ESP-Daemon

ESP-Daemon is a communication and control system for Eurobot robots, implemented using Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 and ROS2. The system provides multiple features including SIMA communication (ESP-NOW Bridge), RGB strip control, wireless emergency stop, and BMS (Battery Management System) integration.

Hardware Requirements

• Main Controller: Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3
  • 32-bit RISC-V @ 160MHz processor
  • 400KB SRAM, 4MB Flash
  • 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0
  • USB Type-C interface

Features

• SIMA Communication: Low-latency robot-to-robot communication using ESP-NOW protocol
• RGB Strip Control: Support for programmable RGB strips like WS2812B
• Wireless Emergency Stop: Remote emergency stop functionality
• BMS Integration: Battery Management System integration
• ROS2 Integration: Seamless integration with ROS2 ecosystem using micro-ROS
• Docker Support: Containerized deployment solution
• Web Interface: Built-in web UI for device configuration and monitoring

System Requirements

• Ubuntu 20.04 or higher
• Docker and Docker Compose
• ROS2 Humble or higher
• PlatformIO IDE (for ESP32 firmware development)

Quick Start

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/DIT-ROBOTICS/ESP-Daemon.git
cd ESP-Daemon

2. Compile ESP32 Firmware

cd esp_firmware
pio run

3. Upload Firmware to XIAO ESP32C3

pio run -t upload

4. Access Web Interface

After uploading the firmware, the device will create a WiFi access point. Connect to it and navigate to:

http://192.168.4.1

5. Launch ROS2 Nodes

Start the services using Docker Compose:

docker compose up

Configuration Guide

ESP32 Configuration

1. Modify settings in esp_firmware/platformio.ini:

   • Update upload_port to your XIAO ESP32C3 device port (usually /dev/ttyACM0)
   • Adjust monitor_speed as needed (default: 115200)

2. Configure in esp_firmware/include/config.h:

   • WiFi settings
   • ESP-NOW peer addresses
   • RGB strip configuration
   • BMS parameters

ROS2 Configuration

1. Environment Variables:

   export ROS_DOMAIN_ID=<same_as_esp_config>

2. Docker Configuration:

   • Set appropriate environment variables in docker-compose.yaml
   • Ensure proper device and directory mounting

Usage Guide

SIMA Communication

The system uses a numeric command system through the /sima/start topic:

1. Send commands using ROS2:

   # Format: ros2 topic pub /sima/start std_msgs/msg/Int16 "{data: <command>}"
   
   # Send command to all SIMA devices
   ros2 topic pub /sima/start std_msgs/msg/Int16 "{data: 5}"

2. Monitor system status:

   # Monitor battery voltage
   ros2 topic echo /robot_status/battery_voltage
   
   # Monitor device heartbeat
   ros2 topic echo /esp32_counter

Emergency Stop

The emergency stop system uses a relay control through the /robot_status/emergency_stop topic:

1. Trigger emergency stop:

   # Enable emergency stop
   ros2 topic pub /robot_status/emergency_stop std_msgs/msg/Bool "{data: true}"
   
   # Disable emergency stop
   ros2 topic pub /robot_status/emergency_stop std_msgs/msg/Bool "{data: false}"

2. The system will:

   • Enable relay when emergency stop is triggered
   • Disable relay when emergency stop is released
   • Automatically handle mode transitions

Battery Monitoring

The system continuously monitors battery voltage:

1. View real-time battery voltage:

   ros2 topic echo /robot_status/battery_voltage

2. The voltage is published as a Float32 value in the /robot_status/battery_voltage topic

System States

The device operates in different modes:

• WAITING_AGENT: Initial state, waiting for ROS2 agent
• AGENT_AVAILABLE: ROS2 agent is available
• AGENT_CONNECTED: Successfully connected to ROS2 agent
• AGENT_DISCONNECTED: Lost connection to ROS2 agent

Development Guide

Adding New Features

1. ESP32 Firmware Development:

   • Add new features in esp_firmware/src
   • Update dependencies in platformio.ini

2. ROS2 Node Development:

   • Create new ROS2 packages in esp_daemon_ws/src
   • Update Docker configuration to include new packages