Robotics Middleware Framework (RMF) Demo

Thanks to @marcogg for a great overview of RMF at the Security Working Group meeting this week! If you’re interested in multi-robot systems but missed the demo, you can find it on youtube in the ROS 2 Working Groups channel. Presentation slides are also available.

Some highlights from the video:

  • 5:01 (slide 4) - RMF is about multi-robot systems. Challenges include interoperabilities, testing , infrastructure and security

  • 7:03 (slide 7) - RMF interacts with doors and lifts, handle test planning and allocation, fleet traffic, management and workcell interaction

  • 8:07 (slide 11) - The core system takes care of allocation tasks, traffic management, etc. Adapters can connect to different parts of the infrastructure.

  • 9:32 (slide 12) - RMF simplifies / standardizes messages. It is a system of systems synthesizer, allowing different systems to talk in different protocols; plugins translate between protocols. Also provides standard messages.

  • 15:30 (slide 16) - RMF can resolve unexpected conflicts in a dynamic envionment.

  • 18:26 (slide 22) - The RMF toolbox includes:

    • Traffic editor: annotate floor plans
    • Building map tools
    • Testing; able to use Ignition Robotics models
    • rmf_core provides integration with rmf
  • 20:30 (slide 28) - RMF includes UI signalling

  • 21:00 (slide 29) - Use the operations dashboard for monitoring schedules and trajectories. The dashboard is migrating from rviz (foxy release) to web-based (build from source).

  • 23:26 Demonstration

  • 29:35 (slide 32) - Security challenges.

Q&A

  • 33:25 Can you expand on the human component of your security concerns?

  • 43:40 How do you define trust boundaries, set up your certificate hierarchy?

  • 50:04 Where do we start with simulating RMF?

  • 58:08 Revoking certificates. See also the secure version of the office demo.

  • 1:01:15 Is RMF ready for prime time? What is the short term plan for RMF?

  • 1:04:10 What about “fake” robots connecting to the fleet managers?

References

The following links were shared during the presentation:

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