QNX regulates Siemens angiography system

Application specialists softgate GmbH is a leader in the conception, development and implementation of project-related software for medical technology. Their collaboration with Siemens Medical Solutions led to the development of a revolutionary new angiography system - the Siemens AXIOM Artis series. At the heart of AXIOM Artis, the QNX Neutrino RTOS provides its ultra-reliable system regulation.

Reliable system controls protect patients

In the sphere of angiography - a method of investigating the blood and lymph vessels using x-ray contrast media - keeping the radioactive contamination of the patients to a minimum is crucial. The highest possible image quality is therefore crucial for an accurate diagnosis. Siemens' approach of a modularly built system and software implementation supported by softgate's extensive configuration possibilities enables the deployment of a wide variety of equipment units, while keeping implementation efforts to a minimum.

The QNX Neutrino RTOS forms the basis for system control and regulation. The QNX Neutrino RTOS controls the main radiation processes as well as the operation of the patient and C-arms, which have to be precisely coordinated. softgate also used common software functions on QNX Neutrino such as boot and download modules for bringing the system into service, as well as the process manager and software watchdog functions.

Fault tolerance through superior design

One of the key elements in AXIOM Artis is the QNX Neutrino-based Real Time Controller, which ensures concurrent operation of programs running on the different platforms. Here, the controller is critically dependent upon the deterministic qualities of the QNX Neutrino RTOS. For example, individual programmes are programmed to run precisely in accordance with their pre-determined duration and priority, providing maximum reliability and predictability.

The AXIOM Artis also takes advantage of two key QNX Neutrino capabilities. First, QNX's modular architecture and inherent memory protection protects against system-wide failures or crashes, thus guaranteeing the safety of the patients. Second, the networking capabilities of QNX Neutrino, with its small memory footprint, allows the imaging system, user consoles and the service software to communicate with another within the system, as well as on the deployed hardware via PCI bus and CAN nodes.

"In the sphere of medical technology, the high availability and failure tolerance of QNX Neutrino are indispensable. Thanks to the operating system's special architecture, we are in a position to guarantee our customers the reliable operation of the system and the patients a safe examination," said Ulrich Köstner, Teamleader Realtime Systems at softgate.

Quick Facts:

• softgate has been providing project related software services since 1992
• The control system of Siemens' AXIOM Artis series of innovative angiography systems runs on QNX Neutrino
• softgate chose QNX because of the memory protection mechanism and networking capability of QNX Neutrino
• Thanks to the memory-protected microkernel architecture, QNX based systems achieve an uptime of over 99.999 percent