RESEARCH TRACK 2 - Assignment 1: main branch

The purpose of this package is to control a non-holomonic mobile robot in a Gazebo or in a Coppelia environment. The user can choose to start the robot or to stop it. In the moment when the user gives the commando to move the robot, a random pose is chosen and the robot start moving in that direction. This movement continues until the robot reachs the goal and a new random pose is sent.

Description of the branch

In the main branch you can find four nodes: two nodes implemented as python scripts and the other two as C++ file. Each folder contains:

• VRep_scene: to simulate the robot in a Coppelia environment, it is available a simple scene my_scene.ttt with a Pioneer p3dx mobile robot in an empty environment
• launch: there are thre different .launch file
  • sim.launch: starts the simulation in a Gazebo environment
  • bridge_sim.launch: it is dedicated to launch only the python scripts, due to the fact that the components of ros2 take care of the leaving part.
  • coppelia_sim.launch: starts the simulation in a Coppelia environment.
• scripts: two nodes implemented as python scripts that set the behaviour of the robot
  • go_to_point: this is the server that manage the robot speed control, depending on the goal received.
  • user_interface: sends the request to start/stop the go_to_point behaviour asking to the user what the robot needs to do.
• src: two nodes implemented as C++ file that set the behaviour of the robot
  • position_server: it is the server that generates a random position.
  • state_machine: manage the request of a new goal and it sends the request as a goal to go_to_point server.

How to compile and run the package

After cloning the package, it is necessary to build the package in the path of your own workspace, with the command:

catkin_make

When the package is build successfully, you have three options, depending on what is your goal:

• to start the simulation in Gazebo, it is necessary to run:

roslaunch rt2_assignment1 sim.launch

• to start the simulation in Coppelia, it is necessary to run:

roslaunch rt2_assignment1 coppelia_sim.launch

N.B: Unlike Gazebo, Coppelia needs to start separately.

• to launch only the python scripts, it is necessary to run:

roslaunch rt2_assignment1 bridge_sim.launch