Mecanumbot
ROS Software Maintainer: Josh Villbrandt
Contents
Overview
The Mecanumbot was designed as a software research platform. It features a high-performance multi-core computer, a holonomic mobile base, a 2D laser scanner, and a Microsoft Kinect.
Hardware
- body
- drivetrain
- four 100mm mecanum wheels
- four Devantech EMG30
- two Devantech MD25
- power
two 8AHr 3S LiPos
- wall power
- hot-swappable between all three power sources
- power telemetry
- sensors
- Microsoft Kinect
- Neato Laser Scanner
- Adafruit BMP085 pressure and temperature sensor
- computer
- Zotac H67ITX-C-E motherboard
- Intel Core i3-2100T 2.5GHz
- 8GB ram
- 256GB SSD
Applications
The Mecanumbot has never seen full-time software development, but a few proof-of-concept applications are in place.
Teleoperation
The teleop_xbox node takes messages from the xbox controller and publishes a cmd_vel message. Motor power is inhibited on startup for safety and needs to be powered on using the RobotHazardsEnable service. This application demonstrated the end-to-end integration of the robot's basic hardware, electronics, and software that were necessary for further development.
Ball Tracker
The ball_tracker node demonstrates the use of the Microsoft Kinect sensor and some basic functions from PCL. In addition to identifying the ball, the target_follower node can drive towards the target.
HectorSLAM
This exercise demonstrations a proper odometry and tf graph required for more complex applications like SLAM.
