How to use the real e-pucks with Aseba

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In order to use the e-puck with Aseba you need to complete several steps: [tested on Ubuntu 9.10 - March 2010]

First of all you need to retrieve all the necessary files from the svn repository.

Ask a user to Alessandro (alessandro (dot) stranieri (at) ulb (dot) ac (dot) be) and then do: 

svn checkout https://iridia-dev.ulb.ac.be/projects/epuck_files/svn

Download, compile and patch Dashel (v.127) and Aseba (v. 381)

Fast solution:

  • use the script done by Arne (TODO put the path)
    • copy patches/ and install_aseba.sh to a directory where you want all the files and run the script

Step-by-step solution:

  • DASHEL
  • download Dashel v. 127
svn -r127 co http://svn.gna.org/svn/dashel/trunk dashel
  • patch it - (TODO this is necessary because... )
cd dashel
patch -p0 < patches/dashel_with_fpic_r127.patch
  • compile it
cmake .
make
  • install it in /usr/local (you can avoid this but then you need to modify the CMakeLists.txt in Aseba)
sudo make install
  • ASEBA
  • download Aseba v. 381
svn -r381 co http://svn.gna.org/svn/aseba/trunk aseba
  • patch it - (this is necessary in order to make Aseba communicate with the simulator )
cd aseba
patch -p0 < patches/aseba_complete_r381.patch
  • compile it
cmake .
make
  • install it in /usr/local
sudo make install
  • test if it works
cd studio
./studio
  • a window should appear. You are not able to connect now, it's normal

Now you should have Aseba working under your system ready to communicate with the simulator and the real e-pucks

Bluetooth Configuration

  • bluetooth/rfcomm.conf has to be copied in /etc/bluetooth
  • bluetooth/passwords/ has to be copied in /etc/bluetooth
  • bluetooth/90-local.rules has to be copied in /etc/udev/rules.d/

now you have to restart the services 

sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth stop
sudo /etc/init.d/udev restart (or sudo restart udev)
sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth start

check if in /dev/ there are some files called rfcomm**, if not do: 

sudo rfcomm bind all

you should now have all the necessary files to connect to the robots.


NOTE: The above files have been created by us and are not complete. This means that if you want to use an e-puck that is not in the list you should add it.

To do that you have to first get the MAC address of the epuck you want to add: turn on the selected e-puck and do: 

hcitool scan

modify rfcomm.conf and 90-local.rules using the existing lines as examples.

As a last step you need to add the password file in the passkeys directory. Go in /etc/bluetooth/passwords/ and do (with the correct epuck number and MAC): 

echo 'epuck_1442' > '08:00:17:2D:1A:15'

Once you have done this please update the corresponding file in the svn. Eventually we will be able to have the complete list for all the e-pucks (or, at least, the most used ones)

Upload the .hex file

Once you are able to connect to the robot you have to upload the file to the Epuck.

In epuck-uploader/ there is a script to upload a file to the E-puck. To do it just write: 

./epuckupload -f filename **

where filename is the name of the file to upload (normally epuckaseba.hex) and ** is the number of the robot to update (e.g. 42)

When a series of dots are printed on the screen press the reset button of the e-puck and the upload should begin (a series of * are printed)

Example of a successful upload 

./epuckupload -f epuckaseba.hex 42
[18:32:43] Reading file epuckaseba.hex                                                                      
[18:32:43] [/dev/rfcomm42] Connecting to /dev/rfcomm42 (robot ID 42)                                        
[18:32:45] [/dev/rfcomm42] Uploading epuckaseba.hex                                                         
R.......*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

NOTE:it seems that the passkeys file are not so useful after all because if you connect to a new robot (one that your pc has never met) a dialog will pop up and ask for the password. In that case just write the four digits of the e-puck and it should work. If you don't have a bluetooth manager on your system (or it's not running) you won't be able to connect to new robots. Under KDE systems you have to start kbluetooth otherwise it does not work.

you are ready to connect the robot to Aseba

Connect the robot to Aseba

open aseba and put as connection point "custom": 

ser:device=/dev/epuck_****

where **** is the number of the epuck

If everything is fine aseba should be opening up. Note: if the left menu is not there, there is most probably a mismatch between your aseba version and the one used to compile the hex on the robot. Try to get the latest version or compile a new .hex.



If you have any problem or question please send me an e-mail (mbrambilla@iridia.ulb.ac.be) or contact me personally

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