ROS History Timeline and Biographies | History Timeline Generator

2007

Initial Release of ROS

The first version of ROS, known as ROS 1.0, was released by Willow Garage. This marked the beginning of ROS as a powerful tool for robotics development, providing libraries and tools to help software developers create robotic applications.

2008

ROS Becomes Open Source

Willow Garage decided to make ROS open-source, allowing developers worldwide to collaborate and contribute to the platform. This decision significantly accelerated the development and adoption of ROS in the robotics community.

2010

Introduction of ROS 1.2 (CTurtle)

The second version of ROS, CTurtle, was released, introducing new features and improvements, including better support for simulation and visualization tools, which enhanced the usability of ROS for developers.

2011

Growing Community and Ecosystem

By 2011, the ROS community had grown significantly, with more than 100 packages available. This expansion included contributions from universities and research institutions, solidifying ROS's position as a leading robotics platform.

2012

Launch of ROS 1.8 (Fuerte)

The Fuerte release of ROS brought in substantial improvements in performance and usability, including better tools for debugging and visualization. This version further enhanced the capabilities of ROS for developers.

2013

Introduction of ROS Industrial

The ROS Industrial initiative was launched, aimed at extending the capabilities of ROS to industrial applications. This project provided tools and libraries tailored for industrial robots, promoting ROS's use in manufacturing environments.

2014

Launch of ROS 1.10 (Hydro)

The Hydro release of ROS introduced several new features, including improved support for multi-robot systems and enhanced simulation capabilities, making it easier for developers to create complex robotic applications.

2015

ROS 2 Development Begins

Development of ROS 2 began, focusing on improving the architecture to support real-time systems, security, and better performance on various platforms. This marked a significant evolution in the ROS framework.

2017

Release of ROS 2 (Ardent Apalone)

The first official release of ROS 2, named Ardent Apalone, was launched. This version introduced new features aimed at improving performance, security, and real-time capabilities, catering to modern robotic applications.

2019

Launch of ROS 2 (Dashing Diademata)

Dashing Diademata was released as a long-term support version of ROS 2, providing stability and support for developers working on production systems. This release emphasized the growing maturity of ROS 2.

2020

Expansion of ROS 2 Ecosystem

The ROS 2 ecosystem continued to expand with the addition of numerous packages and tools, further enhancing its capabilities for developers. Community engagement and contributions were vital in this growth phase.

2021

Launch of ROS 2 (Foxy Fitzroy)

Foxy Fitzroy was released as another long-term support version of ROS 2, focusing on improving usability, performance, and compatibility with various robotic platforms, solidifying its role in the robotics community.

2022

Introduction of ROS 2 (Galactic Geochelone)

The Galactic Geochelone release of ROS 2 brought enhancements in features and tools, making it easier for developers to build and deploy robotic applications across diverse environments.

2023

Launch of ROS 2 (Humble Hawksbill)

Humble Hawksbill was released as a long-term support version, focusing on stability and performance improvements, and further enhancing the usability of ROS 2 for developers in various robotics applications.

2024

Future Directions for ROS

As of 2024, ROS continues to evolve, with ongoing development in ROS 2 focusing on improving integration with AI and machine learning technologies, enhancing capabilities for autonomous systems, and expanding the community-driven ecosystem.