ros_multi_robots

For multi robots simulation

You can simply run patch.sh in patch directory to patch all files instead of doing the following hack job, but ros should be in /opt/ros/hydro/ directory.

How to hack file

To solve the namespace problem of odom and joint_states, we have to hack into gazebo_ros_kobuki.cpp file of kobuki_gazebo_plugins and add node name prefix to these topics. The original libgazebo_ros_kobuki.so should be replaced.

Create workspace.
http://wiki.ros.org/catkin/Tutorials/create_a_workspace

Clone source code to the src directory of this workspace.

$git clone https://github.com/yujinrobot/kobuki_desktop.git

Hack gazebo_ros_kobuki.cpp for topic name problems.

Line 141   joint_state_pub_ = nh_.advertise<sensor_msgs::JointState>(node_name_ +"/joint_states", 1);
Line 198   odom_pub_ = nh_.advertise<nav_msgs::Odometry>(node_name_ +"/odom", 1);
Line 386   joint_state_.header.frame_id = node_name_+"/base_link";
Line 397   odom_.header.frame_id = node_name_+"/odom";
Line 398   odom_.child_frame_id = node_name_+"/base_footprint";

cd to the workspace root directory, compile.
PS: when compiling the code, it may throw out errors like can not find test suit or something similar, so I just delete the qtestsuit directory.

$catkin_make gazebo_ros_kobuki

Back up original library.

$sudo mv /opt/ros/hydro/lib/libgazebo_ros_kobuki.so /opt/ros/hydro/lib/libgazebo_ros_kobuki.so.old

Replace library.

$sudo cp ./devel/lib/libgazebo_ros_kobuki.so /opt/ros/hydro/lib/libgazebo_ros_kobuki.so

For sensor names, hack xacro files
(1)kobuki_hexagons_kinect.urdf.xacro

$sudo vim /opt/ros/hydro/share/turtlebot_description/robots/kobuki_hexagons_kinect.urdf.xacro

Line 11  <kobuki ns="$(arg prefix)"/>

(2)kobuki.urdf.xacro

$sudo vim /opt/ros/hydro/share/kobuki_description/urdf/kobuki.urdf.xacro

Line 14  <xacro:macro name="kobuki" params="ns"> 
Line 224     <kobuki_sim ns="${ns}"/>

(3)kobuki_gazebo.urdf.xacro

$sudo vim /opt/ros/hydro/share/kobuki_description/urdf/kobuki_gazebo.urdf.xacro

Line 4  <xacro:macro name="kobuki_sim" params="ns">
Line 44 	    <sensor type="contact" name="${ns}_bumpers">
Line 55	    <sensor type="ray" name="${ns}_cliff_sensor_left">
Line 86	    <sensor type="ray" name="${ns}_cliff_sensor_right">
Line 117 	    <sensor type="ray" name="${ns}_cliff_sensor_front">
Line 148	  <sensor type="imu" name="${ns}_imu">
Line 181-186	      <cliff_sensor_left_name>${ns}_cliff_sensor_left</cliff_sensor_left_name>
	      <cliff_sensor_center_name>${ns}_cliff_sensor_front</cliff_sensor_center_name>
	      <cliff_sensor_right_name>${ns}_cliff_sensor_right</cliff_sensor_right_name>
	      <cliff_detection_threshold>0.04</cliff_detection_threshold>
	      <bumper_name>${ns}_bumpers</bumper_name>
              <imu_name>${ns}_imu</imu_name>

(4)need to pass the ns parameter to single robot launch file(agent.launch.xml in this workspace, and it may have already been done)

Line 13  <arg name="urdf_file" default="$(find xacro)/xacro.py '$(find turtlebot_description)/robots/$(arg base)_$(arg stacks)_$(arg 3d_sensor).urdf.xacro' prefix:=$(arg robot_name)" />

#How to run You can run the simple run.sh script to build and run the simulator or following the steps below.
First build the project in workspace root directory.

catkin_make

Then source setup file.

source ./devel/setup.bash

Finally launch simulation.

roslaunch agents_gazebo agents_gazebo.launch

This will first launch the gazebo simulator with gui, then launch the rviz gui. Sometimes gazebo may die during launching, just run again

#How to control the robots The following command can be used to control robot0, you can change keyop0.launch to keyop1.launch to control robot1. It is not a good way, but it works well. Remember to source the setup.bash file in the workspace

roslaunch keyop keyop0.launch

Robots may drift in rviz and that is normal because localization is not 100% accurate.

#PS I am new to ROS, so there may still be some errors or mistakes, I will try my best to help you with this simulation, you can contact me by applyhhj@163.com. Hope this can help you!