ARX_PKG

ARX robotic arm ROS Noetic version, designed for ALOHA desktop, featuring dual arm teaching and dual arm execution capabilities. This package includes CAN communication setup nodes, CAN communication startup nodes, master-slave control nodes, and more.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• 1. Prepare & Install
• 2. Setup CAN Communication
• 3. Usage
  • 3.1 Master-Slave Control (Teach and Follow)
• 4. Additional Information
• 5. License
• 6. Contributing

Prerequisites

Before installing ARX_PKG, ensure that you have the following prerequisites installed on your system:

• Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa)
• ROS Noetic
• Git
• CAN Bus Hardware and Drivers
• Realsense-ros

Ensure your ROS environment is properly set up by following the ROS Noetic Installation Guide.

If you want to use Realsense RGB-D Camera, ensure your Realsense-ros environment is set up by following the librealsense 2.50.0 realsense-ros 2.3.2

1. Prepare & Install

Follow these steps to prepare and install the ARX_PKG:

1. Clone the Repository

   cd ~
   git clone https://github.com/yutian929/ARX_PKG.git

2. Navigate to the Workspace

   cd ~/ARX_PKG  # ROS Noetic workspace

3. Install Dependencies

   Ensure you have the necessary dependencies by running:

   bash install_deps.sh

4. Build the Package

   Compile the package using catkin_make:

   catkin_make

   After successful compilation, source the workspace:

   source devel/setup.bash

2. Setup CAN Communication

Setting up CAN communication is crucial for the master-slave functionality of the dual arms. Follow these steps:

1. Source the Workspace Setup File

   source ~/ARX_PKG/devel/setup.bash

2. Run the CAN Setup Node

   rosrun arx_pkg setup_can_node.py

3. Connect CAN Devices

   • Disconnect All CAN Communication Devices: Ensure that all CAN devices are disconnected before starting the setup.
   • Sequentially Connect Devices: Follow the on-screen instructions to connect the devices in the following order:
     1. Master Left
     2. Follower Left
     3. Master Right
     4. Follower Right

   Note: This setup process only needs to be performed once.

3. Usage

3.1 Master-Slave Control (Teach and Follow)

To operate the ARX robotic arms in a master-slave configuration for teaching and following movements, follow these steps:

1. Start CAN Communication

   Open three separate terminal windows for the following commands:

   • Terminal 1: Start roscore

     roscore

   • Terminal 2: Start the CAN communication node

     rosrun arx_pkg start_can_node.py

2. Launch Master and Follower Nodes

   • Terminal 3: Launch the master_and_follower.launch file

     roslaunch arx_pkg master_and_follower.launch

   This will initialize the master and follower arms. The follower arms will replicate the masters' movements in real-time.

4. Additional Information

• Reference Repository:

  • ARX_R5 GitHub repository.

• ROS Environment Setup: Ensure that your ROS Noetic environment is correctly configured. You can refer to the ROS Wiki for comprehensive setup guides.

• Troubleshooting: If you encounter issues during installation or usage, consult the package documentation or open an issue on the GitHub repository.

5. License

Not sure yet.

6. Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you would like to contribute to ARX_PKG, please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new feature branch.
3. Commit your changes.
4. Push to the branch.
5. Open a pull request detailing your changes.

Please ensure that your contributions adhere to the project's coding standards and include appropriate documentation.