A distributed, multi-language architecture for large unmanned ground vehicles

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the design and development of a network of large unmanned ground vehicles (LUGVs) using low-cost, off-the-shelf technology and building upon experience gained at the 2005 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge. Our unique distributed architecture allows robots with different capabilities to interact, facilitates the use of multiple programming languages, and supports location and employment transparency of the interacting software agents. We wrote safety-critical and real-time software in Ada to benefit from the language's precise semantics and timing control, while writing navigation, maneuvering, user interaction, and visualization software in Java for rapid, flexible development.