18 February, 2023

Objective of the Session:

The objective of this expert lecture was to provide students with a practical understanding of Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) and their applications in embedded systems. The lecture aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge of microcontrollers and real-world applications that require multitasking, scheduling, and real-time performance.

Prof. Nupur Sinha explained the need for RTOS, different task scheduling algorithms (Round Robin, Priority-Based, Preemptive Scheduling), and their applications in IoT, automotive systems, and robotics. She also introduced FreeRTOS and Zephyr as popular platforms for embedded applications and gave hands-on examples of multitasking on ARM Cortex microcontrollers. The session highlighted how RTOS improves efficiency, reliability, and scalability in embedded projects, and why it is an essential skill for engineers entering the IoT and embedded industry.

Outcome

After attending this lecture, participants:

• Learned the basic structure and components of RTOS (kernel, scheduler, tasks, queues, semaphores).
• Understood how task scheduling works in embedded systems.
• Explored applications of RTOS in smart devices, medical equipment, and automotive systems.
• Became familiar with FreeRTOS and Zephyr platforms for UG-level projects.
• Were motivated to work on IoT and automation projects using RTOS for real-time performance.

The lecture concluded with a Q&A session, where students asked about the difference between RTOS and traditional operating systems, industry demand for RTOS skills, and how to start RTOS-based projects. Feedback was very positive, and students expressed interest in implementing RTOS in their final year projects.