Providing Odom data with laser_scan_matcher package

This repository is an answer to this question at reddit.

Answer

Generating data from LaserScan data

Install scan_tools package

sudo apt-get install ros-DISTRO-scan-tools

Create a launch file

<launch>
  <node pkg="laser_scan_matcher" type="laser_scan_matcher_node" name="lsm_node" output="screen">
     <param name="fixed_frame" value="map"/>
	   <param name="base_frame" value="base_link"/>
	   <param name="use_imu" value="false"/>
	   <param name="use_odom" value="false"/>
	   <param name="publish_tf" value="false"/>
	   <param name="publish_pose" value="false"/>
	   <param name="publish_pose_stamped" value="true"/>
  </node>
</launch>

Parameter	Type	Value	Description
fixed_frame	string	map	Robot's fixed frame, eg. map, world, odom
base_frame	string	base_link	Robot's base frame, eg. base_link, base_footprint
use_imu	bool	false	Whether to use an imu for the theta prediction of the scan registration. Requires input on /imu/data topic
use_odom	bool	false	Whether to use wheel odometry for the x-, y-, and theta prediction of the scan registration. Requires input on odom topic
publish_tf	bool	false	Whether to publish scan matcher's estimation for the position of the base frame in the world frame as a transform
publish_pose	bool	false	Whether to publish scan matcher's estimation for the position of the base frame in the world frame as a geometry_msgs/Pose2D
publish_pose_stamped	bool	true	Whether to publish scan matcher's estimation for the position of the base frame in the world frame as a geometry_msgs/PoseStamped

LaserScan data MUST be published to topic /scan. For more details, read the wiki

Converting data from geometry_msgs/PoseStamped and publish to /odom

Install robot_localization package

sudo apt-get install ros-DISTRO-robot-localization

Create a launch file

   <launch>
	 <node pkg="robot_localization" type="ukf_localization_node" name="ukf" clear_params="true" output="screen">
	    <remap from="odometry/filtered" to="odom"/>
	    <param name="map_frame" value="map"/>
	    <param name="odom_frame" value="odom"/>
	    <param name="base_link_frame" value="base_link"/>
	    <param name="world_frame" value="odom"/>
	    <param name="two_d_mode" value="true"/>
	    <param name="pose0" value="/pose_with_covariance_stamped"/>
	    <param name="pose0_config" value="[true, true, false, false, false, true, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false]"/>
	 </node>
	</launch>

Parameter	Type	Value	Description
map_frame	string	map	Robot's map frame, eg. map, world
odom_frame	string	odom	Robot's odom frame, eg. odom
base_link_frame	string	base_link	Robot's base frame, eg. base_link, base_footprint
world_frame	string	odom	Robot's odom frame, eg. odom
two_d_mode	bool	true	Set as true if your robot doesn't move on Z axis
pose0	string	/pose_with_covariance_stamped	Topic that the laser_scan_matcher is publishing the pose geometry_msgs/Pose2D
pose0_config	bool[]	[true, true, false, false, false, true, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false]	Array of booleans to set which values of the pose may be considered to the calculations

For more details, read the repo

Finally

1. Run the scanner/lidar node
2. Run AMCL node
3. Launch laser_scan_matcher file
4. Launch ukf file

The laser_scan_matcher pose has no use to the user, but it may be finded at the follow topic

/pose_with_covariance_stamped

The odom data may be finded at the follow topic

/odom