A Configuration-Independent Software Architecture for Modular Robots

This paper presents a configuration-independent approach for setting up and running Thorvald II, a novel and reconfigurable robot for the agricultural domain. The module-based design of the Thorvald II platform allows for rapid design and construction of robots that can operate in various environments, such as open fields, greenhouses, and polytunnels. Modules can be put together in arbitrary configurations, and it is important that this modularity is supported by the robot's software. The presented approach allows for quick setup of module communication, kinematic modeling and odometry for arbitrary Thorvald II hardware configurations. It speeds up the process of creating new configurations of the robot, as new configurations will not require configuration-specific alterations to the robot's code. The approach also allows us to quickly rebuild robots, which means that they can be adapted to new environments, fast and efficiently. We verify the presented approach through a field experiment, and discuss further development. We also provide instructions on how to install ROS packages presented in this paper.