with a range of customers, from those just starting in the world of autonomous vehicles, to those that are already well established within that world.

The Connext DDS 5.3 Product Suite is immediately available, featuring Connext DDS Professional and Connext DDS Secure, both of which are usable with autonomous vehicles.

Connext DDS Professional is the “full-featured connectivity software solution including run-time messaging libraries, development tools and run-time services to scale IIoT systems.”

Connext DDS Secure includes all of the same features of the Connext DDS Professional, with the added functional security of the RTI Security Plugins.

More information about RTI Connext DDS 5.3 can be found here.