ROS 2 is the latest version of the Robot Operating System but it's more than a version change, it's a rework. The original started in 2007 at Stanford University and has been at the forefront of robotics mechanization. It's not really an operating system. It's a collection of libraries that, with version 2, add support for real-time embedded systems. The best thing is it's Open Source!

The target OS is Unix/Linux and can be adapted to macOS and Windows. ROS basically is a message trafficing scheme to service nodes that make up the sensing to control points within the robot system. The ROS packages of tools that facilitate ROS are many and varied, since ROS is Open Sourced. Once you get into using ROS, you'll have to find a path to follow of fellow robotisis or trailblaze your own path.

ROS gets exciting when adding LIDAR to provide space recognition and using AI techiques to optimize robot control. A good place to start is a system running Ubuntu 22.04 and following the ROS Humble install path. Although, there is a MicroROS version for microcontrollers. The official website for ROS is https://ros.org. ROS is especially effective since it can be used to run in a simulation verses actual hardware. This allows you to customize APIs for your own robot ecosystem before a hardware build.

Since ROS is Open Source, there are many scattered resources. To get into using ROS, consider studying YouTube presentations, online courses, and emulating simple projects and then moving up to more complex projects. Many industries are actively supporting the ROS community as well as using ROS in their factory and manufacting facilities. ROS is an important technology for any engineer-minded individual - like you. So what are you waiting for!