Getting started

Setup

Using a simulation

If you have Aseba Playground, you can use it to simulate a Thymio. Launch the simulation with

asebaplayground

and open the thymio.playground world that is distributed with Aseba Playground.

Open a console and setup the environment

source <WORKSPACE>/install/setup.bash
export DEVICE="tcp:host=localhost;port=33333"
export SIMULATION=True

Using a real Thymio

Connect the Thymio to your machine. Open a console and setup the environment

source <WORKSPACE>/install/setup.bash
export DEVICE="ser:name=Thymio"
export SIMULATION=False

Note

There are different ways to specify devices like DEVICE="ser:device=<SERIAL_DEVICE>" or DEVICE="ser:port=<SERIAL_PORT>". On Windows you can inspect the device to which a Thymio is connected from the control panel. For examples, a Thymio connected to COM port #4 can be then specify either using DEVICE="ser:device=COM4 or DEVICE="ser:port=4. On Linux, the usual port is DEVICE="ser:device=/dev/ttyACM0 and on macOS it is DEVICE=ser:device=/dev/cu.usbmodem14201.

Running ROS-Aseba

Launch the Aseba-ROS bridge with

# use %DEVICE instead of $DEVICE in a Windows command shell
roslaunch asebaros_examples all_nodes.launch device:=$DEVICE

See ROS-Aseba: examples for more.

Running ROS-Thymio

Launch the Aseba-ROS bridge, the Thymio driver and the Thymio model with

# use %XXX instead of $XXX in a Windows command shell
roslaunch thymio_driver main.launch device:=$DEVICE simulation:=$SIMULATION

In another console, launch rviz to visualize the robot.

# use C:\<WORKSPACE>\install\setup.bat a Windows command shell
source <WORKSPACE>/install/setup.bash
roslaunch thymio_description rviz.launch

Move the robot around and observe how the proximity sensors are displayed in rviz.