PERC Pico Demonstration: Java Roasts C in Speed Test

At Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley, Aonix demonstrated that an all Java code solution executing with PERC Ultra and PERC Pico outstrips an equivalent Java program that uses C code for computing-intensive algorithms. The demonstration reveals that low-level Java code executing in the PERC Pico environment runs at a speed comparable to an equivalent low-level C program. In addition, the demonstration shows that PERC Pico provides a 200% performance improvement over C when used in hybrid applications where complex functionality is written with standard Java code and libraries, while high throughput functionality is written in C.

The Aonix demonstration features a computation-intensive fractal program with the fractal rendering implemented in either C or PERC Pico compliant Java code. In both cases, the graphics display is programmed in Java with an SWT graphics interface. The all-Java performance boost revealed by the demonstration is a benefit of the cleaner integration offered by PERC between high- and low-level Java code. The all-Java solution clearly shows the inefficiency introduced by the Java Native Interface (JNI) required to integrate between high-level Java code and low-level C code.

“Marshalling data between Java and C introduces performance overhead, and the JNI interface compromises the Java security model resulting in programming errors,” said Kelvin Nilsen, Aonix CTO. “This weakness coupled with the fact that C programming itself is less secure, less portable, and less scalable than Java illustrates the weakness of such a solution. PERC Pico eliminates that weakness, providing an ‘all Java code’ solution for high performance, complex embedded applications.”

 PERC Pico is the first development environment for Java developers truly geared toward the creation of resource-constrained and deeply embedded hard real-time applications and components. One of the design goals for PERC Pico was to offer the means for developers to write high-performance applications using only Java code to eliminate the need to resort to less reliable and less productive C code. Because PERC Pico overcomes the performance limitations inherent in traditional Java VMs, engineers are no longer forced to use C code for low-level and computation-intensive programming that leads to a number of problems ranging from reduced programmer productivity to higher error rates.

The PERC Pico programming model allows developers to write their code in Java and compile it with standard Java compilers. PERC Pico code executes unchanged on traditional Java virtual machines such as Sun HotSpot. However, the more rigorous memory model and execution engine used by PERC Pico supports the possibility of execution throughput comparable to C code. Thus, for the first time, developers have the opportunity to experience the benefits of an all Java code solution without sacrificing performance.

PERC Pico recently launched its first commercial release in March. The demonstration at Embedded Systems Conference takes PERC Pico one step further, using an optimized PERC Ultra / PERC Pico interface that will become available with a subsequent release later this year. The next release of PERC Pico, scheduled for Q3, will also feature many substantial performance optimizations benefiting both throughput and footprint.

Designed as a profile of the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ), PERC Pico can be used in either with an RTOS kernel or in a stand-alone configuration on bare target boards where footprint and execution speed are at a premium. In an RTOS-based configuration, PERC Pico can also be used together with the PERC Ultra virtual machine in an RTOS environment. This dual configuration is ideal for complex embedded applications where developers need to combine high levels of functionality and productivity with access to low-level devices, deterministic response, and high throughput. The PERC Ultra virtual machine offers rich J2SE™-based capabilities and predictable garbage collection, while PERC Pico provides the low-level access and small latencies that are often required.

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Aonix Releases Another New ObjectAda Real-Time and Safety-Critical Product with Eclipse Plug-ins

Aonix® is pleased to announce the release of ObjectAda Real-Time RAVEN V8.3 for Solaris platforms targeting PowerPC. This is the second of a series of ObjectAda V8.3 cross compiler products released this year following a Windows product announced in January. ObjectAda Real-Time Raven implements the Ravenscar profile, a restricted subset of the standard Ada runtime environment for applications requiring safety certification or a high-level of confidence in proven and fully tested runtime execution predictability.

This release of ObjectAda Real-Time RAVEN V8.3 supports the latest Solaris operating system version available from Sun Microsystems, Solaris 10. It allows developers to choose between the traditional Aonix IDE for development and the new AonixADT™ Eclipse plug-in. Geared to maximize developer ease and efficiency, AonixADT incorporates Ada-project awareness, an Ada-language sensitive editor, Ada-language compile and build capabilities, and a complete Ada debugger interface, enabling Ada developers to enjoy state-of-the-art interface capabilities. AonixADT has been added to ObjectAda at no additional cost. Additionally this release supports JTAG debugging via the Abatron BDI2000, and includes support for the e500 CPU architecture.

ObjectAda Real-Time RAVEN V8.3 continues the Aonix legacy of delivering certifiable applications to both commercial and government safety-critical projects in avionics, space, high-speed rail, and nuclear industries. Aonix gained its solid reputation in the safety-critical field by designing tools that comply with market standards and has provided safety-critical solutions to a myriad of commercial and defense projects including International Space Station, Boeing 777, Rafale Multi-Role Combat Fighter, C130-J Hercules, Airbus A 330-340, and NH90 Helicopter. For systems not requiring formal certification, ObjectAda Real-Time Raven provides the assurance that the Ada runtime used in resource-constrained systems has been rigorously proven and tested.

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ADT Goes Open Source as Aonix Leads Ada Eclipse Development Tools Project Initiative  

Aonix announced that it is leading a new Eclipse-based initiative to create an Ada Development Tookit (ADT) project and will collaborate with the Eclipse Foundation™ toward that end. With this new initiative, Aonix is offering its Eclipse™ plug-in technology to the open-source community and has proposed to the Eclipse Foundation that its AonixADT technology be used in the ADT project as the core baseline technology. Opening AonixADT to the user community through an authorized Eclipse project will provide the Ada community free access to the open and extensible AonixADT™ solution.

Since AonixADT can be used with a large set of existing plug-ins for third-party tools, including support for source-code configuration management, it is a powerful application-building enabler. Aonix, an early participant in the Eclipse™ open tools movement, has provided Ada Development Toolkit plug-ins for Aonix and GNAT compilers since 2004. With Eclipse Foundation sanctioned Ada plug-ins, the Ada community will enjoy the same benefits previously available for other languages.

By standardizing on a single IDE, companies that adopt Eclipse may eliminate the efforts traditionally required to learn and maintain multiple development environments. Within Eclipse, they can combine their extensive collection of in-house development tools with best-of-breed commercial products. This integration streamlines interactions within the development environment, simplifying the work process used by each developer on a daily basis, saving significant time and reducing overall development costs.

“We’re very pleased with the offer from Aonix to lead an ADT Project initiative,” said Doug Schaefer, QNX Software Systems, Eclipse CDT Project Lead. “Adding Ada to the Eclipse list of supported languages is further evidence of its broad acceptance as the best possible cross-language, cross-industry development IDE.”

The ADT project benefits any organization using popular real-time operating systems that support Eclipse in their development toolkits. Plug-ins built on a standard ADT project baseline would work together with other standard eclipse plug-ins supported by products such as Luminosity from LynuxWorks™, Momentics® from QNX® Software Systems, and Workbench from Wind River® Systems to name a few.

“As a user of the Eclipse platform, the CDT project and partner of Aonix, we are happy that ADT is helping to bring these together”, said Robert Day, VP marketing at LynuxWorks and chairman of the Eclipse Embedded Workgroup. “This initiative also shows the openness of Eclipse platform architecture and how its widespread usage in the embedded industry is extending daily to meet embedded users’ needs.”

"As a Strategic Developer in Eclipse and lead of the Device Software Development Platform (DSDP) top-level project, Wind River has actively promoted Eclipse adoption, collaboration, and contribution in the Device Software Development space," says Andrew Lyons, Director of Developer Tools at Wind River. "We strongly support Aonix decision to initiate and lead the ADT project in Eclipse and look forward to a growing Ada community in Eclipse. Ada customers of Wind River Workbench, an Eclipse-based integrated development suite that supports both VxWorks and Linux operating systems, can only benefit from broad access and enhancement of tools like ADT."

AonixADT provides Ada-project awareness, an Ada-language sensitive editor, Ada-language compile and build capabilities, along with a complete Ada debugger interface. ADT project awareness allows full library hierarchy manipulation and Ada program units can be conveniently inserted or removed from Ada projects. The language-sensitive editor provides complete language awareness with syntax color coding and template completion. Symbolic debugging is integrated within the Ada-language sensitive editor. The build interface offers complete access to the Aonix ObjectAda compile and build capabilities.

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