Blockly and ROS: A Visual Programming Interface for Robot Control

Block-based programming has gained prominence as a tool for teaching and developing robotics applications due to its simplicity and accessibility. This work presents the development of a block-based programming platform integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS) for mobile robot control. The proposed solution combines a visual programming interface based on Blockly and a Python backend, enabling direct communication with the Pioneer 3DX robot. The platform allows defining movement and rotation commands, as well as executing customized programs. Experimental validation was conducted by programming the robot to draw geometric figures (square, equilateral triangle, and lemniscate), demonstrating the platform’s effectiveness in executing movement commands with precision and stability. This solution is particularly suitable for educational contexts and robotics experiments, offering an accessible, modular, and adaptable approach to robot programming.