IWR6843ISK simple ROS2 package

Python ROS2 pointcloud retriever for IWR6843ISK mmWave device

Derived from: https://github.com/nhma20/iwr6843aop_pub

Prerequisites

• ROS2 (Ubuntu 18.04.5 & dashing tested // Ubuntu 20.04.3 & foxy tested)
• Python3 (3.6.9 & 3.8.10 tested)
• IWR6843ISK mmWave radar device flashed with out-of-box firmware (either from this repo or inside downloaded mmwave_industrial_toolbox_x_x_x/labs/Out_Of_Box_Demo/prebuilt_binaries/ folder. Use uniflash to flash device (https://training.ti.com/hardware-setup-iwr6843isk-and-iwr6843isk-ods)). Set up switches as seen here:

Installation

1. Clone the repo to workspace

   cd ~/ros2_ws/src/

   git clone https://github.com/nhma20/iwr6843isk_pub.git

2. Colcon build package

   cd ~/ros2_ws/

   colcon build --packages-select iwr6843isk_pub

Usage

0. Plug in IWR6843ISKEVM, make sure ports match (default /dev/ttyUSB0, /dev/ttyUSB1)

1. Run ros package (make sure /opt/ros/dashing/setup.bash and <ros2_workspace>/install/setup.bash are sourced)

   ros2 run iwr6843isk_pub pcl_pub

   or with ROS2 parameters:

   ros2 run iwr6843isk_pub pcl_pub --ros-args -p cli_port:=/dev/ttyUSB0 -p data_port:=/dev/ttyUSB1 -p cfg_path:=/home/nm/ros2_ws/src/iwr6843isk_ros2/cfg_files/90deg_noGroup_18m_30Hz.cfg

   or launch with default parameters:

   ros2 launch iwr6843isk_pub default_parameters.launch.py 

   When loading a cfg with a different antenna configuration than the previous, IWR6843AOP device must be power cycled - can be done easily by pressing the RST_SW switch, or simply unplugging and replugging the USB cable.

2. Visualize with rviz

   rviz2

3. 'Add' a new display (lower left corner)

4. Select 'By topic' ribbon

5. Find 'iwr6843_pcl PointCloud2' and add it

6. (Optional) Set point size at PointCloud2 -> Size (m) to 0.1 for better clarity

Modify

All functional code (for the purpose of this ROS2 package) is located at

<ros2_workspace>/src/iwr6843isk_ros2/iwr6843isk_pub/publisher_member_function.py

Two .cfg files are provided which dictate the functionality of the mmWave device. More profiles can be made with the mmWave Demo Visualizer tool: https://dev.ti.com/gallery/view/mmwave/mmWave_Demo_Visualizer/ver/3.5.0/