RTOS Support on Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users are inquiring about the availability and support of Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano platform. This question arises from developers who may need real-time capabilities for their applications, particularly in fields such as robotics, autonomous systems, or industrial automation where precise timing and deterministic behavior are crucial.

Possible Causes

1. Lack of clear documentation: Users may be unsure about the real-time capabilities of the Jetson Orin Nano due to insufficient or unclear information in the product documentation.

2. Misconceptions about embedded systems: Some users might assume that all embedded systems support RTOS, leading to confusion when working with the Jetson platform.

3. Specific application requirements: Developers may have projects that require real-time performance, prompting them to seek RTOS support on the Jetson Orin Nano.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Understand the Jetson Orin Nano’s capabilities:

   • The Jetson Orin Nano does not support a traditional RTOS in the same way as some microcontrollers or other embedded systems.
   • However, it does offer real-time capabilities through the Jetson Sensor Processing Engine (SPE).

2. Explore the Jetson Sensor Processing Engine (SPE):

   • The SPE is a dedicated processor within the Jetson Orin Nano that can handle real-time tasks.
   • It provides deterministic, low-latency processing for sensor data and can run simple real-time applications.

3. Access SPE documentation:

   • Refer to the Jetson Sensor Processing Engine (SPE) Developer Guide for detailed information: https://docs.nvidia.com/jetson/archives/r35.3.1/DeveloperGuide/text/SD/SensorProcessingEngine.html

4. Understand SPE capabilities:

   • The SPE can run FreeRTOS, a popular real-time operating system.
   • It can handle tasks such as sensor fusion, filtering, and simple control loops with real-time constraints.

5. Develop for the SPE:

   • Use the provided SDK and tools to develop applications for the SPE.
   • Follow the guidelines in the developer guide for writing, compiling, and deploying SPE applications.

6. Consider alternative approaches:

   • For applications that require more complex real-time processing, consider using the main CPU with real-time Linux patches or techniques like CPU isolation and thread prioritization.
   • Evaluate whether your real-time requirements can be met using the Linux kernel’s PREEMPT_RT patch, which can provide improved real-time performance on the main CPU.

7. Optimize your application:

   • Carefully design your application to offload real-time critical tasks to the SPE while using the main CPU for non-real-time processing.
   • Use appropriate inter-processor communication methods as described in the SPE developer guide.

8. Stay updated:

   • Regularly check the Nvidia Developer website and forums for updates on RTOS support and SPE capabilities.
   • New software releases may introduce improved real-time features or expanded SPE functionality.

By following these steps and utilizing the Jetson Sensor Processing Engine, developers can leverage real-time processing capabilities on the Jetson Orin Nano platform, even though it doesn’t support a traditional RTOS on its main CPU.