Chrono ROS module tutorials

The Chrono distribution contains several demos for integrating autonomy stacks with the Robot Operating System (ROS) using the ROS module. In addition to the C++ API, Chrono::ROS is also available through PyChrono via the module pychrono.ros.

Chrono::ROS provides direct integration into the ROS ecosystem using builtin ROS entities within rclcpp. Chrono::ROS simply aids in exchanging information between the builtin ROS datatypes and Chrono's datatypes. One can extend the base ChROSHandler to develop custom logic with ROS publishers/subscribers/etc.

Select ROS C++ demos:

  • demo_ROS_custom_handler - demo of creating a C++-based custom handler
  • demo_ROS_sensor - demo of ROS integration with Chrono::Sensor
  • demo_ROS_urdf - demo of ROS integration with a URDF model
  • demo_ROS_vehicle - demo of ROS integration with a Chrono::Vehicle with optional support of sensors
  • demo_ROS_viper - demo of ROS integration with a Viper rover model

Select ROS Python demos:

  • demo_ROS_custom_handler.py - demo of creating a Python-based custom handler
  • demo_ROS_sensor.py - demo of ROS integration with Chrono::Sensor
  • demo_ROS_urdf.py - demo of ROS integration with a URDF model
  • demo_ROS_vehicle.py - demo of ROS integration with a Chrono::Vehicle with optional support of sensors
  • demo_ROS_viper.py - demo of ROS integration with a Viper rover model

In addition to the above demos, for a more complex example, please see the Autonomy Research Testbed. In this repository is an effort conducted by the Simulation Based Engineering Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to develop autonomy stacks for a scale vehicle. Chrono (and Chrono::ROS) is used as the development platform for this effort.