micro-ROS is the official ROS 2 framework for MCUs, whose mission is bridging the gap between resource-constrained MCUs and larger processors in robotic applications that are based on ROS 2. eProsima presents how micro-ROS is ramping up towards industrial adoptions, by seamless integration in professional IDE for embedded development. This presentation will teach you about the first industry-oriented adoption: a Renesas RA6M5 & e2studio based micro-ROS solution.

1. GOES EASY
Developing professional applications using Eclipse based IDEs
ROSWorld 2021 20-21 October 2021
Maria Merlan (Product Marketing @ eProsima)
Pablo Garrido (Lead Embedded SW Engineer @ eProsima)

2. Addressing MCUs legacy challenges SW
DEV
Impact & Acceleration
Component
heterogeneity
Memory
limitations
SW dev cycle
coverage IDE
ROS 2
micro-ROS

3. Why micro-ROS?
MCUs
Embedded world
Robotics trend evolves towards
interconnected systems of CPUs
and multisensor-actuator
(that run on low resource boards
μC)
MCUs Legacy
challenges
Memory limitations, real-time
systems, energy consumption, wide
range of vendors.
Lack of common standard
development framework
micro-ROS
mission
Standard ROS 2-based framework
which Mission is to bring ROS 2
nodes into the embedded world
MCUs
Accelerator & Enabler

4. Why micro-ROS?
4
micro-ROS ROS
Embedded RT
middleware
DDS
RTOS Desktop OS
Microcontrollers
(kB)
Microprocessors
(MB)
● Mirroring ROS2 for Embedded world
○ Layer-compatible architecture with ROS 2
○ Integrated into ROS 2 ecosystem
○ Allows to create a ROS 2 node with ~ all
functionalities
○ Grants compatibility and ensures long-term
maintenance
○ Real-time middleware based
● Low resource consumption-oriented

5. Addressing MCUs legacy challenges SW
DEV
Impact & Acceleration
Memory
limitations
SW dev cycle
coverage IDE
Component
heterogeneity
ROS 2
micro-ROS
Component
heterogeneity

6. Title
Addressing MCUs legacy challenges SW DEV
Memory limitations
and real time
middleware
Component
heterogeneity
Lack of SW dev cycle
coverage IDE
Dynamic memory
free & Deterministic
API
Full portability
First IDE industry
endorsed (Renesas)

7. micro-ROS goes easy
7
● Flexible support package (BSP) easy and
intuitive
● Multiple tools
○ Measuring current consumption
○ Renesas coverage tools
○ Virtual debug console
○ Performance analysis
○ Real-time charts
○ Trace-debug
e2 studio
The most comprehensive ecosystem

8. micro-ROS goes easy
8
Develop
Build
Flash
Debug
Profile
Full professional integration of micro-ROS into
the Renesas RA family and e2 studio
● FreeRTOS, ThreadX, Bare-metal
● UDP, UART, USB-CDC
● Hardware in the loop testing
(CI/CD)
● Comprehensive solution that
provides an eclipse environment
that covers the full development
cycle
Test

9. Addressing MCUs legacy challenges SW
DEV
Impact & Acceleration
Component
heterogeneity
Memory
limitations
SW dev cycle
coverage IDE
ROS 2
micro-ROS

10. Impact & Acceleration
IMPACT ACCELERATION
● Enhanced ROS 2
● Widening scenarios to use ROS 2
● Evolving robotics to multisensor
networks and edge-robotics
● Overcoming the challenges for
adopting critical systems
● Integrated in the cutting-edge
tools for embedded development
● Call-to-action
● First industrial endorsed IDE e2studio
● Comprehensive tooling integrated with
micro-ROS
● Reducing the time-to-market
● Accelerator of new applications
● Renesas RA family for
○ Service robot for Logistics
○ Defense & Security
○ Agriculture and Healthcare

11. https://micro.ros.org/
Videos
Getting Started Guide - Setup micro-ROS project in e2studio
Coding and demo examples - Publisher, Service, Parameters
Sources
https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_renesas2estudio_component
https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_renesas_testbench
https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_renesas_demos
Important links