Modelling and Model-Checking a ROS2 Multi-Robot System using Timed Rebeca

2025-11-19

AI Summary

Modeling and verifying asynchronous, time-sensitive interactions in multi-robot systems remains challenging due to semantic gaps between continuous dynamics and discrete abstractions, discretization-induced inaccuracies, and state-space explosion. Method: This paper proposes a formal modeling and verification framework based on Timed Rebeca, tailored for ROS 2. It introduces a hierarchical discretization strategy that establishes sufficiency thresholds for motion primitives and physical signal abstractions, bridging the semantic gap between continuous dynamics and discrete models. A bidirectional engineering workflow links Rebeca models with ROS 2 implementations to support model-driven development. Verification efficiency is enhanced via state-space compression, TCTL property checking, and compiler-level optimizations in model checking. Contribution/Results: Experiments demonstrate efficient verification of typical collaborative task properties. The approach is supported by an open-source, reusable Rebeca model library and a ROS 2 integration framework, establishing a novel paradigm for trustworthy, formal development of autonomous multi-robot systems.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: State Estimation
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Model-Based Reasoning
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Geometric, Spatial, and Temporal Reasoning

Application Category

• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Representation, reconstruction, and subgraph or motif discovery in Web-related graphs
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Experiences and lessons learnt from Web-based algorithms and system deployments
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User modeling and simulation for interactive and conversational systems

Abstract

Model-based development enables quicker prototyping, earlier experimentation and validation of design intents. For a multi-agent system with complex asynchronous interactions and concurrency, formal verification, model-checking in particular, offers an automated mechanism for verifying desired properties. Timed Rebeca is an actor-based modelling language supporting reactive, concurrent and time semantics, accompanied with a model-checking compiler. These capabilities allow using Timed Rebeca to correctly model ROS2 node topographies, recurring physical signals, motion primitives and other timed and time-convertible behaviors. The biggest challenges in modelling and verifying a multi-robot system lie in abstracting complex information, bridging the gap between a discrete model and a continuous system and compacting the state space, while maintaining the model's accuracy. We develop different discretization strategies for different kinds of information, identifying the'enough'thresholds of abstraction, and applying efficient optimization techniques to boost computations. With this work we demonstrate how to use models to design and verify a multi-robot system, how to discretely model a continuous system to do model-checking efficiently, and the round-trip engineering flow between the model and the implementation. The released Rebeca and ROS2 codes can serve as a foundation for modelling multiple autonomous robots systems.

Problem

• Modeling ROS2 multi-robot systems with Timed Rebeca
• Bridging discrete models and continuous systems efficiently
• Optimizing state space for formal verification of behaviors

Innovation

• Using Timed Rebeca for ROS2 node modeling
• Developing discretization strategies for continuous systems
• Applying optimization techniques to boost computations