NavRos

Autonomous Navigation for Differential Drive Robots

(Includes Gazebo simulation)

More information on the project : Blog post

Getting Started

• cd catkin_ws/src
• Clone this repo here : git clone "https://github.com/YugAjmera/navros_pkg"
• cd .. (Go back to catkin_ws/)
• catkin_make
• source ./devel/setup.bash
• source ~/.bashrc

If catkin_make fails (probably controller_manager package does not exist)

sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-controller-manager

Gazebo Simulation

(Skip this while working with real robot)

Change the urdf file as per the dimensions of your robot.

Install pointcloud_to_laserscan :

sudo apt install ros-kinetic-pointcloud-to-laserscan ros-kinetic-rosbridge-server

On a new terminal :

To launch the urdf model in Gazebo in a custom cafe environment :

roslaunch navros_pkg cafe_custom.launch

To launch the model in empty world in Gazebo :

roslaunch gazebo_ros empty_world.launch
roslaunch navros_pkg urdf_gazebo_view.launch

Keep this terminal running for all the next steps.

Laser sensor (Lidar or Kinect)

On a new terminal :

Run RVIZ :

cd catkin_ws/src/navros_pkg/rviz 
rviz -d laser.rviz

Check if the laser readings are seen in RVIZ. After the laser readings are visible,close this terminal.

Mapping

On a new terminal :

Run SLAM :

roslaunch navros_pkg gmapping.launch

Run RVIZ :

cd catkin_ws/src/navros_pkg/rviz 
rviz -d map.rviz

• For Octomap:

roslaunch navros_pkg octomap.launch

Run RVIZ for Octomap:

cd catkin_ws/src/navros_pkg/rviz 
rviz -d octomap.rviz

Run teleop_twist_keyboard :

rosrun teleop_twist_keyboard teleop_twist_keyboard.py 

Drive the robot around the environment you want to map.

Once mapping is complete, Save the map:

 rosrun map_server map_saver ~/catkin_ws/src/navros_pkg/maps/name_of_map

Now,close this terminal.

Autonomous Navigation

Define the size of your robot :

roscd navros_pkg/param/
gedit costmap_common_params.yaml 

footprint: [[-x, -y], [-x, y], [x, y], [x, -y]] where x= robot_length/2 and y= robot_width/2

Run amcl.launch :

Replace name_of_map with the map name you saved in the previous step.

roslaunch navros_pkg amcl.launch map:='name_of_map'

Run move_base.launch :

roslaunch navros_pkg move_base.launch 

Run RVIZ :

cd catkin_ws/src/navros_pkg/rviz 
rviz -d navigate.rviz

• Set initial pose (Click "2D pose estimate" and pinpoint the approximate location of robot on map).
• Red arrows indicate the probable location.
• Set goal for the robot in RVIZ (Click "2D Nav goal" and pinpoint the desired goal on the map).
• Green line indicates the path planned.

View work-flow here