  Multi-agent systems play an important role in modern robotics. Due to the
nature of these systems, coordination among agents via communication is
frequently necessary. Indeed, Perception-Action-Communication (PAC) loops, or
Perception-Action loops closed over a communication channel, are a critical
component of multi-robot systems. However, we lack appropriate tools for
simulating PAC loops. To that end, in this paper, we introduce ROS-NetSim, a
ROS package that acts as an interface between robotic and network simulators.
With ROS-NetSim, we can attain high-fidelity representations of both robotic
and network interactions by accurately simulating the PAC loop. Our proposed
approach is lightweight, modular and adaptive. Furthermore, it can be used with
many available network and physics simulators by making use of our proposed
interface. In summary, ROS-NetSim is (i) Transparent to the ROS target
application, (ii) Agnostic to the specific network and physics simulator being
used, and (iii) Tunable in fidelity and complexity. As part of our
contribution, we have made available an open-source implementation of
ROS-NetSim to the community.
