kassow kord driver

This repository contains the configuration and setup for Kassow Kord control, which demonstrates the use of a b»controlled box for robotic tasks.

Warning

This repository is under heavy development. If some links break or if some instruction do not lead to a smooth experience, please contact the developers.

Overview

This package provides a software solution for controlling Kassow Kord Robot (KR810) using KORD interface. It integrates with ros2_control and provides motion planning capabilities.

Primary Capabilities:

• Control of Kassow KR810 collaborative robots through a custom hardware interface and Joint Trajectory Controller
• Single-robot and multi-robot setup capabilities to control robots simultaneously or independently on b»controlled box
• Integration with MoveIt 2 for motion planning and trajectory execution

Developer Notes

• This workspace is setup for single or multi-robot control. We use prefixes to specify all joints, joint limits, srdf, controller names and so on. Better not touch the prefixes, but if you do prepare to update moveit configs and controllers.yaml
  • single robot: kassow prefix is used.
  • multi-robot: individual prefixes are used (e.g., kassow_left and kassow_right in the dual-arm example)
• This repository demonstrates multi-robot capabilities by controlling a real Kassow robot and a simulated Kassow robot simultaneously. However, the architecture supports any combination of multiple robots - the real+simulation setup is just one example implementation.

Package Structure

├── kassow_kord_bringup —                                 # Bringup package containing launch files and configs for running all package capabilities
│   ├── config                                            # YAML configuration files for control
│   ├── launch                                            # Launch files to start drivers, controllers, MoveIt and RViz
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_bringup_mock.launch.xml           # Launch the single-arm stack with mock hardware for development and testing
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_cm.launch.xml                     # Running Controller Manager locally in case of not using CtrlX for single-arm mode
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_description.launch.xml            # Load URDF and RSP nodes for single-arm
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_dual_arm_bringup_mock.launch.xml  # Launch the dual-arm setup using mock hardware for simulation/testing
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_dual_arm_cm.launch.xml            # Running Controller Manager locally in case of not using CtrlX for dual-arm mode
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_dual_arm_description.launch.xml   # Load URDF and RSP nodes for dual-arm setups
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_dual_arm_moveit.launch.xml        # Start MoveIt2 for the dual-arm configuration
│   │   ├── kassow_kord_moveit.launch.xml                 # Start MoveIt2 for single-arm configuration
│   │   ├── test_joint_trajectory_controller.launch.xml   # Launch a test setup for the Joint Trajectory Controller (useful for CI/local testing)
│   │   ├── view_kr810_dual_arm.launch.xml                # RViz visualization launch file configured for dual-arm robot viewing
│   │   └── view_kr810.launch.xml                         # RViz visualization launch file configured for single-arm robot viewing
│   ├── moveit_config                                     # MoveIt2 configuration packages
│   ├── scripts                                           # Utility scripts to activate/deactivate hardware and load controllers
│   ├── srdf                                              # SRDF files that define motion parameters for MoveIt
│   └── urdf                                              # URDF and ros2 control /XACRO robot descriptions
├── kassow_kord_hardware_interface                        # Custom ros2_control hardware interface implementation for Kassow Kord robots
├── kassow_kord_description                               # Standalone package containing URDF/xacro description
├── kassow_kord_driver.jazzy.repos                        # vcs/repos file listing related repositories to clone into the workspace (used with vcs import)
└── README.md

Robot Setup

Please first refer to kassow manual for installation steps. This guide covers the port setup for Kassow robots. This configuration is essential for enabling real-time communication between the robot controller and the b»Controlled Box

1. Press the 3 dot icon > CBun

2. Choose CBuns tab > press +

3. Enter the port for the CBun then activate

Workspace setup

1. Install rtw and create a workspace

• Install ros_team_workspace: https://rtw.b-robotized.com/master/tutorials/setting_up_rtw.html

• Create a workspace (e.g. kassow_kord_ws ): https://rtw.b-robotized.com/master/use-cases/operating_system/create_setup_workspace.html#uc-setup-workspace

2. Clone all repositories from the .repos file

• Make sure you have python3-vcstool installed:

  sudo apt update

• From the root of your workspace (e.g., /kassow_kord_ws -> easily direct to ws folder with the command rosd), run:

  vcs import src < kassow_kord_driver.jazzy.repos

  This will clone all repositories listed in the kassow_kord_driver.jazzy.repos file into the src directory.

3. Install ROS 2 dependencies with rosdepi

• Update rosdep

  rosdep update

• Install dependencies

  rosdepi

4. Build the workspace

• Use rtw to build the workspace:

  cb

• After building, source the workspace:

  source install/setup.bash

5. Edit your IP addresses

• Recoommended IP addresses and ports:

  • Robot: 10.23.23.204:28283
  • Sim: 10.23.23.205:28284

• Configure ports (instruction at robot setup) - two robots cannot have the same ports.

• Edit ip addresses and ports to your setup: in the following files:

  • kassow_kord_driver/kassow_kord_bringup/launch/kassow_kord_dual_arm_description.launch.xml
  • kassow_kord_driver/kassow_kord_bringup/launch/kassow_kord_description.launch.xml

Now your development container should be ready for use.

Single Robot Setup

This section covers how to run a single robot instance.

mockHw

• First terminal:

  ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_bringup_mock.launch.xml start_rviz:=false
  

• Second terminal:

  ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_moveit.launch.xml
  

Locally on PC

1. Send robot description with your configured IP and port:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=<YOUR_IP> port:=<YOUR_PORT>

   Example using real robot:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=10.23.23.204 port:=28283

   Example using simulation:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=10.23.23.205 port:=28284

2. Launch the controller manager:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_cm.launch.xml

3. Echo the output of the activity topic:

   ros2 topic echo /b_controlled_box_cm/activity

4. Activate controllers:

   ros2 run controller_manager spawner -c /b_controlled_box_cm joint_state_broadcaster               # observe activity
   ros2 run controller_manager spawner -c /b_controlled_box_cm kassow_joint_trajectory_controller    # observe activity

5. Start path planner (MoveIt2) and visualization (RViz 2):

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_moveit.launch.xml

   MoveIt and visualisation can be started as soon as the hardware is active and Joint State Broadcaster is activated.

CtrlX

1. Echo in a terminal the output of the activity topic from b»controlled box to observe its internal state.

   ros2 topic echo /b_controlled_box_cm/activity

2. Start the robot driver on the b»controlled box with your configured IP and port:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=<YOUR_IP> port:=<YOUR_PORT>

   Example using real robot:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=10.23.23.204 port:=28283

   Example using simulation:

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_description.launch.xml use_mock_hardware:=false ip_address:=10.23.23.205 port:=28284

   Note: ensure MotionApp is in state RUNNING before activating hardware.

   Now you should see output on the activity with unconfigured hardware interfaces.

3. In a new terminal, load the controllers, activate the hardware and enable control. Execute the commands form the scripts folder.

   rosd kassow_kord_bringup && cd scripts  # enter the correct folder
   ./activate_kassow_robot.bash  # follow the output on the activity topic

   Now you should see output on the activity with active hardware interfaces and controllers.

4. Start path planner (MoveIt2) and visualization (RViz 2):

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_moveit.launch.xml

   MoveIt and visualisation can be started as soon as the hardware is active and Joint State Broadcaster is activated.

5. Now you can move the robot around either with moveit rviz plugin with motion planning, or you can directly use JTC CLI or rqt:

ros2 run rqt_joint_trajectory_controller rqt_joint_trajectory_controller

6. To stop the drivers of the robot that are running on b»controlled box use the following command:

   ./deactivate_kassow_robot.bash  # follow the output on the activity topic

Multi-Robot Setup

This section covers how to run multiple robot instances simultaneously.

Note: This repository demonstrates multi-robot control using one real Kassow robot and one simulated Kassow robot. This is just one example - the architecture supports any combination of multiple robot instances.

MockHw

• First terminal:

  ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_dual_arm_bringup_mock.launch.xml start_rviz:=false
  

• Second terminal:

  ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_dual_arm_moveit.launch.xml
  

CtrlX

1. Echo in a terminal the output of the activity topic from b»controlled box to observe its internal state.

   ros2 topic echo /b_controlled_box_cm/activity

2. Start the robot drivers on the b»controlled box. The dual arm launch file will use the IP addresses and ports configured in kassow_kord_dual_arm_description.launch.xml:

ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_dual_arm_description.launch.xml

Note: ensure MotionApp is in state RUNNING before activating hardware. Now you should see output on the activity with unconfigured hardware interfaces.

3. In a new terminal, load the controllers, activate the hardware and enable control. Execute the commands form the scripts folder.

   rosd kassow_kord_bringup && cd scripts  # enter the correct folder
   ./activate_hardware.sh  # follow the output on the activity topic
   ./activate_controllers.sh  # follow the output on the activity topic

   Now you should see output on the activity with active hardware interfaces and controllers.

4. Start path planner (MoveIt2) and visualization (RViz 2):

   ros2 launch kassow_kord_bringup kassow_kord_dual_arm_moveit.launch.xml

   MoveIt and visualisation can be started as soon as the hardware is active and Joint State Broadcaster is activated.

5. Now you can move the robots around either with moveit rviz plugin with motion planning, or you can directly use JTC CLI or rqt:

ros2 run rqt_joint_trajectory_controller rqt_joint_trajectory_controller

6. To stop the drivers of the robots that are running on b»controlled box use the following command:

   ./deactivate_dual_arm.bash  # follow the output on the activity topic

Resources

• https://www.kassowrobots.com/downloads/product-manuals
• https://kassowrobots.gitlab.io/kord-api-doc/index.html
• https://gitlab.com/kassowrobots/kord-api

Known issues

1. No effort states when connecting to the simulated Kassow Controller.

Troubleshooting

Connection issues when trying to set the robot to inactive state.

Make sure that the IP addresses are set correctly and you can ping the robot.

No connection to robot interface even everything above is correct

Stop, remove, re-add, and activate the CBun by making sure the parameters are correct. We have observed that after CBun was already activated and port is changed, the new port was not applied even after re-activation.

Connection is working, but the robot doesn't move

Make sure that only one KORD interface is loaded and active.