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https://github.com/utiasdsl/force_push

[RA-L 2024] Quasistatic robotic planar pushing with single-point contact using force feedback.
https://github.com/utiasdsl/force_push

control mobile-manipulation pushing robotics

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[RA-L 2024] Quasistatic robotic planar pushing with single-point contact using force feedback.

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README 

        
# Force Push



Quasistatic robotic planar pushing with single-point contact using only force

feedback to sense the pushed object. The code in this repository accompanies

[this paper](https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.17517) (see the citation below), and a

video of some of the experiments can be found

[here](http://tiny.cc/force-push).



![Pushing with force feedback](https://static.adamheins.com/force_push/force_push.png)

*Our mobile manipulator pushing a box based on contact force measurements.*



## Install



This code has been tested on Ubuntu 20.04 with ROS Noetic and Python 3.8.

Initialize your catkin workspace before proceeding.



First install

[mobile_manipulation_central](https://github.com/utiasDSL/mobile_manipulation_central)

into the catkin workspace.



Into the same catkin workspace, clone this repository:

```bash

cd ~/catkin_ws

git clone https://github.com/adamheins/force_push

```



Ensure all the Python dependencies in `requirements.txt` are satisfied (e.g.,

by doing something like `pip install -r requirements.txt`).



Build the workspace:

```bash

catkin build

```



## Simulation Experiments



Simulations are run in PyBullet. A small patch improving planar sliding

friction can be found

[here](https://github.com/bulletphysics/bullet3/pull/4539), which will require

you to build PyBullet from source:

```

# get patched version

git clone https://github.com/adamheins/bullet3



# build

cd bullet3

./build_cmake_pybullet_double.sh



# add this version to Python path

cd bullet3/build_cmake/examples/pybullet

export PYTHONPATH=$(pwd):$PYTHONPATH

```



Run the simulations using the script

`scripts/simulation/pyb_simulation_many.py`. The results can be saved as a

Python pickle and post-processed using `scripts/simulation/process_sim_results.py`



## Hardware Experiments



Experiments are done using utilities in mobile_manipulation_central.



### Arm



If it isn't already, connect to the arm and put it into the required home

position. Then turn it off:

```

roslaunch mobile_manipulation_central thing.launch

rosrun mobile_manipulation_central home.py --config (rospack find force_push)/config/home.yaml --arm-only pushing_diag

```

Grasp a tennis ball with the gripper in the "pinched" configuration.



### Base, gripper, F/T sensor, Vicon



After the initial positioning of the arm, these experiments use only the mobile

base; the arm can remain off. SSH into the robot and run:

```

rosrun robotiq_ft_sensor rq_sensor

```

This will take a few seconds to detect the FT sensor, and will then start

publishing the `/robotiq_ft_wrench` topic.



On the laptop, run

```

rosrun mobile_manipulation_central ridgeback_vicon.launch

```

for localization and control of the mobile base.



### Calibration



For best results, the offset between the origin of the base frame (i.e., the

point about which the base rotates) and the contact point (i.e., roughly the

front of the tennis ball) should be calibrated. This can be done by temporarily

placing a marker on the tennis ball, ensuring Tracking is off in the Vicon UI,

and running the script `calibrate_contact_point.py`. This script automatically

looks for a marker near the expected location, calculates the offset, and

outputs the results to a YAML file. To use this calibration subsequently, move

the YAML file to the `config` directory.



It is also desirable to calibrate the orientation of the FT sensor (see the

calibration notes in the `mobile_manipulation_central` repository and the

scripts in `scripts/experiment/calibration`).



### Pushing controller



To run the pushing controller, use the script

`scripts/experiments/push_control_node.py` with desired options.



## Tests



Some packages contain tests. Python tests use [pytest](https://pytest.org/).

Run `pytest .` inside a package's `test` directory to run the Python tests.



## Citation



If you find this work useful, feel free to cite the accompanying

[paper](https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2024.3414180):

```

@article{heins2024force,

  title = {Force Push: Robust Single-Point Pushing With Force Feedback},

  author = {Adam Heins and Angela P. Schoellig},

  journal = {{IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters}},

  volume = {9},

  number = {8},

  pages = {6856--6863},

  doi = {10.1109/LRA.2024.3414180},

  year = {2024},

}

```



## License



MIT - see the LICENSE file.