White Paper: Deterministic Real Time on Windows Systems
Berlin, May 27th, 2026
White Paper: Deterministic Real Time on Windows Systems

Low latency, low jitter, or benchmark results alone are not proof of deterministic hard real-time capability. In this white paper, we explain why hard real-time is not based on statistical observations, but on architectural control and guaranteed timing bounds under all relevant operating conditions.
Kithara and InoNet Enter Technology Partnership
Berlin, April 28th, 2026
Kithara and InoNet Enter Technology Partnership

Kithara Software and InoNet are combining their expertise to provide a high-performance industrial PC platform for demanding real-time applications. The aim of the partnership is to combine InoNet industrial PCs with Kithara's real-time system into a validated platform for industrial machine vision and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
Kithara RealTime Suite: Version 11 26Q1 is complete
Berlin, March 17th, 2026
Kithara RealTime Suite: Version 11 26Q1 is complete

The new version 11 26Q1 of Kithara RealTime Suite has been completed and will be made available in the download area of the service portal in the next few days.
Case Study
From Thermal Vision to Space

Since the late 1990s, Cliphit has been developing high-performance real-time solutions for infrared data processing. What originally began as software for loss-free thermal imaging evolved over many years into a modular platform for industrial analysis, inspection and control systems – including applications in the aerospace sector.

Read the case study
 
Kithara RealTime Suite

Real Time for Windows

In the modern world, time is a crucial factor. Turn your Windows PC into a real-time machine.

Kithara RealTime Suite is a modularly built real-time operating system (RTOS) that runs parallel to Windows and therefore allows for high flexibility and adjustability while providing hard real-time capabilities. It is commonly used in industry and research for control, monitoring and communication of automated processes with microsecond accuracy.

About Kithara RealTime Suite How Does Real Time Work?
About Kithara
Real Time to the Core

Kithara has been the real-time specialist for Windows for more than 25 years. Our com­pre­hen­sive know-how and expertise enable the re­ali­za­tion of even the most sophisticated solutions.

Acclaimed and awarded several times, Kithara RealTime Suite is a modular real-time extension for Windows that combines hardware-dependent programming, communication, automation protocols as well as machine vision in a single high-performance real-time system. Due to seamless integration, the different function modules are able to efficiently operate as one unit.

About Kithara
 
For developers
Real Time in Detail

Kithara RealTime Suite supports a wide range of both modern as well as tried and tested systems and standards:

  • Real-time EtherCAT Master including distributed clock, safety (FSoE), hot-plug function, cable redundancy and a real-time CANopen Master (also embedded into EtherCAT topologies)
  • Ethernet communication via native real-time drivers with up to 200 Gbit/s
  • Image capture with GigE Vision and USB3 Vision as well as image processing with Halcon and OpenCV in real-time
  • Real-time data storage on SSDs with several gigabyte per second and efficient storage formats MDF and PCAPng
  • Communication in real time with CAN, CAN FD, CAN XL, FlexRay, SOME/IP, LIN and BroadR-Reach
  • Support for A/D D/A and digital IO multifunction cards of varying manufacturers
  • USB and serial communication, digital signal processing
  • Support for all operating systems from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in 32-bit as well as 64-bit. The preemptive multitasking systems is programmable in C/C++ or Delphi. With a DLL, C# can also be used.
Go to solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-time extension for Windows or real-time operating system?

Kithara RealTime Suite is both: Windows is used for booting, but is then separated from the real-time operating system. This means that Windows is extended with real-time features, but the Kithara real-time system continues to run independently, even if Windows crashes.

How does real-time work under Windows?

Where can Kithara RealTime Suite be used?

What do I need?

Can I try the software beforehand?

How to use Kithara RealTime Suite?