A Framework for Remote Robot Actuation using ROS Integrated with MQTT

Abstract

Traditionally, controlling robots using the Robot Operating System (ROS) has been constrained to operation within a single computer. The framework proposed in this paper transcends this limitation, enabling users to command and actuate robots remotely from any internet-connected device. This is achieved through an integration of ROS with the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol. To validate the efficacy of the proposed framework, a functional prototype was implemented and tested under both local (same device) and remote operation scenarios. The empirical results demonstrated that while remote operation induced a perceptible latency compared to local control, the robots still achieved 100% accuracy in executing the commanded movements. However, this increased internet latency may necessitate alternative methodologies for applications demanding extremely high-precision maneuvers.