HD's image

Hey!!!

Hope you're all doing well. We have successfully made the image of pio's HD but we noticed that it is a 120 GB unit and that PIO only uses 20 GB of it. I was thinking that maybe the other partitions could contain information about previous software installed in pio. Anyway it's all backed up now.
On the other hand, we have to check laura´s player/stage installation due to the problems we've been having (I don't have a computer yet and I've been working with her).
We hope to find Renato tomorrow in order to solve some doubts we have about playernav and the problems we've been having.
Regards!!!

Player installation in pio, Playernav warnings

Hi!

Yesterday we began trying to install player in Pio. We first noticed a lot of packages were missing so we decided to add repositories. When doing so, we realized that, due to the fact that Pio's Ubuntu version is quite old (7.04), the repositories aren't available anymore. We tried to upgrade the version to 7.10 but weren't able to do so. The solution we thought of was installing a more recent version of Ubuntu (8.04, 8.10 or 9.04), however, due to the architecture of the robot (128 Mb of ram and Pentium 3) it is not possible,

What we did today was download old versions of Player (1.4 first and then 1.5). We did the ./configure, make and make install but weren't installed successfully. We will continue working on that issue tomorrow, we think we can find a way to do so or maybe download the missing packages individually.

Concerning the Playernav task, we know how to complete it in Carlos's computer (his installation of Player was different). In my computer, however, I have been having some troubles when running the application. It does it succesfully, however, the terminal shows me several warnings and one of the robots won't execute the planned route in the world file.

We have researched in blogs and apparently, one of the warnings has to do with the way in which I installed Player.

We hope to receive some suggestions, concerning particularly the issue of Player installation in Pio.

Regards!!

Instalation of Player/Stage, and wireless fixed

Hello.

Today I finally could fix my wireless conection, I needed to change the driver. It was a little difficult at the beginning but with Carlos help we made it and helped me to undesrtand some instructions for the terminal. Then we installed the Player/Stage programs and teached me how to interact and control the robots. Also we could control the robots on his computer remotely from my laptop. Now I will go forward learning some other things of the Player/Stage programs.

Regrads.

Oscar Hdz.

Learn C++

Perhaps you can find useful the following link for learning C++.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/cc305129.aspx

I also added to the ticket.

Kind regards,

Renato.

Playernav execution

Hi!!!

As Laura said we were working with the Playernav execution and it worked in some kind of way, because in the playernav window the robot appeared in the center and with a different orientation from that of the .cfg file. So we wanted to know if this could be a problem with the localize or maybe the Position2D tool.Regards.

Playernav execution, drivers research

Hi!

On Thursday and Friday Arturo, Carlos G. and I began working on the execute the Playernav task.


1.- When trying to execute playernav for the first time we got the following error message:
bash: playernav: command not found

The reason for this error message was that the libgnomecanvas 2-0 was missing so we used the synaptic package manager to install it and the configured it in order to allow its compilation like so:

pkg-config --cflags --libs libgnomecanvas-2.0

We then compiled it in the playernav directory player/utils/playernav with make.

2.- We then opened the wavefront.cfg file and executed ./playernav. We started manipulating the tools provided to draw trayectories and saw that the two main devices used in this tool are localize and planner which we will analyze with more detail later on.

Here is a screenshot of playernav being executed in wavefront.cfg which in fact uses the simple.world





3. The next step was to compare the wavefront.cfg and simple.cfg files in order to find out why isn't playernav executed properly in the latter.

We saw that wavefront cfg has three additional drivers.

• The amcl driver localizes the poses of a robot using data from several sensors. It does it using a filter of particle which increase according to the uncertaainty of the localization.
• The nd driver makes collision avoidance adjusted to non punctual robots in reduced spaces by using several devices like position2d, laser or sonar.
• The wavefront driver creates paths according to the data provided by the devices localize and planner. It also uses very commonly the vfh driver.
• The vfh driver provides both obstacle avoidance and path following capabilities

4. We have been working on the modification of or lab2piso.cfg file (the one with the lab map and the two robots) adding drivers to it. We will continue with this task tomorrow.

5. We will also be working on the create map for Player/Stage task tomorrow. We have already completed the first step and we are now getting familiarized with the amcl and similar drivers so we have an idea on how to complete the second step. However we really need Carlos L. to give us back Pio's HD in order to complete the third step.

Regards!!

Revisar el Robot de Interiores

Hey!!!

Hope you are all doing well. We have been working in trying Nero to work properly but there are several things that won't let us achieve any progress. Today we tried testing a Floppy unit but since we didn't have 3 1/2 disks we couldn't know if it's working properly, from the part of getting power sources and other resources as far as now we haven't had much problem thankfully.
Also Laura´s brother (who built rescue robot a.k.a Kahuil) said that we should use that robot because it may work with player also.
Finally tomorrow will go to the lab in order to work with the execution of the playernav tool around 4:00 if anyone wishes to join us :D. Bye. Regards

Junta con Renato 17-Jun-09

Estuvimos viendo el trabajo a realizar.

Actualizamos Assembla con las siguientes mejoras:

1. Cada usuario junto a su nombre tiene el nombre del equipo principal al que pertenece (Lecturers, Hardware, Software)
2. Creamos 4 componentes (Lecturers, Software, Hardaware y All Members). Estos componentes indican a quién pertenece el ticket que se ha creado, viendo el trabajo COMO EQUIPO.
3. Los tickets ya tienen fecha de inicio de ese ticket para que sepan cuándo esperamos que empiecen a trabajar con eso. Esto es para que sepan qué cosas van a tener que hacer. La fecha de finalización la dice el milestone al que pertenece.
   

Problems with Ubuntu installation in Nero

Today Carlos G., Arturo, Carlos L. and I went to the lab to try to solve some of the existential issues Nero has.

We were trying to see if it is possible to install Ubuntu on a hardrive using Nero. We then managed to get a power source for a cd device Carlos L. brought, however it wasn't being identified.

The conclusion we got to is that one of the IDE ports available isn't working properly and we need both of them for the installation of Ubuntu (one for the HD and one for the cd device).

We are going to test tomorrow a floppy device in Nero and verify if it is being identified. We would also want to know if Renato can indicate us the specific way in which the connections of the Pioneers should be done. Maybe our problem is based in a specific missconception concerning this fact.

Work on Friday

Just like Luis just say, we go to the lab on Friday, and we try to fix the usb problem, but the time wasn't enough. Another thing that happen on Friday is that I take the "ide to usb" cable to try to get the image of the disk in a low way... I'm still with this problem, but I think is possible to get the image and we can put on any HD to make it simple(OS installation in NERO). We will find a solution for this problem soon...

Cheers :)

About USB

Hey, on friday Carlos and I went to the lab to try to fix the HD and USB problem. We catched that the Pioneer do detect the USB port, and looks that the drivers were installed too, but we didn't count with enough time to fix that. About the HD, we tried to check the second robot with some HD to see what was the problem but the time 'ate' us, so we couldn't even check it.

Regards

Tickets

Monitor et al. will be loaned to us on monday.

I've done some work on assembla to have tickets for all our tasks.

The bill of the cable is being processed.

Administrative tasks take a lot of time and are not fun at all!!!!!!! :(

JADE & Jess

I've been investigating a bit about JADE and how can it mix it's functions with Jess, to discover that it's rather simple to combine them. What I haven't look for is, if we can use them effectively in the robots, and the combination with Player, but I'm on that.

About the HD, Carlos and I will give us some time and go to the lab tomorrow afternoon to fix that.

Regards

Testing the robots....

begin:vcard
fn;quoted-printable:Carlos Gonz=C3=A1lez Avelino
n;quoted-printable:Gonz=C3=A1lez Avelino;Carlos
email;internet:carlosgoac1404@gmail.com
version:2.1
end:vcard

Hi everyone!

Well Laura and Arturo already explained what we did today in order to
get them both (Pio and Nero) working. First of all, Carlos L. said
something about the power source for the CD drive, we need to watch it
in order to determine the electrical needs of it and then figure out
what we could do, as the HDs work with 5V I think the same power source
we are using for the tests with the HD could be used to power up the CD
drive.

Now, in regard of the tests, we found several problems within. At some
printed circuits the tracks were torn and a bit burned we don't really
know why this happened, perhaps because it's an old model and it hasn't
received the proper handling so we fixed them and they are working now
properly. There are still several test we have to make because there's
something bugging us in Pio: it can only be powered up with both the
batteries and the external source at the same time, the lack of one of
them prevents it to be turned on and its internal computer isn't turning
on either so we have to still check the circuits to troubleshoot it
hoping we can achieve this by tomorrow.

With the HD issue, we really need Luis and Carlos L. to work on it ASAP
to see if it's really the HD the one that prevents Nero to start and
then buy a brand new one or if there's some kind of problem with the
motherboard or something.

So far these are the news for what we've been doing this past few days.
Sorry if we haven't closed the first tickets but we haven't finished, we
are making a lot of progress but it also takes time for we are still
students and we don't have that much experience with these issues. Be
patient! :P

Cheers!

HD tests

Hey!!!
As Laura said, today we went to the lab and made several tests with both robots. First with the voltage sources Pio didn´t work so we decided to disassemble him in order to know what was wrong, while checking the power circuit we thought it was a good idea to remove Pio´s HD and test it on Nero. We saw that mainly Pio and Nero have exactly the same components except for some ports that Pio has and Nero doesn´t (the ones for the camera). Well, as I was saying we tested Pio´s HD into Nero and unfortunately it didn´t work (not even with Pio´s cable and adapter which happened to be the same one I bought  ). Finally we think the problem might be related with what carlos said about the OS being installed with the specific controllers but I think it shouldn´t because the structure of both robots is mainly the same (maybe Carlos and Luis can help us a little bit with this).
On the other hand, there were some problems about the power circuits in Pio and we think they might be fixed by now, but we weren´t able to make further tests because of time. Regards!!!

HD tests and other issues

Today Carlos G., Arturo and I went to the lab in order to make several tests. First, we could get the three power sources we talked about on Monday. We tested Pio with the three of them and saw it wasn't turning on so we began testing the continuity and voltage of some of the circuits which were quite confusing so we didn't get to any specific conclusion. We will post the observations made with more detail later on and will continue working on this issue tomorrow.

Since we had to dissasembles Pio, we saw the opportunity to remove it's HD and use it to test Nero's HD port. With the adapter Arturo brought we could see that this HD was actually turning on, however, it seems that Nero couldn't identify this HD's operating system since we got a warning about the Grub when turning it on.

We will be posting later in order to give more details about this two problems we have been having and the possible solutions we come up with. Hope any of you can give us advice.

Meanwhile, Carlos G. downloaded a C++ tutorial and shared it with Arturo and me.

See you all soon
Regards!

New tickets

I've created new tickets in Assembla for all of you. Please see them and close those you have finished.

Junta con Renato 10-Jun-09

1. Milestone convenio CEM-DFKI (Urge materias)
2. Renato y yo vamos a empezar a subir los tickets viejos y nuevos.
3. Renato va a ver un sistema de comunicación entre robots via pizarrón que tal vez nos sea útil.
4. Los tickets que tienen en Assembla los tienen que aceptar y cerrar en caso que ya hayan terminado.
   

Problems in the Nero's OS

Hi,

Yesterday I try to install Ubuntu in "Nero". But I have one "little" problem I can't connect the CD player because I don't have the AC cable. So, if anyone have "one" haha :) Can he/she lend me for the "cause"? haha :) And with this I hope we can know what is the problem... the HD or anything else ...

Cheers,

Carlos L

In the other hand, I was thinking in the OS we will install, and I think the best option is the same Ubuntu OS that "Pio" have. Maybe Carlos G, Laura and Arturo can say me what Ubuntu "Distro" is, to find and download it.

Minuta Junta 08/06/09

1. Problemas con las baterías: Se intentarán solucionar con fuentes de voltaje para proporcionar el voltaje y la corriente necesaria por tiempo ilimitado y ya no depender de las baterías cuando los robots no necesiten moverse, se investigará si con un vale para el profesor Jorge nos pueden prestar las fuentes indefinidamente. Por otro lado, las baterías se van a quedar cargando toda la noche para que estén listas al día siguiente y se espera que se puedan comprar otros 3 cargadores para cuando se tengan que utilizar los dos robots al mismo tiempo.

2. Problemas con el disco duro de Nero: El profesor Jorge pedirá una unidad de DVD de PC para conectarla a Nero e instalar Ubuntu en el disco duro de prueba. Si funciona, se tendrá que comprar un disco duro nuevo.

3. El profesor Jorge contactará a la profesora Marissa para pedirle las llaves del laboratorio de Visión Artificial y ver lo de tener llaves para el laboratorio de Manipuladores para no depender de los policías para que abran y cierren el laboratorio.

4. Carlos L. y Luis van a checar si Jess y Jade pueden servir para la creación de agentes para Player/Stage.

5. Laura, Arturo y Carlos G. van a aprender C++.

6. El profesor Jorge subirá los tickets que faltan.

:)

Hi

Hi everyone,

Sorry for not posting :( (I don´t have the habit of writting my little steps). This weekend I was researching about Jess. I'm already download it and I'm "playing" with the program to get the advantages and disadvantages, for the purpose of the "agents" and the way the robots will communicate.

Regards,

:) Carlos

About USB

Hi all, I was waiting to the lab to be opened when I realized that the robot have no batteries. As Carlos G. said, this is slowing us a little bit, but when its up and running, Carlos L. or me could get the USB port working.

Regards

Hi everyone!

For the matter of getting to work the USB port, I will be going to lab tomorrow so I can check it out. This week I haven't had the chance to stay by afternoons, so I'll go to lab more less at 11:00 am.

Regards

Today's work at the Lab...

begin:vcard
fn;quoted-printable:Carlos Gonz=C3=A1lez Avelino
n;quoted-printable:Gonz=C3=A1lez Avelino;Carlos
email;internet:A00466801@itesm.mx
note;quoted-printable:Ingenier=C3=ADa en Tecnolog=C3=ADas Electr=C3=B3nicas 8o. Semestre
version:2.1
end:vcard

Today Laura, Arturo and I went to the lab to continue testing Pio and
Nero but the converter Arturo bought was only from mini-IDE to IDE and
he also brought a converter from IDE to USB, unfortunately both
converters need power to work which the first one has but the second one
didn't so Arturo has to look for it and bring it tomorrow so we can
finish checking Nero.

Pio is already working except for the USB port in the laser, to check
that we need Luis and Carlos L. to help us because they have more
experience in such matters. We assigned some tickets in Assembla because
we need some stuff to continue working.

We agreed now the highest priority task is to get both robots up and
running and to do that we need:

1. Get another charger for the batteries.
2. Make the backup image for Pio.
3. Check the HD of Nero.
4. If the HD is working properly then make a backup image of it, if not
then look for another HD to replace it and install everything on it.

We checked the three chargers and they are working properly, checked the
power source teacher Marissa told us she would check and repair but
apparently she didn't so we can't use it as another charger. We're
making progress but once again the issue of the batteries will probably
slow us down.

Cheers!

Laboratory reconfiguration

Hallo!

Carlos G., Arturo and I went yesterday to the laboratory to reorganized it. We cleaned the tables and we moved the wooden blocks to the corner and "stole" a table and chairs from the Vision Artificial laboratory . The final configuration of the laboratory is very convenient since we have a considerable free space and we can work more comfortably. The only thing left for the lab to be perfect is to buy candies ;).

Regards!!

Minuta junta 2 Junio 2009

Decidimos usar el www.assembla.com como trac para llevar el control.

El trac va a ser para saber que hacer y el blog para los comentarios como lo veniamos haciendo.

Oscar entra al equipo. Es mecatrónico de 5-6o semestre.

Vamos a empezar a hacer tareas de ver que los robots funcionen.

La junta quedo los lunes de 4 a 5pm en el laboratorio.

PONER EN EL BLOG ETIQUETAS QUE AYUDEN A LOCALIZAR RAPIDAMENTE LOS COMENTARIOS.

Tareas:

1. Llaves para todos los del equipo (del lab.)
2. pago del cable
3. Organizar el lab.
   

Hi!

About the courses I could be taking, I will talk to Irma (ITC principal) tomorrow so I can get the idea of what can or cant make about this topic. I'll post this and fill the form tomorrow as soon as I get this info.

Regards!

Luis