Porting Code Across Simple Mobile Robots

TL;DR

This paper introduces a redesigned StarL programming framework that enables portable development of distributed robotic applications across heterogeneous mobile robot platforms, facilitating easier deployment and broader applicability.

Contribution

It defines platform-independent semantics for StarL programs and presents a runtime system design that supports portability across different robotic platforms.

Findings

Successful simulation of applications on two different robotic platforms

Platform-independent semantics enable code portability

Runtime system supports heterogeneous robot control

Abstract

The StarL programming framework aims to simplify development of distributed robotic applications by providing easy-to-use language constructs for communication and control. It has been used to develop applications such as formation control, distributed tracking, and collaborative search. In this paper, we present a complete redesign of the StarL language and its runtime system which enables us to achieve portability of robot programs across platforms. Thus, the same application program, say, for distributed tracking, can now be compiled and deployed on multiple, heterogeneous robotic platforms. Towards portability, this we first define the semantics of StarL programs in a way that is largely platform independent, except for a few key platform-dependent parameters that capture the worst-case execution and sensing delays and resolution of sensors. Next, we present a design of the StarL runtime system, including a robot controller, that meets the above semantics. The controller consists of a platform-independent path planner implemented using RRTs and a platform-dependent way-point tracker that is implemented using the control commands available for the platform. We demonstrate portability of StarL applications using simulation results for two different robotic platforms, and several applications.