It's time to make mobile robots programmable

Abstract

This paper discusses the importance and realizability of the "high-level programmability" concept for wheeled mobile robots. A new high-level mobile robot language, called motion description language (MDL), is proposed. This language has a strong and stable theoretical foundation. The Java-based object-oriented MDL implements the structured robot geometry into its class hierarchy perfectly. The language MDL is not only "a" mobile robot language, but is a strong candidate for "the standard" mobile robot language. This innovation will thrust the mobile robotics field forward to meet the challenges of the new century head on.