MicroROS and ESP32 WiFi Controlled Robot Hands-On using ROS2

🎉 Dive into Mobile Robotics with ESP32 and ROS! 🚀

Course Updated to ROS NOETIC: 🛠️ You rated the old version highly, but wait until you experience the new update! We've revamped our projects and explanations to make your learning journey even more enjoyable and effective. 😄

Course Workflow Overview:

1. Section 1: Basic ROS - ESP32 Interfacing 🎓

   • Led Toggling: Start with the basics by making an ESP32 control an LED.
   • Ultrasonic Sensor and Turtlesim: Learn to interface with an ultrasonic sensor and integrate it with Turtlesim for object detection.

2. Section 2: ROS based Car driving 🚗✨

   • Motor Controlling: Get hands-on experience controlling motors with ROS.
   • cmd_vel to Pwm Serial: Translate cmd_vel commands into PWM signals for motor control.
   • Car Control over Wifi: Command your car wirelessly through your home network.

3. Section 3: Robot car and ROS services 🛠️

   • Encoders interfacing: Understand how to use encoders to measure distance traveled by the robot.
   • ROS Service Nodes: Write service nodes that can be called remotely.
   • Driven robot through Services on Time: Master scheduling and executing services to drive your robot at precise times.

4. Section 4: Odometery publishing Car Driving 🧮🚙

   • Encoders ticks profiling: Analyze encoder ticks for accurate odometry data.
   • Odom differential Drive Rviz: Set up a detailed Rviz simulation to visualize your robot's movement.
   • Transforms: Learn how to use transformations in ROS for accurate positioning and orientation.

Outcomes After this Course: 🏆 You will be able to:

• Create a custom workspace and Python package.
• Develop custom Python nodes for various tasks.
• Set up Rosserial packages for communication between ESP32 and ROS.
• Establish Serial and Wifi communication with ESP32 from ROS.
• Write launch files to control your robot automatically.
• Use RVIZ for simulating transforms and visualizing odometery.

Projects: 🛠️

• TurtleSim Obstacle Avoidance: Implement a real-world sensor to avoid obstacles in TurtleSim.
• Driving Custom Robot Over WiFi: Command your custom robot over the home network.
• ROS Custom Services for Timed Driving: Develop and schedule ROS services for precise maneuvers.
• Odometery Visualization of Your Custom Robot: Visualize your robot's movement using RViz for odometry data.

Hardware Requirements: 🛒

• ESP32 (the brain of your robot)
• Robotic Car Kit (your mechanical platform)
• Battery and Charger (to power your robot)
• Ultrasonic Sensor (for sensing distances)
• Motor Driver (L298D, to control motors)
• Jumper Wires (for making electrical connections)
• LM393 Speed Sensor x2 (for wheel encoders)

Software Requirements: 💻

• Ubuntu 20.04 (the operating system)
• ROS Noetic (the networking framework for robotics)
• A motivated mind ready to tackle a huge programming project! 💪

🚀 Before buying, take a look into this course GitHub repository or message the instructor 💌 if you don't want to buy but still want to learn from the code provided. Either way, this course is your gateway to mastering ESP32 interfacing with ROS for real-world mobile robotics applications! 🚀

Overall Course Rating: 4.30

Course Review Summary

The Global course rating stands at a solid 4.30, reflecting a generally positive reception from recent reviewers, with some notable feedback for improvement. The course has been deemed useful for practical applications, particularly in transitioning from simulations to hardware using ROS (Robot Operating System). However, some learners felt that the course did not provide as much depth as they had anticipated, especially in the areas of autonomous rover applications and the mathematical and robotics concepts underlying the coding aspects.

Pros

• Practical Application: The course has been successful for many students in moving from theoretical knowledge to practical application with real hardware, such as ESP32. It includes example codes that are very helpful and serve as a solid foundation.

• Learning Methodology: The course is considered effective due to its rapid and focused approach, which encourages learning through understanding theory, explanations of code, and then applying this knowledge to personal projects. This method has been praised for enhancing the learning experience.

• Diverse Toolset: The course introduces students to various tools that are not only confined to the subject matter but also provide additional skills that can be useful in future endeavors.

• Clear Content: The introduction and explanations provided in the course are well-made, helping students grasp the concepts presented.

Cons

• Content Depth: Some learners felt that the course lacked detailed content, particularly regarding the complete project scope. There is a suggestion for more in-depth coverage of the project's periphery.

• Specific Topic Expectations Unmet: A few reviewers expressed disappointment as the course did not delve deeply into autonomous rover applications and mathematical/robotics concepts, focusing instead on coding aspects.

• Quality Concerns: One review highlighted that the content quality was low, with the project's success being less than clear and instances of confusion in the explanations provided. There is a hope that with improvement, the course could better meet learners' expectations.

Conclusion

The course appears to be a valuable learning tool for those looking to understand and apply ROS in practical scenarios involving hardware and wireless communication with ESP32. It has been commended for its structured approach to learning and the introduction of diverse tools that can aid learners beyond the scope of the course itself. However, there is room for improvement in terms of providing more detailed content, especially regarding complex topics like autonomous rover applications and the underlying mathematical and robotics principles. The feedback received indicates a strong foundation for the course but suggests that with additional focus on depth and clarity, it could significantly enhance the educational experience for students.