SORMA: interoperating distributed robotics hardware

Abstract

This paper introduces the Service Object Request Management Architecture (SORMA), its design issues, and its concepts. It is a software framework for rapid development of object-oriented software modules and their integration into stand-alone and distributed applications. SORMA provides an intelligent "object-bus" for interoperating and sharing distributed computing and robotics hardware. We investigate the question of why too many valuable hardware and software systems and components are a "one-of-a-kind" product which do not find economical re-use. We analyze the "costs of communication" between the component's builder and all its users, who build solutions. We propose to pay much more attention to interactive exploration frameworks, which support rapid, qualified information gain on context-situated, efficient applicability. SORMA demonstrates how to reach self-explaining, built-in interactivity which does not impair the component's real-time efficiency.