How_to_run.md

UW Robotics Team

Robot Racing

Platform Agnostic Instructions

This is a list of everything you need to do to run either the sim or the actual robot.

• Navigate to the catkin workspace should be ~/robot_racing_ws/ or ~/catkin_make_ws/
• Pull the most recent commit on the master branch using the command

git checkout master && git pull

• If any of those steps fails make sure to commit the code changes or stash them. Then repeat the previous step.
• Run the following command to build the code

catkin_make

Simulation Instructions

• Run the following to install required ROS packages

sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-gazebo-ros* ros-kinetic-effort-controller ros-kinetic-joint-* ros-kinetic-controller*

• Navigate to the competition_launch_files/ folder in the repository.
• Run the command

roslaunch sim_$(RACE_TYPE)_race.launch

where $(RACE_TYPE) is either drag, ciruit or oval.

• Run the following command to verify that all the nodes are connected with the right topics

rqt_graph

Actual Robot Instructions

This includes all the steps to check each of the sensors. To skip the checks follow only last few instructions.

• To check the lidar and mapper node run the command

roslaunch rr_mapper mapper

• Verify that no errors pop up if they do check if the lidar is connected, powered and verify the port it is connected to.
• Run rviz and visualize the occupancy grid, make sure that is matches real life.
• Close the launch file
• To check the cameras

roslaunch rr_lane_detection dual_cam_lane_detection.launch

• Verify that no errors pop up if they do check if the lane detection cameras are connected and verify the ports they are connected to.
• Close the launch file
• Run the following command to see the camera output

rqt_image_view

• Close the launch file
• To check the arduino connection.
• Navigate to the competition_launch_files/ folder in the repository.
• Run the command

roslaunch arduino.launch

• Verify that each subscriber and publisher gets set up properly, if issues arise check the baud rate setting and make sure the arduino is running the most update rr_arduino.ino file.
• Place the robot on an elevated surface so the wheels can spin freely
• To test if it's recieving autonomous commands run the following command

rostopic pub -r 10 /rr_vehicle/vel_cmd geometry_msgs/Twist "linear:
  x: 0.4
  y: 0.0
  z: 0.0
angular:
  x: 0.0
  y: 0.0
  z: 4.0"

• The steering should turn left and the wheels should start spinning
• Run the following to stop the wheels

rostopic pub -r 10 /rr_vehicle/vel_cmd geometry_msgs/Twist "linear: x: 0.0 y: 0.0 z: 0.0 angular: x: 0.0 y: 0.0 z: 0.0"

- Close the launch file
- Navigate to the competition_launch_files/ folder in the repository.
- Run the command 
``` bash
roslaunch $(RACE_TYPE)_race.launch

• where $(RACE_TYPE) is either drag or ciruit.
• Run the following command to verify that all the nodes are connected with the right topics

rqt_graph