ros_utils

ROS catkin package containing some simple but useful nodes.

Copyright (c) 2016

Antonio Coratelli, Antonio Petitti

License

BSD 3-Clause. See LICENSE file.

Nodes

• tf_republisher
• pcl_reframer
• image_encoding_converter
• pose_noise_generator
• rgbd_throttle
• tf_link_map_to_world
• tf_eval

---

tf_republisher

This node read messages from a tf topic and re-publishes particular transforms from that topic to another one, eventually changing message frame_ids.

Subscribed Topics

• tf_old tf::tfMessage
  Input tf topic. Should usually be remapped to /tf.

Published Topics

• tf_new tf::tfMessage
  Output tf topic.

Params

• original_frame_id string (default "/world")
• original_child_frame_id string (default "/vicon/puma/puma")
• new_frame_id string (default "/world_new")
• new_child_frame_id string (default "/vicon/puma/puma_new")

---

pcl_reframer

This node read PointCloud2 messages from a topic and republishes it on anothre topic changing the PointCloud frame_id.

Subscribed Topics

• pcl_in sensor_msgs::PointCloud2
  Input PointCloud topic.

Published Topics

• pcl_out sensor_msgs::PointCloud2
  Output PointCloud topic with frame_id changed.

Params

• new_frame_id string (default "/new_frame_id")

---

image_encoding_converter

This node converts the encoding of an image topic to BGR8.

Subscribed Topics

• image_in sensor_msgs::Image
  Input image topic.

Published Topics

• image_out sensor_msgs::Image
  Output image topic.

---

pose_noise_generator

This node adds noise to a topic. Currently supports only Gaussian noise and the topics listed under message_type in Param section.

Subscribed Topics

• in (programmable topic type, see Params)
  Input topic without noise.

Published Topics

• out (programmable topic type, see Params)
  Output topic with noise.

Params

• noise_type string (default "Gaussian")
  
  • "Gaussian" noise Params:
    • noise_mean double (default "0.0")
    • noise_stddev double (default "1.0")
• message_type string (default "geometry_msgs/Pose")
  Can be:
  • geometry_msgs/Pose
  • geometry_msgs/PoseStamped
  • geometry_msgs/Transform
  • geometry_msgs/TransformStamped

---

rgbd_throttle

This node limits the frame rate of an RGBD camera.

Subscribed Topics

• rgb/info_in sensor_msgs::CameraInfo
  RGB CameraInfo.
• rgb/rect_in sensor_msgs::Image
  RGB Image.
• depth/info_in sensor_msgs::CameraInfo
  Depth CameraInfo.
• depth/rect_in sensor_msgs::Image
  Depth Image.

Published Topics

• rgb/info_out sensor_msgs::CameraInfo
  Throttled RGB CameraInfo.
• rgb/rect_out sensor_msgs::Image
  Throttled RGB Image.
• depth/info_out sensor_msgs::CameraInfo
  Throttled Depth CameraInfo.
• depth/rect_out sensor_msgs::Image
  Throttled Depth Image.

Params

• rate double (default "5.0")
  Maximum framerate allowed.

---

tf_link_map_to_world

This package links a disconnected sub-tree to the /tf root. Suppose you have a /tf tree similar to this:

/world +
       |--- /vicon/robot_name
       |--- /vicon/some_other_object
       |--- ...
/map +
     |--- /odom +
                |--- /base_link

If you want to link the /map frame to the /world frame, and the transform between /world and /map is given by the first transform from /world to /vicon/robot_name, you can use this node.

Params

• frame_world string (default "/world")
  Frame attached to the absolute reference frame origin.
• frame_groundtruth string (default "/vicon/puma/puma")
  Frame attached to the ground truth pose of the robot.
• frame_map string (default "/map")
  Frame attached to the robot's relative reference frame origin.
• rate double (default "10.0")
  Frequency of the tf broadcaster.

---

tf_eval

Evaluates the relative transform of between two frames and outputs it to a csv file. Each line of the file contains (in order):

|| TIMESTAMP || ERROR       || GROUND TRUTH || ESTIMATE (Base Link) ||
||           || X Y Z R P Y || X Y Z R P Y  || X Y Z R P Y          ||

Params

• frame_world string (default "/world")
  Frame attached to the absolute reference frame origin.
• frame_groundtruth string (default "/vicon/puma/puma")
  Frame attached to the ground truth pose of the robot.
• frame_baselink string (default "/base_link")
  Frame attached to the robot, in its relative reference frame.
• rate double (default "10.0")
  Frequency of the tf listener.
• csv_filename string (default: "%Y_%m_%d_%H_%M_%S.csv")
  Output filename.
• csv_delimiter string (default: " ")
  Csv field delimiter.