Autonomous Exploration Pipeline Workspace

This workspace contains the complete robot pipeline for autonomous exploration in Mars-like terrain. It features robust mapping, high-speed navigation, intelligent exploration, and safety boundaries using ArUco markers.

Contents

• RTAB-Map: 3D mapping with LiDAR and cameras
• Nav2: Fast and safe navigation using ROS2 navigation stack
• Explore Lite: Custom implementation for autonomous exploration with boundary logic
• ArUco Localization Node: Detects ArUco tags to set virtual map boundaries
• Map Saver Node: Saves generated maps along with the path taken by the robot

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Quickstart Instructions

1. Clone This Repository

git clone https://github.com/iitbmartian/erc_ws.git
cd erc_ws

2. Build the Workspace

colcon build

3. Source Your Workspace

source install/setup.bash

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Running the Pipeline

1. Start RTAB-Map Mapping

   ros2 launch rtabmap rtabmap_panther.launch.py
   

2. Start Navigation Stack

   ros2 launch navigation robot_nav.launch.py
   

3. Start the Explore Lite Node

   ros2 launch explore_lite explore.launch.py
   

4. Run the Python Utility Nodes
   In separate terminals (after sourcing each terminal):

   python3 plotter.py
   python3 aruco_localization.py
   

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Notes

• Make sure you have all ROS 2 dependencies installed (recommended distro: Jazzy or later).
• Always source install/setup.bash in every new terminal before running commands.
• Configure launch files and parameter files as per your robot hardware and environment.

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License

[MIT] – Feel free to use, modify, and share.

Contact

For issues or contribution requests, open a GitHub Issue or Pull Request.