crawler HI

A Codebase for the Koda GRAVL Mini-platform

This package contains software and firmware specific to koda, GRAVL's miniature prototyping ground vehicle

Image 1: Koda, Iteration 0

documentation

Setup/Installation

• Dependencies: https://github.com/olinrobotics/state_controller.git

How to Run Koda

Currently, Koda has no onboard computer. The onboard microprocessor must be connected to a computer via XBee in order to send commands, as the ROScore is run offboard of the Arduino.

1. Connect an XBee radio USB breakout board to a laptop with ROS and the crawler repository set up.

2. In a new terminal, launch a new roscore with the command roscore

• Launch files can start their own roscore, but having a separate core ensures that your ROS instances stay connected if any nodes in the launch file crash.

3. Plug in an XBox controller, or another controller compatible with the Teleop node.

4. In a new terminal, run the basic nodes required for teleoperating Koda with the command roslaunch crawler bringup_minimal.launch port:=/dev/ttyUSB0

• The port argument represents which port the Arduino is plugged into. To determine the port, check the Arduino IDE, or run the command ls /dev/ttyUSB*
• The default for the port argument is /dev/ttyUSB0

5. Turn on Koda's main power using the power switch.

• If Koda is E-stopped (LED is solid ON), press the EStop button or reset the Arduino onboard.

6. Press the 'A' button on the XBox controller to activate the controls.

Authors

This package was built by Connor Novak (20'), Nathan Estill (21'), and Kawin Nikomborirak (21') for the Ground Robotic Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory (link).