blue_simulator

(Experimental) ROS package for simulating Blue via Gazebo.

Install instructions

• Install Ubuntu 16.0.4

• Install ROS Kinetic

  • Start from 1.2 to 1.7, just copy paste into terminal
  • For step 1.4, use Desktop-Full if unsure

• Create a workspace:

  mkdir -p ~/blue_ws/src && cd "$_"

• Clone the required packages:

  git clone https://github.com/berkeleyopenarms/blue_core.git
  git clone https://github.com/berkeleyopenarms/blue_simulator.git

• Get the mimic joint plugin:

  cd blue_simulator
  git submodule update --init

• Install dependencies:

  cd ~/blue_ws
  rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y

• Build:

  catkin_make install

• Source:

  echo "source ~/blue_ws/devel/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
  source ~/blue_ws/devel/setup.bash

Instructions for use

To launch the simulator (full.launch corresponds to the full, two-arm setup; right.launch or left.launch can also be used):

roslaunch blue_gazebo full.launch

Running rviz afterwards is the same as with the physical robot:

roslaunch blue_bringup rviz.launch

Notes

• The gripper can be controlled using the /(right/left)_arm/blue_controllers/gripper_controller controller, but the URDF currently relies on mimic joints and will cause Gazebo to crash if the gripper grasps an object. This is because the mimic joint plugin used to implement mimic joints in Gazebo will exert instantaneous forces which crashes the simulation.