Developing the KURT vehicle has resulted also into a number of significant enhancements to Altreonic's supporting tools. The KURT controller software runs on the VirtuosoNext RTOS. To enhance safety and security, all Tasks and memory regions are protected from each other, yet it runs on a modest ARM M-series controller with little memory. As VirtuosoNext is a distributed operating system, the application runs replicated on the four controlling nodes of the KURT self-propelled platform. The GoedelWorks platform is used to keep track of all engineering data in a traceable way. In line with the methodology, the KURT vehicle can also be remotely monitored through a smartphone or mini-tablet (that functions as driver's vehicle dashboard).
This allows a central server to keep track of the vital vehicle parameters (battery, temperature, speed and location) in real-time. The vehicle operator can then use the data for e.g. fleet management, vehicle scheduling, preventive maintenance, trip management but also to detect abnormal situations like irresponsible driving. And last but not least, it provides a way to have two-way communication using text messages between the driver and the dispatching center.
With this development, VirtuosoNext has now a gateway to the IoT (internet of things) world with more developments providing support in this emerging domain, that is more limited by the imagination than by the state of the technology. GoedelWorks also sets a step forward as the remote monitoring database allows linking the engineering data with life-cycle data.