[ACM Computing Surveys] ROS 2 in a Nutshell: A Survey
A 2-year study of 960 ROS 2 publications reveals key trends and future directions.
A comprehensive survey of ROS 2 has been accepted for publication in ACM Computing Surveys, the top-ranked journal in Computer Science Theory & Methods with an Impact Factor of 28.0. The paper, 'ROS 2 in a Nutshell: A Survey,' is the result of over two years of collaborative work by researchers from the RIOTU Lab at Prince Sultan University and the AlfaisalX Center at Alfaisal University. Co-authors Abdulrahman S. Al-Batati, Anis Koubaa, Khaled Gabr, Mohamed Abdelkader, and Hamad Aloqaily analyzed a massive corpus of 8,033 papers, ultimately focusing on 960 ROS 2 publications and reviewing 176 community packages covering the research timeline from 2009 to 2025.
The survey systematically covers the evolution from ROS 1 to ROS 2, the middleware architecture built on DDS (Data Distribution Service), real-time systems and hardware acceleration, security and safety considerations, multi-robot and distributed robotics, simulators, frameworks, and open-source ecosystems. It also explores applications in autonomous vehicles, healthcare, aerospace, logistics, agriculture, and public safety. The team has released an open-access companion database to support the ROS research community, making this a landmark resource for researchers, students, and engineers advancing modern robotics.
- Survey published in ACM Computing Surveys (Impact Factor 28.0, #1 of 147 CS journals)
- Reviewed 8,033 papers, 960 ROS 2 publications, and 176 community packages from 2009–2025
- Covers ROS 2 architecture, DDS, real-time systems, security, multi-robot systems, and applications in 7+ industries
Why It Matters
This survey provides the definitive reference for ROS 2, guiding research and engineering in robotics for years.