Twentse-ROS | Hogeschool Saxion

ROS, the Robot Operating System, is an open source platform that uses modular software (and the associated hardware) building blocks can quickly configure a robot. ROS is widely used in scientific research for robotics, but the ROS industrial for industrial applications is used much less by SMEs, while it is cost effective and hardware (for example a robot arm) makes supplier more independent.

REsearch question

What are the possibilities for, and the questions around ROS for applications in the Smart Industry robotization challenges?

Background information

The Mechatronics Research Group has developed various and diverse robot platforms with ROS functionalities. During various demonstrations and lab visits, including during Space53 'unmanned systems' meetings, LEO robotics conference ROS came up as a software architecture also for industrial applications: "What is ROS and what can it do for my company?"

project approach

The ROS software architecture offers many possibilities to quickly develop or reconfigure production machines inside the Smart Industry. But also via the Internet of Things (IoT) techniques it is possible to update and maintenance run remotely, to collect big data from the production processes and machines and remote monitoring. Especially for industrial application ROS Industrial developed: "ROS-Industrial is an open-source project that extends the advanced capabilities of ROS software to manufacturing."

The main objective is answered within the project by the deliverables from the following sub-objectives:

Increase knowledge about state-of-the-art about ROS-Industrial;
Increase awareness among regional SMEs about the possibilities of ROS for industrial application;
Needs inventory among SMEs about joint knowledge increase about ROS Industrial.

project goal

The aim of this and any follow-up projects is to increase the awareness of the knowledge position of the university of applied sciences on ROS Industrial. The practical questions are directly linked to the robotisation challenges as mentioned in, among others, "Boost action agenda of Eastern Netherlands". The project(s) aims to help businesses make their products (including production machines and robots) more efficient and to develop more cost-effectively.