spaceros_robots

Space ROS robots demos - minimal setup

Pull the image:

$ docker pull ghcr.io/traclabs/spaceros_robots:latest

If you have trouble pulling the image, chances are, you are not logged in the ghcr.io registry. Take a look at the end of this README for some instructions that might help.

Before starting

If I am going to use graphics tools like Gazebo or Rviz, I often have to run this in the terminal:

xhost local:root

I think this is only needed if your docker user is root, but I am not sure. Just in case, I usually do this (you only need to do it once).

Start a container

Two options:

1. Using vscode: This repository has a .devcontainer folder, so you could open this with vscode and select Reopen in container when asked.
2. Using terminal: Start a container with name space_robots_container (or whatever name you want):

   $ docker run -it --name=spaceros_robots_container --env="DISPLAY=$DISPLAY"  --env="QT_X11_NO_MITSHM=1"  --volume="/tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:rw"  --env="XAUTHORITY=$XAUTH"  --volume="$XAUTH:$XAUTH"   --net=host --privileged  ghcr.io/traclabs/spaceros_robots:latest  bash
   

Open a terminal in the container:

Two options:

1. Using vscode: Go to the Terminal option in the menu. Click in New terminal, which will open a terminal inside the container.
2. Using terminal:

   $ docker exec -it spaceros_robots_container bash
   

To start the mars demo

(Any line here goes in a container's terminal)

1. Start the demo:

   $ ros2 launch mars_rover mars_rover.launch.py 
   

2. Send commands to the rover (one at a time, give it some time, the robot is slow):

   $ ros2 service call /move_forward std_srvs/srv/Empty # Move the robot forward 
   $ ros2 service call /move_stop std_srvs/srv/Empty # Stop the robot
   $ ros2 service call /open_arm std_srvs/srv/Empty # Open the tool arm
   $ ros2 service call /close_arm std_srvs/srv/Empty # Close the tool arm
   

   Instructions came from the README here: https://github.com/space-ros/docker/tree/main/space_robots

   

To start the canadarm demo

(Any line here goes in a container's terminal)

1. Start the demo:

   $ ros2 launch canadarm canadarm.launch.py
   

2. Send commands to the arm (takes a while, the arm moves slow):

   $  ros2 service call /open_arm std_srvs/srv/Empty {} # Open the arm to outstretched pose
   $  ros2 service call /close_arm std_srvs/srv/Empty {} # Arm back to tight pose
   $  ros2 service call /random_arm std_srvs/srv/Empty {} # Move arm to a random pose
   

   

Extra: Logging in the github's container registry:

In case you had trouble pulling the image, follow these steps:

1. Create a personal access token (classic)
   1. Open New personal access token (classic)
   2. Give your token a name (eg. "Read package token")
   3. Select the "read:packages" scope.
   4. Click on "Generate Token".
   5. Copy the token (ie. ghp_.....) and store it.
2. Login to Github's container registry
   1. Open a new terminal
   2. Run "docker login ghcr.io -u my_github_username", replace my_github_username with your Github username.
   3. When prompted for a password, enter the token you generated. (Don't enter your github password, it won't work.)
3. Check if you can pull the docker image
   1. Pull: docker pull ghcr.io/traclabs/spaceros_robots:latest