Current ROS-based run instructions

Powering up bart

• Make sure the charger is unplugged!

• Log on to theakston

• Open the terminal and ssh to bart

• execute the command roscore
  • roscore is required to start up ros and lets different nodes communicate.

• open another console window and ssh to bart

• execute the command roslaunch powerbot powerbot_teleop.launch
  • This command tells ros to launch powerbot_teleop from the package powerbot
  • powerbot is a package in ubc_srvc responsible for starting the hardware drivers on the robot
  • powerbot_teleop extends powerbot to add teleoperation capabilities

• ssh to bart again from a new console window

• execute the command roslaunch executive_srvc executive_dependencies.launch
  • This command launches executive_dependencies from the package executive
  • executive_dependencies launches 2dnav_powerbot as well as other packages needed by for the srvc functionality

• ssh to bard one more time in from a new console window

• execture the command roslaunch executive_srvc executive.launch
  • This command launches executive from the package executive
  • executive is responsible for the high level functionality, such as planning for the exploration of the environment, extracting interesting regions to search for objects, deciding where to take pictures, and more.

Powering up the robot

• Locate the panel to the left side of the robot, as seen by standing in front of it.

• Switch the main power on (top right green button)

• Switch on the computer power (top left green button)

Running Bart from theakston by manually directing it through the graphical user interface.

• Log on to theakston

• Open the terminal and ssh to bart

• execute the command roscore
  • roscore is required to start up ros and lets different nodes communicate.

• open another console window and ssh to bart

• execute the command roslaunch powerbot powerbot_teleop.launch
  • This command tells ros to launch powerbot_teleop from the package powerbot
  • powerbot is a package in ubc_srvc responsible for starting the hardware drivers on the robot
  • powerbot_teleop extends powerbot to add teleoperation capabilities

• ssh to bart again from a new console window

• execute the command roslaunch 2dnav_powerbot 2dnav_powerbot.launch
  • This launches 2dnav_powerbot from the module 2dnav_powerbot
  • 2dnav_powerbot interacts with the nav-stack, which is a module included in ros which lets you build maps and navigate throguh them

• open a new terminal window

• execute the command rosrun rviz rviz
  • This starts the graphical user interface which lets you view the map and order the robot around

• To move the robot around, find the Target Frame labed under Displays and set it to /map

• Click the 2D Nav Goal at the top of the interface and then click and hold down the mouse button to select a location. Move the mouse button around with the button depressed to select the desired orientation of bart. Release to mouse button to exectute the command.

Running the srvc code

-- Tomas Hofmann, May 5, 2010