Pepperl+Fuchs SmartRunner Explorer Driver

This is the documentation of a driver for the Pepperl+Fuchs SmartRunner Explorer. This driver The driver has a ROS-Node interface to the Robot Operating System (http://www.ros.org).

Sensor information

The following Pepperl+Fuchs sensors are supported by this ROS driver.

SmartRunner 3-D Explorer

The SmartRunner Explorer generates high-precision 3-D point cloud images in addition to 2-D images. It is optionally available with stereo vision technology or time-of-flight (ToF) technology. As a raw data sensor, the vision sensor is suitable for a wide variety of applications.

Official Website: https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/smartrunner_3-d.htm

Datasheet (en): https://files.pepperl-fuchs.com/webcat/navi/productInfo/doct/tdoct7242a_eng.pdf

SmartRunner Explorer

The SmartRunner Explorer is based on the innovative SmartRunner technology and outputs both height profiles and area images. SmartRunner technology combines the light-sectioning method for acquiring height profiles with the acquisition of area images via the integrated area illumination. In the light section method, a laser line is projected onto an object. This is captured at a specific angle by a camera. A height profile is then created using the triangulation principle. This laser technology enables reliable height profile recording on different surfaces.

Official Website: https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/classid_9864.htm

Datasheet (en): https://files.pepperl-fuchs.com/webcat/navi/productInfo/pds/284586-100009_eng.pdf

Usage with ROS

The ROS package smartrunner_driver consists of the driver library and a node named smartrunner_node.

Supported platforms:

• Ubuntu 20.04 / ROS Noetic
• Ubuntu 18.04 / ROS Melodic

Published topics

The following standard ROS messages are supported. The messages contain the measured data.

• scan (sensor_msgs/PointCloud)
• scan (sensor_msgs/PointCloud2)

Parameters

• frame_id - The frame-ID in the header of the published sensor_msgs/PointCloud messages
• scanner_ip - IP address or hostname of the sensor
• message_type - The type of the PointCloud-Message (PointCloud or PointCloud2)

Installation guide

1. Create a ROS workspace (http://wiki.ros.org/catkin/Tutorials/create_a_workspace) (e.g. in <home>/catkin_ws)
2. Clone the repository in the src folder of your ROS workspace. git clone https://github.com/PepperlFuchs/pf_smartrunner_ros_driver.git
3. Download the library from the Pepperl+Fuchs site. (https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/classid_9866.htm?view=productdetails&prodid=117291#software)
4. Unzip the downloaded file and copy the folder "VsxSdk" in to the folder:
   <home>/catkin_ws/src/pf_smartrunner_ros_driver/smartrunner_driver/lib/
   Change directory to
   <home>/catkin_ws/src/pf_smartrunner_ros_driver/smartrunner_driver/lib/VsxSdk/C/lib/linux-x64/ and call
   ln -s PF.VsxProtocolDriver.WrapperNE.so libPF.VsxProtocolDriver.WrapperNE.so.
5. Install .NET SDK. (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/install/linux-ubuntu-2004)
6. Change to the workspace directory.
   <home>/catkin_ws/
7. Run the command.
   source devel/setup.bash
8. Start the compilation.
   catkin_make install

Launch the driver

1. Set the IP-Address of the sensor, the message type and the sensor parameter in:
   <home>/catkin_ws/src/pf_smartrunner_ros_driver/smartrunner_driver/launch/smartrunner.launch
2. Run the command:
   roslaunch pepperl_fuchs_smartrunner smartrunner.launch
3. This starts RViz (http://wiki.ros.org/rviz) and the driver.
4. The measure points coming from the sensor are shown in the RViz window.