A ROS2-Based Gateway for Modular Hardware Usage in Heterogeneous Environments

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Middleware Development

Background:

• Integrating robotics and IoT presents challenges like system compatibility and device interoperability.
• Traditional robotic designs can exacerbate integration difficulties, highlighting the need for modular solutions.
• Varying manufacturer approaches increase complexity in adopting new robotic technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel middleware solution for simplifying robot integration in diverse environments.
• To enhance modularity and interoperability between robots and external systems.
• To accelerate the adoption of integrated robotic and IoT systems.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2)-based middleware, termed the "ROS2-based gateway".
• Focus on the payload layer to enable external communication and configuration.
• Implementation of a shell interface for user selection of payloads and communication protocols.

Main Results:

• The middleware simplifies robot integration by enhancing modularity and interoperability.
• Users can select and configure desired payloads and communication methods via a shell interface.
• Optimized hardware resource utilization through activation of only necessary payloads.

Conclusions:

• The proposed ROS2-based gateway effectively addresses challenges in integrating robots with IoT systems.
• The middleware enhances flexibility, allowing users to leverage high-level communication protocols.
• This solution accelerates the integration of physical and digital domains in automated systems.