AWS DeepRacer Offroad launcher package

Overview

The AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project is a sample application built on top of the existing AWS DeepRacer application. It uses QR code detection, through which the AWS DeepRacer device can identify and navigate along a path set up using QR codes to guide the car. For detailed information on the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project, see the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project getting started documentation.

License

The source code is released under Apache 2.0.

Installation

Follow these steps to install the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project.

Prerequisites

The AWS DeepRacer device comes with all the prerequisite packages and libraries installed to run the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project. For more information about the preinstalled set of packages and libraries on the AWS DeepRacer and about installing the required build systems, see Getting started with AWS DeepRacer OpenSource. The AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project requires the AWS DeepRacer application to be installed on the device, as it leverages most of the packages from the core application.

The following are additional software requirements to get the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project to work on the AWS DeepRacer device.

1. Calibrate the AWS DeepRacer (optional): Follow the instructions to calibrate the mechanics of your AWS DeepRacer vehicle. This should be done so that the vehicle performance is optimal and it behaves as expected.

Downloading and building

Open a terminal on the AWS DeepRacer device and run the following commands as the root user.

1. Switch to the root user before you source the ROS 2 installation:

    sudo su
   

2. Stop the deepracer-core.service that is currently running on the device:

    systemctl stop deepracer-core
   

3. Source the ROS 2 Foxy setup bash script:

    source /opt/ros/foxy/setup.bash 
   

4. Set the environment variables required to run Intel OpenVino scripts:

    source /opt/intel/openvino_2021/bin/setupvars.sh
   

5. Create a workspace directory for the package:

    mkdir -p ~/deepracer_ws
    cd ~/deepracer_ws
   

6. Clone the entire AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project on the AWS DeepRacer device:

    git clone https://github.com/aws-deepracer/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project.git
    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/
   

7. Clone the async_web_server_cpp, web_video_server, rplidar_ros, and pyzbar dependency packages on the AWS DeepRacer device:

    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/ && ./install_dependencies.sh
   

8. Fetch unreleased dependencies:

    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/
    rosws update
   

9. Resolve the dependencies:

    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/ && rosdep install -i --from-path . --rosdistro foxy -y
   

10. Build the packages in the workspace:

     cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/ && colcon build
    

Usage

To use the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample application, follow these instructions.

Run the node

To launch the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample application as the root user on the AWS DeepRacer device, open another terminal on the device and run the following commands as the root user.

1. Switch to the root user before you source the ROS 2 installation:

    sudo su
   

2. Source the ROS 2 Foxy setup bash script:

    source /opt/ros/foxy/setup.bash 
   

3. Set the environment variables required to run Intel OpenVino scripts:

    source /opt/intel/openvino_2021/bin/setupvars.sh
   

4. Source the setup script for the installed packages:

    source ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/install/setup.bash
   

5. Launch the nodes required for the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project:

    ros2 launch deepracer_offroad_launcher deepracer_offroad_launcher.py
   

Once the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample application is launched, you can follow the steps here to open the AWS DeepRacer Vehicle’s Device Console and checkout the DeepRacer Offroad mode tab which will help you control the vehicle.

Enabling offroad mode using the CLI

Once the deepracer_offroad_launcher has been kicked off, open an adjacent new terminal as the root user:

1. Switch to the root user before you source the ROS 2 installation:

    sudo su
   

2. Navigate to the AWS DeepRacer Offroad workspace:

    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/
   

3. Source the ROS 2 Foxy setup bash script:

    source /opt/ros/foxy/setup.bash
   

4. Source the setup script for the installed packages:

    source ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/install/setup.bash
   

5. Set the mode of the AWS DeepRacer via ctrl_pkg to offroad using the following ROS 2 service call:

    ros2 service call /ctrl_pkg/vehicle_state deepracer_interfaces_pkg/srv/ActiveStateSrv "{state: 3}"
   

6. Enable offroad mode using the following ROS 2 service call:

    ros2 service call /ctrl_pkg/enable_state deepracer_interfaces_pkg/srv/EnableStateSrv "{is_active: True}"
   

Changing the MAX_SPEED scale of the AWS DeepRacer

The MAX_SPEED scale of the AWS DeepRacer can be modified using an ROS 2 service call in case the car isn’t moving as expected. This can occur due to many different factors, such as the vehicle battery percentage or the surface on which the car is being operated.

1. Switch to the root user before you source the ROS 2 installation:

    sudo su
   

2. Navigate to the AWS DeepRacer Offroad workspace:

    cd ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/
   

3. Source the ROS 2 Foxy setup bash script:

    source /opt/ros/foxy/setup.bash
   

4. Source the setup script for the installed packages:

    source ~/deepracer_ws/aws-deepracer-offroad-sample-project/deepracer_offroad_ws/install/setup.bash
   

5. Change the MAX SPEED to xx% of the MAX Scale:

    ros2 service call /deepracer_offroad_navigation_pkg/set_max_speed deepracer_interfaces_pkg/srv/SetMaxSpeedSrv "{max_speed_pct: 0.xx}"
   

   Example: Change the MAX SPEED to 75% of the MAX Scale:

    ros2 service call /deepracer_offroad_navigation_pkg/set_max_speed deepracer_interfaces_pkg/srv/SetMaxSpeedSrv "{max_speed_pct: 0.75}"
   

Launch files

The deepracer_offroad_launcher.py, included in this package, is the main launcher file that launches all the required nodes for the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project. This launcher file also includes the nodes from the AWS DeepRacer core application.

    from launch import LaunchDescription
    from launch_ros.actions import Node

    def generate_launch_description():
        ld = LaunchDescription()
        qr_detection_node = Node(
            package='qr_detection_pkg',
            namespace='qr_detection_pkg',
            executable='qr_detection_node',
            name='qr_detection_node'
        )
        deepracer_offroad_navigation_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_offroad_navigation_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_offroad_navigation_pkg',
            executable='deepracer_offroad_navigation_node',
            name='deepracer_offroad_navigation_node'
        )
        camera_node = Node(
            package='camera_pkg',
            namespace='camera_pkg',
            executable='camera_node',
            name='camera_node',
            parameters=[
                {'resize_images': False}
            ]
        )
        ctrl_node = Node(
            package='ctrl_pkg',
            namespace='ctrl_pkg',
            executable='ctrl_node',
            name='ctrl_node'
        )
        deepracer_navigation_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_navigation_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_navigation_pkg',
            executable='deepracer_navigation_node',
            name='deepracer_navigation_node'
        )
        software_update_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            executable='software_update_node',
            name='software_update_node'
        )
        model_loader_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            executable='model_loader_node',
            name='model_loader_node'
        )
        otg_control_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            executable='otg_control_node',
            name='otg_control_node'
        )
        network_monitor_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            executable='network_monitor_node',
            name='network_monitor_node'
        )
        deepracer_systems_scripts_node = Node(
            package='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            namespace='deepracer_systems_pkg',
            executable='deepracer_systems_scripts_node',
            name='deepracer_systems_scripts_node'
        )
        device_info_node = Node(
            package='device_info_pkg',
            namespace='device_info_pkg',
            executable='device_info_node',
            name='device_info_node'
        )
        battery_node = Node(
            package='i2c_pkg',
            namespace='i2c_pkg',
            executable='battery_node',
            name='battery_node'
        )
        inference_node = Node(
            package='inference_pkg',
            namespace='inference_pkg',
            executable='inference_node',
            name='inference_node'
        )
        model_optimizer_node = Node(
            package='model_optimizer_pkg',
            namespace='model_optimizer_pkg',
            executable='model_optimizer_node',
            name='model_optimizer_node'
        )
        rplidar_node = Node(
            package='rplidar_ros2',
            namespace='rplidar_ros',
            executable='rplidar_scan_publisher',
            name='rplidar_scan_publisher',
            parameters=[{
                    'serial_port': '/dev/ttyUSB0',
                    'serial_baudrate': 115200,
                    'frame_id': 'laser',
                    'inverted': False,
                    'angle_compensate': True,
                }]
        )
        sensor_fusion_node = Node(
            package='sensor_fusion_pkg',
            namespace='sensor_fusion_pkg',
            executable='sensor_fusion_node',
            name='sensor_fusion_node'
        )
        servo_node = Node(
            package='servo_pkg',
            namespace='servo_pkg',
            executable='servo_node',
            name='servo_node'
        )
        status_led_node = Node(
            package='status_led_pkg',
            namespace='status_led_pkg',
            executable='status_led_node',
            name='status_led_node'
        )
        usb_monitor_node = Node(
            package='usb_monitor_pkg',
            namespace='usb_monitor_pkg',
            executable='usb_monitor_node',
            name='usb_monitor_node'
        )
        webserver_publisher_node = Node(
            package='webserver_pkg',
            namespace='webserver_pkg',
            executable='webserver_publisher_node',
            name='webserver_publisher_node'
        )
        web_video_server_node = Node(
            package='web_video_server',
            namespace='web_video_server',
            executable='web_video_server',
            name='web_video_server'
        )
        ld.add_action(qr_detection_node)
        ld.add_action(deepracer_offroad_navigation_node)
        ld.add_action(camera_node)
        ld.add_action(ctrl_node)
        ld.add_action(deepracer_navigation_node)
        ld.add_action(software_update_node)
        ld.add_action(model_loader_node)
        ld.add_action(otg_control_node)
        ld.add_action(network_monitor_node)
        ld.add_action(deepracer_systems_scripts_node)
        ld.add_action(device_info_node)
        ld.add_action(battery_node)
        ld.add_action(inference_node)
        ld.add_action(model_optimizer_node)
        ld.add_action(rplidar_node)
        ld.add_action(sensor_fusion_node)
        ld.add_action(servo_node)
        ld.add_action(status_led_node)
        ld.add_action(usb_monitor_node)
        ld.add_action(webserver_publisher_node)
        ld.add_action(web_video_server_node)
        return ld

Configuration file and parameters

Demo

The following image shows a first-person view of how the AWS DeepRacer navigates through a set up path:

Resources

• Getting started with AWS DeepRacer OpenSource
• Getting started with the AWS DeepRacer Offroad sample project
• Instructions for creating QR codes to set up an Offroad path
• Instructions for calibrating your AWS DeepRacer

Contributing guidelines

Thank you for your interest in contributing to our project. Whether it’s a bug report, new feature, correction, or additional documentation, we greatly value feedback and contributions from our community.

Please read through this document before submitting any issues or pull requests to ensure we have all the necessary information to effectively respond to your bug report or contribution.

Reporting bugs and requesting features

Use the GitHub issue tracker to report bugs or suggest features.

When filing an issue, check existing open and recently closed issues to make sure someone else hasn’t already reported the issue. Try to include as much information as you can. Details like these are incredibly useful:

• A reproducible test case or series of steps
• The version of our code being used
• Any modifications you’ve made relevant to the bug
• Anything unusual about your environment or deployment

Contributing through pull requests

Contributions made through pull requests are much appreciated. Before sending us a pull request, ensure that:

1. You are working against the latest source on the main branch.
2. You check existing open and recently merged pull requests to make sure someone else hasn’t addressed the problem already.
3. You open an issue to discuss any significant work; we would hate for your time to be wasted.

To send us a pull request:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Modify the source; focus on the specific change you are contributing. If you also reformat all the code, it will be hard for us to focus on your change.
3. Ensure local tests pass.
4. Commit to your fork using clear commit messages.
5. Send us a pull request, answering any default questions in the pull request interface.
6. Pay attention to any automated CI failures reported in the pull request, and stay involved in the conversation.

GitHub provides additional documentation on forking a repository and creating a pull request.

Finding ways to contribute

Looking at the existing issues is a great way to find something on which to contribute. As our projects, by default, use the default GitHub issue labels (enhancement, bug, duplicate, help wanted, invalid, question, wontfix), looking at any help wanted issues is a great place to start.

Code of Conduct

This project has adopted the Amazon Open Source Code of Conduct. For more information, see the Code of Conduct FAQ or contact opensource-codeofconduct@amazon.com with any additional questions or comments.

Security issue notifications

If you discover a potential security issue in this project we ask that you notify Amazon Security via our vulnerability reporting page. Please do not create a public GitHub issue.

Licensing

See the LICENSE file for our project’s licensing. We will ask you to confirm the licensing of your contribution.