Senseglove ROS Workspace

A workspace for the integration of the SenseGlove into ROS Noetic. This workspace makes use of ros_control for automatically initiating publisher and subscriber nodes for the state of the senseglove.

SenseGlove Support Matrix

• ✅ Supported
• ❗ Not supported by the latest release and might be lacking features
• ❌ Not supported at all
• ❓ Unknown/untested

Directory Structure

src
├── hardware_interface      
|    ├── senseglove_hardware            # Communicates w/ SenseGlove Hardware
|    ├── senseglove_hardware_builder    # Builds the device in ROS
|    ├── senseglove_hardware_interface  # The bridge b/w ros_control & SenseGlove hardware
|
├── senseglove      
|   ├── senseglove_description          # Provides the URDFs & .rviz files
|   ├── senseglove_finger_distance      # Provides distance between finger-tips
|   ├── senseglove_haptics              # Haptic Implementation (Python API)
|   ├── senseglove_launch               # Launch files & Bluetooth scripts
|   |   ├── bluetooth_scripts
|   ├── senseglove_shared_resources     # Custome messages
|
├── SenseGlove_API                      # SG-Backend

Setting up the workspace

1. System Requirement: Ubuntu 20.04
2. Install ros-noetic
3. Clone our workspace

   git clone https://github.com/Adjuvo/senseglove_ros_ws.git

4. Install the following dependencies & update:

   sudo apt-get install ros-noetic-ros-control
   sudo apt-get install ros-noetic-joint-trajectory-controller
   sudo apt-get update
   rosdep update
   sudo apt-get upgrade

5. Navigate to the workspace folder in the terminal
6. Make sure to source your workspace
7. Build your workspace: catkin build or catkin_make
8. Post building, source the workspace itself using source devel/setup.bash

Using sensegloves in ROS

The sensegloves are connected either through USB or Bluetooth, depending on the product. Senseglove Nova connects only through bluetooth, while DK1 connects only through USB.

The workspace also consists of the bash scripts for you to connect & disconnect your Nova device via bluetooth. Kindly navigate to senseglove->senseglove_launch->bluetooth_scripts to find these scripts.

For a detailed procedure on connecting a Nova or Nova 2 glove in linux, kindly refer to SenseGlove Docs - Connecting Devices, under Pairing SenseGlove Nova or Wireless Kit -> Linux.

NOTE: The main launch file: senseglove.launch has args to specify which standalone glove you are about to use. The current implementation allows you to use either of these standalone gloves. Future updates can include simultaneous use of gloves.

Example: Using two sensegloves [Left and Right] in ROS:

1. Source your workspace

2. Make sure your sensegloves are connected through usb or bluetooth

   • If you are checking your connection by running a sensecom instance, be sure to exit the application before proceeding, because the launch file will start another instance of sensecom.
   • We do not want two instances of SenseCom running for ROS.

3. In the senseglove.launch script, make sure you specify the devices being used:

   • use_dk
   • use_nova
   • use_nova2

4. Finally, make sure you specify the handedness arguments:

   • use_left = true
   • use_right = true

5. Run: roslaunch senseglove_launch senseglove.launch after saving.

• A bash script is called invoking sensecom and running the hardware interface node twice for a left- and a right-handed glove.
• NOTE: The bash waits for the user input to confirm whether the gloves are connected in SenseCom.
• If all is well, your invocation of the roslaunch command should have started a roscore session and all necessary nodes providing intefaces to the senseglove.

Example: Using a single senseglove in ROS:

Though the whole infrastructure of this codebase was built upon the use with infinitely many sensegloves, our example launch file only accepts two gloves. Moreover, due to our integration into ros-control we require the user to know what type of gloves are connected to the PC. As such, the user has to define which glove is connected to the system.

1. Find out if you are dealing with a left or right-handed senseglove.

2. In the senseglove.launch script, make sure you specify the devices being used:

   • use_dk
   • use_nova
   • use_nova2

3. Finally and most importantly, give proper bool value to glove you are using:

   • use_left
   • use_right

4. Run: roslaunch senseglove_launch senseglove.launch after saving.

General Usage Description:

This repository is meant to present a solid foundation for using the senseglove in ROS Noetic. The senseglove_hardware_interface nodes which are called by these launch files do nothing more than using the senseglove API in a ROS /ros_control "sanctioned" manner.

Users are advised to develop their own applications outside this package and make use of the provided topics. If users do find the need to write additions to this package, beware that this repository is still subject to changes and pulling this repo again might override your own code.

If you, as a user, find a bug or have an issue with getting the workspace up and running, we suggest you leave this as an issue on this repository. This practice will allow others to troubleshoot their own problems quicker.

ROS-Control for haptics:

• In hardware_interface/senseglove_hardware_interface/config, refer to the joints & controllers assigned for each senseglove product.
• In senseglove/senseglove_haptics, there are python scripts for haptic implementation. I suggest trying haptics_node_dynamic.py in-conjuction with the dynamic_reconfigure in rqt to test the haptics of the device.
• NOTE: For NOVA 2, the vibration feedback on the Index & Thumb tip are Enabled. The vibration on the palm is disabled.

Using the finger distance node:

The finger distance package is meant to publish the distance between the fingertips through a rosnode as a means to control robotic grippers. This package also provides a calibration class that provides a service server. The service is easily called from the rqt_service_caller plugin. Instructions for the calibration are printed on your terminal. This is currently implemented/validated for only the DK1 gloves.