Software Overview

Software in the MOOS-IvP project is available via anonymous read-only SVN access. (download). In total the tree contains 2 distinct architecture implementations (the MOOS middleware and the IvP Helm).

The MOOS middleware is maintained and distributed by Oxford University, but is included as a subset in the MOOS-IvP tree found on this site. See the Nested Repositories description.

The MOOS-IvP software includes:

  • The MOOS autonomy middleware architecture.
  • The IvP Helm Behavior-Based decision engine architecture.
  • Several MOOS applications.
  • Several IvP Helm behaviors.
  • Several offline pre-mission planning and post-mission analysis tools.

MOOS is autonomy middleware built on the publish-subscribe architecture. All MOOS Apps talk through a single MOOS database (MOOSDB) process that handles publications, subscriptions, and mail delivery. MOOS Apps may run at different frequencies and may run on different machines. All communications are conducted via TCP/IP.

The IvP Helm is a behavior-based architecture that uses multi-objective optimization with interval programming (IvP) for reconciling behavior output when multiple behaviors are competing for influence of the vehicle trajectory. It includes an extensive toolbox (the IvPBuild Toolbox) for creating new behaviors. The helm may also be configured with hierarchical mode declarations to cluster behaviors according to different mission modes.


Software Licensing Issues for Applications and Libraries.

The software modules available on this website are available under a GPL license (version 3 or later). Certain libraries are available under a LGPL license. In short, the licensing is designed to enable users to develop their own behaviors or MOOS apps, linking to the relevant MOOS app and behavior superclass libraries, and utility libraries, without being held to the GPL obligations. Existing apps and behaviors are however bound by the GPL obligations. For more information on GPL, Open Source and Free Software, please visit the Free Software Foundation website, www.fsf.org.