Building Manager/December 13, 2010

Accomplishments

Catching back up after holiday break

• Melonee/Tully [Create]:
  • purchased two Atom-based laptops for Create to try and finalize hardware decision
  • ordered hardware for 2 more turtlebots, still need to order iRobot Creates. Have most of the sparkfun electronics. Need one more usb-minidim connector.
• Ethan/Ken [Pano/Create]:

  • first create pano.

  • Ethan wrote new version of app that publishes sensor_msgs/Image when done. This will form the basis of Building Manager integration
• Jeremy/Wim [App Deploy]: new debbuild infrastructure enables release of apps w/o rebuilding all debs. Critical for deploying apps in a lightweight manner.
• Bill: dusted off RIDE. A week and a half's work to get it running again.
• Tully: throttling/nodelet working with Kinect driver. Still 75% CPU on smallest laptop.
• Eitan: navigation stack now takes pointcloud2

This week

• Ken: will be at CES looking at potential hardware to use in project (i.e. tablets).
• Jeremy: gone r/f/monday. Working on rosbag/pr2 stuff
• Bill: Resurrect old RIDE interface. Goal is to get it to display something next week.
• Gil: out. Will help with RIDE
• Dave: working on remote teleop
• Kevin: Building Manager. Look into what from the hardware test side can be adapted as it has similar goals (e.g. collecting diagnostic logs from robots in the field)
• Leila/Caroline: Waiting until more infrastructure is in place
• Wim: more app deployment
• Melonee: improve tools/diagnostics for using turtlebot. dashboard. Assess laptops and get navigation running on it.
• Tully: Assess laptops and get navigation running on it. Working on ni/kinect releases.
• Ethan: Focusing on TOD this week. Waiting for improved turtlebot tools.
• Eitan: Will consult on turtlebot navigation. Focused on remote ops/VSLAM.
• Brian: Consult on app deployment.

Discussion

How do we send tasks to interface? Actionlib?

• Possibly add new reconfiguration options to actionlib, drop unnecessary sockets, more robust connection, UDP?
• Case study: Tim N's multi-robot wireless issues
• Need interfaces:
  • For talking to apps
  • For syncing masters

How do you do app discovery?

• App Manager has YAML file that lists applications
• Core set of UI interactions for apps (like waypoints)
• Apps will need to be able to define UIs
• Capabilities will also defines some basic UI primitives (e.g. localization)

Need method for charging laptops on turtlebot

• Need to design docking station, ala texai, to charge turtlebot.