SOMANET

Modular Embedded Hardware Construction Kit for Distributed Real-Time Control Systems, suitable from Rapid Prototyping up to Serial Production

Using Synapticon SOMANET distributed real-time control and data acquisition modules, true electronic peripheral nervous systems can be built. Designed to run DYNARC Control Technology-based firmware, they easily enable creation of custom distributed real-time computing systems in which code can be run locally, wherever it‘s required.

A Synapticon DYNARC-based system is made up of multiple Nodes, each placed directly at the ressource it shall control. For every local application, a custom SOMANET Node can be configured, consisting of three modules: processor, communication and local interface board. For each module type there is a variety of options available, supporting any mechatronical application from simple sensor data acquisition up to sophisticated multi-axis motion control.

See how to configure a Synapticon DYNARC-based system using SOMANET modules here.

Hardware Product Lineup

Communication Modules	Processor Modules	Local Interface Modules
Communication Modules let SOMANET Nodes speak with each other as well as any other device connected to the local network or the internet. Proprietary as well as industry standard interfaces like EtherCAT or WiFi are available to suit every possible requirement.	At the core of every SOMANET Node there is a processor module carrying one or more XMOS processors. A single XMOS core provides up to 8 deterministic real-time hardware threads. Up to 65k processor modules can be connected by SOMANET DX communication modules to be programmed as they were a single processor, providing a vast number of distributed threads.	Local Interface Modules are the link to the physical world for every SOMANET Node. They’re filling the hardware gap between motors or sensors and the processor controlling them. Besides the range of universal IFMs instantly available, SOMANET-compatible boards can be easily designed through open specifications and free to use EDA templates.
Browse COM modules	Browse Core modules	Browse IFM modules

Further Reading

Development Tools

SOMANET systems can be configured and programmed using OBLAC Development Tools as well as standard XMOS Tools. Each Node has an unique ID and automatically looks up the OBLAC Cloud Services for new software to download, save and execute. This way, developers don’t need to worry about installing and maintaining software on multiple Nodes in complex distributed systems and are in full control of the infrastructure at any time.

Integration with ROS

Using Synapticon’s rosxmos library, software running on SOMANET hardware nodes becomes a native ROS Node. Being able to register with a ROS Master through XMLRPC and exchange data with other nodes via TCPROS and UDPROS, it isn’t necessary anymore to have nodes running on the ROS Master PC that brigde to the distributed control layer.

Application Scenarios

See how SOMANET based systems can be used to solve problems and catalyze development for various applications such as Service Robotics, Industrial & Home Automation or the Internet of Things.