Overview

Humble

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TBA

Noetic

Component Activation

The ros drivers mentioned below are all automatically started when launching the accessories launch file. These drivers further expand on the functionality for interfacing as well as for independent component checking.

ROS Multimachine

To use Rviz on your pc for faster updates please setup the multimachine. By default, if you connect to the built-in router, you need only to follow the builtin router subsection.

Multimachine - Client - Builtin Router

For all the terminals in your pc, you may export these environment variables. The ros master should correspond to the robots ip where as the ros ip and ros hostname should correspond to your pc’s ip that is connected to the robot in the same network.

export ROS_MASTER_URI = http://192.168.131.1:11311/
export ROS_IP =192.168.131. < your_assigned_ip_from_router >
export ROS_HOSTNAME =192.168.131. < your_assigned_ip_from_router >

Important

Please note that you should ideally have the mmp_description and mmp_viz rospackages built on your pc so that you may view the robot over the network.

Multimachine - Host - Custom Router

For all the terminals in the robot 4 — 5 recommended, you can export the following environment variables. The ip should correspond to the ip address of your robot which has been obtained from sudo nmtui.

export ROS_MASTER_URI =http://192.168.0.219:11311/
export ROS_IP =192.168.0.219
export ROS_HOSTNAME =192.168.0.219

Multimachine - Client - Custom Router

For all the terminals in your pc, you may export these environment variables. The ros master should correspond to the robots ip where as the ros ip and ros hostname should correspond to your pc’s ip that is connected to the robot in the same network.

export ROS_MASTER_URI =http://192.168.0.219:11311/
export ROS_IP =192.168.0.225
export ROS_HOSTNAME =192.168.0.225

Important

Please note that you should ideally have the mmp_description and mmp_viz rospackages built on your pc so that you may view the robot over the network.

Multimachine Usage

Stop the mmp service via (On the robot).

sudo service mmp stop

On the robot launch.

roslaunch mmp_startup system_startup.launch

On the users pc launch.

roslaunch mmp_viz view_robot.launch

Robotic Arms

Humble

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TBA

Noetic

UR5e + Robotiq

Please follow this checklist to interact with the UR5e and Gripper via ROS.

Power on teach pendant — In Teach pendant Top Center Right
Release emergency switch — In Teach pendant Top Center
UR5e is in remote mode — In Teach pendant Top right
UR5e is Power off state with a icon — In Teach pendant Bottom left (Important)

Launch ROS driver:

roslaunch mmp_arm ur5e_robotiq_driver.launch

To test the gripper run:

rosrun mmp_demo gripper.py

To test the UR5e and gripper use moveit you can use Moveit:

roslaunch mmp_ur_moveit_config mmp_moveit.launch

Auxiliary Rigs

Humble

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TBA

Noetic

Lift Actuation

Note

The lift driver is on by default from the startup job.

Start the driver via:

roslaunch mmp_lift base.launch

Move lift up 1 to -600 microsteps

rostopic pub -r 1 /cmd_lift std_msgs/Float32 "data : -600.0"

Move lift down 1 to 600 microsteps

rostopic pub -r 1 /cmd_lift std_msgs /Float32 "data : 600.0"

Activate Lifts softlock, for the lift to move

rosservice call /get_lift_manual_control "{}"

Sensors

Humble

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TBA

Noetic

Ouster + Hokuyo

Note

The Hokuyos are on by default from the startup job.

To launch all three lidars run:

roslaunch mmp_lidars ouster_hokuyos.launch

To launch the hokuyos only (ideal when working with realsense):

roslaunch mmp_lidars hokuyos.launch

Realsense Camera

Start the pan and tilt camera D455:

roslaunch mmp_realsense_cameras d455.launch

Start the wrist camera:

roslaunch mmp_realsense_cameras d405.launch

Start both cameras:

roslaunch mmp_realsense_cameras realsense.launch

Note

When both the Ouster and Realsense cameras work at the same time, the latency of the camera stream increases due large amount of data transfer. Ideally, Ouster should be running or Realsense. Both can work at the same time but then Realsense suffer from latency issues.

Pan & Tilt

Start the pan and tilt dynamixel motors via:

roslaunch mmp_pan_and_tilt controller.launch

Move pan and tilt with ranges of -1.5708 to +1.5708 in radian

rostopic pub /cmd_pan_and_tilt mmp_msgs/PanTilt " pan : 1.0" "tilt : 0.0"

Caution

Humble

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TBA

Noetic

Caution Notes

Power off the UR5e correctly via the teach pendant.
Always remain close to the emergency stop buttons.
Sudden jerks to the mobile robot can cause a disconnection, the velocity that is provided should always have be smooth either through the joystick, keyboard, or program.

Known Issues

Pan, tilt not working (Usually caused by the provision of wrong command values)

◦ Solution is to powercycle the dynamixels and restart their driver.
Ridgeback shuts down sometimes when powered on.

◦ In rare cases the network does not startup in time causing the ridgeback to shut down.Powercycling should resolve the issue.
Realsense cameras lagging

◦ Utilize multi-machine setup.

◦ Ensure ouster is not running concurrently with the realsense as it takes up alot of bandwith which may be causing the lag.
Lift joystick not working

◦ This occasionally occurs if you try to move the lift while releasing the soft limit switches. Restarting the mmp service will correct this.