Welcome to our latest blog post about the 20230427 ROS Lawn Tractor Meeting! In this post, we will be discussing the key highlights and takeaways from the event, as well as some insights and observations from our team. Whether you’re a seasoned ROS user or just starting out with lawn tractors, you’re sure to find valuable information and insights in this post. So read on to learn more about the latest developments in ROS and lawn tractor technology!
Introduction
On 27th April 2023, a meeting was held to discuss the progress of the ROS lawn tractor automation project. The meeting was attended by Jeff, Al and Terry, who shared their recent experiences and findings in the project. In this article, we will dive deeper into the discussion of the meeting and explore the major highlights of the project.
The Meeting Duration and Attendees
The meeting lasted for 43 minutes and 55 seconds, where Jeff, Al and Terry participated remotely via a video conferencing platform. They started the meeting by discussing the challenges they faced in the previous week and shared their thoughts on how to overcome them.
Jeff’s Dilemma
Jeff started by sharing his experience of canceling his cell modem account because it wasn’t working effectively. As a result, he needs to find a new way to get correction data to his robot. Jeff is now exploring other options such as using a Wi-Fi hotspot or purchasing a new modem to get the necessary data transmission.
Al’s Latest Findings
Al presented his latest project of a giant R/C servo for transmission control and showed graphs of speeds. He explained how he used ROS to get real-time data from the sensors and control the speed of the tractor. Al also discussed the challenges he encountered while using the software speed control loop fighting with the engine governor speed control loop.
Jeff’s Questions
Jeff had some questions that sparked a lively discussion during the meeting. He asked about the GPS speeds vs. wheel speeds and whether the angular rotation was calculated directly from the IMU or not. Jeff also inquired about the mounting plate that came with the Super Servo, among other things. Al provided some insights on the mounting plate and they both looked at the actual data from odometry and IMU.
Quaternions and Custom Series
The group also discussed the use of quaternions in Plot Juggler and custom series. They shared their experiences with the two tools and how they helped them in their projects. Al suggested they could continue to explore these tools further to achieve better results.
Conclusion
The ROS lawn tractor automation project is an ongoing project that involves continuous research and experimentation by the team. The meeting held on 27th April 2023 showed their commitment to the project’s success, and they shared valuable insights and ideas. With more collaborations and discussions, the team hopes to make significant advancements in the project.
FAQs
-
What is ROS?
ROS stands for Robot Operating System, which is an open-source framework used for robot software development. -
What is IMU?
IMU stands for Inertial Measurement Unit, which is an electronic device that measures and reports a body’s specific force, angular rate, and sometimes magnetic field, using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers. -
What are quaternions?
Quaternions are a four-dimensional vector used to represent rotations in 3D space. -
What is Plot Juggler?
Plot Juggler is an open-source tool used for real-time data visualization and analysis. -
What is a custom series?
A custom series is a collection of data sets that can be defined and customized to meet specific requirements for visualization and analysis.