https://github.com/personalrobotics/openvr_ros_bridge
Publish from openvr/windows to ROS over rosbridge
https://github.com/personalrobotics/openvr_ros_bridge
openvr ros vive
Last synced: 8 months ago
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Publish from openvr/windows to ROS over rosbridge
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/personalrobotics/openvr_ros_bridge
- Owner: personalrobotics
- Created: 2017-02-20T20:57:51.000Z (over 9 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2018-12-13T16:11:34.000Z (over 7 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-08-29T10:21:59.454Z (10 months ago)
- Topics: openvr, ros, vive
- Language: Terra
- Size: 311 KB
- Stars: 9
- Watchers: 4
- Forks: 1
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# openvr_ros_bridge
Publishes poses from HMD/controllers/anything trackable from OpenVR on Windows
to ROS. It can also publish JSON to a generic websocket target, or log poses
to a file.
# Prerequisites
* Windows: 64 bit windows and directx 11 support (e.g., a VR
capable machine)
* Linux: 64 bit Linux with real graphics drivers (NOT MESA)
* [optional] ROS: the [rosbridge suite](http://wiki.ros.org/rosbridge_suite)
# Installation
Windows: download [the binary release](https://github.com/personalrobotics/openvr_ros_bridge/releases/tag/v0.3.0)
and unzip somewhere convenient.
Linux: download the binary release. Then compile the `renderimprovements`
branch of [truss](https://github.com/PyryM/truss).
E.g.,
```
git clone --single-branch -b renderimprovements https://github.com/PyryM/truss
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
```
Then from `dist/` copy the truss binary `truss` and the `libs/` folder
(hopefully populated with .so files) into the directory where you extracted
`openvr_ros_bridge`.
# Usage
## General / File logging
SteamVR should be started before the bridge, otherwise the bridge will itself
try to start SteamVR, which is unreliable and may lead to a freeze or a crash.
`truss url_or_filename config_script_name.t`
For example, the config script `config/default.t` will log to a text file in
csv format. To log to "my_log.txt", run
`truss my_log.txt default.t`
## Running without an HMD
It is possible to run without the HMD connected, if you have Vive trackers,
or if you have paired the controllers to a Bluetooth adaptor (normally the
controllers pair to the built-in Bluetooth of the HMD, which is why it must
be plugged in).
The [steamvr.vrsettings file](https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/steamvr.vrsettings)
must be edited so that
```
"requireHmd": false,
```
## AMD Ryzen note
If you have an AMD Ryzen or other exotic CPU, you will probably need to edit
`scripts/core/core.t` within `truss.zip` and change line 8 to:
```lua
local use_ryzen_hack = true
```
## Linux notes
If you see the message `Going to create window; if you get an LLVM crash on linux at this point, the mostly likely reason is that you are using the mesa software renderer.` and then truss crashes, then you are probably using Mesa
drivers. The solution is to install real drivers. You can also try to disable
Mesa/llvmpipe by setting the `DRAW_USE_LLVM` environment variable to 0.
SteamVR has special requirements to run on Linux: see
[the SteamVR Linux readme](https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamVR-for-Linux/blob/master/README.md).
In particular, you will need to invoke truss like
```
~/.steam/steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime/run.sh ./truss [bridge options]
```
## ROS
On a machine with ROS:
1. Start a roscore
2. Launch the ros web bridge: `roslaunch rosbridge_server rosbridge_websocket.launch`
On the VR machine (can be the same as the ROS machine):
1. Start SteamVR (optional, but greatly speeds up startup)
2. In a command prompt/terminal, navigate to the openvr_ros_bridge folder
3. In prompt run: `truss "ws://[host]:[port]" ros.t`. Note that the
default rosbridge port is 9090, so this will look something like
`truss "ws://othercomp:9090" ros.t`. (For Linux, see the note above regarding
running with the Steam runtime).
# Configuration
Config scripts should be placed in `scripts/config/`.
The file `scripts/config/default.t` contains the default configuration that will
log poses to a file in CSV format. By default only controllers and generic
trackables are logged.
## File logging configuration
```lua
local publishers = require("file_publishers.t")
local config = {}
config.Connection = publishers.FileConnection
config.Controller = {
topic = "controller_%d",
publisher = publishers.Pose,
display = true
}
return config
```
The file Pose publisher accepts the following additional options
| Option | Description | Default |
| ------------- |---------------------- | -------- |
| decimate | Publish only 1 in n frames | 9 |
| field_order | Ordered list of fields to write to CSV | {"time", "position", "quaternion"} |
| divider | Field divider | "," |
| precision | Numerical precision to write | 4 |
| format | Numerical format string (overrides precision) | "%.4f" |
## ROS publishing configuration
```lua
local publishers = require("ros_publishers.t")
local config = {}
config.Connection = publishers.ROSConnection
config.Controller = {
topic = "/vr/controller_%d",
publisher = publishers.Pose,
display = true
}
return config
```
The ROS Pose publisher accepts the following additional options
| Option | Description | Default |
| ------------- |---------------------- | -------- |
| decimate | Publish only 1 in n frames | 9 |
| tf_frame | ROS TF frame to associate PoseStamped messages with | "0" |
| queue_size | Maximum ROS queue size | 10 |
## Visualization configuration
Visualization options are independent of publishing/logging, and are specified
in the `display` options in a configuration. Setting `display = true` uses the
default visualization option, which is to just show the model. Likewise,
`display = false` will not display anything (but will still publish if publication
options are set).
Additional visualization options can be included by setting `display`.
```lua
local vis = require("visualizers.t")
config.Controller = {
-- [...]
display = {vis.BasicModel(), vis.LineHistory()} -- show model and trails
}
```
Note the slightly unconventional syntax of having to actually call/construct
the visualizer options, which is to allow additional options to be passed to
a specific visualizer.
### LineHistory
Adds a trail to a trackable.
```lua
vis.LineHistory({
history_length = 900, -- how many points the line can have
decimate = 3, -- only push a new point every n frames
color = {0.8, 0.3, 0.3}, -- line color, in [0,1] RGB format
thickness = 0.005 -- line thickness, in m
})
```
### BasicModel
Shows a mesh model for the trackable, loaded from OpenVR.
```lua
vis.BasicModel({
diffuse = {0.03,0.03,0.03,1.0}, -- diffuse color
specular = {0.001, 0.001, 0.001}, -- specular color
roughness = 0.7 -- roughness
})
```