Utilizability of Navigation2/ROS2 in Highly Automated and Distributed Multi-Robotic Systems for Industrial Facilities

Abstract

The field of mobile robotics is a rapidly evolving space with a constant stream of new advancements. As the available technology matures and new features get accessible for lower prices, the scope of applicability for autonomous mobile robots naturally expands. Apart from simple home appliances, a particular area that currently attracts a surge of transformative research is that of industrial facilities and intelligent factories. A higher emphasis is gradually being placed on autonomous operations, where mobile robots start being suitable complements to human workers. Such an application, however, requires complex mechanisms to be able to handle even simple tasks, such as transferring cargo from one place to another while navigating a changing environment and avoiding dynamic obstacles. Robust localization and navigation solutions utilizing the most effective algorithms are necessary for such long and continuous operations that require a high degree of reliability and low error rates. Robot Operating System (ROS) is a highly flexible open-source framework enjoying wide adoption over the years. Its next-generation implementation (ROS2), together with the Navigation2 project (created as a successor to the original ROS Navigation Stack), provide substantial conceptual enhancements with a strong focus on reliability, security, and performance, promising better compatibility with numerous sensor types, higher modularity, and a more controllable deterministic behavior. This paper will guide the reader through necessary steps to deploy the Navigation2 stack onto an existing custom-built ROS2-operating robotic test-bed platform, serving as a concept for future research.The field of mobile robotics is a rapidly evolving space with a constant stream of new advancements. As the available technology matures and new features get accessible for lower prices, the scope of applicability for autonomous mobile robots naturally expands. Apart from simple home appliances, a particular area that currently attracts a surge of transformative research is that of industrial facilities and intelligent factories. A higher emphasis is gradually being placed on autonomous operations, where mobile robots start being suitable complements to human workers. Such an application, however, requires complex mechanisms to be able to handle even simple tasks, such as transferring cargo from one place to another while navigating a changing environment and avoiding dynamic obstacles. Robust localization and navigation solutions utilizing the most effective algorithms are necessary for such long and continuous operations that require a high degree of reliability and low error rates. Robot Operating System (ROS) is a highly flexible open-source framework enjoying wide adoption over the years. Its next-generation implementation (ROS2), together with the Navigation2 project (created as a successor to the original ROS Navigation Stack), provide substantial conceptual enhancements with a strong focus on reliability, security, and performance, promising better compatibility with numerous sensor types, higher modularity, and a more controllable deterministic behavior. This paper will guide the reader through necessary steps to deploy the Navigation2 stack onto an existing custom-built ROS2-operating robotic test-bed platform, serving as a concept for future research.