TR-IIS-08-005    Fulltext

Abstract

This paper describes the design and implementation of an open source embedded workflow framework (EMWF). By providing a language for specifying embedded workflow processes and light weight engines for executing and managing them, EMWF enables us to design and build service robots and assistive robotic devices on workflow-based architecture. The embedded process definition language supported by EMWF is called SISARL-XPDL. It is a subset of the standard process definition language XPDL (XML Process Definition Language) augmented with elements that are essential for smart embedded devices but not offered by XPDL. The SISARL-XPDL preprocessor translates augmented elements into either directives for the engine or compound built-in activities defined in terms of standard XPDL. EMWF provides two workflow engines, for Linux and Windows CE platforms. Both are written in C in order to keep the memory footprint and runtime overhead of the engine small. We use EMWF as a test bed for experimentation with the workflow approach and evaluation of workflow-based design.