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Communication between ROS and Optitrack

asked 2013-02-04 10:00:15 -0500

nemesis gravatar image

updated 2014-01-28 17:15:05 -0500

ngrennan gravatar image

Hey,

I am new to ROS and I needed some help/guidance. I am using ROS(Fuerte) on a Virtual Machine. I am trying to understand how to transmit data(coordinates of a bot) from Optitrack(NatNet), installed on a different machine, to ROS (on a separate machine). I wish to understand this myself so if anyone can guide me or provide me with links to understand this, I would appreciate it. Please let me know if any other information is required from me.

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Hello @nemesis how did you solve I am getting the same error like you used to get. Can you tell me how u were able to solve it?

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-27 13:30:49 -0500 )edit

@UbuntuROs I already have an answer to this question.

nemesis gravatar image nemesis  ( 2017-06-27 15:59:10 -0500 )edit

Can you help me in solving the error? This is the steps I followed to connect Motive with Ros 1. I git clone the file from https://github.com/clearpathrobotics/... 2. exported it using the export command export VRPN_ROOT=path to where VRPN is located 3.install the necessary package

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-27 16:10:53 -0500 )edit

4.Run catkin_make 5. Launch using $roslaunch vrpn_client_ros sample.launch server:=239.255.42.99 when i ran it, it says the connection is established but when i tried to run $rostopic command it says that the topic didnt established yet. What did I get wrong? I really need your help.

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-27 16:13:56 -0500 )edit

Can you guide me through on how to create a connection between motive and ROS? I appreciate your help.

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-27 16:19:09 -0500 )edit

@nemesis did u use Natnet or VRPN?

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-28 14:17:02 -0500 )edit

@nemesis what is the link I opened https://github.com/gt-ros-pkg/ but there are many files over there which specifically did u use?

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-06-28 14:27:30 -0500 )edit

6 Answers

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answered 2013-02-07 09:00:12 -0500

nemesis gravatar image

updated 2013-02-21 06:56:32 -0500

I am using this post/answer to describe the procedure I followed, as a reference in case someone else has an issue -

@balto -

  1. In the "workspace" folder that you generally create (given in ROS tutorials) I used to the command "svn co link" to get/download the ros_vrpn_client. The link here refers to the gt-ros-pkg repository (I can't post the exact link right now because of low karma points)

  2. Now, using either "rosdep install ros_vrpn_client" or "rosmake ros_vrpn_client" I "built" the package (this is where I was confused, what exactly to use)

  3. Just in case, I used the "source ~/workspace/setup.bash" command after building the package.

  4. go to the ros_vrpn_client/ folder and execute the install_vrpn.sh file (command line -> go to folder containing file -> ./install_vrpn.sh )

  5. Start streaming in Tracking Tools after creating the trackable.

  6. runs "roscore" and in a separate terminal run the command given on the ros_vrpn_client wiki page (to run the node).

Issues

a) I got the error - "from Trackable1: No response from server" (This was because of an ip address problem)

b) Upon putting the correct address I got the same issue but this time I also got the message which notified me of a difference in version (7_28 and 7_20). I assumed that there is a connection with the server although no data is being sent.

c) As per your suggestion I changed the name of the trackable to "Tracker" in both: Tracking Tools as well as in the rosrun command. There is no "error" mentioning "No response from server" anymore but there is still the message about the different versions. After displaying this message, it shows nothing (and doesn't end either). So I dunno how to proceed. Or is there some other way to view the data that is being transmitted on these nodes??

*Note - * In a separate terminal I used "rostopic echo /Tracker/pose" and I think it's displaying the coordinates correctly. Thank you so much for your time and help :)

@Ryan -

I downloaded and built the mocap_optitrack package in a similar manner like I have explained above. I faced the following issues after running the "rosrun mocap_optitrack mocap_node" command.

Issues

It displays a bunch of lines starting with [Info] and the last line mentioning "Enabling non blocking I/O". I initially thought it was because of the address given in the "Multicast Interface" under Streaming Properties of the Tracking Tools software. I tried changing it to some other address but it doesn't give me anything else either. Is there something that needs to be set separately? Like setting a particular Port in this case or something else? Or is there some other way to view the data that is being transmitted on these nodes??

Note - In Tracking Tools put the "Multicast Interface" address as the IP address of the system you have your ROS on. You can then display the coordinates using "rostopic echo /Husky_1/pose". I am still nto sure why it's called "Husky_1" instead ... (more)

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Yes, our method uses Tracking Tools

Ryan gravatar image Ryan  ( 2013-02-10 14:09:55 -0500 )edit

We use mocap_optitrack with a virtual machine as well. I will point another person on our team to this thread.

Ryan gravatar image Ryan  ( 2013-02-19 09:03:56 -0500 )edit

Thank you!

nemesis gravatar image nemesis  ( 2013-02-19 09:10:51 -0500 )edit

Good to hear. Is all working now?

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-02-19 10:13:39 -0500 )edit

@balto - Yes! I think I will just have to modify the code a little bit to match with my Tracking Tools results - The axes are bit different; and get Yaw,Pitch,Roll as outputs too. That should be possible right? @Ryan - Apart from a certain variation, mocap is working for me too. Thanks!

nemesis gravatar image nemesis  ( 2013-02-21 06:14:59 -0500 )edit

Anybody uses Motive? I think Tracking Tools is outdated.

ZiyangLI gravatar image ZiyangLI  ( 2014-02-26 22:16:11 -0500 )edit

Motive works with NatNet great.

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2014-02-27 02:39:52 -0500 )edit

Do you mean I can just rosmake mocap_optitrack and the node will works perfectly with the latest Motive software? Does Motive use the latest NatNet? Then it should transmit data in a different format, like having more fields. Am I wrong?

ZiyangLI gravatar image ZiyangLI  ( 2014-02-27 20:34:02 -0500 )edit
4

answered 2013-02-07 14:24:39 -0500

Ryan gravatar image

We use mocap_optitrack with NatNet. A more full-featured and stable version that publishes poses, odometry, and tfs is here, but we haven't updated the ROS wiki to point to it yet.

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Ryan gravatar image Ryan  ( 2013-02-28 11:03:47 -0500 )edit
3

answered 2013-02-04 12:10:33 -0500

Do you need to use NatNet? I use VRPN with OptiTrack system which is documented here: http: //www.ros.org/wiki/ros_vrpn_client

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Sure. Did you download the package?

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-02-11 12:53:41 -0500 )edit

@Ryan is the mocap_optitrack able to work with ROS electric? Since I noticed it was for the Husky, I assume it is on groovy.

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-02-11 12:57:48 -0500 )edit

@nemesis Setup the tracking tools to broadcast the pose and name the trackable "Tracker". Then run the ROS command.

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-02-19 04:27:20 -0500 )edit

@balto - I don't know if I should start a separate post for this or not, but, how can I get the node to display the "Yaw,Pitch & Roll" instead of the Quartenions?

nemesis gravatar image nemesis  ( 2013-03-04 12:39:59 -0500 )edit

You must convert them using the bullet commands something like this: tf::quaternionMsgToTF(msg->transform.rotation, q);
btMatrix3x3(q).getRPY(roll,pitch,yaw);

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-03-04 13:47:07 -0500 )edit

You must convert them using the bullet commands something like this:

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-03-04 13:47:08 -0500 )edit

@balto - Oh ok. The code is bit confusing (not used to all of this), so still trying to figure out how to go about "implementing" what you mentioned above.

nemesis gravatar image nemesis  ( 2013-03-06 09:53:03 -0500 )edit

Is that a question? I can send you a more detailed snippet of code if you want.

tonybaltovski gravatar image tonybaltovski  ( 2013-03-09 04:33:59 -0500 )edit
0

answered 2017-05-08 03:18:06 -0500

neu gravatar image

I want to send the data of posision of the cameras optitrack (windows pc) to ros (ubuntu pc). I was reading many forums and decided to choose the method vrpn_client_ros. In Motive I have the vrpn broadcast option with ip (239.255.42.99) and a port: 3883. I made a LAN with a router where the windows pc has an ip (192.168.1.18) and the Ubuntu pc has an ip (192.168.1.34). When I run the launch file (roslaunch vrpn_client_ros sample.launch server: = 239.255.42.99) on a terminal, I get the answers: "Connecting to VRPN server at 239.255.42.99" and "Connection established". My problem is that the topics published do not appear, and therefore I can not get the position data in ros. How can I solve this problem? Do I have to modify the launch file?

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try roslaunch vrpn_client_ros sample.launch server: = 192.168.1.18

geds gravatar image geds  ( 2017-05-08 03:48:49 -0500 )edit

I tried, not this problem

neu gravatar image neu  ( 2017-05-08 05:20:18 -0500 )edit

well,I don't know how to solve your problem,but I did complete the communication between ROS and Optitrack by using vrpn_client_ros package.The difference is that I direct use a network cable rather than a router, see: http://www.technig.com/network-ubuntu...

geds gravatar image geds  ( 2017-05-08 07:00:49 -0500 )edit

if you do enable the "Broadcast Frame Data" checkbox under "VRPN Streaming Engine" in Motive.After roslaunch sample.launch file, run rostopic list command ,you will find a topic with a rigid body name,such as "/vrpn_client_node/RigidBody1"

geds gravatar image geds  ( 2017-05-08 07:06:14 -0500 )edit

then run command rostopic echo /vrpn_client_node/RigidBody1 ,you will find the position and orientation data stream of RigidBody1

geds gravatar image geds  ( 2017-05-08 07:07:06 -0500 )edit

hi sir i have done all the steps as given by you , i have made connection between two computers using lan cable, yet i am not able to see the topic list . should i change the launch file,if yes then tell me the procedure to change the sample launch file. Thank you Abhishek

abhi15491 gravatar image abhi15491  ( 2017-06-11 08:00:23 -0500 )edit

@abhi15491 were u able to solve the problem?

UbuntuROs gravatar image UbuntuROs  ( 2017-07-06 10:53:02 -0500 )edit
0

answered 2017-06-26 16:45:07 -0500

UbuntuROs gravatar image

updated 2017-07-12 12:47:22 -0500

To give you more info on this. This is what I am getting right now: ubuntuxenial@ubuntuxenial-VirtualBox:~$ roslaunch vrpn_client_ros sample.launch server:=192.168.56.1 ... logging to /home/ubuntuxenial/.ros/log/ffb55d00-6724-11e7-b1f2-0800279f7859/roslaunch-ubuntuxenial-VirtualBox-18941.log Checking log directory for disk usage. This may take awhile. Press Ctrl-C to interrupt Done checking log file disk usage. Usage is <1GB.

started roslaunch server http://ubuntuxenial-VirtualBox:39717/

SUMMARY

PARAMETERS * /rosdistro: kinetic * /rosversion: 1.12.7 * /vrpn_client_node/broadcast_tf: True * /vrpn_client_node/frame_id: world * /vrpn_client_node/port: 3883 * /vrpn_client_node/refresh_tracker_frequency: 1.0 * /vrpn_client_node/server: 192.168.56.1 * /vrpn_client_node/update_frequency: 100.0 * /vrpn_client_node/use_server_time: False

NODES / vrpn_client_node (vrpn_client_ros/vrpn_client_node)

auto-starting new master process[master]: started with pid [18952] ROS_MASTER_URI=http://localhost:11311

setting /run_id to ffb55d00-6724-11e7-b1f2-0800279f7859 process[rosout-1]: started with pid [18965] started core service [/rosout] process[vrpn_client_node-2]: started with pid [18968] And I tried to run rostopic list on another terminal and got the following:

ubuntuxenial@ubuntuxenial-VirtualBox:~$ rostopic list /rosout /rosout_agg

So here you can see rigid body isnt published. I am guessing there might be a problem in my Ip address. I am using Ubuntu on virtual box. How should you think I have to create a network between the Ubuntu's virtual box and the host computer where Optitrack is operating?

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answered 2017-06-11 07:57:46 -0500

Dear sir, I have done the same steps as given by you, after running the sample.launch file i am getting this started roslaunch server http://abhishek-Lenovo-ideapad-Y700-1...

SUMMARY

PARAMETERS * /rosdistro: indigo * /rosversion: 1.11.21 * /vrpn_client_node/broadcast_tf: True * /vrpn_client_node/frame_id: world * /vrpn_client_node/port: 3883 * /vrpn_client_node/refresh_tracker_frequency: 1.0 * /vrpn_client_node/server: localhost * /vrpn_client_node/update_frequency: 100.0 * /vrpn_client_node/use_server_time: False

NODES / vrpn_client_node (vrpn_client_ros/vrpn_client_node)

auto-starting new master process[master]: started with pid [17028] ROS_MASTER_URI=http://localhost:11311

setting /run_id to 44680bdc-4ea2-11e7-869a-c85b768ff82e process[rosout-1]: started with pid [17041] started core service [/rosout] process[vrpn_client_node-2]: started with pid [17045] and after running the rostopic lsit command (on another terminal) i am getting this /rosout /rosout_agg should i change the launch file, if yes then tell me how to modify the launch file and what to modify Please resolve the issue Regards, abhishek

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Asked: 2013-02-04 10:00:15 -0500

Seen: 4,657 times

Last updated: Jul 12 '17