Rust: The Silent Revolution Transforming Industrial Automation

 
To perform operations at this level, industries need systems that are scalable and secure. Rust’s ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, thanks to its advanced concurrency model, makes it a natural fit for these environments.
 
Rockwell Automation, a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, has been exploring Rust for various IoT related projects. By adopting Rust, Rockwell not only realized significantly improved performance but also mitigated many security risks, such as memory safety vulnerabilities and buffer overflows. This is reducing the risk of being exploited by cyber-attacks targeting IoT devices.

Robotics: Precision and safety
Robotics is another area of industrial automation where Rust is starting to make its mark. In an industrial environment robots handle most of the potentially dangerous tasks. Ensuring that their actions are reliable and predictable is essential.
 
Traditionally, robotics software has relied heavily on C++ for its performance benefits, but C++ has downsides with concurrent processes. Using Rust in robotics can ensure the safety and precision needed for robotic systems in an industrial environment. It can reduce the risk of bugs that could lead to costly, or even dangerous malfunctions.
 
Robonomics, an open-source decentralized platform for IoT applications and complex robotics has developed Rust-based middleware for ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2), enhancing the security and efficiency of robotic operations. [4] [5]

The future is Rust: Get on board or get left behind

As the technologies evolve, the industries continue to evolve. The pressure to adopt cutting-edge technologies that make innovation and security is higher than ever. Rust is a rare technology that can make a difference by offering industries the tools they need to keep up with current trends and lead the charge. Companies that have adopted Rust have already improved their systems and set themselves up for long-term success in a rapidly changing world. These companies that get ahead of the curve will have a competitive advantage in years to come.

Conclusion

After decades, one programming language is making noise in industrial automation. However, Rust isn’t just another programming language. It is a game changer in how we approach building reliable, efficient, and secure industrial systems. In the complex world of industrial automation, Rust provides the ideal balance of performance, safety, and modern capabilities. For any business that’s serious about staying at the forefront of industrial automation, Rust isn’t just an option to consider—it’s the way forward.

1. https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-welcomes-the-rust-foundation/
2. Hui Xu, Zhuangbin Chen, Mingshen Sun, Yangfan Zhou, and Michael R. Lyu. 2021. Memory-Safety Challenge Considered Solved? An In-Depth Study with All Rust CVEs. ACM Trans. Softw. Eng. Methodol. 31, 1, Article 3 (January 2022), 25 pages.
3. https://robonomics.network/blog/ros-2-rust-report-2022/
4. https://github.com/ros2-rust/ros2_rust
5. Bugden, William, and Ayman Alahmar. "Rust: The programming language for safety and performance." arXiv preprint arXiv:2206.05503 (2022).
6. Culic I, Vochescu A, Radovici A. A Low-Latency Optimization of a Rust-Based Secure Operating System for Embedded Devices. Sensors. 2022; 22(22):8700.
7. Vandervelden, T.; De Smet, R.; Deac, D.; Steenhaut, K.; Braeken, A. Overview of Embedded Rust Operating Systems and Frameworks. Sensors 2024, 24, 5818.