A Communication Architecture Based on ROS2 for the Control in Collaborative and Intelligent Automation Systems

Abstract

In modern industry, collaborative robots are becoming a part of smart automation systems. Development and operation of these systems are distinct from conventional methods of automation and therefore contribute to new challenges. Fortunately, the Robot Operating System (ROS) offers a communication channel and a vast array of tools and utilities capable of supporting that development. However, the use of ROS in large-scale automation systems is difficult due to communication problems in a distributed environment, hence the development of ROS2. This is critical in modern industry as it allows rigorous integration into collaborative and intelligent automation systems of the state-of - the-art tools and algorithms needed for control. As these large-scale automation systems are typically distributed in nature, they require a well-structured and stable infrastructure for communication. This paper therefore presents variations of a communication architecture based on ROS2 with these characteristics. A communication architecture based on ROS2 is described in this paper along with an industrial use-case of a collaborative and intelligent automation system.