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ubuntu 12.10 + groovy + openni + USB3.0 = working?

asked 2013-01-22 12:45:49 -0500

Hi there!

I am about to migrate to Ubuntu 12.10 and install ROS groovy. Could anyone confirm that there is no issues with OpenNI devices (especially when the devices are connected to a USB 3.0 port)?

Thank you very much in advance for sharing your story

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answered 2013-01-23 13:08:58 -0500

updated 2013-01-23 13:26:23 -0500

Let me share what I found out:

  1. I performed a fresh installation of Ubuntu 12.10 and ROS Groovy following the standard procedures.
  2. Installed the openni packages:

    sudo apt-get install ros-groovy-openni-*

  3. Plugged a Kinect device on a USB2.0 port

  4. Launched openni:

    roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch

  5. openni_launch dies and complains about rosdep, recommends running: "sudo rosdep init" and "rosdep update". I do so.

  6. re-run "roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch". This time it seems to be SUCCESSFUL.

You would think that everything works, but we are not so lucky:

  1. Did rosrun rviz rviz. Try to visualize the topic /camera/depth_registered/points: Nothing appears. FAIL
  2. Did rostopic hz /camera/depth_registered/points: No response, apparently there is no messages being published on that topic. EPIC FAIL
  3. Did rosrun image_view image_view image:=/camera/rgb/image_raw: The image gets displayed, but in grayscale (WTF??). Well, at least there is communication with the device. PARTIAL SUCCESS
  4. Did rosrun rviz rviz. Try to visualize the topic /camera/depth/points: It works! SUCCESS

It looks like there is some kind of trouble with the RGB image and that is causing the /camera/depth_registered/points not being published.

Next I am going to test the device connected to a USB3.0 port. I will update the answer with the new findings.

[UPDATE]

Here is the new information:

  1. Connected a Kinect to USB3.0 port.
  2. Did roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch: Launches normally. SUCCESS
  3. Did rosrun rviz rviz. Try to visualize the topic /camera/depth_registered/points: Same issue as before. FAIL
  4. Did rosrun image_view image_view image:=/camera/rgb/image_raw: The image gets displayed, but in grayscale. Just like before. PARTIAL SUCCESS
  5. Did rosrun rviz rviz. Try to visualize the topic /camera/depth/points: It works. SUCCESS

So to sum up and answer this question:

Ubuntu 12.10 + groovy + openni + USB3.0 = partially works (there is issues with the color image and the color pointcloud)

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answered 2013-01-23 07:36:16 -0500

Ryan gravatar image

We've had problems with Kinects and USB 3.0 ports in general under Linux and Fuerte (both 11.10 and 12.04). Given that we also see similar issues with a few other USB devices when they're plugged into 3.0 ports, it's our current hypothesis that it's Linux, not the driver or the device. We haven't tried Groovy yet on 3.0 devices.

We are very happy to be proven wrong, since it's getting harder and harder to find machines with USB 2.0.

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Comments

Thank you for sharing Ryan, as far as I know Linux Kernels lower than 3.4.1 (which is the case for Ubuntu 11.10 and 12.04) and that are not patched will have trouble with USB3.0 http://answers.ros.org/question/9179/kinect-and-usb-30/?answer=17625#post-id-17625

Martin Peris gravatar image Martin Peris  ( 2013-01-23 12:41:33 -0500 )edit

But Ubuntu 12.10 comes with Kernel 3.5 which is supposed to have solved the USB3.0 issue, that is why I want to give it a run.

Martin Peris gravatar image Martin Peris  ( 2013-01-23 12:42:37 -0500 )edit
2

answered 2013-04-04 21:09:51 -0500

I confirm that kinect are working on Ubuntu 12.10 with ROS Groovy. You can even have multiple kinect on the same USB-bus (to be confirmed on more than just my computer).

So just go on, but pay attention to one thing :

you should install NITE 1.5.2 (the old version), by first launching uninstall script, then install script.

Let me know if you have any problems.

Bests,

Steph

Ps : having gray images on image_raw is normal.... You have to display image_color instead :-)

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Asked: 2013-01-22 12:45:49 -0500

Seen: 4,252 times

Last updated: Apr 04 '13