Exploring interfaces in a distributed component-based programming framework for robotics

Abstract

CoolBOT is a C++ distributed component-based programming framework for robotics. A system can be seen as a distributed network of software components interconnected by port connections where system behavior emerges from the interaction and independent execution of the components integrating the system. Recently we have endowed CoolBOT with two new types of software components: views and probes. On one side, in order to separate and decouple robot control from graphical displays, we have introduced the concept of view as an integrable, composite and reusable graphical interface available for CoolBOT system integrators and developers. On the other side, probes have been devised as interfaces for interoperability with non CoolBOT software.