Dr. Kuhn, an operating system for production plants. Is there anything comparable from other sectors?
Platforms that abstract from hardware interfaces and thus enable hardware-independent software are also becoming increasingly popular in the field of embedded systems. A prominent pioneer here is the Autosar platform for software in the automotive sector. This separates software into basic software, which implements basic functions such as communication, and application software, which implements specific applications such as assistance systems.

How should we imagine your 'operating system'?
BaSys 4.0 will implement a modular system. Some of the modules will implement services that other operating systems also offer. These include communication interfaces, access to devices and services as well as functions for task and memory management. In addition, there will be more specific services that are not yet standard in the field of embedded systems. These include, for example, the reloading of a hardware-independent application into a production system or support for digital twins. These represent all data and services relevant to the production system in a standardized and manufacturer-independent format. They are therefore a central technology for implementing comprehensive control systems.

The modular concept of BaSys 4.0 will allow third-party manufacturers to replace existing modules with new implementations or to integrate new modules into the system that realize completely new functions. For example, it will be possible to integrate new network technologies and device types into the system in this way.

The project is scheduled to run for three years. What steps does your roadmap envisage?
The project is divided into six iterations, with a demonstratable prototype at the end of each iteration. In the first iteration, the overall modular architecture is developed and the interfaces for the central modules are defined. In the subsequent iterations, reference implementations for selected modules are realized and tested. In the course of the project, these reference implementations will result in a reference platform that implements the central features of BaSys 4.0. This reference platform will be made available under an open source license. We are also considering developing acceptance tests for central modules. This will allow independent developers to quickly check whether their module conforms to the BaSys specification.

Is there any basic work that you can fall back on?
There are numerous technologies that are already available - it is therefore not necessary to reinvent the wheel in all areas. The S3P project - Smart, Safe & Secure Platform - is particularly worth mentioning here. This is a French consortium project that is creating a platform for the development and application of software for the Internet of Things. As the Internet of Things is a basic technology for Industry 4.0, we are looking very closely at its results. The Industrial Data Space is another BMBF-funded project of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. The focus here is on ensuring that the owners of data always retain sovereignty over this data, even in the context of Industry 4.0. This is realized, for example, with concepts for data integration and secure data exchange.

Your project is part of the BMBF; the Industry 4.0 platform is run by the BMWi. Will your results be incorporated into the platform - or is your project more of a rival event?
Industry 4.0 can only work with open systems and open standards. We will work closely with the Industry 4.0 platform to ensure this. In our experience, it won't be a problem that our activities are carried out by different ministries, as this will not disrupt the exchange of expertise.

As a result of the project, we are aiming for a reference platform that includes modules, open interfaces and a freely available reference implementation.