FLIR Boson ROS Driver

This package provides a custom ROS 2 driver for the FLIR Boson camera. It can switch between raw and colorized video modes, with options for rectified video output.

Installation

1. Install ROS 2

Ensure ROS 2 is installed on your system. Follow the official ROS 2 installation guide for instructions specific to your ROS 2 distribution.

2. Optional: For Time Synchronization of 2 or more cameras , Teensy Setup if not already configured

To make changes to the time synchronization behavior, set up your Teensy microcontroller:

1. Install Required Software

   • Arduino IDE or Arduino CLI.
     • If you need a GUI and have a display available, the Arduino IDE may be the simplest.
     • For a headless system (e.g., SSH only, no display), use the Arduino CLI.
   • Board Manager Package (Teensy)
     Add the following URL to Arduino/Arduino CLI preferences or board manager:

     https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/package_teensy_index.json
     

   • Udev Rules (optional on Linux)
     If you’re on Linux and need permission to access the Teensy USB port without root, copy the rules file:

     sudo cp 00-teensy.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/
     sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
     sudo udevadm trigger

   • Teensy Loader
     • If you have a display, the Teensy Loader GUI can upload sketches directly.
     • On a headless system, install the Teensy Loader Command Line utility for uploading .hex files.

2. Reference Makefile and Scripts (optional and for future development only)

   The Teensy setup includes a Makefile and other scripts (e.g., ntp_time_sync).

   • These are primarily for reference from past development and might be adapted for automatic builds.
   • If you need advanced time synchronization between the PC and Teensy in the future, these scripts can help streamline that process.

3. Uploading Sketches or Firmware

   • time_sync_new Uses PID control to synchronize the Teensy clock with GPS. Recommended for long-term accurate triggering where drift must remain minimal.
   • pps_trigger
     A simpler script that tests sensor triggering without advanced time sync. It may experience clock drift over long periods but is sufficient for quick tests.

   Headless/SSH Workflow (Example)

   1. Build using Arduino CLI:

      arduino-cli compile --fqbn teensy:avr:teensy41 path/to/your_sketch --build-path path/to/desired_build_location

   2. Upload using Teensy Loader Command Line:

      teensy_loader_cli --mcu=TEENSY41 -s -v path/to/your_sketch.ino.hex

   Replace teensy41 with your actual Teensy model (e.g., teensy36, teensy40, etc.). This process allows you to compile and upload without a GUI or display.

3. Package Build (ROS 2)

1. Install the required ROS 2 packages:

   sudo apt install ros-humble-image-transport ros-humble-cv-bridge ros-humble-camera-info-manager

2. Install flirpy for interfacing with the FLIR Boson cameras via a simple Python API:

   pip install flirpy

3. Ensure OpenCV is installed.

4. Install V4L2 headers for Linux:

   sudo apt install libv4l-dev

5. If needed, recompile the FSLP libraries (for FLIR Boson SDK):

   • Navigate to the Boson SDK folder and then the FSLP_Files subfolder.
   • Run make or make all, which attempts to build a 64-bit library based on your platform.

6. Copy udev rules to create symlinks such as /dev/flir_boson_serial#####_ that ultimately point to /dev/ttyACM# for easier setup:

   sudo cp 42-flir-ros.rules /etc/udev/rules.d
   sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

7. Clone this package into your ROS workspace and build it:

   colcon build --packages-select flir_ros_sync

8. Source the ROS 2 workspace after building:

   source install/setup.bash

4. Review and Configure Launch Files

• Review camera settings (config) files located in /flir_ros_sync/config
• Review the launch files located in /flir_ros_sync/launch/yamaha_atv:
  • atv_both_cams: Used for launching the stereo setup.
  • test_single_cam: Used for testing on a single camera (depreciated).
  • Both launch files use atv_single_cam as the base configuration.
• Update flir_id to match your camera’s serial number and adjust other settings as needed for your project requirements.

Usage (Single Camera)

1. Modify the raw parameter in the launch file (e.g., flir_ros.launch) to select between raw and colorized video.

2. Set the correct image size by adjusting the width and height parameters.

   • For a 640 FLIR camera, width should be set to 640 and height to 512.

3. Update the camera_name field in the launch file with a suitable camera name.

4. Save your camera's intrinsic parameters as a YAML file in /flir_ros_sync/data/camera_info and name it according to camera_name (see /yamaha_atv/ for reference).

5. Launch the driver with:

   ros2 launch flir_ros_sync test_single_cam.launch.py

Thermal image data will be published to /[camera]/image, camera info will be published to /[camera]/camera_info, and rectified image data will be published to /[camera]/image_rect.

Multiple Cameras

1. The udev rule that was installed creates unique symlinks for each FLIR camera based on its serial number, useful for multi-camera setups. You can list available serial numbers with:

   ls /dev/flir_boson*

2. To use multiple cameras, configure parameters and your cameras in a launch file as shown in the atv_both_cams.launch.py. Each camera will need its own node with unique flir_id and camera_name parameters.

3. Launch the driver with:

   ros2 launch flir_ros_sync atv_both_cams.launch.py

Time Synchronization

If sync mode is set to slave, rely on the Teensy to trigger the cameras at 10 Hz. Otherwise, each camera generates its own 60 Hz pulse (master or disabled). See flir_ros_sync/src/flir_ros_sync.cpp for details on time synchronization and sensor telemetry data processing.

Notes

• The udev rules create symlinks /dev/flir_boson_video and /dev/flir_boson_serial for FLIR Boson cameras.
• The node publishes thermal images to /[camera_name]/image and camera info to /[camera_name]/camera_info.
• Other topics include a bool flag to report FFC status and a Teensy status topic.
• For multiple thermal cameras, adjust the flir_id and camera_name in each camera's node configuration.
• FLIR Boson cameras only require USB 2.0 ports; it is better if you use USB 3.0 ports and have a powered USB hub (critical for stereo setup)

Developers

This package was developed by:

• Yifei Liu
• Anton Yanovich
• Parv Maheshwari