WIND RIVER HELIX VIRTUALIZATION PLATFORM:
Advanced Virtualization for the Intelligent Edge

Wind River^® Helix^™ Virtualization Platform is a hypervisor solution that enables engineering teams to consolidate multiple systems onto a single high-performance embedded system. It streamlines safety certification, reduces project risk, and accelerates time-to-market.

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Save Resources by Consolidating Systems

Hardware

Power Consumption

Weight

Space

Cabling

Software virtualization, accompanied by new, more powerful multi-core processors, enables the consolidation of multiple hardware and software systems onto a single embedded platform, leading to considerable savings in embedded systems development.

Wind River Helix Virtualization Platform

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Flexibility by Design

Helix Platform brings together multiple operating systems — including real-time operating systems (RTOSes), Linux^®, and Android^™ — onto a single embedded system. The same hardware can operate both safety-critical and non–safety-critical functions, offering design versatility, reducing hardware costs, and supporting reuse of legacy software.

High-Performance Virtualization

As a true Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor, Helix Platform interacts directly with the underlying hardware to maximize performance and security. Other hypervisors rely on an additional software layer on a host OS. By eliminating this extra layer, Helix Platform reduces the attack surface and hence security vulnerabilities. You also get faster resource allocation, greater isolation between virtual machines (VMs), and more efficient hardware utilization. Helix Platform enables scalable, high-performance embedded systems with its support for multi-core processors from the Arm^® and Intel^® families, and it has the ability to extend support to other architectures through its modular design.

Certified for Safety, Built on Standards

Helix Platform is designed for safety-critical industries. It supports the highest levels of certification, including DO-178C DAL A/ EUROCAE ED-12C (avionics), ISO 26262 ASIL D (automotive), and IEC 61508 SIL 3 (industrial). It aligns with ARINC, MOSA, FACE^™, VirtIO, POSIX, and others, ensuring interoperability and future-proofing for advanced systems. With commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) certification evidence, Helix Platform simplifies compliance. Teams can focus on certifying custom-built code. Trusted globally, Helix Platform helps meet stringent safety requirements across critical industries.

Part of a Complete End-to-End Solution

Pre-integrated with VxWorks^® and Wind River Linux operating systems, Helix Platform is a complete solution from a single vendor. You get industry-leading support and maintenance and no finger-pointing. OCI-compliant containerization is also available, enabling rapid, reliable microservices deployment across devices. Development teams can efficiently fulfill unique use cases, whether virtualized for strong isolation or containerized for efficient deployment and resource usage.

Reduce Risk and Innovate Faster

Complex multi-function embedded systems development carries significant risks. You need to deal with serious scalability demands, significant software complexity, and stringent safety requirements. Helix Platform’s proven technology reduces your risks so you can tend to the revenue-generating innovation that matters. You can rely on pre-certified safety evidence and support from technology experts.

Helix Platform: Single Platform, Multiple Scalable Solutions

Empowering Embedded Virtualization Across Industries

Aerospace & Defense

Helix Platform consolidates safety-critical and general-purpose applications. Doing so lowers costs and accelerates deployment. It empowers teams to build secure, scalable platforms for C4ISR systems, integrated modular avionics, and other critical applications.

Helix Platform is the first embedded systems product to conform to the latest Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE^™ 3.2) Technical Standard, which ensures interoperability and smooth legacy application transitions. To support the U.S. government’s procurement and adoption of advanced technologies, and to reduce vendor lock-in, it aligns with ARINC, MOSA, SOSA, AMCE, FACE^™, VICTORY; is DO-297 and AC 20-148 ready; and is certified to DO-178C DAL A / ED-12 C.

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Automotive

Helix Platform helps OEMs consolidate diverse ECU functions. It enables the integration of mixed operating systems and criticality levels, which permits safety-critical and non–safety-critical functions to coexist on a single system. Doing so reduces hardware costs, development effort, and power consumption. With ISO 26262 safety certification support and the ability to combine proven legacy software with current applications, Helix Platform provides a reliable foundation for software-defined vehicles, vehicle power consumption, and advanced vehicle domain architectures.

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Industrial

Helix Platform helps organizations consolidate applications, data analytics, and operations onto a single, high-performance platform. With support for IEC 61508 industrial safety standards, the platform ensures safe and reliable operations in smart factories. By integrating IoT sensors, AI-driven analytics, and legacy systems, manufacturers are empowered to optimize production, enhance efficiency, and enable intelligent real-time decision-making at the edge.

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Medical

Helix Platform brings new intelligence to medical devices by enabling multiple applications — such as safety-critical patient monitoring and noncritical user interfaces — to run securely on a single platform. With its support for mixed levels of criticality, the platform ensures safety, reliability, and upgradability for both legacy and modern healthcare applications. It empowers manufacturers to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions that enhance patient care and streamline operations.

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