Arena 4.0: A Comprehensive ROS2 Development and Benchmarking Platform for Human-centric Navigation Using Generative-Model-based Environment Generation

Abstract: Building on the foundations of our previous work, this paper introduces Arena 4.0, a significant advancement over Arena 3.0, Arena-Bench, Arena 1.0, and Arena 2.0. Arena 4.0 offers three key novel contributions: (1) a generative-model-based world and scenario generation approach that utilizes LLMs and diffusion models to dynamically generate complex, human-centric environments from text prompts or 2D floorplans, useful for the development and benchmarking of social navigation strategies; (2) a comprehensive 3D model database, extendable with additional 3D assets that are semantically linked and annotated for dynamic spawning and arrangement within 3D worlds; and (3) a complete migration to ROS 2, enabling compatibility with modern hardware and enhanced functionalities for improved navigation, usability, and easier deployment on real robots. We evaluated the platform's performance through a comprehensive user study, demonstrating significant improvements in usability and efficiency compared to previous versions. Arena 4.0 is openly available at https://github.com/Arena-Rosnav.