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Programming Robots with ROS: A Practical Introduction to the…

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Programming Robots with ROS: A Practical Introduction to the Robot Operating System

The field of robotics has experienced significant growth in recent years, with robots being increasingly used in various industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to transportation and education. As robots become more sophisticated, the need for a flexible and widely-accepted software framework to program and control them has become essential. This is where the Robot Operating System (ROS) comes in. In this article, we will provide a practical introduction to ROS and explore how it can be used to program robots.

What is ROS?

ROS is an open-source software framework that provides a set of tools, libraries, and conventions to build robot applications. It was originally developed in 2007 by the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL) and is now maintained by the Open Robotics organization. ROS provides a common platform for robot developers to create software that can run on a variety of robot hardware, from simple robotic arms to complex autonomous vehicles.

Key Features of ROS

ROS has several key features that make it an attractive choice for robot programming:

  1. Modular architecture: ROS is designed as a collection of independent modules, called packages, which can be easily combined to create complex robot applications.
  2. Message-passing interface: ROS provides a standardized way for different modules to communicate with each other using messages, which enables loose coupling and flexibility.
  3. Large community: ROS has a large and active community of developers, which ensures that there are many resources available for learning and troubleshooting.
  4. Cross-platform compatibility: ROS can run on various operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Programming with ROS

Programming with ROS involves several steps:

  1. Setting up the ROS environment: This involves installing ROS on your computer and setting up the necessary tools and libraries.
  2. Creating a ROS package: A ROS package is a collection of code, configuration files, and other resources that are used to build a robot application.
  3. Writing ROS nodes: ROS nodes are the building blocks of a ROS package and are used to perform specific tasks, such as controlling a robot’s movements or processing sensor data.
  4. Communicating between nodes: ROS nodes can communicate with each other using messages, which are defined using a standardized protocol.

ROS Tools and Libraries

ROS provides a wide range of tools and libraries that can be used to program robots, including:

  1. ROS Core: This is the core of the ROS system and provides the basic functionality for creating and managing ROS nodes and messages.
  2. ROS Middleware: This provides a set of libraries and tools for building robot applications, including support for topics, services, and actions.
  3. ROS Visualization Tools: These tools, such as RViz and RQt, provide a graphical interface for visualizing and debugging ROS applications.
  4. ROS Simulation Tools: These tools, such as Gazebo and Stage, provide a simulated environment for testing and debugging ROS applications.

Real-World Applications of ROS

ROS is widely used in various industries and applications, including:

  1. Autonomous vehicles: ROS is used in the development of autonomous vehicles, such as self-driving cars and drones.
  2. Industrial robotics: ROS is used in industrial robotics, such as robotic arms and conveyor belts.
  3. Service robotics: ROS is used in service robotics, such as robots that assist humans in daily tasks.
  4. Research and education: ROS is widely used in research and education, providing a platform for students and researchers to learn about robotics and develop new robot applications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ROS is a powerful and flexible software framework that provides a common platform for programming robots. Its modular architecture, message-passing interface, and large community make it an attractive choice for robot developers. With its wide range of tools and libraries, ROS can be used to program robots for various applications, from autonomous vehicles to industrial robotics. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced robot developer, ROS is definitely worth exploring.

Getting Started with ROS

If you are interested in getting started with ROS, here are some steps you can follow:

  1. Visit the ROS website: The ROS website provides a wealth of information on ROS, including tutorials, documentation, and community resources.
  2. Install ROS: Install ROS on your computer and set up the necessary tools and libraries.
  3. Take online courses or tutorials: There are many online courses and tutorials available that can help you learn ROS, including the official ROS tutorials.
  4. Join the ROS community: Join the ROS community to connect with other developers, ask questions, and learn from their experiences.

Customers say

Customers find the book provides a good introduction to ROS concepts, with one mentioning it includes many practical examples.

13 reviews for Programming Robots with ROS: A Practical Introduction to the…

  1. Ed S –

    Haven’t finished it – but so far, REALLY GOOD
    I’m about a third of the way through – so I’ll post an update when I get through the whole thing, but what I’ve read and worked with so far is great!Of course, with most any printed technical books, the versions of software referred to are out of date – but that is to be expected. I like having a printed book along with using on-line information. The printed book gives me the ability to fold corners, make notes, highlight stuff, and easily refer to it while working in an IDE. In addition, I find that (in most cases) the content is better reviewed, organized, and edited than what I typically find on-line.I made a choice of substituting the latest stable version of Ubuntu, ROS and other utilities when the book gave a command to install or update something. This has worked well (though took some effort at times). There are a few times when something doesn’t quite work, but a quick check at the current version Docs (on-line) solve the problem, and I’m on my way again. If you can’t do this, and you want an ‘ABC’ guide to how to set-up and develop software, then you probably shouldn’t be in the software industry.As I said, I’ll post an update when I get through all of the material, but so far – I highly recommend it.

  2. Amazon Customer –

    Best ROS textbook I have ever!
    I love this book! Although I had some experience about ROS and Gazebo, the practices and explanations are very clear.Here is some errors from source codes from the book (and this can be updated if I find more):- p.101BEFORE: if light_change_time > rospy.Time.now():AFTER: if light_change_time < rospy.Time.now():

  3. Brian Erickson –

    Good introduction. Would like more content.
    This book is clear and easy to follow. It gives a good grasp on the ROS fundamentals. I would like to see some deeper topics included like XACRO and Gazebo custom controllers, but can understand that they weren’t included in an introductory text.

  4. Amazon Customer –

    Great book
    Great introduction with lots of examples. A good way to learn ROS is to play with the simulation examples in the book.

  5. rrrrrrr –

    THIS IS THE ONE
    THE BEST resource for learning ROS, very easy to read with easy sample code. Zero confusion.

  6. Jo –

    Not bad, but should improve in next version
    Not a bad book. It is organized very well. It teaches the concept of ROS as well as some tips and what to watch out. However, there are many error in this book which make it annoying since the code won’t work first try. The step on running the code may also not be complete.

  7. BurtB –

    Good basic introduction to ROS
    A good basic introduction to ROS, and was helpful with my Robotic head project.

  8. Philip Graziani –

    Python only
    The entire book is written in python, which is cool for concept but it would be nice to see a bit of c++ for context. Also my first copy I was sent was falling apart from the binding so they sent me a new one which seems in good shape. But I’ll reiterate it’s almost entirely python. Which is a good thing but also a bad thing if your looking for Ros cpp help.

  9. Pedro Najera García –

    El libro de Quigley sobre ROS tiene la dualidad de ser un recurso muy valioso para un usuario novato en el ámbito de ROS así como una referencia importante para el usuario experimentado. Sin detenerse demasiado en los elementos necesarios para trabajar en el propósito del libro (que es el empleo de múltiples e interesantes algoritmos robóticos de reconocimiento, mapeo y navegación para diferentes plataformas robóticas) enfatiza muy puntualmente sobre el panorama y las herramientas necesarias para trabajar apropiadamente (haciendo gala de una síntesis mínima de los miles de tutoriales que hay en línea) y los recursos adicionales para especializarse en el tema (sirviendo como una guía programada para nuevos temas), transportando al lector desde una narrativa de las potenciales aplicaciones de la robótica, hasta su realización en ambientes simulados o en robots reales. Es un libro didáctico, bien estructurado, ameno y con un lenguaje al alcance de cualquier usuario que manifieste seriedad en sus intenciones de aprender o especializarse en algoritmos de robótica móvil.

  10. Michael McCool –

    This book walks through the basics of ROS Indigo and gives many examples using the simulator, so no physical robots are necessary to try out the examples in the book. If you do work through all the examples you will have a fairly good grounding in ROS.The book focuses on Python and uses ROS Indigo. It does include a short appendix on the C++ interface to ROS but this us not complete; for example, it leaves out how to access parameters. However, the focus on Python us fine as this is sufficient to build many powerful ROS systems. I do wish the book included a little more material on parameter and launch files, as well as URDF, but for an introductory book emphasizing the use of exusting robots and models (as opposed to building new robots) thus is ok.I would definitely recommend this book as a good place to start learning ROS, but you’ll want to continue with other books and the materials cited in the references.

  11. Amazon カスタマー –

    Really good book, for those who wish to learn ROS.Covers architecture, simulation, debugging etc… More importantly it achieves this by learning through programming. The examples found in the book should provide a good foundation for future development and ensure good retention of the concepts.

  12. Amazon Customer –

    Easy to follow and does what it claims to do. Keep the errata (online) close if you’re reading this first edition, there are multiple minor issues.

  13. Euler, Thomas –

    … in dieses doch recht komplexe System. Es wird keine Hardware benötigt, um die Beispiele (im Simulator) nachzuvollziehen. Soweit ich das überblicke, werden die wichtigsten Komponenten von ROS berührt.

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