ri4

Ri4 is an open-source software framework designed for real-time data processing and AI workloads. It was developed by Ri4 Labs and first released in 2020. The name reflects four guiding principles the project emphasizes: reactivity, reliability, interoperability, and scalability. The framework aims to provide a modular, extensible platform for building streaming data pipelines that integrate machine learning inference, signal processing, and visualization in a single runtime.

Ri4 uses a dataflow graph architecture in which processing blocks are represented as nodes connected by streams. It offers a plugin-based operator system that covers input and output adapters, data transformation, model inference, and visualization components. The runtime includes scheduling support for real-time constraints, multi-threaded CPU execution, and GPU acceleration via common APIs. Ri4 exposes both Python and C++ interfaces and is designed to run on Windows, Linux, and macOS, with configuration designed to enhance reproducibility and portability.

Common use cases for Ri4 include robotics and autonomous systems, edge AI deployments, audio and video processing, and industrial Internet of Things applications. The project is distributed under an open-source license and has an active community that contributes plugins and examples. Some reviewers note that while Ri4 offers strong flexibility and performance for specialized pipelines, it can present a steeper learning curve and a more fragmented ecosystem relative to larger, more established data processing frameworks. See also: dataflow frameworks, real-time processing, edge computing.