OpenKAI (Kinetic AI) is a framework that combines AI and robot controllers. OpenKAI is designed to be highly customizable for versatile applications, yet light weight to be ran on embedded hardwares, and a simple code architecture that is easy for expansion and maintenance.
OpenKAI is supposed to behave as a companion computer that commands an external low-level robotic controller. Supported hardware for the companiton computer are
- x86 PC
- NVIDIA JetsonTX1
Planned supported hardwares in future includes
- Raspberry Pi
- Odroid
- Ubuntu desktop (14.04, 16.04)
- Ubuntu for embedded platforms: Jetson TX1 (JetPack 2.3)
- Pixhawk (Mavlink/UART)
- Controllers with CAN bus I/F (Via UART/USB<->CAN bus converter)
- Controllers with RC (PWM) input (Via UART/USB->PWM converter)
OpenKAI is organized as a combination of multiple functional Modules. Each Module runs in an individual thread, so that modules can be ran simultaneously over multi-core CPUs efficiently. Each Module contains multiple sub-Modules, each sub-Module may handle certain part of functions divided by its category, and the Module switches between each of its sub-Modules to form a complete function.
A typical example of Modular designed OpenKAI system for an automatic visual guided landing system is shown below.
The overall system implemented by OpenKAI is a single-process multi-threads program. This architecture aims to provide an easy expansion similar to ROS, meanwhile keeping the program to be simple and provide an efficient interface between Modules by eliminating the socket communication in ROS. A reference of currently implemented Modules and sub-Modules will be provided soon.
There are two ways of implement an application based on OpenKAI: compilation vs. script.
OpenKAI is implemented purely in C++, it is very easy to implement your application as C/C++ and compile with OpenKAI together using such as cmake build tool or IDEs such as Eclipse CDT. Refer to application/general.cpp as a starting point for application integration. A tutorial on setting up Eclipse CDT with OpenKAI will be provided soon.
If the existing function Modules from OpenKAI already satisfy your needs, you can write a json-like Kiss script to define your application. Note that Kiss is treated as a config file and will be parsed all at once at the beginning of OpenKAI program execution. The Modules defined by Kiss file are statically created and get started to run. Therefore there is no difference in execution speed between the Compilation way and application defined by Kiss.
To be updated.