About This Course
Update
October 9, 2020: Added installation instructions for TurtleBot3 on ROS Noetic.
Overview
Localization, mapping, and navigation are critical topics in the Robot Operating System (ROS) and mobile robotics. However, these topics can be challenging to grasp, especially for beginners unsure of where to start.
Many ROS tutorials offer high-level guidance on running nodes for mapping and navigation but lack technical depth. On the other hand, courses that delve into technical details often present mathematically complex concepts without clearly linking them to the ROS navigation stack.
This course bridges the gap by providing a practical and hands-on approach to introduce foundational mobile robot navigation concepts and their implementation in ROS. It is designed to help you quickly and effectively enter the world of mobile robot navigation.
What You’ll Learn
In this course, we focus on the tf package, one of the most essential tools for navigation in ROS. Understanding the tf package is crucial for grasping how navigation works in ROS.
While tf tutorials exist, they often rely on theoretical concepts not fully explained in ROS documentation. This course provides:
- A systematic introduction to the necessary theoretical foundations.
- Demonstrations and programming activities using tf utilities and APIs.
This course assumes prior knowledge of basic ROS concepts, including nodes, topics, services, and motion principles. If you’re unfamiliar with these, I recommend starting with my other course, ROS for Beginners: Basics, Motion, and OpenCV, to build the foundational skills needed for this course.
Instructor’s Experience
With years of experience programming in ROS for both academic and industrial projects, I am passionate about developing innovative ROS applications.
- Teaching and Leadership:
- University-level ROS training and professional development programs.
- R&D Director at Gaitech Robotics, where I developed numerous ROS packages for robots and drones.
- Scientific Contributions:
- Organizer of international scientific activities focused on ROS.
- Editor of five volumes of Robot Operating System: The Complete Reference published by Springer.
Through this experience, I’ve identified the key challenges new users face when learning ROS. This course is designed to address those pain points and provide clear, actionable solutions.
Who Is This Course For?
- Beginner ROS developers and users.
- University students learning ROS.
- Anyone interested in understanding ROS navigation concepts for mobile robots.
- Robotics enthusiasts curious about navigation.
- Learners seeking an efficient, time-saving approach to mastering ROS navigation.
Learning Objectives
Requirements
- Basic Understanding of ROS: Familiarity with the core concepts of the Robot Operating System (required).
- Programming Knowledge: Proficiency in C++ and/or Python.
- Mathematical Foundations: A solid grasp of linear algebra, trigonometry, and geometry.
- Interest in ROS: A strong desire to deepen your knowledge of ROS.
- Passion for Robotics Navigation: Enthusiasm to explore robotics navigation concepts.
Curriculum
Course Overview
ROS Navigation Introductive Demo
2D Frames, Transformations and Localization
3D Frames, Transformations and Localization
Orientation in 3D Space
The TF Package: Frames, Transformations and Localization in ROS Explained
Map-based navigation
Configuration and Tuning of the Navigation Stack Parameters
Reactive Navigation
Your Instructors
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