The design of a web-based master system for robot control with ROS environment

Abstract

Despite recent advancements in autonomous construction using robotics technology (RT), challenges persist in terms of limited user accessibility, interoperability across different robot platforms, and the absence of effective communication mechanisms for intuitive human-robot interaction (HRI). This study addresses these challenges by leveraging web technologies and visual programming to develop a master system that combines intuitive robot control program prototyping and interaction. The web interface utilizes JavaScript libraries such as roslibjs, ros2djs, and ros3djs to enable intuitive robot control and visualization of camera views and sensor data. It acts as a remote hub for centralized control and management of robot fleets from a unified internet-based location, enhancing coordination and operational efficiency. Furthermore, the rapid prototyping process utilizes Matlab Simulink for algorithm development and code generation, with performance simulation and assessment in Unity. Validated control nodes are then transferred to real machines via cloud services, enabling accelerated development of efficient and robust robotic systems.