roomba_500_series Documentation

roomba_500_series: roomba_500_series

iRobot Roomba 500 package based on the iRobot Open Interface Specification. There are two nodes available, a light node which exposes odometry and velocity commands, and a full node which exposes all capabilities of the underlying library.

• Homepage: http://ros.org/wiki/roomba_500_series

roomba_500_series contains two nodes for interfacing a Roomba 500 series robot with ROS, however it is possible to use the iRobot OI library to do your own nodes to customize the data exchange between ROS and the Roomba. The iRobot OI library is based on the Open Interface Specifications document released by iRobot

codeapi

• iRobot OpenIterface (C++)

Roomba Interaction

Currently the iRobot OI library allows for almost all the Roomba interactions provided by the Open Interface, from which one can probably point out the following:

Odometry:

• Odometry x
• Odometry y
• Odometry theta
• After aquiring encoder data the calculateOdometry function should be called

Sensor data:

• Cliff state
• Bumper state
• IR bumper state
• Wheel drop state
• Cliff signal
• Bumper signal
• IR bumper signal
• IR character received
• Buttons

Actuate on the Roomba:

• Settings Roomba speeds
• Settings songs
• Playing songs
• Settings songs

The following functions will cause the OI mode to change, locking out the user from the robot, thus lossing control over the Roomba:

• Enter cleaning mode (same as pressing the clean button on the Roomba during normal operation)
• Enter max cleaning mode
• Enter spot cleaning mode (same as pressing the spot button on the Roomba during normal operation)
• Go to the base station (same as pressing the dock button on the Roomba during normal operation)

Roomba Interaction

An ROS service was added to the roomba_500_series package to allow for the Roomba to dock without leaving the OI mode required to maintain control. More on this on the wiki page.