Robot Localization Using Ceiling Fiducials

This code was developed to allow a robot to localize itself in an indoor environment where fiducial tags are located on the ceiling.

Installation

This code is destributed as a ROS package. The new ROS packaging format called catkin is used. We are currently testing against the “Groovy” release of ROS. ROS currently only installs on the various Ubuntu Linux distributions (e.g. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, etc.)

Install ROS Groovy

The first step is to install ROS Groovy.

Make sure that you have edited your ~/.bashrc file to have:

    source /opt/ros/groovy/setup.bash

in it. Then make sure you have run that script file:

    source ~/.bashrc

Now go to the ROS tutorials and play with catkin workspaces.

Install GCC 4.7 or Higher

The second step is to get to a version of the GCC compiler suite that is at revision of 4.7 or higher. The reason for this is because the Fiducials code is written in the newer C11 (for 2011) revision of the C programming language. The GCC revisions 4.6 and below do not support C11.

To figure out which version you have. Type:

    sudo apt-get install -y build-essential

to make sure that you have a compiler. Next, type:

    gcc --version

and you will get something that looks like:

    gcc (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1) 4.7.2
    Copyright (C) 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
    This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
    warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

In this particular example, GCC is at revision 4.7.2 which is what you need. If it says 4.6.x or less, you need to get a newer GCC compiler.

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get upgrade -y
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade -y
    sudo apt-get install -y gcc-4.8
    sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-4.8 30

Install InkScape and Doxygen

InkScape is used to convert fiducial tags from .svg Scalable Vector Graphics format into .pdf Portable Document Format so that they can be printed out on a laser printer. To install InkScape:

    sudo apt-get install -y inkscape

Doxygen is the documentation generation program that reads the various source files an prints more readable documenation. To install Doxygen:

    sudo apt-get install -y doxygen

Install Pt. Grey SDK

There are a bunch of Pt. Gray Flycapture-MV cameras kicking around. These are 648 x 480 USB monochrome cameras with a global shutter. The global shutter makes them much less immune to motion blur. For now, we are standardizing on this camera for testing the fiducial software.

Evenutally, we will make the software build optionally with or without the Pt. Grey device drivers. However, until then, it is necessary to download the Pt. Grey Software Develoment Kit. Please follow the following steps:

• to go to the Point Grey Web Site

• go to [Support] => [Downloads] and click. The following downloads link will work until the site gets reorganized.

• You can not have the software until you create an account. Their passwords must consist of letters and digits only.

• If you are lucky you should get to the Product Support: Downloads page. As usual, the link will break when the web site is reorganized.

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