An approach for testing software on networked transport robots

Abstract

Delivery robots are widely used to carry products in factories and warehouses. While working, they are often communicate with equipment, including stationary servers by using their wireless local-area networks. The correctness of software running on such robots depend on external services provided from networks in their current locations. To test such software, we need to execute it within the network domains of the locations that the robots may move to, because some services are available in the domains, e.g., service discovery protocols. To solve this problem, we present a framework for emulating the physical mobility of computers, e.g., transport robots, by the logical mobility of software designed for running on computers. It enables software to run within target local networks so that the software can connect to the services or protocols available within the network domains.