ORMI - Open Robotic Management Interface

A modern, modular web platform for monitoring and controlling heterogeneous robotics and autonomous systems in real-time. ORMI offers a unified interface for managing multiple robotic platforms, leveraging a scalable architecture constructed with modern web technologies.

Overview

The Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory develops ORMI at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium. The platform addresses the need for flexible, responsive human-machine interfaces that can adapt to diverse robotic systems while maintaining high performance and reliability.

The architecture supports multiple data sources, including ROS2 systems through ROSBridge Suite and Foxglove WebSocket protocol, direct drone control via Tello drones, and custom data providers. Widgets and dashboards are fully customizable through a plugin-based system.

Screenshots

Lidars and maps Map with path and video feedback Different workspaces New workspaces and layouts Widgets

Key Features

• Multi-Platform Support: Integrate with ROS2, Tello drones, REST APIs, and other robotics platforms
• Real-Time Communication: WebSocket and WebRTC for low-latency data streaming
• Modular Plugin System: Extend functionality with custom datasources and widgets
• Responsive Design: Works across desktop and mobile devices with theme customization
• 3D Visualization: Native Three.js integration for spatial data representation
• Dashboard Customization: Drag-and-drop interface to create tailored monitoring layouts
• Database Integration: Prisma ORM with PostgreSQL for persistent data storage

Project Structure

The project is organized as a monorepo using Turbo and Bun workspaces:

apps/web                  - Next.js web application
packages/
  ormi-core              - Core library for widgets, datasources, and transformations
  ormi-jsonforms         - JSON Forms integration
  ormi-plugins           - Plugin system framework
  ui                     - Shared UI component library
  utils                  - Utility functions and CLI tools
  eslint-config          - Shared ESLint configuration
  typescript-config      - Shared TypeScript configuration
plugins/                 - Feature plugins
  ormi-rosbridge-suite   - ROS2 ROSBridge integration
  ormi-foxglove          - Foxglove WebSocket protocol support
  ormi-tello             - Tello drone control
  ormi-std-widgets       - Standard widget collection
  ormi-flight-indicator  - Flight dynamics visualization
  ormi-randoms-datasources - Test data generation
  ormi-rest-bags         - REST API data sources
  teodor-emi-extension   - Military-specific extensions
postgres/                - Database initialization

Technology Stack

• Frontend: Next.js, React, TypeScript, TailwindCSS
• Backend: Node.js, Prisma ORM, PostgreSQL
• Build Tools: Turbo, Bun package manager
• UI Components: Radix UI, Shadcn/ui
• 3D Graphics: Three.js
• Real-Time Communication: WebSocket, WebRTC
• Robotics Integration: ROS libraries, Foxglove protocol

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose
• Git

Installation with Docker

The easiest way to get ORMI running is using Docker Compose, which handles all dependencies including the database.

1. Clone the repository and navigate to the project directory:

git clone <repository-url>
cd ORMI-CORE

2. Set up environment variables by creating a .env file in apps/web:

NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=__YOUR__SUPER__MAGNIFICIENT__SECRET__
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://ormi_user:ormi_password@postgres:5432/ormi_db
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000

3. Start the application with Docker Compose:

docker-compose up -d

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000 and PostgreSQL will be running on localhost:5432.

5. Stop the application:

docker-compose down

Local Development (Without Docker)

For development without Docker, you need Bun and PostgreSQL installed locally.

1. Install dependencies:

bun install

2. Set up environment variables in apps/web/.env:

NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=__YOUR__SUPER__MAGNIFICIENT__SECRET__
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://USER_DB:USER_PSW@localhost:5432/ORMI_DATABASE_NAME
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000

3. Initialize the database:

cd apps/web
bun run db-generate
bun run db-migrate

Development

Start the development server with Turbo:

bun run dev

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Linux file watch limits (Turbopack)

If you hit an error like "OS file watch limit reached", increase the inotify limits:

sudo sysctl -w fs.inotify.max_user_watches=524288
sudo sysctl -w fs.inotify.max_user_instances=1024

To make it persistent:

sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-inotify.conf > /dev/null <<'EOF'
fs.inotify.max_user_watches=524288
fs.inotify.max_user_instances=1024
EOF
sudo sysctl --system

Individual package development:

cd packages/ormi-core
bun run dev

Building

Build all packages:

bun run build

Build specific package:

cd packages/ormi-core
bun run build

Database Management

Generate Prisma client:

cd apps/web
bun run db-generate

Run migrations:

cd apps/web
bun run db-migrate

Open Prisma Studio for database inspection:

cd apps/web
bun run db-studio

Reset database:

cd apps/web
bun run db-reset

Creating Custom Plugins

The plugin system allows extension of datasources and widgets. Create a new plugin using:

bun run create

A basic plugin structure includes:

• Datasource provider for connecting to external systems
• Widget definitions for UI components
• Export configuration for registration

Plugins are automatically discovered and loaded into the plugin manager at runtime.

Code Quality

Lint code across all packages:

bun run lint

Format code with Prettier:

bun run format

Configuration

Environment Variables

Critical variables for apps/web/.env.local:

• DATABASE_URL: PostgreSQL connection string
• NEXTAUTH_SECRET: Authentication secret
• NEXTAUTH_URL: Application URL for OAuth callbacks
• NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL: Public application URL

Theme and Site Configuration

Customize the application appearance in apps/web/config/site.ts. This includes site name, description, branding, and contact information.

Documentation

Comprehensive documentation is available in the application at /docs route and source files in apps/web/content/docs.

API documentation for creating custom widgets and datasources is maintained in the docs section.

Support and Contact

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory Royal Military Academy of Belgium Avenue De La Renaissance 30 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Website: https://mecatron.rma.ac.be

License

This project is maintained by the Royal Military Academy of Belgium and is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. See LICENSE for details.

If you use this software in academic work, please cite it. See CITATION.cff.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please ensure code follows project standards and passes all linting and type checks before submitting pull requests.