Has anyone worked with the Clearpath Robotics Husky A200?

Question

I am wondering if anyone has worked with the Clearpath Robotics Husky A200 platform under ROS.
Specifically I would like to know:

1. Does the ROS API give you enough flexibility?
2. What hardware do you use to interface with it? (i.e. laptop, netbook, microATX board)
3. What additional sensors have you used with it? Thanks!

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Originally posted by filitchp on ROS Answers with karma: 11 on 2011-03-28

Post score: 1

Answer 1

I haven't personally used it, but it appears that the ROS API is well-written and well-supported by the actual manufacturer/designer.

It appears that all of the information from the robot base is brought out on various message types. I don't know what kind of "flexibility" that you are looking for, but you could probably use the documented API and extend it to anything that you could possibly need.

• ROS.org Clearpath Base Wiki
• Clearpath Base Code API
• Clearpath Base Messages

I would imagine that any computer supported by ROS and clearpath would serve to work with the platform.

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Originally posted by mjcarroll with karma: 6414 on 2011-03-29

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Post score: 5

Answer 2

These guys seem to be using it with ROS as a base for vslam

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Originally posted by tfoote with karma: 58457 on 2011-03-29

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Answer 3

Old topic, might still be useful: I can answer these questions for the A100, the predecessor to the A200.

The API is very simple to use, and provides all the hooks you'll need to interface the chassis. The update rate is flexible and can be set very high (20Hz +). The hardware interface is straightforward (velocities, odometric readings, system and power status, battery levels, etc), all published cleanly on separate topics. There are no services that I know of, but they aren't necessary for this type of hardware interface. No Complaints.

The joystick demos work out-of-the-box and will help you get started.

We interface from laptop to chassis directly via USB-RS232 interface. We've had no problems with this interface at all, other than the port-detect feature in the vanilla A100 ROS API can interfere with the gpsd_client port detect. To avoid this, set the "port" rosparam for the chassis. Their packaged launch file can be edited directly to do this. This is a problem with GPSD, not clearpath, per se.

Our package was GPS over GPSD_Client, compass and telemetry equipment via a custom board, interfaced with our own ROS nodes, Husky A100 with Clearpath_base ros node, and a custom-written EKF-based navigation routine.

See other reply for relevant links.

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Originally posted by joshv with karma: 11 on 2011-06-12

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Answer 4

In case anyone would like more details in the future:

1. We try to expose nearly all relevant controls from our regular API to ROS
2. Most of our users use their own laptops, TurtleBot-style netbooks, FitPCs, or mini-ITX form-factor motherboards
3. Most commonly, people use Garmin/NovAtel/uBlox GPS units, SICK/Hokuyo LIDARs, Kinects, AXIS cameras, CH Robotics/MicroStrain IMUs, Point Grey stereo cameras

Support-wise, we're also on these forums a lot :)

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Originally posted by Ryan with karma: 3248 on 2012-03-12

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Post score: 3