Description

The rosbot snap includes all the essential software required to operate the ROSbot, including the controller, robot state publisher, and more. The snap is dedicated for: ROSbot XL, ROSbot 3 / 3 PRO, ROSbot 2R / 2 PRO. The snap is based on https://github.com/husarion/rosbot_ros package, which provides the ROS 2 driver for the ROSbot mobile robot.

Installation

To install this snap on the Single Board Computer (SBC) within the ROSbot run the following command:

snap install rosbot
sudo /var/snap/rosbot/common/post_install.sh
sudo rosbot.flash

Usage

After installation, you need to specify robot-model by running:

sudo snap set rosbot driver.robot-model=rosbot/rosbot-xl

You can start the ROSbot driver by running:

sudo rosbot.start

After that robot is operational and you can control it using by sending commands to the /cmd_vel topic. For example, you can use the teleop_twist_keyboard node to control the robot from a terminal:

sudo rosbot.teleop

or you can connect a Logitech F710 USB dongle to the ROSbot's USB port to control the robot. Remember to set gamepad in X mode and keep pressing the LB button on the gamepad to enable control.

Parameters

The snap provides the following configurable parameters:

• driver: {...}
• ros: {...}

The ros contains the following keys:

• ros.domain-id: 0 - Sets the ROS_DOMAIN_ID ROS 2 env.
• ros.localhost-only: 0 - Sets the ROS_LOCALHOST_ONLY ROS 2 env.
• ros.transport: udp - Configures DDS transport. Options are udp, shm, builtin (or rmw_fastrtps_cpp), rmw_cyclonedds_cpp. Corresponding DDS XML files can be found in the /var/snap/rosbot/common directory (custom FastDDS setups can also be created here).
• ros.namespace: `` - Namespace for all topics and transforms.

The driver contains the following keys:

• driver.configuration: basic - Specify robot configuration. This parameter affects URDF and starts the manipulator. rosbot has only basic configuration. rosbot-xl has: basic, telepresence, autonomy, manipulation, manipulation-pro.
• driver.mecanum: True/False (depend on robot-model) - switches between mecanum or differential drive controller.
• driver.robot-model: ` - Allows you to select the robot model (options:rosbot,rosbot-xl`).
• driver.serial-port: auto - Serial port for firmware (e.g., /dev/ttyUSB0).

To set parameters, use:

snap set rosbot driver.mecanum=True

Available Apps (Main)

• rosbot.flash - Flash firmware for the STM32F4 microcontroller.
• rosbot.start - Start the daemon running the ROSbot ROS 2 driver.
• rosbot.stop - Stop the daemon running the ROSbot ROS 2 driver.
• rosbot.teleop - Run the teleop_twist_keyboard node to control the robot from a terminal.

Auxiliary Apps

• rosbot.config-ftdi - Set up the CBUS pins in the FTDI chip (used with RST and BOOT0 pins in STM32); needs to be done only once.
• rosbot.print-serial-number - Print the CPU ID and serial number of ROSbot.
• rosbot.reset-stm32 - Reset the STM32F4 microcontroller.

Working with ROS Parameters

For multiple snaps running ROS 2 or host-snap-Docker communication, useful files and scripts are available in /var/snap/rosbot/common/.

Example usage:

# Set parameters in the rosbot snap
sudo snap set rosbot ros.transport=udp ros.namespace=abc

# Mirror the setup for other ROS 2 snaps
sudo snap set husarion-depthai $(cat /var/snap/rosbot/common/ros_snap_args)
sudo snap set husarion-rplidar $(cat /var/snap/rosbot/common/ros_snap_args)

# Set up the current shell with the same configurations
source /var/snap/rosbot/common/ros.env

# Install configurations
/var/snap/rosbot/common/manage_ros_env.sh
source ~/.bashrc

ros2 run teleop_twist_keyboard teleop_twist_keyboard --ros-args --remap __ns:=/${ROS_NAMESPACE}