kuka_interface

Simple C++/ROS/Matlab interface to send commands to kuka_lwr (https://github.com/CentroEPiaggio/kuka-lwr) controlled robots.

Requirements:

• A PC with Ubuntu 16.04 and ROS kinetic (also other version should work)
• A PC (can be the same one) with MATLAB R2016b at least

Installation:

In a terminal:

• mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
• cd ~/catkin_ws/src
• catkin_init_workspace
• git clone https://github.com/CentroEPiaggio/kuka_interface.git
• cd ~/catkin_ws
• catkin_make

In Matlab, add the directory kuka_interface/matlab_to_ros/RealTime_Pacer/RealTime_Pacer using the AddPath utility.

Matlab

In the matlab_to_ros folder you can find some simulink schemes. Using these you can send commands to the nodes stored in the kuka_interface_pkg.

Setup:

Use matlab_to_ros as current folder, then in the command Window of matlab:

• rosinit('http://ROS_MASTER_IP:11311'), substitute ROS_MASTER_IP with the IP of the pc hosting the roscore
• init

Open one of the simulink schemes and use them to send commands to ROS.

To finish:

• rosshutdown

C++/ROS

Using one of the nodes in the kuka_interface_pkg you can send command directly to a robot using the kuka_lwr software in position control.

To start the interface for single-lwr-example type in a terminal (after the robot is started):

• rosrun kuka_interface_pkg single_lwr_manager_node

now commands can be sent using matlab, or, as an example:

• rosrun kuka_interface_pkg single_lwr_homing

To start the interface for the two-arms configuration type in a terminal (after the robot is started):

• roslaunch kuka_interface_pkg manager.launch

now commands can be sent using matlab, or, as an example:

• rosrun kuka_interface_pkg homing