Integration for Complex Consumer Robotic Systems: Case Studies and Analysis
Mario E. Munich, James P. Ostrowski, Paolo Pirjanian · 2018
The field of robotics, as it continues to grow and diversify, will invariably be faced with the challenge of engineering increasingly complex systems. The complexity arises in trying to solve the multi-faceted difficulties of placing increasing levels of autonomy in robotic systems that must navigate and interact with the real world. The role of system integration in developing complex systems is an area that is often underemphasized and undervalued. Managing complexity is one of the most critical aspects of integration for robotic systems. One avenue is towards keeping very focused, simple devices. The fundamental measure of performance for a system is the degree to which it satisfies the requirements of the task for which it was designed. A very natural process in achieving component simplicity is that the design effort tends to compartmentalize. At the core of any robotic system are its components, and as such they must be tested thoroughly to ensure they live up to their stated functionality.