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Installation

Ubuntu: We are only supporting the phidgets_ros package on Ubuntu. This package should just work with phidgets_py_api and foote-ros-pkg/phidgets/phidgetspp_c_api nodes.

MacOSX: You must do the following:

1. Download and install the Mac version of the Phidgets, Inc. driver library:

Mac OS X, Phidget 21 Installer http://www.phidgets.com/drivers.php

2. Download and install Phidgets, Inc. python bindings http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/PhidgetsPython_2.1.6.20100129.zip

3. Make sure the python bindings are on your PYTHONPATH.

4. Comment out the dependency on phidgets_py_api in phidgets_ros/manifest.xml. Execute rosmake and the Phidgets code should work on your Mac.

Accelerometer ROS API

accelerometer.py node

This node is a wrapper around the Accelerometer class provided by Phidgets Inc. This node can be started with or without the accelerometer hardware plugged in. It publishes AccelerometerEvents when the accelerometer is attached, and it stops publishing when the accelerometer is detached. The node can remaining running throughout multiple accelerometer hardware connects/disconnects.

Published Topics

accelerometer/<device_serial_number OR user_defined_name> (phidgets_ros/AccelerometerEvent)

• Accelerometer value changed events (sensitivity default=0.0).

Parameters

Launch Parameters

These parameters are used to specify the user-defined-name, serial_number, and sensitivity for the Accelerometer hardware.

name (str, default: '')

• An optional name for the device (used for topic namespace)

serial_number (int, default: -1)

• The serial number for the Accelerometer. A value of -1 indicates that any serial number is acceptable. Use this with caution as there is no guarantee of which device gets connected if there is more than one accelerometer connected.

sensitivity (float, default: 0.0)

• This is the amount that an acceleration value must change to trigger an event and publish new data to the topic. The default of 0.0 generates events and publishes to the topic as fast as the hardware can trigger events (our tests show ~62HZ)

x_axis_id (int, default: 0)

• The accelerometer hardware provides values for axes that are indexed 0-2. Depending on how the device is mounted, the x,y,z mapping can change. Use this parameter to specify the x-axis.

y_axis_id (int, default: 1)

• The accelerometer hardware provides values for axes that are indexed 0-2. Depending on how the device is mounted, the x,y,z mapping can change. Use this parameter to specify the y-axis.

z_axis_id (int, default: 2)

• The accelerometer hardware provides values for axes that are indexed 0-2. Depending on how the device is mounted, the x,y,z mapping can change. Use this parameter to specify the z-axis.

RFID ROS API

rfid.py node

This node is a wrapper around the RFID class provided by Phidgets Inc. This node can be started with or without the rfid hardware plugged in. It publishes RFIDEvents when the rfid is attached, and it stops publishing when the rfid is detached. The node can remaining running throughout multiple rfid hardware connects/disconnects.

Published Topics

rfid/<device_serial_number OR user_defined_name> (phidgets_ros/RFIDEvent)

• RFID tag gained/lost events.

Parameters

Launch Parameters

These parameters are used to specify the user-defined-name, serial_number, and sensitivity for the RFID hardware.

name (str, default: '')

• An optional name for the device (used for topic namespace)

serial_number (int, default: -1)

• The serial number for the RFID. A value of -1 indicates that any serial number is acceptable. Use this with caution as there is no guarantee of which device gets connected if there is more than one rfid connected.

InterfaceKit ROS API

interface_kit.py node

This node is a wrapper around the InterfaceKit class provided by Phidgets Inc. This node can be started with or without the InterfaceKit hardware plugged in. It publishes Float64Stamped messages when the InterfaceKit is attached, and it stops publishing when the InterfaceKit is detached. The node can remaining running throughout multiple InterfaceKit hardware connects/disconnects.

Published Topics

interface_kit/<device_serial_number OR user_defined_name>/sensor/<port_number> (phidgets_ros/Float64Stamped)

• A new sensor value for a phidgets sensor value changed event.

Parameters

Launch Parameters

These parameters are used to specify the user-defined-name, serial_number, and sensitivity for the InterfaceKit hardware.

name (str, default: '')

• An optional name for the device (used for topic namespace)

serial_number (int, default: -1)

• The serial number for the InterfaceKit. A value of -1 indicates that any serial number is acceptable. Use this with caution as there is no guarantee of which device gets connected if there is more than one InterfaceKit connected.