ROS 2:

Architecture and
Communication Paper

Author: Kemal Bektaş

ROS 2
Architecture and Communication Paper
ROS, short for Robot Operating System, is an open-source framework initially developed as a
research environment for the Willow Garage PR2 robot. Originally designed to meet the specific
needs of academic research, ROS quickly gained popularity due to its flexibility and extensive set
of tools for robotics development. However, despite its widespread use, there has been criticism
regarding ROS's lack of industry-proven reliability, leading to concerns about its suitability for
commercial applications and security.

In response to these challenges, the development of ROS 2 was initiated, marking a significant
evolution in the ROS ecosystem. Built from the ground up to address limitations present in ROS
1, ROS 2 introduces a redesigned architecture to enhance reliability, security, and scalability.
Leveraging the Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard for communication, ROS 2 offers
improved support for real-time and embedded systems, making strides towards fulfilling the
demands of industrial and commercial applications.

So how does ROS 2 differ from its predecessor, ROS 1?

Architecture
ROS 1's architecture relies heavily on the ROS
Master, a centralized node responsible for
facilitating communication between other
nodes in the network. While this approach
is effective in many cases, it introduces
potential single points of failure and scalability
limitations, particularly as the network size
grows. Additionally, ROS 1 primarily uses
TCPROS (a TCP/IP-based protocol) for
communication, which may not be optimal for
all scenarios, especially those requiring real-
time performance or large-scale deployments.

In contrast, ROS 2's architecture is designed to

address some ofthese limitations by introducing
a more decentralized communication model.
With the ROS Middleware Interface (RMW),
ROS 2 can support various communication
middleware options, offering flexibility and

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scalability. By default, ROS 2 uses DDS (Data Although ROS 2's architecture is a big step up
Distribution Service), which provides a fully from ROS 1 regarding flexibility and scalability,
decentralized communication graph and there are still challenges. Issues such as
support for real-time performance. This configuring DDS, ensuring its compatibility
architecture not only enables ROS 2 to better with various networks, and optimizing
adapt to diverse deployment environments data transfer efficiency require careful
but also addresses the challenges faced by consideration. However, the ROS community is
ROS 1, such as scalability issues and reliance working on it, so these challenges are expected
on a centralized master. Moreover, ROS 2’s to be addressed over time. As improvements
design is optimized for distributed system are made and solutions are implemented,
architectures, allowing for seamless robot- ROS 2 will continue to evolve, becoming even
to-robot communication and coordination in more reliable and user-friendly for robotics
complex, multi-robot scenarios. applications.

Security
Security in robotic systems is essential due to Distribution Service (DDS) protocol, ROS 2 in-
the nature of communication between nodes tegrates DDS-Security specifications, which
often occurring over networks, making them define plugins like Authentication, Access con-
vulnerable to unauthorized access and ma- trol, and Cryptography. These plugins ensure
licious attacks. However, ROS 1 wasn't initial- the authentication of participants, enforce ac-
ly designed with security in mind, prioritizing cess restrictions, and handle encryption and
easy information exchange over secure com- decryption operations, respectively. Addition-
munication. Recognizing this gap, efforts were ally, SROS 2 (Secure ROS 2) provides utilities
made later to enhance security through proj- to facilitate the setup of security measures,
ects like SROS (Secure Robot Operating Sys- including creating certificates, managing per-
tem) aimed at fortifying ROS 1's security fea- missions, and ensuring encrypted communi-
tures. cation, thereby offering a more robust security
In contrast, ROS 2 places a stronger emphasis framework compared to ROS 1.
on security from the start. Leveraging the Data

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Enhanced Node Control
In ROS 1, developers had limited control over node management, allowing developers to
node execution. However, ROS 2 introduces handle errors, configure resources, and control
significant enhancements in this regard node behavior with ease. By providing clear
through two key features: lifecycle nodes and guidelines for node lifecycle management,
node composition. Lifecycle nodes in ROS 2 ROS 2 enhances system robustness and
simplify node management by providing clear stability, critical for real-world applications.
guidelines for state transitions, simplifying
configuration and error handling. This ensures On the other hand, node composition in ROS
reliable and predictable node operation, crucial 2 revolutionizes how nodes are organized and
for industrial environments. Additionally, executed within a system. By consolidating
node composition optimizes resource multiple nodes into single processes, node
utilization and improves system performance composition reduces communication
by consolidating multiple nodes into single overhead and optimizes resource utilization.
processes, enhancing scalability and efficiency This approach improves system performance
in distributed robotic systems. and efficiency, especially in distributed
robotic systems where minimizing latency
Lifecycle nodes in ROS 2 follow a well-defined is crucial. Unlike ROS 1's nodelets, which had
state machine, transitioning through primary limited adoption, ROS 2's node composition
states such as unconfigured, inactive, active, is more flexible and straightforward, enabling
and finalized, as well as intermediate transition developers to seamlessly group nodes for
states. This structured approach simplifies enhanced system scalability and performance.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, ROS 2 represents a significant advancement over ROS 1, addressing key limitations
while introducing new features and improvements. ROS 2 offers a decentralized architecture,
enhanced security measures, and better node control, making it a compelling choice for robotics
development.
The question of whether to switch to ROS 2 is not a matter of if, but when. With its nicer features
and ROS 1's impending end of life (EOL) in 2025, transitioning to ROS 2 is essential for future-
proofing robotics projects. While ROS 2 may still face some maturity issues, ongoing development
efforts within the ROS community ensure that these challenges will be resolved, making ROS 2 a
reliable and future-ready platform for robotics applications.

TL;DR
ROS 2 is a major upgrade to the Robot Operating System, addressing the limitations
of ROS 1 with a decentralized architecture, improved scalability, and enhanced se-
curity through DDS-Security and SROS 2. It introduces better node management
for greater efficiency and reliability. With ROS 1 ending in 2025, switching to ROS 2
is crucial for future-proof robotics projects, as it continues to evolve into a robust
platform for industrial and commercial use.

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About us
At NODE Robotics, we have made it our mission to overcome the limitations of current solutions
for mobile robotics. Our focus is on providing highly reliable, flexible and user-friendly software
solutions that unlock the true potential of mobile robots, no matter if it is an AGV or AMR.

We understand that deploying and working with collaborative mobile robots should be effortless,
which is why we prioritize intuitive and easy-to-implement tools. By emphasizing flexibility,
usability, and interoperability, we aim to make mobile robotics technology accessible and practical
for a wide range of industries and applications.

Whether it's automating tasks in manufacturing or optimizing logistics operations, our solutions
empower businesses to leverage the full potential of mobile robots.

Contact
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70597 Stuttgart

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70569 Stuttgart [email protected]

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