The increasing heterogeneity of instruments, devices, and measurement systems with varying operating systems, processors, hardware devices, resources, etc. interconnected by different networks require the design and development of new middleware platforms, capable of managing the complexity of current distributed systems. In this work the design and development of a new adaptable middleware platform is proposed based on the study of the state-of-the-art distributed systems technology and the development of novel mechanisms and services on top of known middleware architectures. The new platform will allow for easier instrument and data integration. This paper outlines the steps involved in the development of the proposed Jini-based middleware, JOVIM, establishing the requirements for such a platform and describing its main characteristics and mechanisms.