Software architectures for robotic systems: A systematic mapping study

We have identified eight themes that support architectural solutions to enable (i) operations, (ii) evolution and (iii) development specific activities of robotic software. The research in this area has progressed from object-oriented to component-based and now to service-driven robotics representing different architectural models that emerged overtime. An emerging solution is cloud robotics that exploits the foundations of service-driven architectures to support an interconnected web of robots. The results of this SMS facilitate knowledge transfer - benefiting researchers and practitioners - focused on exploiting software architecture to model, develop and evolve robotic systems.