Arbotix Pro ROS support

[KevinO]

Although as mentioned, having firmware specifically for ROS would simplify things of course.

[bstag]

As tician said, the main release of the Arbotix-Pro will feature a CM-730 compatible firmware to keep things in line with the Darwin-OP framework and give people some options. This firmware is open source, and there is a 10-pin cortex spec JTAG available for custom firmware programming. The Arbotix-Pro will have its own 20-pin to 10-pin programming adapter & jig using contact pins, over using something like the Olimex adapters. This is both more robust and less expensive, and helps us with programming large runs of boards.

The HR-OS5 (research humanoid version) next phase in R&D is full integration with ROS. As part of this, there will be a separate, ROS specific firmware available for the Arbotix-PRO. We're working with one of our partners in bringing this forward, but no timeline other than 'this year' is set.

Please note that while users are able to program the Arbotix-Pro, only the CM-730 compatible firmware and ROS firmware will be officially supported. Any custom firmware is up to the users.

I will be happy to put effort into the ROS port if needed once I receive my HR-OS5. I spend most of my robotic life these days in ROS world.

[KevinO]

I will be happy to put effort into the ROS port if needed once I receive my HR-OS5. I spend most of my robotic life these days in ROS world.

What kind of robots do you have bstag? I have Golem, working on MoveIt and path planning atm.

[bstag]

What kind of robots do you have bstag? I have Golem, working on MoveIt and path planning atm.

For using a arobotix with ros I have a turtlebot2 with a custom done Turtlebot arm on top.(https://plus.google.com/+BlackStag/posts/hGfyr8PrmC1)
I have a large outdoor robot 6 wheel (Jrover) using vex pro controller and ros serial. (http://www.dfrobot.com/community/?p=4026)
I have a couple more custom base ones that use various arm boards for testing.

[vehemens]

The fact that the Arbotix Pro will be a CM-730 compatible device available for sale outside a 4-digit ($1100 when I last checked) electronics kit with a main processing board so laughably obsolete as to be worthless (still not as bad as the RoBoard which lacks i686 compatibility).

The kit price is a bit steep for what you get. Any idea of the make and model of the main processing board that's being used in the ROBOTIS-OP 2.0 (i.e. was DARwIn-OP 2.0)?

[tician]

The kit price is a bit steep for what you get. Any idea of the make and model of the main processing board that's being used in the ROBOTIS-OP 2.0 (i.e. was DARwIn-OP 2.0)?

Did not know they were bothering to upgrade it, but all the relevant specs are on their product page. There are a few errors in the comparison table as the old fit-pc2i does have gigabit ethernet and the wifi is only limited to 802.11g by the crap drivers of the default ubuntu 10.04 install. The wifi module is fully capable of 802.11n after upgrading the OS. They don't say much about the CM-740, but it does not look like it actually 'improved' so much as simply rearranged to fit the new processor board as it appears to still use two inertial ICs instead of a cheap all-in-one sensor.

edit: if the above seems angry and/or annoyed, it is partly because we lost the third dehumidifier in ~8 years a couple days ago. How can it possibly be so damn difficult to make a dehumidifier that will not puke its refrigerant within 2~4 years of purchase? Had a 'dumb' dehumidifier that lasted somewhere around a decade before the bucket cracked and several more years before the control board finally crapped out. The Haier lasted little more than a year before it dumped its refrigerant. The first LG lasted less than 2 years before the humidity sensor crapped out and the control board would not run without it. The extended warranty replacement LG lasted maybe 3 years before it developed what I expect was a pinhole leak in a solder joint somewhere and continued limping along for a few months before it suffered a catastrophic rupture a couple days ago. Basement is still filled with the horrid stink of refrigerant ~3 days later and need to set up a fan and plastic sheeting to flush it out of the house; sorry earth.

[jwatte]

How can it possibly be so damn difficult to make a dehumidifier that will not puke its refrigerant within 2~4 years of purchase?

Because warranties are 1 year.

Welcome to the American market, where everyone buys on purchase price alone and quality is a race to the bottom!

[vehemens]

Had to search a bit, but the ROBOTIS-OP 2.0 mother board is an AAEON PICO-CV01 without the VGA connector.

[vehemens]

Getting back to ROS, I did find some information on DARwIn-OP simulations using Gazebo and ROS a while back but haven't had a chance to try it myself.

[vehemens]

Forgot to mention there's also NimbRo ROS for those with bipeds.