**2.3 Ontologies and model-driven engineering**

Currently, there are no generally accepted method or framework for the design of complex robotic systems [14]. However, this task of building complex robotic systems can easily leverage extant systems and software development methods. In complex system developments, the design is focused at a different level of abstractions, and modularity is used to both organize the design and implement the system [15]. Examples of this modular approach are the developments based on objectoriented methods, middleware, and component-based design.

The structural, modular organization of design knowledge and the exploitation of formally captured system knowledge is the basement of the large collection of

<sup>2</sup> https://standards.ieee.org/project/1872\_2.html

#### *Using Ontologies in Autonomous Robots Engineering DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97357*

• Complexity management. The design process is more straightforward when working with small modules—*i.e.* a reduced set of concepts—integrated into

• Understandability. It is easier to understand an ontology in small portions than

contextualization in the creation of knowledge. Each module can focus on any

• Reusability. The split of an ontology into modules provides the reuse of specific

Nevertheless, modular ontologies may lead to some problems during the process of creation and use. For example, the integration of other concepts by importing existing ontologies may lead to unexpected consequences such as inconsistencies related to reused vocabulary—*e.g.* conflicting definitions for homonyms. Keeping safety and correctness in a modular ontology is a key element when extracting or

As said, CORA is a quite general standard that is not very effective for concrete applications. The above-mentioned ontologies by Olszewska or Fiorini try to pro-

This fact is recognized by the Standards Association of the IEEE who is currently developing a collection of CORA-based standards to address different aspects of the robotics domain. These standards address different aspects of relevance like task specification, autonomy, ethics, agility, or verification of autonomous behavior. In particular, the Robotics and Automation Society Standing Committee on standards working group 1872.2<sup>2</sup> is elaborating a CORA-based standard ontology for

vide more specific ontologies directly usable in concrete applications.

autonomous robotics [13]—the Autonomous Robotics (AuR) Ontology.

The AuR standard under development shall extend the CORA ontology by defining additional ontologies for the autonomous robots domain. These ontologies will address different aspects of relevance: (i) general concepts for autonomous robots; (ii) core design patterns specific to autonomous robot systems; and (iii)

Currently, there are no generally accepted method or framework for the design of complex robotic systems [14]. However, this task of building complex robotic systems can easily leverage extant systems and software development methods. In complex system developments, the design is focused at a different level of abstractions, and modularity is used to both organize the design and implement the system [15]. Examples of this modular approach are the developments based on object-

The structural, modular organization of design knowledge and the exploitation of formally captured system knowledge is the basement of the large collection of

a huge ontology, either in a textual or visual form.

importing knowledge among ontologies and modules.

**2.2 Standard ontologies beyond CORA**

general use cases and/or case studies.

<sup>2</sup> https://standards.ieee.org/project/1872\_2.html

**74**

**2.3 Ontologies and model-driven engineering**

oriented methods, middleware, and component-based design.

• Context-awareness. The use of modular ontologies simplifies the

the final ontology.

*Robotics Software Design and Engineering*

aspect regarding one context.

parts in other ontologies.

model-based approaches in model-driven engineering (MDE). For example, OMG's Model-driven Architecture (MDA) focuses on design models a level of abstraction up of objects and components to reach modular reusable abstractions that can be later particularised for specific uses (Platform-Independent Model (PIM) ! Platform-Specific Models (PSM)). In the system's domain—closer to the robotics domain—languages like Systems Modeling Language (SysML) are gaining momentum due to their universality as a vehicle for augmented design formalization. However, MDE methods often suffer from a lack of semantics and truly formal knowledge representations that can be effectively exercised [16].

To overcome these bottlenecks, a formal ontology can be included as part of the model definition. One example of a model that makes use of ontologies to specify the system behavior and architecture is the Teleological and Ontological Model for Autonomous Systems (TOMASys) framework [17]. TOMASys is a domainindependent metamodel that allows the construction of models to define architectural alternatives in component-based systems. This metamodel is teleological because it incorporates core concepts in the engineering conceptualization as are the concepts of system intention and the purpose of the designers when creating a specific subsystem. And it is ontological because it defines a formal vocabulary for systems structure and behavior.

The ontological approach followed in this chapter and presented in the proof-ofconcept in Section 5 is built upon the TOMASys framework that was designed following the ideas of model-based systems engineering and particularized for the autonomous system engineering domain.
