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Robot and sensor APIs
The MBZIRC simulator provides a set of ROS2 topics for controlling robots and reading data from the sensors.
The quadrotor and hexrotor UAVs are velocity controlled using Twist messages. The velocities are expressed in the body frame of the UAVs.
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/cmd_vel |
Target velocity (m/s) | geometry_msgs/msg/Twist |
The fixed wing UAV has a service call for take-off and uses attitude controller.
| ROS Service / Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/cmd/tol |
Take-off service. Only min_pitch and altitude fields are supported |
mavros_msgs/CommandTOL |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/cmd/attitude |
Attitude control. Only orientation and thrust fields are supported |
mavros_msgs/AttitudeTarget |
See the Fixed Wing UAV page for instructions on how to control a fixed wing UAV.
There are two thrusters on the USV, which are controlled individually. Each thruster takes a thrust force and a joint position (steering) command.
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/left/thruster/cmd_thrust |
Target thrust (N) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/right/thruster/cmd_thrust |
Target thrust (N) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/left/thruster/joint/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 1.57079 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/right/thruster/joint/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 1.57079 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
The simulator also offers 2 additional APIs that match the interfaces from the physical catamaran
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/cat/cmd_thrusters |
Actuates the voltage which feeds the motor. The input values are in the range of [-1000, 1000]. This must contains only 2 entries: the first for the left thruster and the second for the right thruster. | std_msgs/msg/Int16MultiArray |
/cat/cmd_pod |
Controls the angular position of the whole pod. The input values represents the desired angular position of each pod, expressed in hundreds of degrees, in the range of [-9000, 9000]. This must contains only 2 entries: the first for the left thruster and the second for the right thruster. | std_msgs/msg/Int16MultiArray |
The robot manipulator is mounted on the USV and uses the USV robot namespace in its topic names. It offers a position control interface.
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/azimuth/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 2.0944 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/shoulder/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 1.5708 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/elbow/cmd_pos |
Target joint position ([-1.5708, 1.4072] rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/pitch/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 2.3562 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/roll/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 1.5708 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint/wrist/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (± 6.2832 rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
The finger style gripper also provides a position control interface.
For USV arm gripper:
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/gripper/joint/finger_left/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/gripper/joint/finger_right/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
For UAV gripper:
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/gripper/joint/finger_left/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/gripper/joint/finger_right/cmd_pos |
Target joint position (rad) | std_msgs/msg/Float64 |
For USV arm gripper:
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/gripper/suction_on |
True/False to enable/disable suction | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
For UAV gripper:
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/gripper/suction_on |
True/False to enable/disable suction | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
Each UAV has a set of base sensors: IMU, Magnetometer and air pressure sensors.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| IMU | /<ROBOT_NAME>/imu/data |
sensor_msgs/msg/Imu |
| Magnetometer | /<ROBOT_NAME>/magnetic_field |
sensor_msgs/msg/MagneticField |
| Pressure sensor | /<ROBOT_NAME>/air_pressure |
sensor_msgs/msg/FluidPressure |
The base USV platform has an IMU sensor.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| IMU | /<ROBOT_NAME>/imu/data |
sensor_msgs/msg/Imu |
Additional perception sensors can be mounted on a number of slots on the UAV and USV. The string in the topic names are from slot0 to slot<n>, where n is the max number of slots on a UAV / USV.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| Planar Lidar | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/scan |
sensor_msgs/msg/LaserScan |
| 3D Lidar | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 |
| 2D camera | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/optical/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/optical/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
| RGBD camera | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/optical/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/optical/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/optical/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
| RF Range | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/rfsensor |
ros_ign_interfaces/msg/ParamVec |
Note about the RF range sensor: There are 2 models available: mbzirc_rf_range and mbzirc_rf_long_range. However,all vehicles must use the same model. Only one RF range sensor is allowed on a vehicle. An example that shows how to parse a ParamVec message can be found here. The parameters coming from the simulator are stored in a nested map. The bridge from the simulator to ROS 2 flattens this map by appending a prefix to each group of parameters param_<NUM>. The code in the example un-flattens this into one entry per competitor platform. Since we are trying to update an entire model at once, we temporarily store the values in the "Entry" structure, to then be copied over once all parameters are parsed.
The simulator has a mbzirc_naive_3d_scanning_radar radar model available. You should only mount this sensor on the USV and not the UAVs.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| Radar | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<SLOT>/radar/scan |
radar_msgs/msg/RadarScan |
Only one sensor payload can be mounted on the wrist of the manipulator so the string in the topic names is slot0 (to be released).
The joint states of the arm are also available - note that only the position and velocity fields are populated.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| Planar Lidar | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/scan |
sensor_msgs/msg/LaserScan |
| 3D Lidar | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 |
| 2D camera | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/optical/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/optical/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
| RGBD camera | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/optical/points |
sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/optical/camera_info |
sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/<SLOT>/optical/image_raw |
sensor_msgs/msg/Image | |
| Joint states | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/joint_states |
sensor_msgs/msg/JointState |
| Force Torque | /<ROBOT_NAME>/arm/wrist/wrench |
geometry_msgs/msg/Wrench |
The gripper has a force torque sensor on each of its fingers. The joint states are also available - note that only the position and velocity fields are populated. The topic name will include the arm string if the gripper is attached to the arm on the USV.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| Force Torque | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/joint/finger_left/wrench |
geometry_msgs/msg/Wrench |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/joint/finger_right/wrench |
geometry_msgs/msg/Wrench | |
| Joint states | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/joint_states |
sensor_msgs/msg/JointState |
The suction gripper provides feedback on contacts at different parts of the suction surface. True means contacts detected, false means no contacts. The topic name will include the arm string if the gripper is attached to the arm on the USV.
| Sensor type | ROS topic | Message type |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | /<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/contacts/bottom |
std_msgs/msg/Bool |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/contacts/center |
std_msgs/msg/Bool | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/contacts/left |
std_msgs/msg/Bool | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/contacts/right |
std_msgs/msg/Bool | |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/<arm>/gripper/contacts/top |
std_msgs/msg/Bool |
Each robot has the ability to communicate with another robot or the base station.
| ROS Topic | Description | Message type |
|---|---|---|
/<ROBOT_NAME>/tx |
Send data | ros_ign_interfaces/msg/Dataframe |
/<ROBOT_NAME>/rx |
Receive data | ros_ign_interfaces/msg/Dataframe |
See the Communication page for instructions on how to send and receive messages between robots.