Piper Robot ROS 2 Project (Humble)

This repository contains the ROS 2 packages for simulating and controlling the Piper robotic arm.

Overview

This project allows you to:

• Simulate the Piper arm (with optional gripper) in Gazebo.
• Control the arm manually using RViz and MoveIt2.
• Execute automated sequences of movements using a C++ script.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• ROS 2 Humble Hawksbill

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install ros-humble-desktop

• Open Manipulator X driver

  sudo apt install \
    ros-humble-open-manipulator-x-controller \
    ros-humble-open-manipulator-x-msgs

• Development tools

  sudo apt install python3-colcon-common-extensions git

• Python dependencies

  pip install numpy scipy matplotlib

Installation and Setup

The installation of the repository can be done using the command prompt as follows:

1. Install Basic Tools and Support Files

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install git python3-pip can-utils ethtool

   pip3 install piper_sdk

2. Update your ~/.bashrc environment
   Method 1 (Recommended):
   Copy and paste this entire block into your terminal once:

   cat << 'EOF' >> ~/.bashrc
   # --- Piper ROS Workspace ---
   source /usr/share/colcon_argcomplete/hook/colcon-argcomplete.bash
   source ~/piper_ros/install/setup.bash
   
   # --- Piper Aliases ---
   alias srcs='source install/setup.bash'
   alias sr='source venv/bin/activate'
   alias co='conda activate bnet'
   
   # Launch Files
   alias lau2='ros2 launch piper start_single_piper.launch.py'
   alias el2='ros2 launch piper_evaluation piper_evaluation.launch.py'
   alias ikp='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik_position.launch.py'
   alias ikv='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik.launch.py'
   
   # Web Bridges
   alias web3='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_3'
   alias web4='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_4'
   
   # Motion Command: Home Pose
   alias po='ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState "{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: \"piper_single\"}, name: [\"joint1\", \"joint2\",\"joint3\",\"joint4\",\"joint5\",\"joint6\",\"joint7\"], position: [0.0,0.50,-0.50,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}" --once'
   # Motion Command: Shutdown PiPER
   alias po2='ros2 service call /enable_srv piper_msgs/srv/Enable "{enable_request: false}"; ros2 topic pub /enable_flag std_msgs/msg/Bool "{data: false}" --once'
   EOF

   Method 2

   # 1. Setup workspace sourcing
   echo "" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "# --- Piper ROS Workspace ---" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "source /usr/share/colcon_argcomplete/hook/colcon-argcomplete.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "source ~/piper_ros/install/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 2. Basic environment aliases
   echo "" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "# --- Piper Aliases ---" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias srcs='source install/setup.bash'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias sr='source venv/bin/activate'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias co='conda activate bnet'" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 3. Launch aliases
   echo "alias lau2='ros2 launch piper start_single_piper.launch.py'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias el2='ros2 launch piper_evaluation piper_evaluation.launch.py'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias ikp='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik_position.launch.py'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias ikv='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik.launch.py'" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 4. Web Bridge aliases
   echo "alias web3='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_3'" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "alias web4='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_4'" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 5. Complex ROS 2 Publisher Aliases (Fixed quoting)
   # 'po' - Moves to position 1
   echo "alias po='ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState \"{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: \\\"piper_single\\\"}, name:[\\\"joint1\\\",\\\"joint2\\\",\\\"joint3\\\",\\\"joint4\\\",\\\"joint5\\\",\\\"joint6\\\",\\\"joint7\\\"], position: [0.0,0.50,-0.50,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}\" --once'" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 'po2' - Moves to position 2 (Derived from your input text)
   echo "alias po2='ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState \"{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: \\\"piper_single\\\"}, name: [\\\"joint1\\\", \\\"joint2\\\",\\\"joint3\\\",\\\"joint4\\\",\\\"joint5\\\",\\\"joint6\\\",\\\"joint7\\\"], position: [0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.3,-0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}\" --once'" >> ~/.bashrc
   
   # 'piper_disable' - Disables the robot (Service call + Flag pub)
   echo "alias piper_disable='ros2 service call /enable_srv piper_msgs/srv/Enable \"{enable_request: false}\"; ros2 topic pub /enable_flag std_msgs/msg/Bool \"{data: false}\" --once'" >> ~/.bashrc

   Save and Exit.

   source ~/.bashrc

3. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/cake-lab/AR-PiPER.git piper_ros

4. Install Required Dependencies

   Navigate into the workspace

   cd ~/piper_ros

   (Note: We explicitly name the target folder piper_ros during cloning.)

   Install MoveIt2

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install ros-humble-moveit*

   Install Gazebo and Required Plugins

   sudo apt install ros-humble-gazebo-ros-pkgs ros-humble-gazebo-ros ros-humble-gazebo-plugins

   Install Common Controllers

   sudo apt-get install ros-humble-control* ros-humble-joint-trajectory-controller ros-humble-joint-state-* ros-humble-gripper-controllers ros-humble-trajectory-msgs
   echo "export LC_NUMERIC=en_US.UTF-8" >> ~/.bashrc

   Final Dependency Check

   sudo apt update && rosdep init # Initialize rosdep if you haven't already
   rosdep update
   rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y 
   #rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y --skip-keys "warehouse_ros_mongo" 

5. Build the Workspace: Build all the packages using colcon:

   cd ~/piper_ros
   colcon build  

6. Source the setup files (add to ~/.bashrc)

   echo "source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
   echo "source ~/piper_ros/install/setup.bash"  >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc

Interfacing the PiPER Robotic Arm with your system.

1. Connect the PiPER Arm to your system via USB-CAN

2. Activate the CAN-BUS Port

   Follow the Procedure Below to find your CAN-BUS Port (For 1st Time Users Only)

   cd ~/piper_ros
   bash find_all_can_port.sh

   *You will receive a message as follows if the installation is done correctly: *

   Both ethtool and can-utils are installed.
   Interface can0 is connected to USB port 3-1.4:1.0

   *If there are multiple modules, the the output will look like: *

   Both ethtool and can-utils are installed.
   Interface can0 is connected to USB port 3-1.4:1.0
   Interface can1 is connected to USB port 3-1.1:1.0

   Activate the CAN-BUS Port

   bash can_activate.sh can0 1000000 "3-1.4:1.0" # replace this with your port-code

Running the Teleop Pipeline

Open three to four terminals (or tabs). In each terminal, first source your environment:

cd ~/piper_ros/
colcon build
source install/setup.bash # or simply run srcs

The aliases that have been added into your "~/.bashrc" file are:

alias srcs='source install/setup.bash'  
alias sr='source venv/bin/activate'  
alias lau2='ros2 launch piper start_single_piper.launch.py'  
alias ikp='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik_position.launch.py'  

alias ikv='ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik.launch.py'  
alias po='ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState "{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: 'piper_single'}, name: ['joint1', 'joint2','joint3','joint4','joint5','joint6','joint7'], position: [0.0,0.50,-0.50,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}" --once  
alias el2='ros2 launch piper_evaluation piper_evaluation.launch.py'    


alias po2='# call service
ros2 service call /enable_srv piper_msgs/srv/Enable enable_request:\ false\ 
# pub topic
ros2 topic pub /enable_flag std_msgs/msg/Bool data:\ false\ --once'

alias el2='ros2 launch piper_evaluation piper_evaluation.launch.py'  
alias web3='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_3'  
alias web4='ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_4'  

Alias	Command	Purpose
srcs	source install/setup.bash	Source the local OMX workspace setup files
lau2	ros2 launch piper start_single_piper.launch.py	Start the PiPER hardware controller
ikp	ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik_position.launch.py	Launch the position control ROS2 nodes
po	ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState "{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: 'piper_single'}, name: ['joint1', 'joint2','joint3','joint4','joint5','joint6','joint7'],position: [0.0,0.50,-0.50,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}" --once	Run basic robot position control
el2	ros2 launch piper_evaluation piper_evaluation.launch.py	Launch evaluation nodes for testing robot behavior
po2	# call service	Cutoff power to all motors and shut down the robot
	ros2 service call /enable_srv piper_msgs/srv/Enable enable_request:\ false\
	# pub topic
	ros2 topic pub /enable_flag std_msgs/msg/Bool data:\ false\ --once'
web3	ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_3	Start the WebSocket bridge node for CV Control
web4	ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_4	Start the WebSocket bridge node for ARCore App Control

Then, run the following commands in separate terminals:

Terminal	Command	Purpose
1	ros2 launch piper start_single_piper.launch.py or lau2	Start the PiPER hardware controller
2	ros2 topic pub /joint_states sensor_msgs/msg/JointState "{header: {stamp: {sec: 0, nanosec: 0}, frame_id: 'piper_single'}, name: ['joint1', 'joint2','joint3','joint4','joint5','joint6','joint7'],position: [0.0,0.50,-0.50,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.01], velocity: [0,0,0,0,0,0,10], effort: [0,0,0,0,0,0,0.5]}" --once or po	Run basic robot position control
	ros2 launch piper_ik_to_controller piper_ik_position.launch.py or ikp	Launch the position control ROS2 nodes
3	ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_3 or web3	Start the WebSocket bridge node for CV Control
	ros2 run piper_teleop_bridge websocket_bridge_node_4 or web4	Start the WebSocket bridge node for ARCore App Control

Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests for improvements!