Today's nascent robotics market has engendered about 10 general-purpose software development frameworks for service robots. This article surveys seven of them, and sketches the other three, before concluding with an analysis of market trends likely to shape tomorrow's robotics software landscape.

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Specific service robot software platforms discussed include Evolution Robotics ERSP, Microsoft Robotics Studio, OROCOS, Skilligent, URBI, Webots, and Player/Stage/Gazebo. The iRobot AWARE, OpenJAUS, and CLARAty industrial robot frameworks are also discussed, albeit in brief.

Trends examined include the potential impact of learning robots, and the likely long-term marketplace effect of Microsoft's loss-leader-priced Robotics Studio development platform.

The article was written by Michael Somby, a control systems engineer with experience designing auto-pilot systems and power plant control systems. Somby is also a long-time robotics hobbyist with direct experience using most of the platforms he discusses.

Robot learning session — under control of Skilligent
The nicely organized article includes lots of photos, screenshots, and comparison charts, along with links to an amazing number of robotics resources available on the web. To learn more, read Somby's excellent technical overview, “A review of robotics software platforms.”

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