Panther - OS for Z2 Mini

Software
1

Hello,

We are revisiting again ROS2 for our Panther. We have a Z2 mini as our user computer. Is this now compatible with the Husarion OS? Last time we tried, we couldn’t get the install to work on the Z2.

Thank you.

2

Hello @Tim_RMIT,

Generally, I see no reason why it would be necessary to install Husarion OS on a user’s computer.

In order for ROS communication to take place, it is necessary to ensure:

In terms of hardware:

  • ethernet connections

In terms of software:

  • appropriate version of Ubuntu (for version humble-2.1.1 it is Ubuntu 22.04).
  • ROS installation
  • time synchronization
  • DDS configuration. We both use cyclone by default, sometimes you need to specify a network interface to obtain data.
  • It is worth setting a static IP address to 10.15.20.3/24

Once the above aspects are met, any computer should be able to communicate with Panther.

Regards

3

Hello @RafalGorecki ,

I think my question may have been mis-understood. I refer to the ‘user computer’ inside Panther (as opposed to the ‘built-in’ Pi). Our model is the PC01 HP Z2 Mini.

For clarity, When we last looked into upgrading Panther to ROS 2 in May this year, the Husarion OS upgrade on Panther was a blocker. The current OS reinstall current lists only the NUC and Lenovo. While both refer back to the same OS image, I would like to confirm that the Z2 will also work (in non-headless mode) before attempting a re-install and preventing lost time if we have to revert again.

I appreciate it may also be possible to just upgrade the Z2 manually to Ubuntu 22.04 and ROS2, however, the Husarion OS comes with preconfigured docker containers and configuration for Panther which are quite beneficial, and on which our existing software stack depends.

Thank you and Kind Regards,
Tim

4

Hello @Tim_RMIT,

Thank you for the link to the previous thread and I understand your hesitations and doubts. I will briefly explain the broader perspective so that you understand the company’s decisions.

Husarion OS was created for ROSbots, where its presence is justified, because it configures clearly defined hardware located in the robot. In the case of Panther with ROS 2, the hardware is configured on the Built-In Computer, so the User Computer can be any hardware purchased by the user. Maintaining the system for subsequent devices would be time-consuming, and the licenses of some manufacturers make the process of introducing changes difficult. It makes more sense to base it on a known operating system and write instructions on what to provide to be able to communicate with the Built-in computer.

The difference between pure Ubuntu22.04 and Husarion OS comes down to the installation of a dozen or so packages, which the user can easily install themselves. There is nothing to prevent you from installing docker on a new system and using the same compos. Thanks to this approach, we do not impose a single path on the user to create their own application. The user can choose the most convenient form for them.

Perhaps Husarion OS will work with your computer, but it is withdrawn from sale and we are no longer conducting any tests on it.

Please be understanding. If you have any problems, please contact us.
Regards

5

Hello @RafalGorecki

Hello …,

Thank you for the additional information. I understand that Husarion are moving away from the custom OS for the built-in computer, and now the recommended approach is to manually install/upgrade and configure the OS.

However, I have some follow-up queries. Is there documentation (apologies if I’ve perhaps missed if) that details:

  • Recommended list of husarion (or other) docker containers (or repositories) for running default software with our Panther hardware (Velodyne Puck, Zed2, UR5e). I can find a reference of panther-navigation, but this depends on other packages (velodyne). Is there a complete list?
  • OS configuration that is required, including environment settings, and ubuntu software packages to leverage?

This would be useful as the most convenient approach for us is to leverage an existing functional software stack (and modify as needed), to then focus on our own research software.

Regards,
Tim

6

Hello @Tim_RMIT,

Thank you for your inquiry. In fact, there is one place missing in our documentation that would provide information on the question asked. However, I will describe the recommended approach to your sensors.

Sensor Assumptions

Sensor Demos
For most simple sensors, we have Docker images that will allow for quick testing and acquisition of sensor data. However, Docker images are not the best for devices that the user may want to configure custom to their preferences. In such situations, I recommend installing the package according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Basic sensor integrations can be found at ROS Equipment | Husarion.

How to integrate devices
Our development team is striving for software in which the RPI is an integral part of the robot and the user does not need to access this computer. Therefore, changes that are not related with the Panther should not be made on Built-In Computer. Therefore, I recommend that all external devices are integrated and run from the user computer.

Your sensors

Velodyne
You can find velodyne Docker in this repository. Currently, there is a minor bug between the ros2 branch and ros2-tf-fix. Therefore, I recommend using the ros2-tf-fix branch.

ZED2
I upload the article and the corresponding repository to the docker containing ZED.
ZED images are strongly linked to NVIDIA drivers, which may require a driver update, and the ZED image itself is quite large. The manufacturer also provides separate tools for the camera and extensive configuration options. Personally, I would prefer a native installation of ZED.

UR5e
We had a demo for UR manipulators prepared for ROS1. As of today, we do not have a ready demo for the manipulator. Here are some useful links:

OS Configuration

I think all the most important information was presented in the first message.

Let me know if everything is clear or if you encounter any problems in our demos.

Regards

7

Hello @RafalGorecki,

Thank you for the detailed information.

It looks like it will take a bit of time for us to work through the different components. If we have follow-up questions, we’ll get back here.

Thank you for the information and assistance.
Tim