treefrog wrote:
> Hi folks,
> I'm interested in finding out how widespread the use of Ruby is in
> embedded applications. Perhaps you do development for a jukebox
> manufacturer who uses Ruby to handle playlists, billing etc. with a C
> library doing all the driver stuff :-)

Well, tangentially...

We're using ruby for a customized IP transport layer and for messaging
services that will function as a platform for distributed applications
for vehicle-infrastructure communication based on DSRC wireless at the
roadside and GPRS cellular modems for backhaul. The applications are
being developed by several car companies, OEMs, and a traffic probe data
consulting co. The idea is to do everything from getting restaurant and
traffic info to the driver to automated diagnostics and support to
safety alerts.

Ruby is running on the roadside boxes (running RTLinux, sitting in
signal controller cabinets, so it's sorta embedded) and on a message
exchange server, and probably also some test vehicles. The partner
companies will be using our C library to send and receive messages
between their cars and their servers, but ruby is in the middle.

It's not for production code, just for a demo at the ITS World Congress
in S.F. involving 10s of cars and about 40 roadside units (wireless
access points).

In future projects, we may be moving some of the ruby code into a C
driver, but I will argue for keeping the higher level logic in ruby.
Also, we have another project to develop the lower DSRC protocol layers
in FPGA. (DSRC is the band designated for roadway communication.)