This TechXchange focuses on the Robot Operating System (ROS). The latest open-source version is ROS 2. 

Despite the name, ROS is not, in fact, an operating system. Rather, it’s a SDK (software development kit) that provides the building blocks you need to build your robot applications. Whether your application is a class project, a scientific experiment, a research prototype, or a final product, ROS will help you to achieve your goal faster. — ros.org

As noted, ROS isn't an operating system but it runs atop one, typically Linux or Microsoft Windows. Since it's open source, it can easily work with almost any operating system or RTOS. ROS 2 is built on the Object Management Group's (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, so it does require a DDS implementation. The advantage with DDS is it can link to DDS nodes that aren't necessarily running a full ROS stack. Micro-ROS is a ROS subset designed for resource-constrained platforms like microcontrollers. 

ROS 2 is the basis of many robotic projects and products, from rolling robots to drones and even robot swarms. It's part of the Open Robotics project. 

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ROS Resources and Links

Here are some useful links to ROS resources on the internet. 

• ROS.org
  • Getting Started with ROS
  • Related organizations:
    • The Autoware Foundation
    • F1 Tenth
    • Micro-ROS
    • MoveIt
    • Nav 2
    • OpenCV
    • PX4 and Dronecode
    • ROS-Industrial 
• ROS 2 and Docker
• Micro-ROS for resource constrained platforms (Github)

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ROS 2 Architecture

These articles and content focus on the ROS 2 architecture and framework. One of the underlying components of ROS is the Data Distribution Service (DDS). This section also includes content related to DDS. 

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Micro-ROS for Resource-Constrained Platforms

Micro-ROS is firmware designed for resource-constrained systems like microcontrollers that don't have the memory or horsepower to run a full ROS 2 stack. eProsima supports Micro-ROS as well as high-performance, safety-critical DDS implementations. 

This section addresses Micro-ROS and its relationship to ROS. 

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ROS 2 Examples and Implementations

ROS is an open-source platform, but getting it to work with hardware can be a challenge. A number of platforms, development kits, etc., are designed to support and utilize ROS 2, primarily for robotic applications.

Here are some robotic uses and implementations using ROS 2. 

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Automotive ROS 2

Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and self-driving cars are robots on wheels. These articles look at how ROS 2 is being used in automotive applications. Companies like Apex.ai provide ROS and ROS-based support, making it compatible with automotive safety and security requirements. 

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