ASTRA Rover Description Files

Contains URDF files, meshes, launch files, and configurations for Clucky and Testbed.

Table of Contents

• Software Prerequisites
• Usage
  • Setup
  • Running
  • Gazebo
• Packages
• Major To-Do Items
• Maintainer(s)

Software Prerequisites

You need either ROS2 Humble with rosdep or Nix installed. Only ROS2 Humble on Jammy is currently supported, but ros2 launch <*_description> display.launch.py commands should be fully functional on Nix (with NixGL if not on NixOS).

Uses ros2_control, Moveit2, and Gazebo Ignition Fortress (NOT Classic).

Usage

Setup

Nix

With Nix, all you have to do is enter the development shell:

$ cd rover-ros2
$ nix develop

ROS2 Humble + rosdep

With ROS2 Humble on Ubuntu Jammy, start by using rosdep to install dependencies:

  # Setup rosdep (if not already):
$ sudo rosdep init
$ rosdep update
  # Install dependencies:
$ cd rover-ros2  # or whatever workspace you are using
$ rosdep install --from-paths src -y --ignore-src

Next, build and source the workspace:

$ colcon build  # recommended flag for developers: --symlink-install
$ source install/setup.bash  # or if you are using zsh: install/setup.zsh

Running

Here are the main launch commands for these packages:

$ ros2 launch core_description display.launch.py  # View Core URDF in RViz
$ ros2 launch arm_description display.launch.py   # View Arm URDF in RViz
$ ros2 launch core_gazebo core.gazebo.launch.py   # Simulate Clucky in Gazebo with diff_drive_controller
$ ros2 launch arm_moveit_config demo.launch.py    # Run Moveit2 for Arm IK

Gazebo

This repository contains a Dockerfile that can be used to run Gazebo on non-Ubuntu systems (e.g., NixOS). It uses ros:humble-ros-desktop as a base image and rosdep for setting up dependencies. To use it, simply run:

$ src/astra_descriptions/gazebo/run_container.sh

This will build (if necessary) and run the container, dropping you into a bash shell. Your local copy of astra_descriptions will be volume mounted into the container, and the workspace has already been built using symlinks. The script will recommend that you run the following command to launch a Gazebo simulation with Core:

$ source install/setup.bash && ros2 launch core_gazebo core.gazebo.launch.py

Packages

• arm_description - Includes a URDF file, meshes, and launch files for Arm.
• arm_moveit_config - Includes configuration and launch files for using Moveit2 with the astra arm.
• core_description - Includes URDF/Xacro files, launch files, and configurations for Core (Clucky, not Testbed).
• core_gazebo - Configuration and launch files for simulating Clucky with Gazebo.

Major To-Do Items

• Reduce STL file complexity
• Add proper textures to Core and Arm
• Convert Arm to fully Xacro

Maintainer(s)

Name	Email	Discord
David Sharpe	ds0196@uah.edu	ddavdd