luci_grpc_interface

Summary:

This is the primary package used in the SDK. This package also allows for the bidirectional transfer of information between LUCI and the ROS ecosystem. This package's node allows for you to read sensor data as well as send remote joystick commands to the system.

This package points at a LUCI gRPC server and operates on a multi-threaded approach which will grab all specified LUCI sensor streams then pass them through a message type conversion and then publish them on ROS topics.

You are likely to always use this node if using the LUCI SDK.

Use

To run a basic interface with no IR frames you need to run ros2 run luci_grpc_interface grpc_interface_node -a <chairs-ip-address>

To run the node while streaming IR frames add the -f flag followed by the rate you would like.

Example of streaming at 5fps per camera ros2 run luci_grpc_interface grpc_interface_node -a <chairs-ip-address> -f 5

Running Modes

There are 4 ROS services set up for the user. They can be used to set annd remove two drive modes which are Autonomous Remote and Shared Remote.

• Autonomous Remote - This mode allows for a fully autonomous control of the chair by publishing a joystick messsage on the /luci/remote_joystick topic. The physical joystick wont stream any information and cant be used when this mode is activated. This mode can be set/remove by using ros2 service call /luci/<set/remove>_auto_remote_input std_srvs/srv/Empty. Note - While setting remote joystick, dont forget to set the input source to 1. If the input source is not set right, LUCI will disregard the command.
• Shared Remote - This mode allows for a shared autonomous control of the chair. This mode will allow the user joystick to still stream on /luci/joystick_position topic. This allows for a shared autonomy where the input joystick data can be used for processing and new data to control the chair can be published on the /luci/remote_joystick topic. This mode can be set/remove by using ros2 service call /luci/<set/remove>_shared_remote_input std_srvs/srv/Empty. Note - While setting remote joystick, dont forget to set the input source to 5. If the input source is not set right, LUCI will disregard the command.

Notes:

• The -f flag is optional and if nothing is passed in, the IR frames and the camera info will "stream" at 0 fps. You will not see the ros topics if the flag is not set.
• The best way to see the IR frames is with foxglove. See the main LUCI SDK docs for more information.
• Camera info topic streams camera intrinsics, traslations and rotation and can be checked by performing ros2 topic echo /luci/<camera_position>_camera_info where ros is sourced. The camera_position parameter can be left, right, rear.
• The maximum frame rate that can be sent is 15fps. This is the rate LUCI cameras naturally stream at.
• All requested frame rates are best effort requests. This means that LUCI will do its best to maintain the FPS but network and other factors may slow the actual observed rate. In addition any rate that is not cleanly divided into 15 will not be guaranteed. For example a rate request of 5 will be honored minus any network delay but a request of 7 will result in either 7 or 8 fps.

Package	Node
luci_grpc_interface	luci_grpc_interface_node

Implemented	Topics	ROS2 Type	Message Type	Description
yes	luci/set_auto_remote_input	service	std_srvs::srvs::Empty	Sets the input source to the autonomous remote source for joystick commands
yes	luci/remove_auto_remote_input	service	std_srvs::srvs::Empty	Removes the autonomous remote joystick input source and set it to default
yes	luci/set_shared_remote_input	service	std_srvs::srvs::Empty	Sets the input source to the shared remote source for joystick commands
yes	luci/remove_shared_remote_input	service	std_srvs::srvs::Empty	Removes the shared remote joystick input source and set it to default
yes	luci/remote_joystick	subscription	luci_messages::msg::LuciJoystick	Remote joystick values used to drive the chair (front_back:xxx, left_right: xxx, joystick_zone: y, input_source: z). xxx range: [-100, 100], y range: [1, 8], input_source: [0, 5] NOTE - Publishing to this topic should be faster than 10Hz, or else chair will engage and disengage brakes constantly.
yes	luci/joystick_position	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciJoystick	Joystick values of the chair (front_back:xxx, left_right: xxx, joystick_zone: y, input_source: z). xxx range: [-100, 100], y range: [1, 8], input_source: [0, 5].
partially	luci/odom	publisher	nav_msgs::msg::Odometry	AHRS odom reading
yes	luci/imu	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciImu	Raw IMU data from the LUCI system
yes	luci/ultrasonic_points	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2	Ultrasonic pointcloud
yes	luci/radar_points	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2	Radar pointcloud
yes	luci/camera_points	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2	Fused and Decimated pointcloud from all the LUCI cameras
yes	luci/scaling	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciScaling	Scaling percentage of each zone LUCI sees. [0, 1] output for each zone (percentage scaling)
yes	luci/joystick_scaling	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciJoystick	Scaled final Joystick values of the chair including the scaling applied
yes	luci/encoder	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciEncoders	Raw Encoder data from the LUCI system

NOTE: The Following topics will only be published when -f Flag is set

Implemented	Topics	ROS2 Type	Message Type	Description
yes	luci/ir_left_camera	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::Image	Left camera’s IR frame
yes	luci/ir_right_camera	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::Image	Right camera’s IR frame
yes	luci/ir_rear_camera	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::Image	Rear camera’s IR frame
yes	luci/left_camera_info	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciCameraInfo	Left camera’s IR frame meta data
yes	luci/right_camera_info	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciCameraInfo	Right camera’s IR frame meta data
yes	luci/rear_camera_info	publisher	luci_messages::msg::LuciCameraInfo	Rear camera’s IR frame meta data

Removed Implementations

	Topics	ROS2 Type	Message Type	Description
removed	luci/drive_mode	subscription	luci_messages::msg::LuciDriveMode	Mode of chair for drive controls (USER = user drives with joystick, ENGAGED = remote command drive the chair if user is holding joystick forward, AUTO = remote commands drive chair no matter what user is doing)

Future Implementations

	Topics	ROS2 Type	Message Type	Description
coming soon	luci/chair_velocity	publisher	geometry_msgs::msg::Twist	Linear and angular velocity of the chair according to onboard AHRS Note: “linear velocity” will be speed not velocity
coming soon	luci/all_sensor_points	publisher	sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2	Full pointcloud (All LUCI sensors)