tf transformation between map and base_frame is floating

[kilmarnock]

I use ros_cartographer with an imu_um7 and a hokuyo 30lx. The map gets produced nicely. trajectory and /scan_matched_points2 are as expected.
The published transform from map to base_link is floating and has a constant rotation around the map frame:

rosrun tf tf_echo map base_link

At time 1501861249.096

• Translation: [-7892.858, -12323.256, 0.000]
• Rotation: in Quaternion [0.845, 0.209, 0.226, -0.438]
  in RPY (radian) [-2.244, -0.601, 0.189]
  in RPY (degree) [-128.543, -34.420, 10.857]
  At time 1501861250.096
• Translation: [3310.326, -986.246, 0.000]
• Rotation: in Quaternion [0.068, -0.152, -0.249, 0.954]
  in RPY (radian) [0.214, -0.259, -0.539]
  in RPY (degree) [12.253, -14.855, -30.866]
  At time 1501861251.096
• Translation: [-23581.840, 4440.330, 0.000]
• Rotation: in Quaternion [-0.122, -0.038, 0.235, 0.964]
  in RPY (radian) [-0.256, -0.015, 0.480]
  in RPY (degree) [-14.686, -0.863, 27.515]

rostopic echo /imu/data

header:
seq: 7921
stamp:
secs: 1501835252
nsecs: 200998606
frame_id: imu_link
orientation:
x: 0.0292388603
y: 0.0773436672
z: 0.1662687429
w: 0.982573411
orientation_covariance: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
angular_velocity:
x: -0.376964859662
y: -0.0414879759792
z: -0.2777762571
angular_velocity_covariance: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
linear_acceleration:
x: -0.561970487193
y: 0.855681448182
z: 9.02666983562
linear_acceleration_covariance: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0]

The output is quite stable.

my config is
cat backpack_2d.lua

include "map_builder.lua"

include "trajectory_builder.lua"

options = {
map_builder = MAP_BUILDER,
trajectory_builder = TRAJECTORY_BUILDER,
map_frame = "map",
tracking_frame = "base_link",
published_frame = "base_link",
odom_frame = "odom",
provide_odom_frame = true,
use_odometry = false,
num_laser_scans = 1,
num_multi_echo_laser_scans = 0,
num_subdivisions_per_laser_scan = 10,
num_point_clouds = 0,
lookup_transform_timeout_sec = 0.2,
submap_publish_period_sec = 0.3,
pose_publish_period_sec = 5e-3,
trajectory_publish_period_sec = 30e-3,
}

MAP_BUILDER.use_trajectory_builder_2d = true
TRAJECTORY_BUILDER_2D.scans_per_accumulation = 10

return options

The tf tree looks good. the tf from map to base_link is entirely published by cartographer.
I assume the um7 driver is messing sth?
Could you please give me a hint?

[damonkohler]

I don't think I understand the issue. What do you mean by "map to base_link is floating?" I'm confused because you first state that "the map gets produced nicely. trajectory and /scan_matched_points2 are as expected." Sounds like everything is working?

[kilmarnock]

Hi! Thank you for your time.
rosrun tf tf_echo map base_link shows that the position between two transforms (1 sec after) is

[-7892.858, -12323.256, 0.000
[3310.326, -986.246, 0.000]
[-23581.840, 4440.330, 0.000]

The rviz visualization shows a circular movement around the map frame. The numbers increase over time.
Everything is working, but the transforms are incorrect.

[ojura]

Maybe it could be an issue in the recently merged extrapolator? IIRC so far it's not used for anything but publishing transforms. That could explain the "everything's working, but the transforms are crazy" part.

[damonkohler]

Please double check that you don't have some other node or bag file providing the odom transform. This is a rather common mistake. You can use the tf filter to remove odom from your bag if it's there.

[kilmarnock]

I could not reproduce the error reliably. Thank you for your patience.

[ojura]

Regarding the previous version of your post - I do not think that Cartographer handles backward jumps in time, iirc you have to restart the node if you restarted playing the bag.

[wohe]

Closing this since we cannot reproduce. Please re-open should you have more information.

[Magnusgaertner]

I am having the same issue,
building a 2d map and trajectory from only laserscan data (using trajectory_builder_2d use_imu_data = false, use_online_correlative_scan_matching = true) displays a valid map and trajectory in rviz but produces weird transformations between map/odom and base_link.

   header: 
     seq: 0
     stamp: 
       secs: 1520438896
       nsecs: 167912000
     frame_id: odom
   child_frame_id: base_link
   transform: 
     translation: 
       x: 19287.4468349
       y: -86139.647836
       z: -0.05
     rotation: 
       x: 0.0
       y: 0.0
       z: 0.00201267379083
       w: 0.99999797457

   header: 
     seq: 0
     stamp: 
       secs: 1520438896
       nsecs: 186653300
     frame_id: odom
   child_frame_id: base_link
   transform: 
     translation: 
       x: 63577.4245965
       y: -64820.7914003
       z: -0.05
     rotation: 
       x: 0.0
       y: 0.0
       z: -0.175923979231
       w: 0.984403755342

   header: 
     seq: 0
     stamp: 
       secs: 1520438896
       nsecs: 186765600
     frame_id: odom
   child_frame_id: base_link
   transform: 
     translation: 
       x: 63577.4246018
       y: -64820.7914066
       z: -0.05
     rotation: 
       x: 0.0
       y: 0.0
       z: -0.175923502492
       w: 0.984403840541