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Software Designs

1. BRAK Software Abstraction Layer (BRAK/SAL): We're developing a model for interconnecting all the Brak software using sockets. This will allow any control-level algorithms to work with either the simulator or the "real" Brak base without recompilation. It will also allow the GUI (or multiple GUIs) to monitor activity on the robot or the simulator remotely over the network.
2. USB Drivers for Linux: We're also begun to look at using the Universal Serial Bus (USB) to connect Brak with its external components such as cameras, sensors and motors. Linux now includes support for USB and some pretty cool USB controller devices have appeared, so our migration has begun with understanding how to get data from here to there.
3. Brak simulator: Work is underway on developing a simulator for Brak. Our simulator currently is based on code derived from the Khepera simulator; as time progresses (and the students on the project get a better feel for what a simulator should do) it will be entirely rewritten. The two main modules of the simulator will be (1) a GUI interface of the robot's state and (2) a robot model of Brak itself. These modules are being designed to run together or independently (the GUI will work with the "real" Brak base as well).
4. Other Linux device drivers: The device drivers are the direct link from Linux to the hardware such as the I²C controller board, the ultrasonic driver boards and the motor board (and any other electronic hardware we add later). This work pretty much revolves around maintenance these days, but software is software.