Software variability in service robotics

Abstract

Robots artificially replicate human capabilities thanks to their software, the main embodiment of intelligence. However, engineering robotics software has become increasingly challenging. Developers need expertise from different disciplines as well as they are faced with heterogeneous hardware and uncertain operating environments. To this end, the software needs to be variable—to customize robots for different customers, hardware, and operating environments. However, variability adds substantial complexity and needs to be managed—yet, ad hoc practices prevail in the robotics domain, challenging effective software reuse, maintenance, and evolution. To improve the situation, we need to enhance our empirical understanding of variability in robotics. We present a multiple-case study on software variability in the vibrant and challenging domain of service robotics. We investigated drivers, practices, methods, and challenges of variability from industrial companies building service robots. We analyzed the state-of-the-practice and the state-of-the-art—the former via an experience report and eleven interviews with two service robotics companies; the latter via a systematic literature review. We triangulated from these sources, reporting observations with actionable recommendations for researchers, tool providers, and practitioners. We formulated hypotheses trying to explain our observations, and also compared the state-of-the-art from the literature with the-state-of-the-practice we observed in our cases. We learned that the level of abstraction in robotics software needs to be raised for simplifying variability management and software integration, while keeping a sufficient level of customization to boost efficiency and effectiveness in their robots’ operation. Planning and realizing variability for specific requirements and implementing robust abstractions permit robotic applications to operate robustly in dynamic environments, which are often only partially known and controllable. With this aim, our companies use a number of mechanisms, some of them based on formalisms used to specify robotic behavior, such as finite-state machines and behavior trees. To foster software reuse, the service robotics domain will greatly benefit from having software components—completely decoupled from hardware—with harmonized and standardized interfaces, and organized in an ecosystem shared among various companies.

Enhancing thermal management efficiency in robotics engineering: Exploring mechanisms, techniques, and modeling approaches

“…Furthermore, thermoelectric cooling systems were investigated for their suitability in robotics applications requiring compact and lightweight thermal management solutions. Finite element analysis (FEA) modeling was employed to optimize the design of thermoelectric modules and heat sinks, maximizing heat transfer efficiency and system reliability, as shown in Figure 1 [7]. Temperature profiling experiments were conducted to validate the thermal performance of the thermoelectric cooling system, demonstrating precise temperature control and rapid heat dissipation capabilities.…”

Software Variability in Service Robots (Summary)

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We present "Software Variability in Service Robotics" published in the Journal of Empirical Software Engineering (EMSE) in 2023 [2].Engineering robotics software systems [1] is a booming discipline, with recent breakthroughs in AI that improve robots' capabilities to emulate human perception and intelligence, while operating in environments that are potentially unsafe or even hostile to humans. A trend are service robots-autonomous, mobile robots that can address meaningful tasks.

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“…For example, consider a disinfection robot for hospital rooms, which was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic by one of the subject companies of this paper. Service robotics presents a much more sophisticated challenge for software engineering than traditional, factory-automation type robots, due to several drivers of variability that inherently need to be reflected in software, and lead to variability management issues.In our journal article [2] we survey the state-of-the-art and stateof-practice in software variability in service robotics. We present and triangulate the results from a systematic literature review and an interview suite conducted with eleven practitioners from three subject companies.…”

“…We present "Software Variability in Service Robotics" published in the Journal of Empirical Software Engineering (EMSE) in 2023 [2].…”

“…In our journal article [2] we survey the state-of-the-art and stateof-practice in software variability in service robotics. We present and triangulate the results from a systematic literature review and an interview suite conducted with eleven practitioners from three subject companies.…”