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Home > IoT & Hardware > Robotics > ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition
ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition
ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition

ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition: Learning to control wheeled, limbed, and flying robots using ROS Kinetic Kame , Second Edition

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Profile Icon Harman Profile Icon Carol Fairchild Profile Icon Lentin Joseph
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ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition

Chapter 2. Creating Your First Two-Wheeled ROS Robot (in Simulation)

Your first robot will be created in simulation so that even if you do not have a physical robot to learn ROS on, you will be able to follow along and do the exercises in this book. We will build a simple two-wheeled robot named dd_robot (dd is short for differential drive). We will build a Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) file for the robot that will describe the main components of our robot and enable it to be visualized and controlled by ROS tools, such as rviz and Gazebo. Rviz is a visualization tool in which we will view our dd_robot URDF file as we build it in increments. When the visual model is complete, we will modify the URDF file for use in the Gazebo simulator. In Gazebo, we can view the effects of physics on our model as we move our model around the 3D environment.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • An introduction to rviz, installation instructions, and instructions for use...

Introducing rviz

Rviz, abbreviation for ROS visualization, is a powerful 3D visualization tool for ROS. It allows the user to view the robot model, display and/or log sensor information from the robot's sensors, and replay the logged sensor information. By visualizing what the robot is seeing, thinking, and doing, the user can debug a robot application from sensor inputs to planned (or unplanned) actions.

Rviz displays 3D sensor data from stereo cameras, lasers, Kinects, and other 3D devices in the form of point clouds or depth images. 2D sensor data from webcams, RGB cameras, and 2D laser rangefinders can be viewed in rviz as image data.

If an actual robot is communicating with a workstation that is running rviz, rviz will display the robot's current configuration on the virtual robot model. For example, if a real two-armed robot like Baxter has his arms in a certain pose, then the robot model will display that pose in rviz. The ROS topic containing arm configuration information...

Creating and building a ROS package

Before we begin to design and build our robot model in simulation, we should create our first ROS package. In Chapter 1, Getting Started with ROS, we created a ROS catkin workspace under /home/<username>/catkin_ws. The structure of a catkin workspace looks like this:

catkin_ws/                     -- WORKSPACE
build/                         -- BUILD SPACE
devel/                         -- DEVEL SPACE
src/                           -- SOURCE SPACE
CMakeLists.txt          -- 'Toplevel' CMake file, provided by catkin

Tip

Make sure that you have source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash in your .bashrc file, or this command is entered at the terminal window prompt.

We begin by moving to your catkin workspace source directory:

$ cd ~/catkin_ws/src

Now, let's create our first ROS package, ros_robotics:

$ catkin_create_pkg ros_robotics

This command will create a /ros_robotics directory under the ~/catkin_ws/src directory. The /ros_robotics directory...

Building a differential drive robot URDF

URDF is an XML format specifically defined to represent robot models down to their component level. These URDF files can become long and cumbersome on complex robot systems. XML Macros (Xacro) is an XML macro language created to make these robot description files easier to read and maintain. Xacro helps you reduce the duplication of information within the file.

For our first robot model, we will build a URDF file for a two-wheeled differential drive robot. The model will be created incrementally, and we will view the results at each step in rviz. When our simple two-wheeled robot is complete, we will add Gazebo formatting and view the model in Gazebo. In Chapter 5, Creating Your First Robot Arm (in Simulation), we will expand our knowledge of URDF files and build a simple robot arm model using the Xacro notation.

Note

Downloading the ros_robotics code

You can download the example code files and other support material for this book from the Packt Publishing...

Gazebo

Gazebo is a free and open source robot simulation environment developed by Willow Garage. As a multifunctional tool for ROS robot developers, Gazebo supports the following:

  • Designing of robot models
  • Rapid prototyping and testing of algorithms
  • Regression testing using realistic scenarios
  • Simulation of indoor and outdoor environments
  • Simulation of sensor data for laser range finders, 2D/3D cameras, kinect-style sensors, contact sensors, force-torque, and more
  • Advanced 3D objects and environments utilizing Object-Oriented Graphics Rendering Engine (OGRE)
  • Several high-performance physics engines (Open Dynamics Engine (ODE), Bullet, Simbody, and Dynamic Animation and Robotics Toolkit (DART)) to model the real-world dynamics

In this section, we will load our two-wheeled robot URDF into Gazebo to visualize it in a 3D environment. Gazebo allows you to take control of some aspects of our model without an external control program. In the later chapters, we will be using simulated versions of robots...

Summary

Your first robot design has been a simple two-wheeled differential drive model defined in URDF. There are many other properties that can be defined in the URDF file, and you are free to extend the dd_robot model. This introductory exercise was provided so that the elements of simulation can be understood by the reader. In an upcoming chapter, we will extend our understanding of URDF by learning about Xacro. We will build a Xacro file to define a robot model for a robot arm.

In Chapter 3, Driving Around with TurtleBot, we will use a simulated and a real TurtleBot to explore a variety of ROS control methods for mobile robot navigation. The rqt toolset will be introduced and used to monitor and control the TurtleBot's movements.

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Key benefits

  • Get to know the fundamentals of ROS and apply its concepts to real examples
  • Learn how to write robotics applications without getting bogged down in hardware problems
  • Learn to implement best practices in ROS development

Description

ROS is a robust robotics framework that works regardless of hardware architecture or hardware origin. It standardizes most layers of robotics functionality from device drivers to process control and message passing to software package management. But apart from just plain functionality, ROS is a great platform to learn about robotics itself and to simulate, as well as actually build, your first robots. This does not mean that ROS is a platform for students and other beginners; on the contrary, ROS is used all over the robotics industry to implement flying, walking and diving robots, yet implementation is always straightforward, and never dependent on the hardware itself. ROS Robotics has been the standard introduction to ROS for potential professionals and hobbyists alike since the original edition came out; the second edition adds a gradual introduction to all the goodness available with the Kinetic Kame release. By providing you with step-by-step examples including manipulator arms and flying robots, the authors introduce you to the new features. The book is intensely practical, with space given to theory only when absolutely necessary. By the end of this book, you will have hands-on experience on controlling robots with the best possible framework.

Who is this book for?

This book is for robotic enthusiasts, researchers and professional robotics engineers who would like to build robot applications using ROS. It gives the robotics beginner and the ROS newbie an immensely practical introduction to robot building and robotics application coding. Basic knowledge of GNU/Linux and the ability to write simple applications is assumed, but no robotics knowledge, practical or theoretical, is needed.

What you will learn

  • •Control a robot without requiring a PhD in robotics
  • •Simulate and control a robot arm
  • •Control a flying robot
  • •Send your robot on an independent mission
  • •Learning how to control your own robots with external devices
  • •Program applications running on your robot
  • •Extend ROS itself
  • •Extend ROS with the MATLAB Robotics System Toolbox

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Publication date : Nov 30, 2017
Length: 484 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781788474726
Category :
IoT & Hardware
Concepts :
Robotics
Tools :
ROS

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Publication date : Nov 30, 2017
Length: 484 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781788474726
Category :
IoT & Hardware
Concepts :
Robotics
Tools :
ROS

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ROS Robotics By Example, Second Edition
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Table of Contents

11 Chapters
1. Getting Started with ROS Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
1. Getting Started with ROS
What does ROS do and what are the benefits of learning ROS?
Which robots are using ROS?
Installing and launching ROS
Creating a catkin workspace
ROS packages and manifest
ROS nodes, topics, and messages
Turtlesim – the first ROS robot simulation
ROS commands summary
Summary
2. Creating Your First Two-Wheeled ROS Robot (in Simulation) Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Creating Your First Two-Wheeled ROS Robot (in Simulation)
Introducing rviz
Creating and building a ROS package
Building a differential drive robot URDF
Gazebo
Summary
3. Driving Around with TurtleBot Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Driving Around with TurtleBot
Introducing TurtleBot 2
Loading TurtleBot 2 simulator software
Launching TurtleBot 2 simulator in Gazebo
Setting up to control a real TurtleBot 2
Networking the netbook and remote computer
TurtleBot 2 hardware specifications
Moving the real TurtleBot 2
Introducing rqt tools
TurtleBot's odometry
TurtleBot 2 automatic docking
Introducing TurtleBot 3
Loading TurtleBot 3 simulation software
Launching TurtleBot 3 simulation in rviz
Launching TurtleBot 3 simulation in Gazebo
Hardware assembly and testing
Loading TurtleBot 3 software
Networking TurtleBot 3 and the remote computer
Moving the real TurtleBot 3
Summary
4. Navigating the World with TurtleBot Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Navigating the World with TurtleBot
3D vision systems for TurtleBot
Configuring TurtleBot and installing the 3D sensor software
Testing the 3D sensor in standalone mode
Running ROS nodes for visualization
Navigating with TurtleBot
Summary
5. Creating Your First Robot Arm (in Simulation) Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Creating Your First Robot Arm (in Simulation)
Features of Xacro
Building an articulated robot arm URDF using Xacro
Controlling an articulated robot arm in Gazebo
Summary
6. Wobbling Robot Arms Using Joint Control Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Wobbling Robot Arms Using Joint Control
Introducing Baxter
Baxter's arms
Loading Baxter software
Launching Baxter Simulator in Gazebo
Baxter's arms and forward kinematics
Introducing MoveIt!
Configuring a real Baxter setup
Controlling a real Baxter
Inverse kinematics
Using a state machine to perform YMCA
Summary
7. Making a Robot Fly Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Making a Robot Fly
Introducing quadrotors
Understanding quadrotor sensors
Preparing to fly your quadrotor
Using ROS with UAVs
Introducing Hector Quadrotor
Introducing Crazyflie 2.0
Introducing Bebop
Summary
8. Controlling Your Robots with External Devices Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Controlling Your Robots with External Devices
Creating a custom ROS game controller interface
Creating a custom ROS Android device interface
Creating ROS nodes on Arduino or Raspberry Pi
Summary
9. Flying a Mission with Crazyflie Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Flying a Mission with Crazyflie
Mission components
Loading software for the mission
Setting up the mission
How to control Crazyflie
Flying Crazyflie
Summary
10. Controlling Baxter with MATLAB© Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Controlling Baxter with MATLAB©
Installing the MATLAB Robotics System Toolbox
Using MATLAB Robotics System Toolbox and Baxter Simulator
Summary
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index

Customer reviews

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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.3
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Reg Berka Dec 22, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
A superb and concise book on the Robot Operating System and its applications. With many 'how to' examples I have found this book to be a very useful addition to my library. This book is particularly useful for applications using mobile robots, but the principles apply as well to fixed base robots and complex applications. I recommend it for anyone starting to learn ROS or as a reference for the more experienced programmer.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Luong Nguyen Feb 27, 2018
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This is one of the best books to buy if you are new to ROS. It provides the many details that are not usually found in other books on ROS and which help users learn quickly. Highly recommended.
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Nate Wiggins Feb 28, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
ROS Robotics by Example is an excellent way to get yourself immersed in the technology of the future. I was following examples for the turtlebot so that I can learn some new skills and couldn't help but notice that I could hack our drone too! ROS is the future of robotics and this book is perfect for a robotics or CS course and a must-have for the new generation of engineers.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Francisco Reveriano Nov 09, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is a must buy for anyone wanting to work with ROS.It easy to read through. And provides plenty of easy to read explanation.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Cliente Amazon Jan 18, 2021
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 3
Personalmente ho fatto\faccio fatica a seguirlo. Speravo di riuscire a capire meglio ma probabilmente mi mancano troppe basi con l'ambiente Linux. Chi ne sa di più probabilmente lo può trovare interessante, io al momento ho bisogno di altri libri più semplici.
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About the 3 authors

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Profile icon Harman
Harman
Dr. Thomas L. Harman is the chair of the engineering division at UHCL. His research interests are control systems and applications of robotics and microprocessors. Several of his research papers with colleagues involve robotic and laser applications in medicine. In 2005, he was selected as the UHCL Distinguished Professor. He has been a judge and safety advisor for the FIRST robotic contests in Houston. Dr. Harman has authored or coauthored 18 books on subjects including microprocessors, MATLAB and Simulink applications, and the National Electrical Code. His laboratory at UHCL has a Baxter two-armed robot and several TurtleBots as well as other robots.
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Profile icon Carol Fairchild
Carol Fairchild
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Carol Fairchild is the owner and principal engineer of Fairchild Robotics, a robotics development and integration company. She is a researcher at Baxter's Lab at the University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) and a member of the adjunct faculty. Her research involves the use of Baxter for expanded applications. Ms. Fairchild has been involved in many aspects of robotics from her earliest days of building her first robot, a Heathkit Hero. She has an MS in computer engineering from UHCL and a BS in engineering technology from Texas A&M. Ms. Fairchild has taught middle-school robotics, coached FLL, and volunteered for FIRST Robotics in Houston.
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Profile icon Lentin Joseph
Lentin Joseph
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Lentin Joseph is an author and robotics entrepreneur from India. He runs a robotics software company called Qbotics Labs in India. He has 7 years of experience in the robotics domain primarily in ROS, OpenCV, and PCL. He has authored four books in ROS, namely, Learning Robotics using Python, Mastering ROS for Robotics Programming, ROS Robotics Projects, and Robot Operating System for Absolute Beginners. He is currently pursuing his master's in Robotics from India and is also doing research at Robotics Institute, CMU, USA.
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