Seamlessly Integrating a Windows User Interface with a Safety-Critical VxWorks System
When developing systems that combine safety-critical functionality with a rich user experience, the Wind River® VxWorks® Hypervisor offers a powerful solution. By leveraging the hypervisor to run Microsoft Windows alongside VxWorks on a single hardware platform, developers can deliver intuitive graphical interfaces while maintaining real-time, deterministic control over critical processes.
One of our customers - a medical device manufacturer - faced exactly this challenge. Their product needed to maintain a human organ in a viable state, which demanded a safety-certified, real-time OS. Simultaneously, it had to present clear, actionable information to clinicians through a modern touchscreen interface. The solution: run a Windows GUI in parallel with safety-critical VxWorks logic, powered by the VxWorks Hypervisor.
System Architecture Overview #
Below is a high-level diagram of the VxWorks Hypervisor Reference Platform:
This architecture includes:
- A VxWorks Root OS to manage the hypervisor.
- A VxWorks Guest OS responsible for real-time control, medical device communication, and data transmission.
- A Windows Guest OS hosting the graphical user interface.
- A Virtual Network Interface (vNIC) to facilitate internal communication between the VxWorks and Windows partitions.
- Custom VxWorks communication tasks that manage socket-based data exchange between system components.
Each operating system runs independently, thanks to the strict partitioning enforced by the hypervisor. This means that if Windows were to fail or reboot, the VxWorks Guest OS would continue uninterrupted—ensuring the organ remains safe and viable.
Development and Configuration #
Building this hybrid platform involved configuring multiple software components within the Wind River Workbench environment, including:
- VxWorks Base OS (VSB) and Project (VIP) builds for each guest.
- Startup scripts to initialize the system and launch custom tasks.
- vNIC drivers to support internal Ethernet-style communication.
- Custom VxWorks tasks to handle socket communication across OS partitions.
The setup also required sourcing compatible hardware. The hypervisor demands an x86 processor with Intel VT-d (virtualization support), and all components must boot securely from internal flash storage.
Hardware Platform: Kontronn KCP312 #
The reference system runs on the KCP312, a compact, fanless 3.5” x86 embedded motherboard powered by an Intel® Pentium® N4200 or Celeron® N3350 (Apollo Lake). It offers:
- Operating temperature range of -20°C to +60°C (up to +70°C optional)
- +12V DC power input
- Dual PCI Express Mini Card slots
- Rich I/O and multiple display interfaces
Designed for rugged, industrial environments, the KCP312 is ideal for applications in IoT, medical systems, kiosks, automation, and more.
Reference Platform Offering #
To help developers jumpstart their own hypervisor-based systems, we offer a complete VxWorks Hypervisor Reference Platform, including:
- Pre-configured hardware and OS images
- All software components and custom tasks
- Full system documentation and startup scripts
- Optional on-site or remote consultancy for customization and training
This platform dramatically reduces development time and risk, while giving you the flexibility to update user-facing software independently of your certified safety-critical logic.
Ideal Use Cases #
This architecture is perfect for any application that needs a robust user interface backed by real-time reliability, including:
- Medical devices
- Industrial automation systems
- IoT gateways
- Robotics and AI systems
- Secure defense applications
Whether you’re building a life-saving instrument or an intelligent kiosk, the VxWorks Hypervisor Reference Platform provides the foundation to bring your vision to life—securely, safely, and efficiently.