CaBot

CaBot (Carry on Robot) is an AI suitcase to help people with visual impairments travel independently. Can you imagine walking around at airports without vision? It's a huge open space, and there are lots of things and people so that it is hazardous for them to walk around at airports. see project detail

CaBot v2

CaBot v2 has been migrated to ROS2 (humble). A refactoring has changed its structure (Dec. 2023), previous development branch is dev-ros2. After the refactoring, most of ROS2 packages for the CaBot are managed under sub repositories. Please check those repositories for the details.

Sub repositories

• cabot-common
  • common docker configuration, python scripts, cabot_msgs, and etc.
• cabot-navigation
  • navigation, localization, and queue packages
• cabot-drivers
  • cabot serial, motor controller, wireless scanner, andhardware launch configuration.
• cabot-people
  • people detection and tracking
• cabot-description
  • CaBot URDF

Hardware (example)

• Robot frame + handle
  • CaBot2-E2 model
  • CaBot2-GT model
• LiDAR
  • Velodyne VLP-16
• Stereo Camera(s)
  • 1 RealSense camera (D435)
  • 2~ RealSense cameras (with a PC or NUC + Jetson cluster)
• Motor Controller
  • ODrive Motor Controller v3.6 (Firmware v0.5.1)
• Micro Controller (Handle and sensors)
  • cabot-arduino for controlling handle, IMU, and other sensors
• GNSS Receiver (optional)
  • GNSS board with ublox ZED-F9P module
• Processor
  • PC with NVIDIA GPU (ZOTAC Magnus EN72070V)
  • NUC (Ruby R8) + Jetson Mate (multiple Jetson Xavier NX)

Localization

• mf_localization (cartogrpher+iBeacons/WiFi)

Tested Environment

• PC
  • Host Ubuntu 20.04
  • Docker v20
  • docker-compose v2.20.2
• Jetson
  • Host Ubuntu 20.04 (Jetpack 5.1)
  • See jetson for detail

Setup

• import third-party repos by using vcstool

  pip3 install vcstool # if you don't have vcs
  ./setup-dependency.sh
  

• run all scripts in tools based on your requirements

  cd tools
  ./install-service.sh               # need to install to configure system settings
  ./install-docker.sh                # if you need docker
  ./install-arm-emulator.sh          # if you build docker image for Jetson
  ./install-host-ros2.sh             # if you watch system performance or debug
  ./install-realsense-udev-rules.sh  # if you use realsense camera
  ./setup-display.sh                 # for display connections from docker containers
  ./setup-usb.sh                     # if you run physical robot
  ./setup-model.sh                   # if you need to recognize people
  

Prepare Docker Images

Pulling from dockerhub

• pulling docker containers

  ./manage-docker-image.sh -a pull -i "ros2 localization people people-nuc ble_scan" -o cmucal -t ros2-dev-latest
  

• build docker workspace and host workspace

  ./build-docker.sh -w -o
  

Build Docker Images from scratch

• build docker containers (at top directory)

  ./build-docker.sh -p -i -w -o
  

Launch

• Run containers. Please configure the .env file before launching

  ./launch.sh                 # for robot
  ./launch.sh -s              # for simulator
  ./launch.sh -c nuc          # for robot with nuc machine (need to configure CABOT_JETSON_CONFIG)
  ./launch.sh -c rs3          # for robot with 3 realsense configuration
  ./launch.sh -c rs3-framos   # for robot with 3 FRAMOS configuration
  
  other options
    -s          simulation mode
    -d          do not record
    -r          record camera
    -p <name>   docker compose's project name
    -n <name>   set log name prefix
    -v          verbose option
    -c <name>   config name (default=) docker-compose(-<name>)(-production).yaml will use
    	if there is no nvidia-smi and config name is not set, automatically set to 'nuc'
    -3          equivalent to -c rs3
    -M          log dmesg output
    -S          record screen cast
    -t          run test
  

• (optional) Run the gnss container before running launch.sh if you use a gnss receiver

  docker-compose -f docker-compose-gnss.yaml up
  

.env file

• Required settings

  CABOT_MODEL          # robot model (default=) to determine which launch/urdf to use
  CABOT_SITE           # package name for cabot site (default=)
  CABOT_TOUCH_PARAMS   # touch sensor parameter for cabot-arduino handle (default=[128,48,24])
  RMW_IMPLEMENTATION=rmw_cyclonedds_cpp   # need to use cyclone dds due to performance issue
  

• Required settings for 3 Realsense configuration

  • _X should be replaced with _1, _2, or _3 for each realsense

  CABOT_REALSENSE_SERIAL_X      # serial number of realsense
  CABOT_CAMERA_NAME_X           # camera name and camera should be at '<name>_link' (TF)
  

• Required settings for 2 odrive configuration (cabot3 model)

  CABOT_ODRIVER_SERIAL_0  # serial number of odriver (left wheel)
  CABOT_ODRIVER_SERIAL_1  # serial number of odriver (rigth wheel)
  

• Settings for the configuration using Jetson (experimental)

  • This will up people docker container on each specified jetson (by IP address or hostname).
  • Each jetson should connect to a Realsense
  • Each jetson should be ssh identification login enabled (without password) from the main machine
  • Each jetson's .env file should be configured proper CYCLONEDDS_URI setting

  CABOT_JETSON_USER    # User name to login jetson (default=cabot)
  CABOT_JETSON_CONFIG  # Space separated config for muliple jeston/realsense
    #
    # "<<Mode>:<HOST>:<Name>[ <Mode>:<IP Address>:<Name>]*"
    # Mode: D - detection
    #     : T - tracking (only for testing, the PC will launch tracking processes)
    # HOST: IP address or host name of the jeston
    # Name: Used for camera name space "<Name>" and camera TF link "<Name>_link"
    #
    # ex) "D:192.168.1.50:rs1 D:192.168.1.51:rs2"
  CYCLONEDDS_URI=/home/developer/cyclonedds_spdp.xml   # need to use cyclone dds SPDP message option for multiple hosts
  

  • Run following command on each jetson to enable service for changing DDS settings

  tools/install-jetson-service.sh
  

• Troubleshooting settings when cabot simulation does not work properly as shown below

  • List of problems
    • Map does not appear
    • Map disappears
    • Costmap does not appear
    • Green pathes do not appear (, but blue nodes appear)
    • Robot model does not appear and white model is shown instead
    • Robot model blinks
    • Button "Navigate to here" does not work
    • Button "Navigate to here" works but global path is being loaded forever. Navigation will not start.
    • Requires multiple presses on "Navigate to here" to start navigation
    • Positional drift right after reaching the destination
  • Solution
    • Pre-Requisites before implementing the following workaround
      1. Execute tools/install-service.sh
      2. Verify that RMW_IMPLEMENTATION is set correctly in .env
      3. Verify that ROS_DOMAIN_ID is set to a unique value in .env, if there are other PCs running ROS 2 on the same network
    • The problem is related to networks and DDS settings.
    • Requires the settings below.
      1. Edit .env

      CYCLONEDDS_URI=/home/developer/cyclonedds_spdp.xml
      

      2. Create xml file cabot-navigation/docker/home/cyclonedds_spdp.xml. Replace INSERT.YOUR.IP.ADDRESS with your active IP address.

      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
      <CycloneDDS xmlns="https://cdds.io/config" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"    xsi:schemaLocation="https://cdds.io/config https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eclipse-cyclonedds/cyclonedds/master/etc/cyclonedds.xsd">
        <Domain>
          <General>
            <Interfaces>
      	<NetworkInterface address="INSERT.YOUR.IP.ADDRESS" />
            </Interfaces>
            <AllowMulticast>spdp</AllowMulticast>
          </General>
          <Discovery>
            <Peers>
      	<Peer address="INSERT.YOUR.IP.ADDRESS"/>
            </Peers>
          </Discovery>
        </Domain>
      </CycloneDDS>
      

• Optional settings for ./launch.sh options in service

  CABOT_LAUNCH_CONFIG_NAME    # "", "nuc", "rs3"
  CABOT_LAUNCH_DO_NOT_RECORD  # 1/0
  CABOT_LAUNCH_RECORD_CAMERA  # 1/0
  CABOT_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX     # string, default=cabot
  

• Optional settings

  CABOT_BLE_VERSION    # BLE version setting (default=1)
                       # 0: do not use BLE, 1: use BLE server on ROS, 2: use BLE server outside of ROS (needs to setup)
  CABOT_LANG           # cabot language (default=en)
  CABOT_OFFSET         # offset size (default=0.25)
  CABOT_FOOTPRINT_RADIUS # robot radius size (default=0.45)
  CABOT_INIT_SPEED     # specify maximum robot speed at startup, leave empty to restore the last speed
  CABOT_MAX_SPEED      # you can change max_speed only when CABOT_MODEL is cabot2-gtm (defalt=1.0)
  CABOT_USE_GNSS       # to use GNSS fix for localization (default=0)
  CABOT_ANNOUNCE_NO_TOUCH # announce when the reason robot is stopped is NO_TOUCH(default=false)
  CABOT_SIDE           # left: user stands on the right, right: user stands on the left
  CABOT_IMU_ACCEL_BIAS # set parameters to adjust IMU linear acceleration (default=[0.0,0.0,0.0])
  CABOT_IMU_GYRO_BIAS  # set parameters to adjust IMU angular velocity (default=[0.0,0.0,0.0])
  CABOT_VIBRATOR_TYPE  # you can change vibrator type of handle only when CABOT_USE_DIRECTIONAL_INDICATOR is true (default=1)
                       # 1: ERM (Eccentric Rotating Mass), 2: LRA (Linear Resonant Actuator)
  CABOT_USE_DIRECTIONAL_INDICATOR   # to use directional indicator of handle (default=false)
  CYCLONEDDS_NETWORK_INTERFACE_NAME # to specify network interface name for Cyclone DDS
  ROS_DOMAIN_ID        # to specify ROS domain ID; set this value when you use multiple ROS2 systems on the same network
  __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD  # to use NVIDIA GPU for rendering; set to 1 if needed
  __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME  # to use NVIDIA GPU for rendering; set to "nvidia" if needed
  

• Options for debug/test

  CABOT_GAMEPAD              # (default=gamepad) gamepad type for remote controll (ex. PS4 controller)
                                               pro (Nintendo Switch Pro controller)
  CABOT_USE_HANDLE_SIMULATOR # to use handle simulator (default=0)
  CABOT_REMOTE_USE_KEYBOARD  # to use teleop twist keayboard in the remote control mode (default=false)
  CABOT_REMOTE_USE_IMU       # to use imu in the remote control mode (default=false)
  CABOT_SHOW_GAZEBO_CLIENT   # show gazebo client (default=0)
  CABOT_SHOW_ROS1_RVIZ       # show ROS1 rviz (default=0)
  CABOT_SHOW_ROS2_RVIZ       # show ROS2 rviz (default=1)
  CABOT_SHOW_ROS2_LOCAL_RVIZ # show ROS2 local navigation rviz (default=0)
  CABOT_SHOW_LOC_RVIZ        # show ROS1 localization rviz (default=1)
  CABOT_SHOW_PEOPLE_RVIZ     # show ROS1 people rviz (default=0)
  CABOT_SHOW_ROBOT_MONITOR   # show robot monitor (default=1)
  CABOT_RECORD_ROSBAG2       # record BT log, controller critics evalation into rosbag2 (default=1)
  CABOT_CAMERA_RGB_FPS       # camera RGB fps (default=30)
  CABOT_CAMERA_DEPTH_FPS     # camera depth fps (default=15)
  CABOT_CAMERA_RESOLUTION    # camera horizontal resolution (default=1280)
                             # need to use 848 or 640 if you use 3 realsense on a PC
  CABOT_DETECT_PEOPLE_FPS    # diagnostic PeopleDetect and CameraInput fps (default=15.0)
  CABOT_PEOPLE_TRACK_FPS     # diagnostic PeopleTrack fps (default=30.0)
  CABOT_DETECT_VERSION       # 1-3 (default=3)
                             # 1: python-opencv, 2: cpp-opencv-node, 3: cpp-opencv-nodelet"
  CABOT_DETECT_PEOPLE_CONF_THRES  # confidence value threshold to detect people (default=0.6)
  CABOT_DETECT_PEOPLE_CLEAR_TIME  # time to clear tracked people from map (default=0.2)
  CABOT_USE_ROBOT_TTS        # use TTS service '/speak_robot' to let PC speaker speak (default=0)
                             # this function is not used now, but maybe used in some scenario
  TEXT_TO_SPEECH_APIKEY      # IBM Cloud Text to Speech Service's API key and URL
  TEXT_TO_SPEECH_URL         # these two variables are required if CABOT_USE_ROBOT_TTS is 1
  

• Options for simulation

  CABOT_INITX          # initial robot position x for gazebo (default=0)
  CABOT_INITY          # initial robot position y for gazebo (default=0)
  CABOT_INITZ          # initial robot position z for gazebo (default=0)
  CABOT_INITA          # initial robot angle (degree) for gazebo (default=0)
  

• Others

  ## The following will be managed by docker-compose files
  ## be careful to set these variables in your .env file
  ##
  CABOT_GAZEBO             # 1: gazebo 0: real robot
  CABOT_TOUCH_ENABLED      # true: enabled - false: disabled
                             disabled for gazebo and enabled for real robot in docker-compose file
  CABOT_USE_REALSENSE      # to use realsense camera (default=0)
                             disabled for gazebo and enabled for real robot in docker-compose file
  CABOT_PRESSURE_AVAILABLE # to use pressure sensor (default=0)
                             disabled for gazebo and enabled for real robot in docker-compose file
  

• DDS related

  NET_CORE_BUFFER_SIZE_IN_MB   # default 64, small buffer size can cause data congestion and degrade performance especially velodyne_points and localization
  

Navigate CaBot

• Nav2 Goal tool does not work properly: the robot will move with the nav2 default BT xml (only for debugging purposes)
• right-click on a blue dot in demo_2d_floors.rviz (-Y option for ros1 service to show) and select the "Navigate to Here" menu
• or directory publish a /cabot/event topic on ROS1. see here more detail about destinations.

  # example destination in cabot_site_cmu_3d environment
  $ rostopic pub -1 /cabot/event std_msgs/String "data: 'navigation;destination;EDITOR_node_1496171299873'"
  

CaBot app for iOS

TBD

Customization (build your own map)

See customization for more details.

Development Detail

See development for more details.

Getting Involved

Issues and Questions

Please use Issues for both issue tracking and your questions about the CaBot repository.

Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO)

The developer needs to add a Signed-off-by statement and thereby agrees to the DCO, which you can find below. You can add either -s or --sign-off to your usual git commit commands. If Signed-off-by is attached to the commit message, it is regarded as agreed to the Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1.

https://developercertificate.org/

Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1

By making a contribution to this project, I certify that:

(a) The contribution was created in whole or in part by me and I
    have the right to submit it under the open source license
    indicated in the file; or

(b) The contribution is based upon previous work that, to the
    best of my knowledge, is covered under an appropriate open
    source license and I have the right under that license to
    submit that work with modifications, whether created in whole
    or in part by me, under the same open source license (unless
    I am permitted to submit under a different license), as
    Indicated in the file; or

(c) The contribution was provided directly to me by some other
    person who certified (a), (b) or (c) and I have not modified
    it.

(d) I understand and agree that this project and the contribution
    are public and that a record of the contribution (including
    all personal information I submit with it, including my
    sign-off) is maintained indefinitely and may be redistributed
    consistent with this project or the open source license(s)
    involved.

License

MIT License

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The following files/folder are under Apache-2.0 License

• docker/bridge/ros1/nav2_msgs/