What is
Robot Operating System
(ROS)?
Image:https://dilipkumar.medium.com/ros-v1-robot-operating-system-88039990e913
The Robot Operating System (ROS) is an
open‑source umbrella of software frameworks,
tools, and libraries that support the development,
simulation, and execution of robot applications.
Image:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_Operating_System
Despite its name, ROS is not an operating system in
the traditional sense. Instead, it's a middleware that
bridges low‑level device control with high‑level
capabilities such as perception, planning, and control.
Image:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/ROS-Nodes-Topics-and-Messages-3_fig1_340464313
Working Principle of ROC
1. Nodes & Topics
Nodes: Independent processes (e.g. sensor drivers,
motion controllers, planners).
Topics: Channels through which nodes exchange
messages. For example, a camera node may publish
raw images to /camera/image_raw, and a vision
processing node subscribes to it.
Image:https://automaticaddison.com/topics-vs-services-vs-actions-in-ros2-based-projects/
2. Services & Actions
Services: Synchronous request-response pairs
(e.g. “reset odometry”).
Actions: Long-running tasks that provide feedback
and can be preempted (e.g. “move base to goal”
with progress updates and cancellation).
Image:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-parameter-server-system-Each-worker-trains-the-complete-model-using-its-local-data_fig1_330008800
3. Parameter Server
A shared, runtime-accessible key–value store for
configuration parameters like maximum velocities,
frame IDs, sensor calibrations, etc.
Image:https://roboticelectronics.in/ros-topic-publisher-subscriber-code-editors/
4. Master & Topics
The ROS Master coordinates nodes, topic registration,
and name lookups. Nodes register publishers,
subscribers, services. Message passing happens
directly between nodes once configured.
Image:https://design.ros2.org/articles/ros_on_dds.html
5. ROS 2 Enhancements
DDS middleware: Decentralized discovery and real-
time quality-of-service.
Security & performance: ROS 2 supports stricter timing
constraints, hardening for real-time and industrial use.
Multi-platform: ROS 2 targets Linux, Windows, macOS,
and embedded systems.
Comparison Table
Feature ROS (1.x) ROS 2 Other Middleware
Decentralized Varies: often
Master-centralized
Architecture DDS-based broker-based or
pub/sub
pub/sub custom transport
C++, Python, Lisp, C++, Python, and Often C++/Python
Language Bindings
Java more only
Stronger; DDS
Real-Time Weak (only with Depends on
supports QoS and
Capability RTOS hacks) implementation
timing
Enhanced (SROS2, Varies; usually
Security Minimal
DDS-Security) weaker
Mainly
Supported Linux, Windows, Varies; often
Ubuntu/Linux;
Platforms macOS, embedded limited
partial others
Tooling Extensive Typically custom,
Growing; evolving
(rviz/Gazebo, etc.) ecosystem less unified
Academia & Increasing in
Niche / robotics-
Adoption research, some industrial &
lab-specific
industry commercial use
Applications of ROC
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