ur_controllers
==============
This package contains controllers and hardware interface for ``ros2_controllers`` that are special to the UR
robot family. Currently this contains:
* A **speed_scaling_state_broadcaster** that publishes the current execution speed as reported by
the robot to a topic interface. Values are floating points between 0 and 1.
* A **scaled_joint_trajectory_controller** that is similar to the *joint_trajectory_controller*\ ,
but it uses the speed scaling reported to align progress of the trajectory between the robot and controller.
* A **io_and_status_controller** that allows setting I/O ports, controlling some UR-specific
functionality and publishes status information about the robot.
About this package
------------------
This package contains controllers not being available in the default ``ros2_controllers`` set. They are
created to support more features offered by the UR robot family. Some of these controllers are
example implementations for certain features and are intended to be generalized and merged
into the default ``ros2_controllers`` controller set at some future point.
Controller description
----------------------
This packages offers a couple of specific controllers that will be explained in the following
sections.
.. _speed_scaling_state_broadcaster:
ur_controllers/SpeedScalingStateBroadcaster
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This controller publishes the current actual execution speed as reported by the robot. Values are
floating points between 0 and 1.
In the `ur_robot_driver
`_
this is calculated by multiplying the two `RTDE
`_ data
fields ``speed_scaling`` (which should be equal to the value shown by the speed slider position on the
teach pendant) and ``target_speed_fraction`` (Which is the fraction to which execution gets slowed
down by the controller).
.. _scaled_jtc:
ur_controlers/ScaledJointTrajectoryController
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
These controllers work similar to the well-known
`joint_trajectory_controller `_.
However, they are extended to handle the robot's execution speed specifically. Because the default
``joint_trajectory_controller`` would interpolate the trajectory with the configured time constraints (ie: always assume maximum velocity and acceleration supported by the robot),
this could lead to significant path deviation due to multiple reasons:
* The speed slider on the robot might not be at 100%, so motion commands sent from ROS would
effectively get scaled down resulting in a slower execution.
* The robot could scale down motions based on configured safety limits resulting in a slower motion
than expected and therefore not reaching the desired target in a control cycle.
* Motions might not be executed at all, e.g. because the robot is E-stopped or in a protective stop
* Motion commands sent to the robot might not be interpreted, e.g. because there is no
`external_control `_
program node running on the robot controller.
* The program interpreting motion commands could be paused.
The following plot illustrates the problem:
.. image:: traj_without_speed_scaling.png
:target: traj_without_speed_scaling.png
:alt: Trajectory execution with default trajectory controller
The graph shows a trajectory with one joint being moved to a target point and back to its starting
point. As the joint's speed is limited to a very low setting on the teach pendant, speed scaling
(black line) activates and limits the joint speed (green line). As a result, the target
trajectory (light blue) doesn't get executed by the robot, but instead the pink trajectory is executed.
The vertical distance between the light blue line and the pink line is the path error in each
control cycle. We can see that the path deviation gets above 300 degrees at some point and the
target point at -6 radians never gets reached.
All of the cases mentioned above are addressed by the scaled trajectory versions. Trajectory execution
can be transparently scaled down using the speed slider on the teach pendant without leading to
additional path deviations. Pausing the program or hitting the E-stop effectively leads to
``speed_scaling`` being 0 meaning the trajectory will not be continued until the program is continued.
This way, trajectory executions can be explicitly paused and continued.
With the scaled version of the trajectory controller the example motion shown in the previous diagram becomes:
.. image:: traj_with_speed_scaling.png
:target: traj_with_speed_scaling.png
:alt: Trajectory execution with scaled_joint_trajectory_controller
The deviation between trajectory interpolation on the ROS side and actual robot execution stays minimal and the
robot reaches the intermediate setpoint instead of returning "too early" as in the example above.
Under the hood this is implemented by proceeding the trajectory not by a full time step but only by
the fraction determined by the current speed scaling. If speed scaling is currently at 50% then
interpolation of the current control cycle will start half a time step after the beginning of the
previous control cycle.
.. _io_and_status_controller:
ur_controllers/GPIOController
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This controller allows setting I/O ports, controlling some UR-specific functionality and publishes
status information about the robot.
Published topics
""""""""""""""""
* ``~/io_states [ur_msgs/msg/IOStates]``: Status of all I/O ports
* ``~/robot_mode [ur_dashboard_msgs/msg/RobotMode]``: The current robot mode (e.g. ``POWER_OFF``,
``IDLE``, ``RUNNING``)
* ``~/robot_program_running [std_msgs/msg/Bool]``: Publishes whether **the External Control
program** is running or not. If this is ``false`` no commands can be sent to the robot.
* ``~/safety_mode [ur_dashboard_msgs/msg/SafetyMode]``: The robot's current safety mode (e.g.
``PROTECTIVE_STOP``, ``ROBOT_EMERGENCY_STOP``, ``NORMAL``)
* ``~/tool_data [ur_msgs/msg/ToolDataMsg]``: Information about the robot's tool configuration
Advertised services
"""""""""""""""""""
* ``~/hand_back_control [std_srvs/srv/Trigger]``: Calling this service will make the robot program
exit the *External Control* program node and continue with the rest of the program.
* ``~/resend_robot_program [std_srvs/srv/Trigger]``: When :ref:`headless_mode` is used, this
service can be used to restart the *External Control* program on the robot.
* ``~/set_io [ur_msgs/srv/SetIO]``: Set an output pin on the robot.
* ``~/set_analog_output [ur_msgs/srv/SetAnalogOutput]``: Set an analog output on the robot. This
also allows specifying the domain.
* ``~/set_payload [ur_msgs/srv/SetPayload]``: Change the robot's payload on-the-fly.
* ``~/set_speed_slider [ur_msgs/srv/SetSpeedSliderFraction]``: Set the value of the speed slider.
* ``~/zero_ftsensor [std_srvs/srv/Trigger]``: Zeroes the reported wrench of the force torque
sensor.