Pepperl+Fuchs SmartRunner Explorer Driver

This is the ROS2 driver for the Pepperl+Fuchs SmartRunner Explorer. It offers ROS2 Node interfaces to the Robot Operating System (http://www.ros.org).

Sensor information

The following Pepperl+Fuchs sensors are supported by this ROS driver.

SmartRunner 3-D Explorer

The SmartRunner Explorer generates high-precision 3-D point cloud images in addition to 2-D images. It is optionally available with stereo vision technology or time-of-flight (ToF) technology. As a raw data sensor, the vision sensor is suitable for a wide variety of applications.

Official Website: https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/smartrunner_3-d.htm

Datasheet (en): https://files.pepperl-fuchs.com/webcat/navi/productInfo/doct/tdoct7242a_eng.pdf

SmartRunner Explorer

The SmartRunner Explorer is based on the innovative SmartRunner technology and outputs both height profiles and area images. SmartRunner technology combines the light-sectioning method for acquiring height profiles with the acquisition of area images via the integrated area illumination. In the light section method, a laser line is projected onto an object. This is captured at a specific angle by a camera. A height profile is then created using the triangulation principle. This laser technology enables reliable height profile recording on different surfaces.

Official Website: https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/classid_9864.htm

Datasheet (en): https://files.pepperl-fuchs.com/webcat/navi/productInfo/pds/284586-100009_eng.pdf

Usage with ROS

The ROS package smartrunner_driver consists of the driver library and three node executables, one for each supported SmartRunner sensor:

• smartrunner_2d_node for the SmartRunner Explorer
• smartrunner_3d_stereo_node for the SmartRunner 3-D Stereo Explorer
• smartrunner_3d_tof_node for the SmartRunner 3-D TOF Explorer

Supported platforms:

• Ubuntu 24.04 / ROS2 Jazzy

Published topics

The following standard ROS messages are supported. The messages contain the measured data.

• scan (sensor_msgs/PointCloud2)

Parameters

• frame_id - The frame-ID in the header of the published sensor_msgs/PointCloud messages
• scanner_ip - IP address or hostname of the sensor

Installation guide

1. Create a ROS workspace (https://docs.ros.org/en/jazzy/Tutorials/Beginner-Client-Libraries/Creating-A-Workspace/Creating-A-Workspace.html) (e.g. in <home>/ros2_ws)
2. Clone the repository in the src folder of your ROS workspace. git clone https://github.com/PepperlFuchs/pf_smartrunner_ros2_driver.git
3. Download the library from the Pepperl+Fuchs site. (https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/global/en/classid_9866.htm?view=productdetails&prodid=117291#software)
4. Unzip the downloaded file and copy the folder "VsxSdk" in to the folder: <home>/ros2_ws/src/pf_smartrunner_ros_driver/smartrunner_driver/lib/
5. Install .NET SDK. (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/install/linux-ubuntu-install?tabs=dotnet9&pivots=os-linux-ubuntu-2404)
6. Change to the workspace directory. <home>/ros2_ws/
7. Source the ROS2 setup script source /path/to/ros/jazzy/setup.bash
8. Start the compilation. colcon build

Launch the driver

1. Source the project-specific setup script source <home>/ros2_ws/install/setup.bash
2. Set the IP-Address of the sensor and adjust all sensor parameters as needed in the launch file corresponding to the sensor you use, e.g. for the SmartRunner Explorer, edit <home>/ros2_ws/install/pepperl_fuchs_smartrunner/share/pepperl_fuchs_smartrunner/launch/smartrunner_2d.launch
3. Run the launch file, by executing ros2 launch pepperl_fuchs_smartrunner smartrunner_2d.launch Adjust the launch file name according to the sensor you use.
4. This starts RViz2 (https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/p/rviz2/) and the driver.
5. The measure points coming from the sensor are shown in the RViz2 window.