ROS simulation for Neobotix mobile robots

This simulation package provides a quick and easy way to try out the autonomous mobile robots from Neobotix. It comes with the most commonly used configuration but is open for any kind of modification.

Neobotix offers a wide range of mobile robots for different applications:

• MP-400: Small and cost-saving robot with differential drive for both industrial transport applications and research.
• MP-500: Compact, industrial grade robot for material flow and intralogistics. Very good system for robotics research when equipped with a robot arm.
• MPO-500: Omnidirectional robot with Mecanum wheels for all kinds of service robotics research
• MPO-700: Omnidirectional robot with Omni-Drive-Modules, offering very high payload and smooth movements. Great for both research and demanding industrial applications.

Contact information

For more information please visit our website at www.neobotix-robots.com. If you have any questions, just get in touch with us:

• General information: http://www.neobotix-robots.com/company-contact.html
• ROS related questions: [email protected]

neo_simulation

Instructions to Download the Package

1. First step is to create a catkin workspace

   Follow this link to create a workspace http://wiki.ros.org/catkin/Tutorials/create_a_workspace

2. Next step is to clone the neo_simulation repository to the source folder of the created workspace(catkin_ws).

   $ cd catkin_ws/src

   $ git clone https://github.com/neobotix/neo_simulation.git

   once cloned go back to catkin_ws directory and run:

   $ catkin_make

   $ source devel/setup.bash

3. Now we need to add the path of our custom gazebo models into the bashrc

   i. In your command line terminal

    $ gedit ~/.bashrc
   

   ii. Add this to your bashrc

    $ export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=/(Path to your workspace)/src/neo_simulation/models:$GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH
   

4. Download additional Gazebo Models from http://data.nvision2.eecs.yorku.ca/3DGEMS/

Additional Packages that are required for the simulation

1. Teleoperation

$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-teleop-twist-keyboard

2. Control package

$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-ros-control

3. Navigation

$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-navigation

3.1 Local Planner

$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-eband-local-planner

3.2 Localization

$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-openslam-gmapping
$ sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-amcl

4. Scan Unifier (Just the folder cob_scan_unifier)

$ git clone https://github.com/neobotix/neo_driver.git

Launch a mobile Robot

To simulate the robot in gazebo run:

roslaunch neo_simulation simulation.launch

Parameters

Parameter	Description	Options
robot_type	robot type used in simulation	mpo_500, mmo_500, mpo_700
robot_world	name of the .world file located in folder "worlds"	neo_track1, neo_track2
rviz	indicates if rviz should be started with the simulation	true, false
autonomous_navigation	indicates if move base and gmapping or amcl should be started with the simulation	true, false

Moving obstacles

For neo_track2 world, there is a ready made python script for moving obstacles.

After launching the simulation for the mobile robot, run the following line in the command line window.

$ rosrun neo_simulation models_spawn.py

Topics

1. /cmd_vel

   • Plugin name: Planar Move (geometry_msgs/twist)

   NOTE: With this the robot can move in all directions and also able rotate along the Z-direction.

2. /sick_s300_laser/back/scan (sensor_msgs/LaserScan)

   • Frame name: sick_s300_laser_back_link

   • Plugin name: GPU Laser

   NOTE: Laser scan covers an angle of 270 degrees

3. /sick_s300_laser/front/scan (sensor_msgs/LaserScan)

   • Frame name: sick_s300_laser_front_link

   • Plugin name: GPU Laser

   NOTE: Laser scan covers an angle of 270 degrees

4. map (nav_msgs/OccupancyGrid)

   NOTE: This topic publishes the data of the map.

5. amcl_pose (geometry_msgs/PoseWithCovarianceStamped)

   NOTE: This topic gives the estimated pose of the robot on map.

6. tf (tf2_msgs/TFMessage)

   NOTE: This topic publishes transform from /odom to /map.

7. particle cloud (geometry_msgs/PoseArray)

   NOTE: This topic publishes a set of pose estimates.