Middleware architecture for module-based robot

Abstract

Recently, according to various application fields of robots, the expansion and exchange of functions becomes an essential matter. To satisfy these functions, the robot divides each facility of the robot into a module to be a hardware component unit. The module uses an operating system and network device that are suitable for the characteristic of the module. The robot is composed of a set of various modules. So, it could accept various O/S and network interfaces. It needs middleware that supports these environments in a robot. The middleware is located between application program and platform depend portion. Also it serves functions which are demanded commonly in modules. In this paper, we propose a middleware architecture which is to accept heterogeneous O/S and network interface. It includes the functions which are to guarantee data QoS to enhance reliability and stability in modules, to process network fault-tolerance, and routing to calculate optimal route path and management of a multiple route path