multiple robots running the kinect scan configuration in simulation show weird artifacts

[piyushk]

getting weird laser returns when 2 robots are present. cannot reproduce with a single robot.

[piyushk]

This problem occurs because openni_kinect plugin does not take tf_prefix into account.

[piyushk]

tf_prefix was an issue that has been fixed, but not the root cause of this problem. still investigating.

[piyushk]

The 2 underlying depth cameras are somehow colliding. This can be reproduced by running the following command:

roslaunch segbot_gazebo multiple_segbots.launch robot_configuration:=`rospack find segbot_bringup`/launch/includes/_auxiliary.segbot_kinect_scan.xml

[piyushk]

Initializes at Screenshot 1. Both robots are running a very simple collision model and have 1 collision element each. They move inside gazebo using gazebo_ros_planar_move. Note the bubble in the depth image for robot 1 in the bottom left hand corner.

As robot 2 moves away, the depth image changes and eventually the bubble goes away.
Screenshot 2
Screenshot 3
Screenshot 4