BaxterInterface/README.md

# BaxterInterface
Bricks for an Rviz based interface for objective sending.

## What is this ?

This is a ROS package implementing two working ROS modules : rviz_interface & asift_matching
It also include other ongoing non-ROS modules, mostly for test purposes.

### rviz_interface

This ROS modules implements markers and a panel for Rviz for sending StateSpace messages.

### asift_matching

This ROS modules implements a wrapper for a SIFT based algorithm (Affine SIFT). It publish the position of a desired object, defined by its references, on a topic.
Thus refrences are required for the module to work properly. It can be loaded through a text file or a series of images (which paths are defined in the launch file).

* texte reference generation (BaxterInterface/asift_gen folder):
 - Add the images used for reference in the "references" folder.
 - open asift_match.cpp
 - Search at the beggining of the file the "REFERENCE DEFINITION"
 - In refData, enter the path/name of your reference images.
 - In nb_ref, enter the number of images.
 - `$ cmake . && make`
 - You can now run the program which is going to build the references and try to match with an image given in input : asift_match input.png
 - The generated text file will be located in the results folder.

## Status 
### Done

### Todo
- asift_matching - ROS_matcher : Working loader of images for reference.
- asift_matching - ROS_matcher : Improve reactivity. Slow process due to the message queue length ?
- asift_matching - ROS_matcher : Swap the callback function to a service called for matching.

## How to use it ?

### Requirements

* ROS Indigo
 * PCL
 * QT 5
* Eigen 3

### Usage

* Clone the repository to your catkin src
* `$ catkin_make`

#### Simple Rviz interface
* Run : `$ roslaunch rviz_interface interface.launch`
* Setup rviz :
  - set fixed frame to camera_rgb_optical_frame.
  - add an InteractiveMarker and set topic to (server_topic parameter)/update.
  - add a Marker and set topic to vizualization_topic parameter.
  - add the Rviz interface panel.

#### Rviz interface with simple moving tracker
* Run :
 - `$ roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch `
 - `$ roslaunch rviz_interface interface_plannar_seg.launch`
* Setup rviz :
  - set fixed frame to camera_rgb_optical_frame.
  - add an InteractiveMarker and set topic to (server_topic parameter)/update.
  - add a Marker and set topic to vizualization_topic parameter.
  - add the Rviz interface panel.
  - add a PointCloud2 and set topic to /camera/depth_registered/points.

#### ASIFT matching (no vizualisation)

* Run :
 - `$ roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch`
 - asift_matching : `$ roslaunch asift_matching asift_match.launch`

#### ASIFT matching & Rviz interface
* Run :
 - `$ roslaunch openni_launch openni.launch`
 - `$ roslaunch rviz_interface interface_matching.launch`
* Setup rviz :
  - set fixed frame to camera_rgb_optical_frame.
  - add an InteractiveMarker and set topic to (server_topic parameter)/update.
  - add a Marker and set topic to vizualization_topic parameter.
  - add the Rviz interface panel.
  - add a PointCloud2 and set topic to /camera/depth_registered/points.

### Parameters

* The topic names are defined as parameters in the launchfiles.

* rviz_interface parameters are defined as parameters in the rviz_interface launchfiles : Interface objects are defined by their names and types (0-Default, 1-Button, 2-2D object, 3-3D object) (see StateSpace.msg for more details).

* asift_matching parameters are defined as parameters in the asift_matching launchfiles : 
  - References are defined by the path to the references files can be a txt file (faster - see texte reference generation in asift_matching section) or a series of images files (slower - currently not working).
  - Tracked object is defined by the object name (must be one of the interface object to work properly with rviz_interface).
  - Number of tilts is defined by an integer value (1-no tilt, 7-recommended value). Higher value means slower process.
  - Standaed deviation filter coefficient is defined by a real value. Keep (1-68%/2-95%/3-99%) of the points statistically. 0: no filtering (default).