ROS Controlled Robot

This project demonstrates a ROS (Robot Operating System)-based robot that responds to velocity commands by moving in different directions. It integrates ROS topics with an Arduino-based microcontroller to control motor actions like moving forward, backward, and turning left or right. The robot subscribes to velocity commands (geometry_msgs/Twist) and executes corresponding motor actions.

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Features

• ROS Integration:
  • Subscribes to the turtle1/cmd_vel topic for velocity commands.
• Motor Control:
  • Controls DC motors to move the robot forward, backward, and turn left or right based on linear and angular velocity inputs.
• Compact Design:
  • Efficiently utilizes Arduino and ROS for communication and motor actuation.

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Components

Hardware

1. Arduino Board: Used for motor control and ROS communication.
2. H-Bridge Motor Driver: Controls the direction and speed of the motors.
3. DC Motors: Provides movement for the robot.
4. Power Supply: Powers the motors and microcontroller.

Software

1. ROS: For handling communication between the controller and the robot.
2. Arduino IDE: For programming the microcontroller.

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How It Works

1. Velocity Command Subscription:

   • The robot subscribes to the turtle1/cmd_vel topic and processes the geometry_msgs/Twist message.

2. Motor Actions:

   • Forward: Triggered by positive linear.x.
   • Backward: Triggered by negative linear.x.
   • Turn Left: Triggered by positive angular.z.
   • Turn Right: Triggered by negative angular.z.
   • Stop: When both linear.x and angular.z are zero.

3. Motor Pins:

   • Pins 6, 7, 8, and 9 control the motors based on the received commands.

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Setup Instructions

1. Hardware Connections:

   • Connect motor driver inputs to Arduino pins 6, 7, 8, and 9.
   • Connect DC motors to the motor driver outputs.

2. Install ROS:

   • Ensure ROS is installed on your system.
   • Configure a ROS workspace with the necessary geometry_msgs/Twist package.

3. Upload Code:

   • Open the Arduino IDE and upload the provided code to your Arduino board.

4. ROS Node Setup:

   • Launch the ROS core.
   • Run the ROS node that publishes geometry_msgs/Twist messages to the turtle1/cmd_vel topic.

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Usage

1. Start the ROS Core:

   roscore

2. Publish Velocity Commands:

   • Use the following command to send velocity commands to the robot:

     rostopic pub /turtle1/cmd_vel geometry_msgs/Twist "linear:
       x: 1.0
       y: 0.0
       z: 0.0
     angular:
       x: 0.0
       y: 0.0
       z: 0.5"

   • Replace values of linear.x and angular.z to control movement.

3. Observe the Robot's Behavior:

   • The robot will move forward, backward, or turn based on the published commands.

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Code Structure

ROS_Controlled_Robot/
├── ROS_Arduino_Code.ino      # Arduino code for motor control and ROS integration
└── README.md                 # Project documentation

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Future Improvements

• Add sensor feedback (e.g., ultrasonic sensors) for obstacle avoidance.
• Include odometry to track the robot's movement.
• Enhance with remote control using a ROS GUI or mobile app.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the ROS and Arduino communities for providing excellent resources and documentation.

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