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Software is becoming the core aspect in robotics development and it is growing in terms of complexity and size. However, roboticists and researchers are struggling in ensuring and even measuring the quality of their software with respect to run-time properties such as energy efficiency and performance. This paper presents Robot Runner, a tool for streamlining the execution of measurement-based experiments involving robotics software. The tool is able to automatically setup, start, resume, and fully replicate user-defined experiments. Thanks to its plugin-based architecture, the tool is fully independent of the number, type, and complexity of the used robots (both real and simulated). GitHub repository - https://github.com/S2-group/robot-runner Youtube video - https://youtu.be/le-SAXI2k1.

In today's world, reducing energy consumption should be the goal for any organization and any system, including robotics software systems. However, state of the practice in robotics software development focuses primarily on achieving functionality and performance, with minimal recognition of energy-efficiency as a driving software quality. The goal of this paper is to identify, synthesize, and empirically evaluate architectural tactics for energy-efficiency applied by practitioners in real robotics projects. Four tactics were identified by mining software repository techniques applied to the ROS ecosystem. The tactics were evaluated via experimentation on a real, commodity robotics system. Results show that the application of green architectural tactics tends to largely improve the energy-efficiency of the robot (7.9% energy savings when all tactics are applied) and that the movement strategy and the physical environment where the robot operates strongly influence how energy is consumed by the robot.

The integration of autonomous robots in real applications is a challenge. It needs that the behaviour of these robots is proved to be safe. In this paper, we focus on the real-time software embedded on the robot, and that supports the execution of safe and autonomous behaviours. We propose a methodology that goes from the design of component-based software architectures using a Domain Specific Language, to the analysis of the real-time constraints that arise when considering the safety of software applications. This methodology is supported by a code generation toolchain that ensures that the code eventually executed on the robot is consistent with the analysis performed. This methodology is applied on a ground robot exploring an area. Categories (2), (3)

The integration of autonomous robots in real applications is a challenge. It needs that the behaviour of these robots is proved to be safe. In this paper, we focus on the real-time software embedded on the robot, and that supports the execution of safe and autonomous behaviours. We propose a methodology that goes from the design of component-based software architectures using a Domain Specific Language, to the analysis of the real-time constraints that arise when considering the safety of software applications. This methodology is supported by a code generation toolchain that ensures that the code eventually executed on the robot is consistent with the analysis performed. This methodology is applied on a ground robot exploring an area. Categories (2), (3)

The integration of autonomous robots in real applications is a challenge. It needs that the behaviour of these robots is proved to be safe. In this paper, we focus on the real-time software embedded on the robot, and that supports the execution of safe and autonomous behaviours. We propose a methodology that goes from the design of component-based software architectures using a Domain Specific Language, to the analysis of the real-time constraints that arise when considering the safety of software applications. This methodology is supported by a code generation toolchain that ensures that the code eventually executed on the robot is consistent with the analysis performed. This methodology is applied on a ground robot exploring an area. Categories (2), (3)

There are many voices in the robotics community demanding a qualitative improvement in the robotics software development process and tools, in order to increase product flexibility, adaptability, and overall quality, while reducing its cost and time-to-market. This article describes a first step towards a model-driven approach to robotics software development, based on the definition of highly reusable and platform-independent component-based design models. The proposed approach revolves around the V3CMM modeling language and the definition of different model transformations for deriving both special purpose models (e.g., models suited for analysis or simulation purposes) and lower-level design models, in which platform-specific and application-dependent details can be progressively included. The article describes the tool-chain implemented to support the different stages of the proposed MDE process, including (1) the definition of component-based architectural models, defined using the V3CMM platform-independent modeling language, (2) the automatic transformation of the V3CMM component-based models into equivalent object-oriented designs, described in terms of the UML standard, and (3) the transformation of the UML models into an the Ada 2005 object-oriented programming language. In order to show the feasibility and the benefits of the proposal, a simple (yet complete) case study regarding the design of a Cartesian robot is presented.