Mobile_Robot_URDF_Maker (v2)

Automate the process of making a URDF for your mobile robot using this “Wizard”

• Now, you don’t have only 1 option (4-wheeled robot). In version 2, you’ll have 3 options to choose from (in the next version, I’ll introduce specific controllers for each of these types, so that you can make ros2_control config files for each of these types of kinematics):
  • 4-Wheeled Robot
  • 3-Wheeled Robot (Tricycle)
  • 2-Wheeled Robot with a Caster Wheel

• You can easily choose the type of robot you need to work with, build its URDF automatically (based on the parameters you choose), and get your built URDF file.
  • In this version, when you hit the save button, first a copy of the URDF file is saved automatically in a specific place for the launch file; so that launch file will recognize it automatically when you launch it (for testing purposes).
  • Other than that, you can also save another copy of it to any directory you want (or simply close the saving window if you don’t need it!).
• As it be seen, the overall structure of the wizard has been enhanced and organized, so that not only you can navigate to different pages using Navigation Bar, also at the last page of the wizard (in this version), you can see the upcoming updates for the wizard in the next releases (adding Gazebo files, SLAM and Navigation capability, setting up Controllers, etc.).

Just like the previous version, the path to run the wizard is as simple as you can see:

In order to run the Wizard, first you need to clone the workspace:

git clone https://github.com/ali-pahlevani/Mobile_Robot_URDF_Maker.git
cd Mobile_Robot_URDF_Maker

For the next step, you’ll need to install the dependencies:

sudo apt update
rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y
sudo apt install python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtopengl

After that, you should build the workspace and source the installation:

colcon build --symlink-install
source install/setup.bash

Finally, you can easily run the following line in your terminal:

ros2 run mobRobURDF_wizard mobRobURDF_wizard

In order to run the launch file, you can run the following line in your terminal:

    ros2 launch mobRobURDF_launch urdf_test.launch.py

If you have any question, please let me know: a.pahlevani1998@gmail.com

Please stay tuned for the next versions of the app.

Version 1

Automate the process of making a URDF for your 4-wheeled mobile robot using this “Wizard”

This workspace has 3 ROS2 packages (up to now. I have plan for adding other packages as well for Gazebo, Control, Navigation, etc.):

1. mobRobURDF_description:

   • This package includes all the template Xacro files necessary for creating the final URDF file. The sub-directories in this directory are:
     • submodules: containing base.xacro (chassis), wheels.xacro (4 wheels), and sensors.xacro (2D-Lidar + RGB Camera) files,
     • macros: containing inertial_macros.xacro, and material.xacro (colors) files,
     • gazebo_files: containing gazebo_sensors.xacro file for now (in the future, when the Gazebo package is added, not only this file will be used in the final URDF file, also other Xacro files for Gazebo will be added as well (e.g., gazebo_properties.xacro file)).
   • Finally, all the Xacro files are imported into the main Xacro file (mobRob.xacro), so that it can be converted to mobRob.urdf file.
   • Good news is that not only you can use the Wizard to make the URDF file you need, but also you have access to all the Xacro files. If you ever wanted to change any of them and adapt them to your specific case, you’re free to go.

1. mobRobURDF_wizard:

   • This is the main package of the workspace. This package contains the source codes of the Wizard. The codebase is composed of different classes and some utility functions, all imported into the main file robot_wizard.py. This package used to be a standalone codebase; however, now its a ROS2 node.
   • In the Wizard window, you can apply your changes step by step, with no pressure. You can even fill only some of the fields and only apply those changes. Finally, you can save your created URDF file to any directory you want. Additionally, for your convenience, you’ll have 3-DOF camera rotation, plus zooming capability in the preview window.

   • Attention: If you want to use the launch file (that is provided for testing purposes (check the next part)), you’ll need to save the created URDF file in the following location: /mobRobURDF_description/urdf/mobRob.urdf

   • In order to run the Wizard, first you need to clone the workspace:

    git clone https://github.com/ali-pahlevani/Mobile_Robot_URDF_Maker.git
    cd Mobile_Robot_URDF_Maker
    

- For the next step, you'll need to install the **dependencies**:

    sudo apt update
    rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y
    sudo apt install python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtopengl
    

- After that, you should **build** the workspace and **source** the installation:

    colcon build --symlink-install
    source install/setup.bash
    

- Finally, you can easily run the following line in your **terminal**:

    ros2 run mobRobURDF_wizard mobRobURDF_wizard
    

1. mobRobURDF_launch:

   • This package includes 2 main directories:
     • launch: containing only one launch file (for now) for testing purposes (urdf_test.launch.py). By launching this launch file, 3 nodes will be launched:
       • robot_state_publisher
       • joint_state_publisher_gui
       • rviz2 Using these nodes, everyone would be able to test the performance of the final URDF file (visual check + testing the joints)
     • rviz: containing only one rviz2 config file (rviz_test.rviz). This is the rviz2 config file that is loaded into the discussed launch file.
   • In order to run the launch file, you can run the following line in your terminal:

    ros2 launch mobRobURDF_launch urdf_test.launch.py