Remote Development Environment for Industrial PC

Scene

Robot platforms generally come with a pre-installed ROS-based control system. This control system is essentially the same as the learning environment from the previous stage, and it is largely similar in terms of development or application. We can use the platform's peripherals, such as a mouse, keyboard, and monitor, to directly develop, debug programs, or control the robot on it. However, when developing "for the platform," some issues may arise, such as:

1. When the robot is a mobile platform, the "platform-oriented" development model may require a person to follow the vehicle, which is clearly inefficient and poses certain safety risks.
2. The "platform-oriented" development model is also constrained by factors such as environment, terrain, and many others.
3. The relationship between robots and developers may be one-to-many, meaning multiple development or test engineers use the same device. In a "platform-oriented" development model, resource contention is inevitable.

In summary, "platform-oriented" development is feasible, but it also comes with many inconveniences. In this context, setting up a remote development environment can address the issues mentioned above.

Concept

Remote development is a development approach where you write, compile, or run programs on a remote host. Compared to local development, remote development requires connecting a local device to a remote host to enable data transfer and operation synchronization.

Purpose

Remote development can offer several advantages, such as providing more powerful computing resources, facilitating team collaboration, and ensuring a unified development environment. At the same time, remote development also requires consideration of factors like network latency and stability. Overall, remote development can provide a more flexible and convenient development environment, suitable for various scenarios and needs.

Implementation Method

In this tutorial, we will primarily introduce two commonly used remote development modes: SSH and NoMachine. These are two common remote connection methods that differ in functionality and usage.

• SSH is a command-line interface connection method that requires users to input commands via the terminal for remote operations. For users familiar with the command line, SSH may be more flexible and efficient.
• NoMachine provides a graphical remote connection, allowing users to intuitively operate the desktop of a remote computer. It supports features such as windows, multiple monitors, and file transfer, making it suitable for remote operations that require a graphical interface.

Overall, SSH is better suited for scenarios requiring command-line operations and quick access, while NoMachine is more appropriate for scenarios needing graphical remote desktop access. The choice between the two should be based on specific needs and usage habits.