Build Autonomous Mobile Robot from Scratch using ROS

Rajesh Subramanian is a robotics engineer by profession and founder of ThunDroids LLP (a robotics manufacturing and service firm). He has more than 7 years of experience in the industry and research area. He holds a post-graduate degree from the University of Queensland, Australia and a research degree from Edith Cowan University, Australia. Rajesh has worked with humanoid service robots, mobile robots, robot arms, and modular robots as part of both industry and academics, and published a research paper on modular robots at the IEEE TENCON 2013 international conference. He also works as a robotics educator and has published courses on autonomous robots.

lt;p>Chapter 1: Introduction to Robotics 

·       Basic Mathematics for Robotics 

·       Basic Electronics 

·       Basic 3D Modelling and 3D Printing 

·       Basic Linux 

·       Basic Programming 

·       Basic Robotics Algorithms 

o Odometry
o Transforms 
o Sensor Data 
o Map
o SLAM
o Localization 
o Path planners 

Global 

Local 

o Drive Systems 

Differential Drive 
Skid Steer
Ackermann
Holonomic etc. 

o Actuator Control 

Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Computer 

·       Installing Linux 

·       Installing ROS 

·       Installing IDE 

Chapter 3: ROS Framework

·       Why ROS 

·       ROS Architecture 

·       ROS Installation 

·       ROS File System 

·       Publisher/Subscriber 

·       Services 

·       Actions 

·       Implementing publishers/subscribers, services, and actions using python 

·       Basic ROS commands 

·       Coordinate Transformation (TF) 

·       ROS Navigation Stack 

Chapter 4: Robot Simulation

·       Rviz and Gazebo 

·       Turtlesim - A cute virtual turtle 

o Simulating turtle in Turtlesim 

o Controlling turtle in Turtlesim 

·       Turtlebot - Autonomous Mobile Robot o Simulating Turtlebot in Gazebo 

o Controlling Turtlebot 

·       PR2 - Autonomous Mobile Manipulator Robot 

o Simulating PR2 in Gazebo o Visualizing PR2 in Rviz
o Controlling PR2 

Chapter 5: Arduino and ROS

·       Basic Arduino Programming 

·       Examples 

·       Interfacing Arduino with ROS 

Chapter 6: Building Bumblebot: A Simple 2-Wheeled Robot

·       Part I - Simulation

o Building robot model 

o Design robot parts using a 3D modeling software
o Add the designed parts to URDF file
o Visualize the robot in Rviz
o Load the robot into a virtual world in Gazebo simulator o Teleoperate the virtual robot using keyboard 

o Teleoperate the virtual robot using joystick 

o Teleoperate the virtual robot using android device

·       Part II - Hardware 

o 3D Print the robot parts o Electronic components o Wiring
o Assembling 

o Configuring Single Board Computer for autonomous navigation o Configuring Arduino to control peripherals
o Interfacing Arduino with ROS
o Interfacing Lidar with ROS 

o Interfacing Motors with ROS
o Interfacing Encoders with ROS
o Interfacing other electronic devices (LEDs, LCD, Buzzer, Switch, etc) with ROS o Motor gear ratio calculation
o Write your own motor controller and ROS interface
o Differential driver and Odometry
o Tele operation using ROS 
o Odometry correction - rotation and translation

Chapter 7: Enabling Bumblebot to Perform Mapping and Autonomous Navigation

o Map building 

o Autonomous navigation 

·       Part II - Hardware 

o Map building 

o Autonomous navigation 

·       Part III - Navigation Tuning 

Chapter 8: Additional Sensors and Sensor Fusion in Bumblebot

·       Part I - Adding lidar based odometry 

·       Part II - Adding IMU based odometry 

o   IMU Calibration 

·       Part III - Sensor fusion for robustness and accuracy

Chapter 9: Autonomous Delivery Using Bumblebot

·       Building delivery applications using Python 

·       Defining user interaction 

·       Defining status behaviors 

Chapter 10: Bonus Materials: Web Interface and Autonomous Docking Using Bumblebot

o Commanding robot using various controls in the web page
o Monitor status of the robot in the web page