LiDAR.jl

This is software for LiDAR model that is used to help navigate an a model of an autonomous ground vehicle.

Table of Contents

Installation on Ubuntu 16.04

1. julia programs needed

get and build:

Pkg.add("RobotOS")
Pkg.add("PyCall")
Pkg.build("RobotOS")
Pkg.build("PyCall")

2. Gazebo

Install:

curl -ssL http://get.gazebosim.org | sh

Run:

gazebo

More information is here

3. ROS

Follow the instructions here

Note: In step # 1.4, run this one (the full one seems to be broken):

sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-desktop

4. Initialization of Package

4.1. Run cmake . and make
  1. open another terminal -> ctr``+``shift``+``t
  2. navigate to the folder .scr/c_code
  3. in the terminal type cmake . and hit enter
  4. in the terminal type make and hit enter
4.2. Set path for gazebo plugins

Not sure if this needs to be done:

A. in the terminal type (only should have to do during initialization):

export GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH=$HOME/gazebo_plugin_tutorial/build:$GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH

TODO: need to change path
4.3 Get the velodyne_hdl32 model for Gazebo

Either:

  1. Fork the gazebo_models database by visiting https://bitbucket.org/osrf/gazebo_models/fork.

OR

  1. Just copy the folder ./LiDAR/scr/gazebo/gazebo_models into $HOME.gazebo/models/

Note

press ctr + h to show hidden folders (..like .gazebo)

Potential Issues

1. running using RobotOS in julia -> fails

This may be due to path issues was fixed here.

  • NOTE: the following is designed for use with Ubuntu 16.04

Basic Usage

1. Start roscore

Background Information

roscore is a collection of nodes and progams that are needed to use a ROS system.
  • A roscore must be running for ROS nodes to talk
Linking GAZEBO to ROS
  • GAZEBO can be linked to ROS using this link.
Linking ROS to julia
  1. open a new terminal -> ctr``+``alt``+``t
  2. in the terminal type roscore and hit enter

2. Make a ROS node in python that communicates to a julia node

  1. open another terminal -> ctr``+``shift``+``t
  2. navigate to the folder containing echoinode.py (i.e. ./scr)
  3. in the terminal type python echonode.py and hit enter

3. Run a julia function that can communicate with the LiDAR model

  1. open another terminal -> ctr``+``shift``+``t
  2. navigate to the folder containing handler.jl (i.e. ./scr)
  3. in the terminal type julia and hit enter

#. in the julia type:

include("handler.jl")

4. run gazebo model of the LiDAR

  1. navigate to the folder .scr/c_code
  2. in the terminal type gazebo velodyne.world and hit enter
  • A Gazebo gui should appear on the screen