Note

Instructions for interfacing with the robot using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) and ROS 2 Foxy Fitzroy.

Important

This procedure should be followed after reading the manuals for the Clearpath Jackal. Furthermore, all of the Jackal’s functionality can be verified via the tutorials by Clearpath. Instructions for set up can be found at Jackal Docs .

Static Network Connection

To create a static connection in your PC (not the robot), in Ubuntu go to Settings → Network then click on + and create a new connection.

  1. Change the connection to Manual in the IPv4 settings.

  2. Set the Address IP as 192.168.131.1 (note: this value might vary depending on the specific robot) and the Netmask as 24.

  3. Click save and restart your network.

_images/jackal_network_1.png

Once you’ve saved the settings and restarted your network, proceed by opening the Jackal and connecting the LAN cable to the robot.

_images/jackal_lan.jpeg

After a successful connection, check the host’s local IP by typing in the Host PC’s terminal:

ifconfig

This command will display the assigned host IP from the previous step. To check if we can communicate with the robot, attempt to ping it from your host PC by executing:

ping 192.168.131.1
_images/jackal_network_2.png

After a successful ping, you can access the robot by using the following command:

ssh -X administrator@192.168.131.1
_images/jackal_ssh.png

The password required is:

mybotshop

Note

For Jackals operating on the default DHCP connections, there are a couple of approaches for connecting to the Jackal, one is described here.

Alternative for Static Connection: You can choose not to set up a static connection and instead run the command nmap -sP 192.168.0.*. This command scans all available networks within the .0 range. After identifying the network associated with the Jackal, you can establish a connection using SSH. This alternative method allows you to locate the Jackal’s network and subsequently connect to it via SSH without configuring a static connection on your system.

After successfully connecting to the Jackal via SSH, the following output will appear in your terminal. It includes essential information such as the Jackal’s IP address, the default password, and various ROS-related commands for managing and interacting with the robot. This output provides a quick reference for controlling the Jackal, starting or stopping ROS services, launching sensor and navigation systems, and rebuilding packages.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   _  _  _  _  ____   __  ____  ____  _  _   __  ____
  ( \/ )( \/ )(  _ \ /  \(_  _)/ ___)/ )( \ /  \(  _ \
  / \/ \ )  /  ) _ ((  O ) )(  \___ \) __ ((  O )) __/
  \_)(_/(__/  (____/ \__/ (__) (____/\_)(_/ \__/(__)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Current PC: Jackal
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jackal IP:    192.168.131.1
Pswd:         mybotshop
SSH:          ssh -X administrator@192.168.131.1

Ouster IP:    192.168.131.20 (INFO: Default off)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jackal Startup
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROS status:          sudo service ros2 status
ROS start:           sudo service ros2 start
ROS stop:            sudo service ros2 stop
ROS restart:         sudo service ros2 restart

Ouster + Zed2i:      ros2 launch jkl_sensors system.launch.py
SLAM:                ros2 launch jkl_navigation slam.launch.py
Map Navi:            ros2 launch jkl_navigation map_navi.launch.py
Odom Navi:           ros2 launch jkl_navigation odom_navi.launch.py
Visualization:       ros2 launch jkl_viz view_robot.launch.py

Rebuild package:     colcon build --symlink-install
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jackal Screen Connection

An alternative method to connect with the Jackal is by utilizing an HDMI cable along with a mouse and keyboard. This setup facilitates the connection of the Jackal to your local WiFi network, enabling subsequent connections via WiFi.

_images/jackal_hdmi.jpeg

Jackal PC Setup

To utilize this method:

  1. Access your networks and add your WiFi connection.

  2. Open the terminal and type:

ifconfig

Identify the IP that starts with wl (e.g., wlps0 ). This IP corresponds to your WiFi connection. Use this IP to SSH into your robot:

ssh -X administrator@192.168.0.228

Replace 192.168.0.228 with the actual IP obtained from the ifconfig command. This will establish an SSH connection to your robot.

Note

The provided IP (192.168.0.228) is an example. The real IP is acquired from the ifconfig command output.

Network Configuration

The Jackal is equipped with an industrial-grade onboard computer. Specifically:

  1. The MCU port functions on 192.168.131.1.

  2. The Ouster Lidar port operates on 192.168.132.20.

Device

IP Address

Password

Jackal

192.168.131.1

Ouster Lidar

192.168.132.20

Note

Sometimes other networks can cause disruptions when connecting to the Jackal. It is best to have only your connection to the robot active and all others inactive.