Driver configuration

There are some basic settings that can be configured to control how the driver runs and at what rate it obtains data. Data that is more important for your applications can be obtained at a higher rate.

The default configuration file is located at spot_driver/config/spot_ros.yaml

Rate parameters

These parameters control the rate of various callbacks and loops in the driver.

Note

These rates are requests and not guarantees. The rate may vary depending on your network configuration and other factors.

Parameter Description
rates/robot_state The robot’s state (include joint angles)
rates/metrics The robot’s metrics
rates/lease The robot’s lease state
rates/front_image The image and depth image from the front camera
rates/side_image The image and depth image from the side cameras
rates/loop_frequency The image and depth image from the rear camera
rates/point_cloud The point cloud from the EAP lidar
rates/hand_image The image and depth image from the arm’s hand camera
rates/feedback A feedback message with various information
rates/mobility_params Parameters indicating the robot’s mobility state
rates/check_subscribers Check for subscribers on camera topics. Data is not published without subscribers

Startup parameters

There are several parameters which can be used to automatically do certain actions when the driver starts.

Warning

Having the robot power its motors and stand after the driver connects is a physical action is inherently dangerous. Consider whether you need these settings, and ensure the area is clear before starting the driver.

Parameter Description
auto_claim A boolean to automatically claim the body and e stop when the driver connects
auto_power_on A boolean to automatically power on the robot’s motors when the driver connects
auto_stand A boolean to automatically stand the robot after the driver conneccts

Environment variables

Some environment variables can modify the behaviour or configuration of the driver.

Variable Default Value Description
SPOT_VELODYNE_HOST 192.168.131.20 IP address of the VLP-16 sensor
SPOT_JOY_DEVICE /dev/input/js0 The Linux joypad input device used by the joy_teleop node
SPOT_JOY_CONFIG spot_control/config/teleop.yaml Joypad button/axis configuration file for joy_teleop
SPOT_VELODYNE_AUTOLAUNCH 1 If 1 and SPOT_VELODYNE is also 1, the VLP16 ROS node will start automatically