How to Use MoveIt

Here are some steps to use MoveIt for your robot:

Step 1: Make sure you meet the prerequisites, including:

• Having URDF of your robot
• Having ros_control and friends installed
• Having all required MoveIt packages installed

Step 2: Run MoveIt Setup Assistant. This is a convenient GUI-based tool to setup the configuration of your MoveIt package. The step-by-step tutorial to run and complete MoveIt Setup Assistant can be found here: http://docs.ros.org/en/melodic/api/moveit_tutorials/html/doc/setup_assistant/setup_assistant_tutorial.html.

If you want to implement 3D perception using MoveIt, fill the configuration setup for that.

Upon completing the MoveIt Setup Assistant, you will have made a package for your MoveIt configuration. The package folder, let’s say it’s called “myrobot_moveit_config”, typically contains the following:

Step 3: Check (and modify if necessary) the package created by the MoveIt Setup Assistant.

Step 4: Try to control your robot using MoveIt by using Rviz. Use the “Motion Planning” pallet.

Step 5: Try to integrate with Gazebo simulator. Plan and execute in Rviz; you should expect that the robot in Gazebo moves similarly.

Step 6: Try to integrate with real robot. Plan and execute in Rviz; you should expect that the real robot moves similarly.

Step 7: Create a package to write your custom motion planning node(s) in C++ or Python.

The tutorial to write your custom motion planning node(s) in C++ can be found here: http://docs.ros.org/en/melodic/api/moveit_tutorials/html/doc/move_group_interface/move_group_interface_tutorial.html

The tutorial to write your custom motion planning node(s) in Python can be found here: http://docs.ros.org/en/melodic/api/moveit_tutorials/html/doc/move_group_python_interface/move_group_python_interface_tutorial.html

In both C++ and Python, you can write node(s) to perform some tasks including:

• Planning a joint-space goal
• Planning a pose goal (in the task/Cartesian space)
• Planning with path constraints
• Planning Cartesian path(s)
• Adding/removing object(s) in the planning scene (i.e. the environment)
• Attaching/detaching object(s) to/from the robot’s body