Kaya Robot Navigation

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wbu4CFYYdb1A6QALh3H21Rj_6sesPXBn/view

Running Kaya Robot Navigation

To navigate the Kaya robot, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the kaya_navigation folder is placed inside the ROS 2 workspace source directory:

   ~/ros2_ws/src/IsaacSim-ros_workspaces/jazzy_ws/src

2. Start Isaac Sim 5.1.0.

3. Open the Kaya robot scene:

   kaya.usd
   

4. Press Play in Isaac Sim to start the simulation.

5. Open a terminal and go to the kaya_navigation directory using a relative path from the workspace source directory:

   cd ~/ros2_ws/src/IsaacSim-ros_workspaces/jazzy_ws/src/kaya_navigation

6. Run the RViz launch script:

   ./startRViz.sh

After this, RViz should open and the Kaya robot navigation setup should start.

How to create the map using SLAM?

This step creates the map that will later be used by Nav2.

1. Open the Kaya scene in Isaac Sim.

2. Open the Occupancy Map tool: Tools > Robotics > Occupancy Map.

3. In the Occupancy Map extension, set the origin to X: 0.0, Y: 0.0, Z: -0.65.

4. Set the upper bound to Z: 0.2.

   This height matches the lidar height of the Kaya robot.

5. Select the SimpleRoom prim in the stage.

6. Click BOUND SELECTION.

7. Verify that the occupancy map bounds cover the complete SimpleRoom environment.

8. Delete the Kaya prim from the stage before generating the map.

9. Click CALCULATE.

10. Click VISUALIZE IMAGE.

11. In the Visualization window, save the map image in:

    ~/ros2_ws/src/IsaacSim-ros_workspaces/jazzy_ws/src/kaya_navigation/maps

12. Create a YAML file in the same directory, for example KayaMap.yaml.

13. Copy the generated map parameters from the Visualization window into the YAML file, e.g:

    image: KayaMap.png
    mode: trinary
    resolution: 0.05
    origin: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]
    negate: 0
    occupied_thresh: 0.65
    free_thresh: 0.196

14. Make sure the image name in the YAML file matches the saved map image name.

15. After this, the map is ready to be used with Nav2.

Limitations of the Project

There are two known limitations in the current navigation setup:

1. Global Costmap Obstacle Layer Issue

   If the obstacle_layer is included inside the plugins list of the global_costmap parameters, the implemented areas shown in the RViz map can appear abnormal or incorrect.

   Because of this, the obstacle_layer should not be added to the global_costmap plugins unless the configuration is carefully adjusted and tested.

2. First Goal May Be Aborted

   After running the navigation script startRViz.sh and sending the first navigation goal in RViz, the goal will most likely be aborted.

   After this first aborted goal, the system usually behaves normally, and the following navigation goals can be executed correctly.