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Have you ever experienced a situation where multiple robots operate on the same network, only to end up in chaos because they’re “talking over” each other? Don’t worry! Today, we’ll effortlessly demystify the ROS2 Domain ID configuration and show how our Advantech team enables robots to “group chat” smoothly without any conflicts!
Technical Background 101: What is ROS2 Domain ID? #
In scenarios such as smart factories, unmanned transport, or automated warehousing, information exchange between robots is critically important. Here, ROS2 (Robot Operating System 2) acts as their “common language.” However, if everyone communicates on the same channel, robots from different teams might interfere with each other, leading to utter confusion!
This is where the Domain ID comes into play! Simply put, the Domain ID functions as a “group password.” Robots in the same group use the same Domain ID to communicate freely; robots in different groups use different Domain IDs and thus cannot “hear” each other. As multi-robot collaboration and group management become increasingly common, the need for this functionality continues to grow.
Live Demo: Advantech Robotic Suite—One-Click Domain ID Setup #
Our engineers noticed that the biggest concern for many customers during multi-robot collaboration is “message cross-talk.” That’s why, starting from Advantech Robotic Suite v1.3.0 (and later versions), we designed an intuitive Domain ID setup mechanism, eliminating tedious configuration and enabling easy grouping.
Step 1: Navigate to the Configuration Directory #
Open the terminal and go to the specified directory:
$ cd /usr/local/Advantech/ros
Step 2: Run the Configuration Script #
Simply execute our thoughtfully designed script, supporting Domain ID range 0~101:
$ ./change-ros-domain-id.sh
Step 3: Verify the Configuration Result #
You can confirm whether the setup was successful as follows:
- On the host:
$ echo $ROS_DOMAIN_ID - Inside the container (using Docker as an example):
$ docker exec -it edge-ros2-foxy bash $ echo $ROS_DOMAIN_ID
If you see the Domain ID you set, congratulations—group configuration is a success!
Technical Highlights & Application Value #
Traditionally, configuring the Domain ID often required manual modification of environment variables—tedious and prone to errors. With Advantech Robotic Suite’s design, the setup process is simple and transparent, saving engineers’ time and making it easy for non-technical personnel to get started.
- Avoid Message Interference: Different projects or teams can use distinct Domain IDs, ensuring “no cross-talk.”
- Flexible Grouping: Supports Domain IDs from 0 to 101, meeting diverse application needs.
- One-Click Setup, User-Friendly Operation: Scripted process eliminates cumbersome steps—anyone can use it!
In fields such as smart manufacturing, autonomous mobile robots, and AI vision, this technology can significantly enhance system stability and maintenance efficiency. For large projects requiring multiple robot groups to collaborate, it’s an indispensable management tool.
Continuous Innovation, Marching Toward the Future #
Advantech has always been committed to the research and innovation of robotics software technology. This optimization of the ROS2 Domain ID configuration is just one of many breakthroughs. In the future, we will continue to explore smarter robot group management, cross-platform collaboration, and more possibilities for automation applications.
If you are interested in this technology or want to experience the power of Advantech Robotic Suite, feel free to contact us and join us in shaping the new future of intelligent automation!
Let’s create the smartest robot teams with the simplest configuration!