Bridging Software and Hardware in Mobile Robotics: Real-Time Control Architecture for Planetary Exploration

Bridging the gap between software and hardware remains one of the most demanding aspects of robotic system design, particularly when hard real-time performance must be guaranteed. To address this challenge, this work presents the design and implementation of a real-time capable control architecture for the SCOUT rover -- a mobile robotic platform for extraterrestrial lava tube exploration developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). To enable high-frequency control of the rover, the low-latency communication protocol EtherCAT is used for communication with the six actuators. For facilitated interaction with other systems, the software is integrated into a ROS2 environment, while running on an ARM-based NVIDIA Jetson hardware. This contribution presents the development and testing of a robust robotic platform, by combining a flexible software design with the all-terrain capabilities of the DLR SCOUT rover. Specifically, the design choices and lessons that can guide future development in mobile robotic control will be highlighted.