GenoM: a tool for the specification and the implementation of operating modules in a distributed robot architecture

This paper presents a general methodology for the specification and the integration of functional modules in a distributed reactive robot architecture. The approach is based on a hybrid architecture basically composed of two levels: a lower distributed functional level controlled by a centralized decisional level. Due to this methodology, synchronous or asynchronous operating capabilities (servo-control, data processing, event monitoring) can be easily added to the functional level. They are encapsulated into modules, built according to a generic model, that are seen by the decisional level as homogeneous, programmable, reactive and robust communicant services. Each module is simply described with a specific language and is automatically produced by a generator of modules (G^enoM) according to the generic model. G^enoM also produces an interactive test program and interface libraries to control the module and to read the resulting data, which allow one to directly integrate the module into the architecture