Nano-RK is open-source software, is written in C and runs on the Atmel-based FireFly sensor networking platform, the MicaZ motes, and the MSP430 processor.
[4] NanoRK takes advantage of priority-based preemptive scheduling to help honor the real-time factor of being deterministic, thus ensuring task timeliness and synchronization.
Due to the characteristic of limited battery power on the wireless node, Nano-RK provides central processing unit (CPU), network, and sensor efficiency through the use of virtual energy reservations, labeling this system as a resource kernel.
Compared with other current sensor operating systems, Nano-RK provides rich functionality and timeliness scheduling with a small size for its embedded resource kernel (RK).
The watchdog mechanism can bring the system back from the nonresponsive state into normal operation by waiting until the timer goes off and subsequently rebooting the device.
In Nano-RK, the watchdog timer is tied directly to the processor's reset signal REBOOT ON ERROR.
If a sensor node does not wish to perform deep sleep, it also is presented with the choice to go into a low energy use state while still managing its peripherals.