ROS, an open-source Robot Operating System
ROS (Robot Operating System) is a software platform that combines professional development practices with the latest research from the robotics community. The ROS library of developer tools and the libraries of robot functionality available from the ROS community make it easier and faster to write robot software.
With an open source, commercial-friendly license, ROS also makes it easier for both companies and researchers to share code and build on each others' work. The role ROS plays in the robotics community is similar to the role Linux plays for web start-up companies. It is a free and open platform for innovation.
Companies and universities in the ROS community already provide software libraries for everything from navigation to manipulation. By eliminating the need to re-implement basic functionality, ROS allows specialists to focus directly on innovative technologies and applications.
PR2, our Mobile Manipulation Platform
The PR2 is an open and robust robot platform designed from the ground up for software developers. By eliminating the need to first build a hardware system and then re-implement code, the PR2 allows software experts to immediately create new functionality on the robot.
