ROS-Based Communication Framework for CiberRato Robotic Simulator

This thesis explores the development of a distributed architecture for the CiberRato simulator, an environment designed for robotic competitions. This architecture in- tegrates three key components: the simulation system, the visualizer and the robot agents. Within the simulation, a virtual arena is generated featuring obstacles and a target zone indicated by a beacon where virtual robots navigate. Competitors provide the software to control these robots aiming to achieve spe- cific objectives. This allows participants to focus on higher level problem-solving with standardized virtual robots. The primary aim of this thesis is to establish ef- fective communication between the simulator and the robot agents using the Robot Operating System (ROS). ROS facilitates integration with various robotic software frameworks, enabling a seamless bridge between ROS-based agents and the CiberRato simulation. We achieve this integration by developing ROS nodes that utilize service-type com- munication for interaction with the CiberRato simulator. These nodes will provide services and utilize services enabling robust interaction within the simulation envi- ronment. Additionally, the ability to pass command-line arguments to nodes allows for dy- namic configuration of robot behaviors during runtime facilitating the simulation of multiple robot agents concurrently. This flexibility supports efficient testing and de- velopment of robotic algorithms within a controlled virtual environment advancing the capabilities and realism of robotic competitions.