A Comparison of Platform Configurations for Robotics Development within ROS2, Raspberry Pi, and Webots

Katherine Gisi; Diane T. Rover; Phillip H Jones

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Conference: 2020 ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference
Location: Ames, Iowa
Publication Date: October 15, 2020
Start Date: October 15, 2020
End Date: October 17, 2020
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44666
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/44666
Download Count: 194

Diane Rover holds the title of University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU). She also currently serves as the alliance director for the NSF Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska IINSPIRE LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation), co-leads projects in the department funded by NSF Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) and Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) programs, and is a co-PI of the NSF Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society led by the University of Missouri. Her teaching and research have focused on engineering education, high impact educational practices, inclusive educational practices, broader impacts of research, embedded computer systems, system level design, parallel and distributed systems, and performance analysis. Dr. Rover began her academic career at Michigan State University and has served in department and college administrative positions at MSU and ISU, including associate dean of engineering. She has engaged with many academic institutions and professional organizations, including community colleges, both U.S. and international universities, and various boards. She has served in various leadership roles within IEEE, ASEE and ABET. Dr. Rover is a Fellow of the IEEE and of ASEE.

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Phillip H Jones III Iowa State University of Science and Technology

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Phillip H. Jones received his B.S. degree in 1999 and M.S. degree in 2002 in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He received his Ph.D. degree in 2008 in computer engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. C

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Abstract

The field of robotics continues to expend with new, progressive technologies. The vast ecosystem of robotics, with its countless routes, is initially challenging to navigate. Creating strategic entrance points for the incoming students merits consideration. This project focuses on the different configurations available for beginning robot development within the advanced platforms of the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) and Webots, selected to inspire and to facilitate the transition into more advanced robotics. Both ROS2 and Webots possess powerful functionalities and are used widely in industry and academia, making them ideal tools for the robotics developer. This project presents ways to connect ROS2, Webots, and any inexpensive, easily available Raspberry Pi controlled robotics kit with the aim of providing ways for students to explore three critical areas in robotics: the physical robot (hardware), the simulated robot (digital twin), and the operating system and code (controller). The connection of these platforms extends not only a gateway into future robotics but also potential to reduce field testing time, options to build robot networks, and possibilities for online and distance learning.

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Gisi, K., & Rover, D. T., & Jones, P. H. (2020, October), A Comparison of Platform Configurations for Robotics Development within ROS2, Raspberry Pi, and Webots Paper presented at 2020 ASEE North Midwest Section Annual Conference, Ames, Iowa. 10.18260/1-2--44666