tf transform rotation issue

edit

Hello all,

Currently we've written a gyro-based odometry node for our robot. We have two encoders which provide the base of the odometry and then we have a gyro for correcting yaw (like when the wheels slip). The node broadcasts an odometry message as well as a stamped transform. The messages are correct as far as position and yaw are concerned. It is the transform that doesn't seem to be working correctly.

The transform tree is

/gyro_odom -> /base_link -> /UTM

When I look at our hokuyo scans in rviz I have the fixed frame and target frame set up so that the scans should stay in basically the same position while the robot moves around inside them. This works for translation but fails miserably for rotation. The scans get smeared rather than the tf tree just turning inside the scans.

Here is the code for broadcasting the transform:

// Now that all the calculations are done, we can pack all the data into
// odometry messages and tf.

// make the quaternion
geometry_msgs::Quaternion odom_quat = tf::createQuaternionMsgFromYaw(_yaw);

// make the tf
geometry_msgs::TransformStamped odom_tf;
odom_tf.header.stamp = _current_time;
odom_tf.header.frame_id = _odom_frame_id;
odom_tf.child_frame_id = _base_link_frame_id;
odom_tf.transform.translation.x = _x;
odom_tf.transform.translation.y = _y;
odom_tf.transform.translation.z = 0.0;
odom_tf.transform.rotation = odom_quat;

// braodcast the tf
_tf_bc.sendTransform(odom_tf);

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing this to fail?