Interprocess communication for distributed robotics

Robot tasks have come to demand flexible sensory-based "intelligent" behavior. The single robot has given way to multiple robots cooperating in three-dimensional dynamic environments which allow them to accomplish complex and intricate tasks. Because of the complex nature of the tasks performed, centralized control is no longer practical; workcells have become centers of distributed computing. This motivates the need for an interprocess communication (IPC) facility which would integrate the individual elements both within and between workcells. A survey of IPC is presented in the context of distributed robotics. To make the survey more meaningful, it is introduced by some remarks about general approaches to communication within a distributed computing environment. A discussion of the main IPC design issues for distributed robotics is included.