RQT gauges

rqt_gauges is and rqt Python plugin. It allows to create the different types of gauges:

• Dial
• Rotational
• Bar

ROS2 Distro	Build Status	Package build
Rolling
Iron
Humble

These widget are expected to be able to subscribe to a specific topic and select a field from that topic to show on the gauge UI. The following features are added to this widget:

• Show the value of the specified topic field
• Modify the minimum and maximum value of the gauge
• Modify the units of the dial

How to compile it

cd <workspace-with-the-package>
colcon build --packages-select rqt_gauges
source install/setup.bash

RQT

Run the RQT plugin UI:

rqt

Go to the following path on the menu tab: Plugins -> Visualization ->

Dial

Rotational

Bar

Standalone Plugin

Run the standalone node:

ros2 run rqt_gauges rqt_gauges

How to use it

Play by changing the minimum limit, maximum limit and units of the gauge with the boxes at the bottom of the widget. Subscribe to topics and watch the gauge move.

Create two different publishers: one with a geometry_msgs/msg/Twist and another one with std_msgs/msg/Int16:

In one terminal:

ros2 topic pub /test_topic_2 geometry_msgs/msg/Twist "linear:
  x: 70.0
  y: 0.0
  z: 0.0
angular:
  x: 0.0
  y: 0.0
  z: 0.0"

In another terminal:

ros2 topic pub /test_topic std_msgs/msg/Int16 "data: 10"

Go to the plugin and start filling the text box on top of it until you reach the specific field you want for a specific topic (there is a topic autocompleter in order to avoid any name issues):

Select the topic and completing the required field:

• /test_topic/data
• /test_topic_2/linear/x

Hit the Subscribe button to the right.