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Version: ROS 2 Humble

Robot YAML Overview

Our robots provide users with a wide range of customization options: sensors, sensor mounting structures, and custom-made parts. Matching the flexibility of our hardware, Clearpath's ROS 2 system is designed to keep all these customization decisions in a single configuration file.

The Clearpath Robot Configuration YAML, or robot.yaml for short, contains all pertinent information to the entire robot system, allowing robot builders and users to quickly and easily modify any ROS 2 component.

Outline​

The robot.yaml is composed of five major sections:

  1. system level information such as the robot's hostname, IP, and ROS middleware implementation.
  2. platform level configurations such as robot specific mounting structures and parameters.
  3. links of standard URDF primitives such as boxes, cylinders, and meshes.
  4. mounts are predefined, generic, sensor mounting structures.
  5. sensors are selected from an inventory of Clearpath supported sensors.

Additionally, there are two other, required parameters:

  1. The robot's serial_number; which is used to determine the model and version.
  2. The configuration version to use, as future updates are released.

Sample​

Sample customization, Husky A200

Below is the sample Husky A200 robot YAML of the robot displayed above. In the following sections, we will reference each and every component of this sample file, and show how to robot looks as we build it up.

Find more samples robot.yaml configuration files in the Clearpath Configuration repository.

You can also skip to each section to get an explanation of each part of the sample configuration:

  1. Serial Number Sample
  2. System Sample
  3. Platform Sample
  4. Links Sample
  5. Mounts Sample
  6. Sensors Sample
Sample A200 YAML

serial_number: a200-0000
version: 0
system:
  username: administrator
  hosts:
    - hostname: cpr-a200-0000
      ip: 192.168.131.1
  ros2:
    namespace: a200_0000
    domain_id: 0
    middleware:
      implementation: rmw_fastrtps_cpp
    workspaces: []
platform:
  controller: ps4
  battery:
    model: ES20_12C
    configuration: S2P1
  attachments:
    - name: front_bumper
      type: a200.bumper
      model: default
      parent: front_bumper_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      enabled: true
      extension: 0.0
    - name: rear_bumper
      type: a200.bumper
      model: default
      parent: rear_bumper_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      enabled: true
      extension: 0.0
    - name: top_plate
      type: a200.top_plate
      model: pacs
      parent: mid_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      enabled: true
    - name: sensor_arch
      type: a200.sensor_arch
      model: sensor_arch_300
      parent: mid_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      enabled: true
  extras:
    urdf: {}
links:
  box:
    - name: user_bay_cover
      parent: top_plate_link
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.00735]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      size: [0.4, 0.4, 0.002]
  cylinder: []
  frame: []
  mesh: []
  sphere: []
mounts:
  bracket:
    - parent: top_plate_mount_d1
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      model: horizontal
  fath_pivot:
    - parent: sensor_arch_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, -0.021]
      rpy: [3.1415, 0.0, 0.0]
      angle: 0.0
  riser: []
  sick: []
  post: []
  disk: []
sensors:
  camera:
    - model: intel_realsense
      urdf_enabled: true
      launch_enabled: true
      parent: fath_pivot_0_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      ros_parameters:
        camera:
          camera_name: camera_0
          device_type: d435
          serial_no: '0'
          enable_color: true
          rgb_camera.profile: 640,480,30
          enable_depth: true
          depth_module.profile: 640,480,30
          pointcloud.enable: true
  gps: []
  imu: []
  lidar2d:
    - model: hokuyo_ust
      urdf_enabled: true
      launch_enabled: true
      parent: bracket_0_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      ros_parameters:
        urg_node:
          laser_frame_id: lidar2d_0_laser
          ip_address: 192.168.131.20
          ip_port: 10940
          angle_min: -2.356
          angle_max: 2.356
  lidar3d:
    - model: velodyne_lidar
      urdf_enabled: true
      launch_enabled: true
      parent: sensor_arch_mount
      xyz: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      rpy: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
      ros_parameters:
        velodyne_driver_node:
          frame_id: lidar3d_0_laser
          device_ip: 192.168.131.25
          port: 2368
          model: VLP16
        velodyne_transform_node:
          model: VLP16
          fixed_frame: lidar3d_0_laser
          target_frame: lidar3d_0_laser

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