Streaming Layer of Personal Robot's Middleware

This paper proposes streaming layer for personal robot's middleware. Under assumption that robot has open architecture, i.e. consists of modules created by different vendors and intercommunication between these modules is necessary, we have to consider that there are many different network interfaces. To make communication between modules possible it is necessary to develop new type of middleware. Such middleware has to support different platforms, i.e. OS, network interface, hardware, etc. In addition, it is necessary to implement effective interface between network and application in order to manage inter application communications and use network resources more effectively. Streaming layer is such interface that implements necessary functionality together with simplicity and portability. Streaming layer provides high level of abstraction and makes communication between distributed applications transparent as if are located in same module. With possibility of extension by user defined application interfaces it is suitable for distributed environments, i.e. module based architecture including small-embedded systems like as DSP board. To verify the proposed streaming layer structure it is implemented using C and tested.