Comparison of ROS 1 and ROS 2 for Modern Robotic Applications

“Comparative Analysis of ROS 1 and ROS 2: Performance, Architecture, and Application in Modern Robotics”

Keywords:

Real-time Robotics, Multi-robot Systems, Scalability in Robotics

Background:

The Robot Operating System (ROS) is an open-source framework that has become the de facto standard in robotics research and development. While ROS 1 has been widely adopted and extensively used for more than a decade, it has several limitations regarding scalability, security, and real-time performance, which led to the development of ROS 2. ROS 2 brings many architectural changes and improvements, such as multi-robot support, real-time capabilities, and better security.

This thesis aims to conduct a thorough comparison between ROS 1 and ROS 2, focusing on performance, architectural differences, and suitability for modern robotic applications. The research will explore how ROS 2 addresses the shortcomings of ROS 1 and evaluate the benefits and challenges in migrating from ROS 1 to ROS 2.

Objectives:

  1. To compare the architectural differences between ROS 1 and ROS 2, including communication layers, middleware, and real-time support.
  2. To benchmark the performance of ROS 1 and ROS 2 in various robotic applications, such as multi-robot systems, real-time control, and sensor fusion.
  3. To evaluate the scalability, security, and network communication improvements of ROS 2 over ROS 1.
  4. To analyze the ease of migration from ROS 1 to ROS 2, identifying the compatibility challenges and potential solutions.
  5. To provide recommendations for selecting ROS 1 or ROS 2 based on specific robotic application requirements.

Expected Outcomes:

  • A detailed comparison report highlighting the key differences between ROS 1 and ROS 2 in terms of performance, scalability, and real-time capabilities.
  • Benchmark results that demonstrate the performance of ROS 1 and ROS 2 in practical robotics applications.
  • Guidelines and best practices for migrating from ROS 1 to ROS 2 for different robotic platforms.
  • Recommendations for researchers and developers on which ROS version to use based on specific application needs.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Strong foundation in robotics, software engineering, or related fields.
  • Proficiency in ROS (either ROS 1 or ROS 2) and programming languages such as Python or C++.
  • Experience with robotic platforms and middleware systems is an advantage.
  • Familiarity with performance benchmarking and network communication is beneficial.