The Auckbot Simulation

This packages contain the Simulation of the AuckBot. In particular:

• auckbot_analysis: Tools to analyse the robots motion and energy consumption
• auckbot_description: The description of the robot for simulation
• auckbot_gazebo: Simulation settings and environment
• auckbot_navigation: Navigation launchfiles and maps (mainly wrappers of available packages)
  • planner_setup_selector.sh: allows to choose configurations of global and local planner using a simple UI (needs to be sourced because it uses environment variables)
  • amcl_move_base_lab.launch: starts the navigation for an specific environment (here lab)
• auckbot_teleop: Little tool to manually control the robot
  • keyboard_teleop.launch: enables you to control the robot using your keyboard

Requirements

The following packages need to be installed to run and build the code:

• sudo apt-get install -y mongodb libgcal-dev libncurses5-dev
  
• (optional) sudo apt-get install -y robomongo
  

The following ros packages are needed as well:

• depthimage_to_laserscan
  
• cob-phidgets
  

Building

To use this software, follow these steps:
(It is recommended to have look at some tutorials if you are new to ROS)

1. Create a ROS workspace

• mkdir -p ~/ros/auckbot_ws/src
• cd ~/ros/auckbot_ws/src
• catkin_init_workspace

2. Download these sources

• git clone git@github.com:ct2034/auckbot.git
• git clone git@github.com:ct2034/navigation.git

3. Build the code

• cd ~/ros/auckbot_ws
• catkin_make
• source devel/setup.bash

4. (OPTIONAL) If you want to use rtabmap:

• Get the code and compile it according to the available tutorial
• Notes:
  • In case you experience an error like
    *No rule to make target /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libGL.so'*<br/> create a link to the correct location of the library:<br/> sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libGL.so /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libGL.so`
  • The folders rtabmaplib and rtabmap should both be located in the src folder of your workspace

Running

Simulation

You will need probably (at least) 3 terminal windows:

• To start the simulation run roslaunch auckbot_gazebo auckbot_mudcircle.launch. Note that the UI of gazebo is switched off by default. Edit the launchfile to change this.
  
• The basic navigation can be started with roslaunch auckbot_navigation amcl_move_base.launch.
  
• A preconfigured version of rviz can be started with roslaunch auckbot_navigation rviz.launch. In rviz you can know set navigation goals which will initiate the movement of the robot towards these.
  

Robot Tests

Start on the robot:

• the connection to TwinCat and necessary hardware drivers: roslaunch auckbot_bringup auckbot.launch
  

Start from control pc using ssh -X student@192.168.0.7:

• select navigation config using: source src/auckbot/auckbot_navigation/launch/planner_setup_selector.sh
• in the same terminal start the localization and navigation: roslaunch auckbot_navigation amcl_move_base_lab.launch
• for safety start as well roslaunch auckbot_teleop keyboard_teleop.launch

Start on the control computer after setting up the connection using ROS_IP and ROS_MASTER_URI

• start the visualization: roslaunch auckbot_navigation rviz.launch

After a succesful naviagtion you can check using robomongo if the trip was saved to the database.