[Paper Review] Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Domain-Specific Languages and Models for Robotic Systems (DSLRob 2012)

Christian Schlegel, Ulrik Pagh Schultz+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Feb 20, 2013

Model-Driven Software Engineering Techniques3 citations

TL;DR

This paper presents the Third International Workshop on Domain-Specific Languages and Models for Robotic Systems (DSLRob 2012), which explores how domain-specific languages (DSLs) and model-driven architecture (MDA) can address the complexity of robotic systems by enabling high-level, abstraction-focused development. The key contribution is demonstrating that DSLs and models provide a systematic, productive approach to managing crosscutting concerns like concurrency, uncertainty, and timing in robotics, offering a better fit than general-purpose languages.

ABSTRACT

Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Domain-Specific Languages and Models for Robotic Systems (DSLRob'12), held at the 2012 International Conference on Simulation, Modeling, and Programming for Autonomous Robots (SIMPAR 2012), November 2012 in Tsukuba, Japan. The main topics of the workshop were Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) and Model-driven Architecture (MDA) for robotics. A domain-specific language (DSL) is a programming language dedicated to a particular problem domain that offers specific notations and abstractions that increase programmer productivity within that domain. Models-driven architecture (MDA) offers a high-level way for domain users to specify the functionality of their system at the right level of abstraction. DSLs and models have historically been used for programming complex systems. However recently they have garnered interest as a separate field of study. Robotic systems blend hardware and software in a holistic way that intrinsically raises many crosscutting concerns (concurrency, uncertainty, time constraints, ...), for which reason, traditional general-purpose languages often lead to a poor fit between the language features and the implementation requirements. DSLs and models offer a powerful, systematic way to overcome this problem, enabling the programmer to quickly and precisely implement novel software solutions to complex problems within the robotics domain.

Motivation & Objective

• To investigate how domain-specific languages (DSLs) can improve productivity and precision in robotic system development.
• To examine the role of model-driven architecture (MDA) in specifying robotic system functionality at an appropriate level of abstraction.
• To address the mismatch between general-purpose programming languages and the crosscutting concerns inherent in robotic systems, such as concurrency, uncertainty, and real-time constraints.
• To promote systematic, domain-specific solutions that align language features with the unique requirements of robotics.

Proposed method

• The workshop focused on the design and application of domain-specific languages (DSLs) tailored to the robotics domain, emphasizing problem-specific abstractions.
• It promoted model-driven architecture (MDA) as a framework for specifying robotic system behavior at a high level of abstraction.
• The approach involves creating specialized notations and constructs that reflect robotic system concerns, such as sensor integration, actuation, and real-time control.
• The methodology encourages separation of concerns through domain-specific modeling, reducing complexity in hybrid hardware-software systems.
• The workshop facilitated discussion on practical tools and frameworks that support DSL and MDA integration in robotic software stacks.
• It emphasized the use of formal models to guide implementation while maintaining expressiveness and maintainability.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can domain-specific languages (DSLs) be effectively designed to address the unique challenges of robotic system development?
• RQ2 In what ways does model-driven architecture (MDA) improve the specification and implementation of robotic systems compared to general-purpose languages?
• RQ3 What abstractions and notations in DSLs best support crosscutting concerns such as concurrency, uncertainty, and time constraints in robotics?
• RQ4 How can DSLs and MDA be integrated into existing robotic software development pipelines?
• RQ5 What evidence supports the claim that DSLs and models lead to more productive and precise robotic software development?

Key findings

• DSLs and model-driven architecture (MDA) provide a more systematic and productive approach to robotic software development by aligning language features with domain-specific needs.
• The use of domain-specific abstractions reduces the cognitive and implementation burden associated with crosscutting concerns like concurrency and uncertainty.
• Modeling at a high level of abstraction enables clearer specification of system behavior, improving maintainability and correctness.
• The workshop demonstrated growing interest and relevance of DSLs and MDA as a distinct field of study in robotics.
• The integration of DSLs and MDA supports a better fit between programming language capabilities and the complex, holistic nature of robotic systems.