A real-time software framework for indoor navigation

We introduce an initial implementation of a real-time component-based software framework for autonomous mobile robots. We argue that real-world autonomous mobile robots shall be controlled by self-contained software systems able to meet hard timing constraints. The proposed solution empowers specialized roboticists to contribute software components that can be integrated into complete real-time systems. The framework also facilitates robotic software components reuse and portability across hardware platforms. Based on an indoor navigation case study we evaluate the advantages and the limitations of the framework in terms of ease of use, modularity and real-time capabilities.