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pr2_bringup is a package that collects together the scripts, roslaunch files, and dependencies that are required to bring a PR2 robot into a running state.

pr2.launch

The user's entry point for this package is the file pr2.launch. This launch file contains all nodes to run a complete PR2 system. However, you cannot use pr2.launch to start up the robot (see pr2_robot for instructions), because pr2.launch requires another launch file to load the robot description and robot analyzer on the parameter server first.

Disable Prosilica Camera

To disable the prosilica_camera set the "no-prosilica" arg to "true" in "/etc/ros/robot.launch" when launching your PR2:

<launch>
  <arg name="no-prosilica" value="true" />
  <include file="$(find pr2_bringup)/pr2.launch" />

  <!-- Other stuff -->
</launch>

Running the PR2

This manual will take you step by step through starting the PR2 robot, pr2_robot/pr2_bringup.pdf. Note: If you have a PR2 that is running both ROS Groovy and ROS Hydro, this is then the start sequence:

For Groovy:

robot groovy

export ROS_ENV_LOADER=/etc/ros/env.sh

roslaunch /etc/ros/robot.launch

For Hydro:

robot hydro

export ROS_ENV_LOADER=/etc/ros/env.sh

roslaunch /etc/ros/robot.launch

For your knowledge:

robot start

can be used to replace /etc/ros/robot.launch. The sequence these commands are executed are crucial, otherwise if you try to export ROS_ENV_LOADER before specifying robot groovy or robot hydro, then the env loader will load the environment to be whatever was last typed. Typing robot groovy after env.sh will still have it set to Hydro if Hydro was the ROS distro set beforehand.

PR2 Bringup calibration

When the PR2 starts up for the first time since a power down, it will move its arms, casters, head and later platform to find the reference position of each joint. This is done by the calibration script pr2_bringup/scripts/calibrate_pr2.py. When finished, the PR2 joint calibration script stores the joint reference positions locally in the motor controller board (MCB) of the corresponding joint. So the next time you start the PR2, it will remember the reference positions and won't have to repeat the same calibration routine over and over again.

If you want to force the PR2 to run the calibration routine again, you can erase the stored reference positions from the MCBs by disabling the breakers (setting the breakers to standby will NOT erase the reference positions). With the breakers disabled, the power to the MCBs is cut off, and all the local memory is wiped. Now simply restore power by enabling the breakers, and the PR2 will re-calibrate its joint reference positions. Powering down the entire PR2 will obviously have the same effect. Note that simply restarting the computers does not wipe the reference positions; the reference positions are stored on the MCBs, not on the computers.