Interoperability Between ROS and OPC UA: A Local Cloud-Based Approach

Abstract

Today's manufacturing industries use a large suite of protocols and technologies to operate heterogeneous devices and software modules. Some of the most widely used technologies in industrial production are OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) and ROS (Robot Operating System). Hence, enabling interoperability across these technologies is critical to ensure a smooth production flow. We propose a local cloud-based approach to achieve interoperability between ROS and OPC UA by integrating them with the Eclipse Arrowhead Framework. This integration allows these technologies to operate as independent systems while communicating securely at runtime. In addition to achieving interoperability, this integration supports important industrial aspects such as loose coupling, late binding, and cyber-security, making it a flexible solution.