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# RTIS Robot Controller
A subsumption layered control system for a mobile platform featuring collision avoidance, object avoidance and corridor following for multiple real-time processed RTIS sensors for usage in the RTIS Network software framework.
The controller also has a full simulation in MATLAB. This can be found in the *Matlab Simulator* folder. The Python-based controller can be connected to the MATLAB simulator for testing where the simulator takes care of world, robot and sensor simulation.
## Publication
This work is described in more detail in the following publication:
```
Title: Adaptive Acoustic Flow-Based Navigation with 3D Sonar Sensor Fusion.
Authors: Jansen, Wouter & Laurijssen, Dennis & Steckel, Jan.
Conference: 2021 International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN)
DOI: 10.1109/IPIN51156.2021.9662596.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357601135_Adaptive_Acoustic_Flow-Based_Navigation_with_3D_Sonar_Sensor_Fusion
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9662596/
```
## Usage
### Python Controller
The Python implementation of the controller can be used in the RTIS Network software framework or with the Matlab Simulation framework.
For usage and setup of the eRTIS Network see [here](https://cosysgit.uantwerpen.be/rtis-software/rtisnetwork "RTIS Network Git repository").
The main script is [RTISRobotController.py](Python/RTISRobotController.py).
There are a few launch arguments that you likely need to use to correctly configure the script to work.
You can use the launch argument `--help` to show the description of all launch arguments available.
For example:
```bash
python3 ./Python/RTISRobotController.py --help
```
if `--keyboard` is set to 1, it will overwrite the default input velocities when using the arrow keys.
#### With RTIS Network
When using the controller in combination with the RTIS Network, the sensors connected to the RTIS Server will be automatically parsed and retrieved by the controller.
One should use a controller configuration file such as the [example](Python/Config/controller_config.json).
The `--sim` argument should be set to 0.
The `--connect_data_ip` argument should be set to the IP of the RTIS Server. Don't forget to update the RTIS Server configuration file to match the application IP to that running the RTIS Robot Controller.
The `--connect_command_ip` and `--connect_command_port` arguments should match that of the application that should receive the output velocities of the controller.
For example:
```bash
python3 ./Python/RTISRobotController.py --log 3 --keyboard 1 --connect_data_ip 192.168.1.160
```
#### With Simulator
When using the controller in combination with the Simulation environment, the sensors need to be manually configured.
This is done in a separate configuration file such as the [example](Python/Config/sim_config.json).
One should use a controller configuration file such as the [example](Python/Config/controller_sim_config.json).
The `--sim` argument should be set to 1.
The `--connect_data_ip` argument should be set to the IP that is hosting the RTIS Simulator Connect.
The `--connect_command_ip` and `--connect_command_port` should be set to the IP that is configured in RTIS Simulator Connect.
For example:
```bash
python3 ./Python/RTISRobotController.py --sim 1 --log 3 --keyboard 1 --connect_data_ip 192.168.1.160
```
Furthermore, a separate script needs to be started to act as an intermediate between the Python Controller and the Matlab simulator.
This script is called [RTISSimulatorConnect.py](Python/RTISSimulatorConnect.py).
There are a few launch arguments that you likely need to use to correctly configure the script to work.
You can use the launch argument `--help` to show the description of all launch arguments available.
For example:
```bash
python3 ./Python/RTISSimulatorConnect.py --help
```
When connecting to the Matlab Simulator, you must turn the `external_controller` in the simulation configuration to 1.
### Simulator
There is also a full simulation in MATLAB in the *Matlab Simulator* folder. This can both simulate the robot's world and motion, the sonar energyscape generation as well as the controller. Furthermore, the Python controller can also be coupled to the simulator.
#### Run Simulation
The main script is called ```run_Simulation.m```. This will create all Objects and run the simulation. The start of the script has a lot of configurable parameters. Please configure them before running.
Further down a _World Object_ and _Robot Object_ are created. Next are the _Sonar Objects_. Please make sure to configure these to your liking.
You can use as many as you want, but we recommend between 1 and 3. Make sure most of them are forward and side facing.
Next up the _Controller Object_ is made. You can configure at the start to show more debug plots of how it is configured.
All objects are MATLAB Classes and as such can be edited in a structured manner. For example if you want to change the range of a sonar sensor you run
```
MySonar.settings_ES.R_max = 10;
```
Please see the individual Classes in the _Objects_ folder to see what else can be changed.
The Controller can also be disabled. This way it will simply drive straight between the waypoints.
#### Connect Python Controller
As described above when discussing the Python Controller, to connect to the external controller, you must turn the `external_controller` in the simulation configuration to 1.
#### Replay
There is also the functionality to replay saved simulations. Do note this only replays the Robot and its path, no energyscapes or additional Controller information is saved.
First make sure you are running the Simulation with file saving turned on. Then you can run ```replay_Simulation.m``` with the correct filename in the settings.
You can either plot the end frame of each replay or view them frame by frame. Once again all options are configurable at the top of the script.
#### Heatmap
There is also a script to create a heatmap of the trajectory distribution of all saved simulations. This is ```heatmap_Simulation.m```.
Once again all options are configurable at the top of the script.
#### Extras
There are also two additional scripts in the _Extras_ folder to make some additional plots of the workings of the eRTIS Robot Controller. Notably the 2D velocity fields and the flow-lines it creates and one for generating a plot of the Masks the Controller uses.
### RTIS ROS Robot Controller Publisher
The output of the Python Controller can be published on ROS as velocity commands for a differential drive robot.
This is developed as ROS package that can be found in the *rtisros_robot_controller* folder.
The launch file configuration should match that of the `--connect_command_ip` and `--connect_command_port` arguments of the Python script.
It also has a custom message type _RTISControllerAction_ which publishes the behaviour, controller output velocities and measurement index.
It will also publish a _Twist_ message with the output velocities of the controller which can be used to steer a mobile platform that supports ROS.
Furthermore, two Matlab scripts are available called [rosbag_parse.m](Matlab%20Rosbag%20Parser/rosbag_parse.m) [rosbag_parse_combined.m](Matlab%20Rosbag%20Parser/rosbag_parse_combined.m) in the *Matlab Rosbag Parser* folder that can be used
to plot the occupancy grid map of a SLAM system combined with the odometry output of a mobile platform and the output of the RTIS Controller to a figure or a combination of the trajectories of multiple rosbags respectively.
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