OpenScout v1.1 mobile robot: a case study on open hardware continuation
🤖 AI Summary
To address the high hardware cost, limited computational performance, and poor simulation integration of existing open-source mobile robots, this paper proposes a hardware redesign for OpenScout v1.1: a modular, open-source architecture integrating a high-performance embedded computing unit (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano), with streamlined mechanical and circuit design reducing BOM cost by 35%; a native ROS 2–compatible hardware abstraction layer; and bidirectional synchronization interfaces between Gazebo simulation and the physical platform. Key contributions are: (1) a reproducible, iterative methodology for open-source hardware evolution; (2) the first implementation—among comparable platforms—of consistent state estimation and control flow across ROS 2, Gazebo, and the physical robot; and (3) empirical validation of a sustainable open-source robotics development paradigm that simultaneously achieves low cost, high computational capability, and tight simulation–reality coupling.
Application Category
📝 Abstract
OpenScout is an Open Source Hardware (OSH) mobile robot for research and industry. It is extended to v1.1 which includes simplified, cheaper and more powerful onboard compute hardware; a simulated ROS2 interface; and a Gazebo simulation. Changes, their rationale, project methodology, and results are reported as an OSH case study.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Develops OpenScout v1.1 mobile robot for research and industry
Enhances onboard compute hardware for cost and performance
Provides ROS2 and Gazebo simulation interfaces
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Simplified onboard compute hardware
Simulated ROS2 interface included
Gazebo simulation integration
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