Lidar ROS node

https://github.com/robopeak/rplidar_ros

Steps for installation

On ubuntu:

Install ros (Jade)

according to this guide: http://wiki.ros.org/jade/Installation/Ubuntu

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://packages.ros.org/ros/ubuntu $(lsb_release -sc) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros-latest.list' sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://pool.sks-keyservers.net:80 --recv-key 0xB01FA116 sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install ros-jade-desktop-full

sudo rosdep init rosdep update

echo "source /opt/ros/jade/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc source ~/.bashrc

sudo apt-get install python-rosinstall

Create a ROS Workspace

mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src cd ~/catkin_ws/src catkin_init_workspace

Clone the ROS node for the Lidar in the catkin workspace src dir

git clone https://github.com/robopeak/rplidar_ros.git

Build with catkin

cd ~/catkin_ws/ catkin_make

Set environment when build is complete

source devel/setup.bash

Launch demo with rviz

roslaunch rplidar_ros view_rplidar.launch

Troubleshooting

If you get permission errors on accessing the USB device with ROS take a look here: http://question2722.rssing.com/browser.php?indx=42655234&last=1&item=4

Run this: sudo gpasswd --add ${USER} dialout

Then logout of your system and log in again.

Other notes

Show topics

rostopic list -v

Record selectively

rosbag record -O subset /turtle1/cmd_vel /turtle1/pose

Replay

rosbag play subset.bag

Setup remote master address to connect to another node

Guide: http://wiki.ros.org/ROS/Tutorials/MultipleMachines

export ROS_MASTER_URI=http://<master_ip>:11311

VERY IMPORTANT: /etc/hosts on both machines have to allow resolution by name (e.g., over the VPN) If not the master node will log: Couldn't find an AF_INET address for [client_hostname]

Once you fix that rostopic echo should work.

Check topics

rostopic list

Listen

rostopic echo /topic_name

Setup openvpn

Server

sudo apt-get install openvpn easy-rsa openvpn --genkey --secret static.key sudo openvpn /etc/openvpn/static-office.conf

server/client conf example

https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/miscellaneous/78-static-key-mini-howto.html

Remeber to open ports on FW: port 1194 on UDP or TCP depending on choice. sudo cp /usr/share/doc/openvpn/examples/sample-config-files/static-office.conf /etc/openvpn/

Simulation with gazebo + navigation

Gazebo

export TURTLEBOT_GAZEBO_MAP_FILE=/opt/ros/indigo/share/turtlebot_gazebo/maps/playground.yaml export TURTLEBOT_GAZEBO_WORLD_FILE=/opt/ros/indigo/share/turtlebot_gazebo/worlds/playground.world roslaunch turtlebot_gazebo turtlebot_world.launch

Mapping

roslaunch turtlebot_gazebo gmapping_demo.launch

View with rviz

roslaunch turtlebot_rviz_launchers view_navigation_tof.launch

Move robot with keyboard

roslaunch turtlebot_teleop keyboard_teleop.launch

show graph of ROS nodes

rqt_graph