Robot Software Framework with Different Middleware Platforms

Various robot such as OpenRTM-aist and Robot Operation System (ROS) middleware platforms are used to build robot systems. Many modules developed by a middleware platform can only be used on the middleware, and it is difficult to interoperate between different middleware platforms. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new module according to the target middleware platform to be used, which leads to an increase in development time and, as a result, an increase in product cost. By creating a framework that enables the interoperability of software modules between different middleware platforms, we aim to improve the reusability of software modules and operate without awareness of the existence of middleware platforms even when users operate multiple of them on the same system. We focused on wasanbon, a framework to support the development of software modules on OpenRTM-aist. We incorporated into wasanbon a module that converts data between OpenRTM-aist and ROS and a system management and operation method based on abstracted commands, which made it possible to operate a system consisting of OpenRTM-aist and ROS modules. We developed a system in which robots guide patients in hospitals using this proposed framework and confirmed that the system can be operated by users without related knowledge, even when the system contains several software modules with two types of middleware platforms.