Book Image

ROS Robotics By Example

Book Image

ROS Robotics By Example

Overview of this book

The visionaries who created ROS developed a framework for robotics centered on the commonality of robotic systems and exploited this commonality in ROS to expedite the development of future robotic systems. From the fundamental concepts to advanced practical experience, this book will provide you with an incremental knowledge of the ROS framework, the backbone of the robotics evolution. ROS standardizes many layers of robotics functionality from low-level device drivers to process control to message passing to software package management. This book provides step-by-step examples of mobile, armed, and flying robots, describing the ROS implementation as the basic model for other robots of these types. By controlling these robots, whether in simulation or in reality, you will use ROS to drive, move, and fly robots using ROS control.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
ROS Robotics By Example
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

3D vision systems for TurtleBot


TurtleBot's capability is greatly enhanced by the addition of a 3D vision sensor. The function of 3D sensors is to map the environment around the robot by discovering nearby objects that are either stationary or moving. The mapping function must be accomplished in real time so that the robot can move around the environment, evaluate its path choices, and avoid obstacles. For autonomous vehicles, such as Google's self-driving cars, 3D mapping is accomplished by a high-cost LIDAR system that uses laser radar to illuminate its environment and analyze the reflected light. For our TurtleBot, we will present a number of low cost but effective options. These standard 3D sensors for TurtleBot include Kinect sensors, ASUS Xtion sensors, and Carmine sensors.

How these 3D vision sensors work

The 3D vision systems that we describe for TurtleBot have a common infrared technology to sense depth. This technology was developed by PrimeSense, an Israeli 3D sensing company and...