AIAA 93-4508 A Computational Architecture for Semi-autonomous Robotic Vehicles

This paper describes a computational architecture which supports the development and operation of semi-autonomous robotic systems. The Ames Robotic Computational Architecture (ARCA) provides a unified framework for integrating diverse subsystems and components, ranging from servocontrollers to operator interfaces. In addition, it reconciles a broad spectrum of processing domains, enables the development of complex systems and reduces the difficulty of systems integration. ARCA differs from other systems by its reliance on commercially available technology and by its core systems philosophy. The architecture was developed using a systems engineering approach with emphasis placed on understanding the interrelationship between system components and on maximizing the overall system performance. The requirements, design and implementation of the architecture are presented together with case studies of operational robotic systems.