Connectivity for Next-Generation Robotics
No longer the sole province of science fiction, robotics plays a central role across industries and in everyday life, encompassing everything from business-critical and life-saving innovations to handy kitchen devices and children’s toys. If your robotics systems fall into the former category, the prime directive is simple: Outages and downtime are unacceptable and must be avoided at every turn.
RTI Connext®, based on the DDS standard, is the connectivity solution for high-stakes, production-ready robotics. It provides a distributed data-centric connectivity framework that is not only reliable, but also adaptable to a wide variety of use cases as requirements evolve. In all cases, this connectivity framework has the power to enable modular software development, increase productivity across the software lifecycle and free experts to focus on new innovations.
Connext is a connectivity framework for next-generation, high-precision robotics, delivering secure, closed-loop control and real-time communication. Connext is used to connect and run human-controlled, collaborative and fully-autonomous robotic systems. Its data-centric approach to connectivity, seamlessly distributes data-in-motion, allowing robotic subsystems to work as a single integrated solution – reliably, securely and in real time. Connext is further enhanced by RTI’s services and support teams, delivering extraordinary value to customers.
Evolution of Autonomous Robotics
Autonomy is an evolving state. Six levels of autonomy are often used to describe how the human/robot interdependencies change as the level of autonomy increases. These levels have been applied to multiple industries - including automotive, medical, manufacturing, aerospace & defense and logistics - to describe this evolution, eliminate confusion and guide development of autonomous systems. RTI provides the connectivity framework for production-ready, next generation robotics in each of these industries by enabling the development of data-centric, autonomous products and systems especially as complexity increases in the higher levels of autonomy.
Production-Grade Deployment
To comply with the interoperability, security and scalability requirements of commercial deployments, Connext can be easily and fully integrated with Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) software, enabling all the development advantages of working within an environment built on the Data Distribution ServiceTM (DDS) standard. As robotics applications scale, Connext enables real-world improvements in efficiency, productivity and reliability, as well as the ability to achieve production-grade deployment.
As an integrating technology, Connext expands the designer’s toolbox to include ROS 2, DDS, AUTOSAR, FACE and others. Connext can help users strengthen their systems and gain new capabilities, enabling users to pursue production-grade deployment of their designs in a variety of industries such as automotive, aerospace, medical, manufacturing, and more.
In tests and in real-world applications, Connext boasts a proven, mature design that delivers ROS 2 compatibility and can help achieve superior performance. Connext Tools and Services, such as Admin Console and Recording Service, respectively, bring exceptional power and value to each implementation. The merged ROS 2 and Connext ecosystem enables ROS 2 tools to work with native Connext applications, offering a hybrid system design approach that brings capabilities far beyond what ROS 2 alone can offer.
Learn about the Connext 6 ROS Middleware Wrapper (RMW) that brings the field-proven, production-grade strength of RTI Connext to ROS 2.
Read more about our new RMW in the November 2020 article in The Robot Report.
Learn from a ROS 2 expert at RTI, how to overcome technical limitations using the framework on which ROS 2 is built - Electronic Design, Jan 2023
Applications
Medical Robotics
RTI Connext DDS provides secure, real-time communication between complex system components and meets the demanding needs of highly-reliable, medical robotics applications.
Learn MoreTelerobotics
RTI Connext DDS meets advanced connectivity requirements for signals sent between the vast distances separating the space station, satellites and land- based devices.
Learn MoreHarsh Environments
Autonomous robots on the drill floor are transforming oil and gas exploration, replacing dangerous manual operations with a new interconnected system of advanced robotics and software. The robotic systems operate on real-time information to perform tasks in an autonomous, safe, repeatable and highly precise manner.
Learn MoreSuccess Stories
High-speed Autonomous Race
Indy Autonomous Challenge
RTI Connext DDS provides race teams with rapid design-test iteration capabilities and is the only technology that can integrate AUTOSAR, ROS 2 and the advanced simulation and modeling capabilities from Ansys – at peak performance and reliability.
Human Robot Interaction Laboratory
European Space Agency
ESA uses Connext DDS for communication and video to demonstrate long- distance object control from aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Surgical Systems
DLR Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Systems
The Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery (MIRS) system at DLR coordinates three robots to perform delicate heart surgery. The system closes a distributed loop between the robots and the remote surgeon's control at 3kHz.
Proven Readiness for High Performance Robotics
FMC Technologies Schilling Robotics
RTI Connext DDS provides powerful interprocess communication and coordination functions in a networked, multi-OS software architecture that spans UI to realtime control.
Outer Space Human-to-Robot Communication
NASA
NASA relies on RTI Connext DDS because of its inherent tolerance of time delay and loss of signal that occur with signals sent across the vast distances separating the space station, satellites and land-based devices.
Precision in Robotic Transport
MT Robot AG
RTI Connext DDS manages data flows for the robots in motion reducing demands on customer networks, and enabling seamless integration with ERP and other software systems.
Underwater Connectivity
OpenROV
OpenROV leverages Connext DDS to solve complex connectivity challenges in their drones while underwater in one of the world’s harshest and most unpredictable environments.
Underground Environments
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY - DARPA SubT CHALLENGE
CMU's DARPA SubT Challenge Team uses Connext DDS as the connectivity framework to make coordinated, time-critical decisions in uncertain underground environments.
Robotics Software Customers
Industry leaders are selecting RTI as their trusted partner to meet the performance, reliability, scalability and security requirements that are critical to next-generation robotics.
For more information or to get a free 30-day trial of Connext DDS, please contact robotics@RTI.com.



