ROS driver for iRobot Create 1 and 2. This package wraps the C++ library libcreate, which uses iRobot's Open Interface Specification.
- ROS wiki page: http://wiki.ros.org/create_robot
- Support: ROS Answers (tag: create_robot)
- Author: Jacob Perron (Autonomy Lab, Simon Fraser University)
- ROS Rolling (branch:
rolling)
- ROS Iron (branch:
iron)
- ROS Humble (branch:
humble)
- ROS Foxy (branch:
foxy)
- ROS Noetic (branch:
noetic)
| Model | Support |
|---|---|
| Create 1 | Yes |
| Create 2 (firmware >= 3.2.6) | Yes |
| Roomba Original Series | No |
| Roomba 400 Series | Yes |
| Roomba 500 Series | Yes * |
| Roomba 600 Series | Yes * |
| Roomba 700 Series | Yes + |
| Roomba 800 Series | Yes + |
| Roomba 900 Series | No * |
+ Verified by third-party. Please note Odometry Issue #28* Not verified. Anyone who is able to verify that this driver works or not is encouraged to contact Jacob with their findings or open an issue.
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Odometry | Available |
| Safe mode | Planned #13 |
| Clean demo | Planned #14 |
| Dock demo | Available |
| Drive wheels | N/A |
| Drive (v,w) | Available |
| Brush motors | Available |
| LEDs | Available |
| Digit LEDs | Available |
| Sound | Available |
| Wheeldrop | Available |
| Bumpers | Available |
| Cliff sensor | Available |
| Dirt detect | N/A |
| Omni IR sensor | Available |
| Left IR sensor | N/A |
| Right IR sensor | N/A |
| Battery info | Available |
| Light sensors | Available |
| Diagnostics | |
| Corrupt packets | Available |
| Overcurrent info | N/A |
- Internet connection
- ROS 2
- Ubuntu packages:
python3-rosdep,python3-colcon-common-extensions
$ sudo apt install python3-rosdep python3-colcon-common-extensionsCreate a colcon workspace
$ cd~ $ mkdir -p create_ws/src $ cd create_ws
Clone this repo
$ cd~/create_ws/src $ git clone https://github.com/autonomylab/create_robot.git $ git clone https://github.com/AutonomyLab/libcreate.git
Install dependencies
$ cd~/create_ws $ rosdep update $ rosdep install --from-paths src -i
Build
$ cd~/create_ws $ colcon build
In order to connect to Create over USB, ensure your user is in the dialout group
$ sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USERLogout and login for permission to take effect
After compiling from source, don't forget to source your workspace:
$ source~/create_ws/install/setup.bash
Connect computer to Create's 7-pin serial port
- If using Create 1, ensure that nothing is connected to Create's DB-25 port
- Launch one of the existing launch files or adapt them to create your own.
For Create 2 (Roomba 600/700 series):
$ ros2 launch create_bringup create_2.launchFor Create 1 (Roomba 500 series):
$ ros2 launch create_bringup create_1.launchFor Roomba 400 series:
$ ros2 launch create_bringup roomba_400.launch- config - Absolute path to a configuration file (YAML). Default:
create_bringup/config/default.yaml - desc - Enable robot description (URDF/mesh). Default:
true
For example, if you would like to disable the robot description and provide a custom configuration file:
$ ros2 launch create_bringup create_2.launch config:=/abs/path/to/config.yaml desc:=false| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
dev | Device path of robot | /dev/ttyUSB0 |
base_frame | The robot's base frame ID | base_footprint |
odom_frame | The robot's odometry frame ID | odom |
latch_cmd_duration | If this many seconds passes without receiving a velocity command the robot stops | 0.2 |
loop_hz | Frequency of internal update loop | 10.0 |
publish_tf | Publish the transform from odom_frame to base_frame | true |
robot_model | The type of robot being controlled (supported values: ROOMBA_400, CREATE_1 and CREATE_2) | CREATE_2 |
baud | Serial baud rate | Inferred based on robot model, but is overwritten upon providing a value |
oi_mode_workaround | Some Roomba models incorrectly report the current OI mode in their sensor streams. Setting this to true will cause libcreate to decrement the OI mode received in the sensor stream by 1 | false |
| Topic | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
battery/capacity | The estimated charge capacity of the robot's battery (Ah) | std_msgs/msg/Float32 |
battery/charge | The current charge of the robot's battery (Ah) | std_msgs/msg/Float32 |
battery/charge_ratio | Charge / capacity | std_msgs/msg/Float32 |
battery/charging_state | The chargins state of the battery | create_msgs/msg/ChargingState |
battery/current | Current flowing through the robot's battery (A). Positive current implies charging | std_msgs/msg/Float32 |
battery/temperature | The temperature of the robot's battery (degrees Celsius) | std_msgs/msg/Int16 |
battery/voltage | Voltage of the robot's battery (V) | std_msgs/msg/Float32 |
bumper | Bumper state message (including light sensors on bumpers) | create_msgs/msg/Bumper |
cliff | Cliff state message | create_msgs/msg/Cliff |
clean_button | 'clean' button is pressed ('play' button for Create 1) | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
day_button | 'day' button is pressed | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
hour_button | 'hour' button is pressed | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
minute_button | 'minute' button is pressed | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
dock_button | 'dock' button is pressed ('advance' button for Create 1) | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
spot_button | 'spot' button is pressed | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
ir_omni | The IR character currently being read by the omnidirectional receiver. Value 0 means no character is being received | std_msgs/msg/UInt16 |
joint_states | The states (position, velocity) of the drive wheel joints | sensor_msgs/msg/JointState |
mode | The current mode of the robot (See OI Spec for details) | create_msgs/msg/Mode |
odom | Robot odometry according to wheel encoders | nav_msgs/msg/Odometry |
wheeldrop | At least one of the drive wheels has dropped | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
/tf | The transform from the odom frame to base_footprint. Only if the parameter publish_tf is true | tf2_msgs/msg/TFMessage |
diagnostics | Info about the battery charge, wheeldrop/cliff state, robot mode, and serial connection | diagnostic_msgs/msg/DiagnosticArray |
| Topic | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
cmd_vel | Drives the robot's wheels according to a forward and angular velocity | geometry_msgs/msg/Twist |
debris_led | Enable / disable the blue 'debris' LED | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
spot_led | Enable / disable the 'spot' LED | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
dock_led | Enable / disable the 'dock' LED | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
check_led | Enable / disable the 'check robot` LED | std_msgs/msg/Bool |
power_led | Set the 'power' LED color and intensity. Accepts 1 or 2 bytes, the first represents the color between green (0) and red (255) and the second (optional) represents the intensity with brightest setting as default (255) | std_msgs/msg/UInt8MultiArray |
set_ascii | Sets the 4 digit LEDs. Accepts 1 to 4 bytes, each representing an ASCII character to be displayed from left to right | std_msgs/msg/UInt8MultiArray |
dock | Activates the demo docking behaviour. Robot enters Passive mode meaning the user loses control (See OI Spec) | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
undock | Switches robot to Full mode giving control back to the user | std_msgs/msg/Empty |
define_song | Define a song with up to 16 notes. Each note is described by a MIDI note number and a float32 duration in seconds. The longest duration is 255/64 seconds. You can define up to 4 songs (See OI Spec) | create_msgs/msg/DefineSong |
play_song | Play a predefined song | create_msgs/msg/PlaySong |
You can move the robot around by sending geometry_msgs/msg/Twist messages to the topic cmd_vel:
linear.x (+) Move forward (m/s)
(-) Move backward (m/s)
angular.z (+) Rotate counter-clockwise (rad/s)
(-) Rotate clockwise (rad/s)
-0.5 <= linear.x <= 0.5 and -4.25 <= angular.z <= 4.25
create_bringup comes with a launch file for teleoperating Create with a joystick.
$ ros2 launch create_bringup joy_teleop.launch joy_config:=xbox360There exists configuration files for the Xbox 360 wired controller and the Logitech F710 controller. You can adapt these files for your preferred joystick configuration.
Contributing to the development and maintenance of create_autonomy is encouraged. Feel free to open issues or create pull requests on GitHub.
- Michael Browne
- Confirms driver works with Roomba 700 and 800 series.
- Clyde McQueen
- Added support for sound (#37).
- Ben Wolsieffer
- Pedro Grojsgold
- Ported to ROS 2 (commit).
- Josh Gadeken
- Added parameter for libcreate's OI Mode reporting workaround (#95)