TOPPERS Project

TOPPERS（Toyohashi OPen Platform for Embedded Real-time Systems） Project is based on the technical development result applied ITRON, aimed to develop base software for use in embedded systems. By releasing quality Open Source Software, it is intended to promote embedded system technology and industry. Also by utilizing developed technology and distributing educational software, it is proposed to cultivate and train embedded system programmers.

The TOPPERS Project, started by a Non Profit Organization founded in September 2003, is lead by Professor Hiroaki Takada of Nagoya University and run mainly by cooperation of public and private sectors and individuals.

The TOPPERS Project is coordinated as a NPO (non-profit organization), membership made by persons who make contributions to the project in some form or manner, which anyone can join. Please refer to the following for more information to join the project. -> How to join

Project Target

The TOPPERS Project is moving forward to achieve the following three targets.

(1) To create a definitive real-time operating system to suit current necessities

Based on twenty years of technical development result application of ITRON, the project is aimed to create a definitive real-time operating system and distributing it as an Open Source Software. TOPPERS’s aim is to become an operating system positioned along with Linux in the embedded programming environment.

(2) Create a next generation real-time operating system technology

To answer needs to embedded programming, the project aims to create a next generation real-time operating system technology which inherits the best of ITRON applied operating system. Although it is aimed to be positioned alongside with Linux, it is not to become another Linux like operating system. By making it an Open Source Software, it will become possible to create an environment which circles public, private, and individual sectors.

(3) Cultivate and train embedded programmers

Creating educational courses and materials using Open Source Software and by providing these to the educational environment, the project is aimed to contribute to the education of embedded programmers. Courses and materials developed by the project will be made available as open educational contents.

Project Details

The first release of the TOPPERS/JSP kernel in November 2000 marks the beginning of the TOPPERS Project. Offers were made by several organizations wishing to co-develop JSP kernels and software operating on the developed platform, and in November 2001, the project became a structure composed by four organizations.
Since, it has been recognized that by making available the source of a standard ITRON applied operating system, it will lead to solving and reducing the problems that the ITRON applied operating system holds and promotion towards the industrial world has been actively made. As a result, by April 2002 four leading companies of the embedding system industry has joined the project and membership has increased steadily.

TOPPERS Project has been operating mainly through university department offices as a small level volunteer organization. But in order to actively develop and promote software, the necessity to become an organization holding a budget is essential. Also due to the increase of membership, running the project without a secretariat had become increasingly difficult. In November 2002 a committee was formed to transform the project into a new organization. After careful consideration and deliberation, a Non Profit Organization was setup in September 2003 and a new start was made under the newly created organization.