A formal approach in robot development process using a UML model

Abstract

Recently, a formal development process of robot in an application level has not been sufficiently encouraged and promoted. This leads an insufficient procedure to improve the robot development process in the application level. This article introduces an object-oriented analysis and design methodology (OOADM) that is applicable to the robot development process, i.e., a field sensing robot, in the application level. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used as a tool for analysis and design of the field sensing robot. The Mindstorms Lego model RCX is deployed as the main robot hardware and the C++ programming language is employed as the software tool for implementing the field sensing robot application. The tasks of robot are defined to move across the fields, to avoid the obstacles, and to reach the end point, according to the requirement. The robot employs the light sensor to detect the field surfaces in order to specify different types of movement, i.e., moving on a normal surface, increasing and reducing speed across a slop surface, and moving within a boundary. In addition, the robot uses the touch sensors to detect the obstacles during its movement toward the end point and to dodge the obstacles when hitting them. The robot operation is completed when the end point is detected. By following the formal standard development process using the UML model, the application of robot can be implemented rapidly and efficiently.