ptgrey_reader

PointGrey Reader

Download code

Enter the catkin work space

cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/src  
git clone https://github.com/gaowenliang/ptgrey_reader.git

Install dependency for ptgrey

For TX2 the you can direct use our install script

cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/src/ptgrey_reader/
sh autoinstall_tx2.sh

and jump to run step

Install libusb-1.0.21

cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/src/ptgrey_reader/install/usb/  
tar jxvf libusb-1.0.21.tar.bz2  
cd libusb-1.0.21/  

Follow the INSTALL file to make and install the libusb library:

./configure  
make   
sudo make install  

Install camera driver for ptgrey

The driver supports the computer with Intel CPUs and NVIDIA TX2.

• For computer with Intel CPU:

  cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/src/ptgrey_reader/install/amd64/
  tar zxvf flycapture2-2.11.3.121-amd64-pkg.tgz
  cd flycapture2-2.11.3.121-amd64/
  

• For TX2:

  cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/src/ptgrey_reader/install/arm64/
  tar zxvf flycapture.2.11.3.121_arm64.tar.gz
  cd flycapture.2.11.3.121_arm64/
  cd include/
  sudo mkdir /usr/include/flycapture
  sudo cp *.h /usr/include/flycapture
  cd ../lib/
  sudo cp lib* /usr/lib
  

Follow the README file. Install requirements:

sudo apt-get install libraw1394-11 libgtkmm-2.4-dev libglademm-2.4-dev libgtkglextmm-x11-1.2-dev libusb-1.0-0 -y

Install Flycapture2 driver library (only Intel CPU need this step. No need for TX2)

sudo sh install_flycapture.sh

Build the package:

cd YOUR_ROS_WORKSPACE/   
catkin_make

Before using that you may need to give them enough authority

sudo gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/40-flir.rules

Change all the 0613 or 0664 to 777 in the “40-flir.rules” and save. Then restart the system.

Run

Use rosrun the camera_list to see your camera ID number.

roscore
rosrun ptgrey_reader camera_list

The camera infomation will be shown in screen, such as:

FlyCapture2 library version: 2.11.3.425
Application build date: Jun  7 2018 23:22:29

Number of cameras detected: 1

========== CAMERA INFORMATION ============
         Serial number | 17221110
          Camera model | Chameleon3 CM3-U3-13Y3M
         Camera vendor | Point Grey Research
                Sensor | OnSemi PYTHON1300 (1/2" Mono CMOS)
            Resolution | 1280x1024
      Firmware version | 1.13.3.0
   Firmware build time | Tue Nov 15 18:35:47 2016

Done! Press Enter to exit...

Copy the Serial number to launch file as device, and launch.

roslaunch ptgrey_reader single.launch 

After launch the camera, there will be a ROS topic named /pg_YOU_SERIAL_NUM/image_raw, such as /pg_17221069/image_raw. The type is sensor_msgs/Image.

Parameter	Detail	Default
device	Device Serial number
is_pub	Publish ROS image message or not	true
is_show	Show the image in screen or not	false
is_print	Print the infomation on screen or not	true
is_sync	Use hardware trigger or not	false
is_grey	(for Color Sensor) Output Grey Scale image or not	false
is_roi	Use ROI and down sample not	false
is_auto_shutter	Auto shutter time or not	false
shutter	Shutter time	0.0001 to 49.9313
brightness	Brightness	5.0
exposure	Exposure	0.8
WB_red	Write Balance red	550
WB_Blue	Write Balance blue	810
gain	Gain	0.0 to 18.0

If is_grey is true, there will be a extra ROS tpoic named /pg_YOU_SERIAL_NUM/image_grey.

If is_roi is true, there will be a extra ROS tpoic named /pg_YOU_SERIAL_NUM/image. The ROI and down sample with such two step rule:

• step1: crop ROI image

• step2: down sample, with down_sample_scale <= 1.0

Hardware Trigger

The Hardware trigger is to capture an image while the camera received a trigger signal. An extra trigger cable is required. Buy the elements of the trigger cable in JST NSHR-09V-S and JST ASSHLSSHL28W51. Set is_sync as true in the launch file. And make sure the rate is larger than the trigger signal frequency.

The Trigger signal is a high level signal.

Issue

USB buffer issue:

If progrem cannot run successfully, especially for muti-camera system and high FPS system, change the USB buffer before roslaunch the progrem:

• To temporarily set the maximum usbfs memory limit, run this command:

  sudo -S sh -c 'echo 2048 > /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/usbfs_memory_mb'
  

• To permanently set the maximum usbfs memory limit: Open the /etc/default/grub file in any text editor.

  sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
  

  Find and replace: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash" with this: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash usbcore.usbfs_memory_mb=2048" Update grub with these settings:

  sudo update-grub
  

  Reboot and test a USB 3.1 camera.

Ps: 2048Mb is not required. Any buffer size is OK.