Smalltalk as a programming language for robotics?

Abstract

Programming languages for robotics applications are continually being developed and extended as the applications become more sophisticated. Language evolution is proceeding along two directions: (1) providing more and better facilities for task-level as opposed to robot-level programming and (2) providing better facilities for simulation, graphics and symbolic manipulation. The trend makes it clear that the full capabilities of a general purpose programming language are needed. Instead of developing a new language from the ground up, it is easier and more productive to take an existing language with all the requisite general purpose facilities and specialize it for robotics. Because of its symbolic processing facilities, its object-oriented nature, its usefulness as a simulation language, and its sophisticated graphical interface, Smalltalk is an ideal candidate for specialization. We discuss in more detail why this is the case and we show how a programming language that approaches the power of AL can be imbedded in Smalltalk within 2-4 person-months of effort.