Program Overview

Introduction to the ROS Skill-Building Course

The Robot Operating System, or ROS for short, has quickly established itself as an important tool for working with robots. Since its introduction, the open source framework for robot software has enjoyed great popularity in research and development. Thanks to the continuous further development of the tools available for the control, regulation and visualization of a wide range of robot systems, the framework is also increasingly being used in industrial projects and is establishing itself as a standard.

Course Overview

For the application of ROS on robots, the IGMR offers a hands-on ROS course together with the International Academy of the RWTH. In this course, participants learn how to use ROS and how to apply the framework to pre-communicated robot systems. With the kind support of Universal Robots, the most recent course was specially tailored for use on collaborative robots, so-called CoBots.

Course Structure

The first two days of the course week are dedicated to the theoretical aspects. Participants will learn about the basic functionalities of the ROS file structure, communication, services and actions. The students then work together with experts on ROS welding projects to apply their newly acquired skills. They learn how to create, organize and manage ROS packages, which are the basic unit of software in ROS. In addition, the concept of nodes and their role in ROS is explained.

Practical Application

In small groups, students then apply these concepts to control a robot with ROS, including modeling, controlling and navigating the robot. On the last day, the projects are presented to the professors of the IGMR.

Research Areas

• The course focuses on the application of ROS in robotics, particularly in collaborative robots (CoBots).
• Participants learn about the basic functionalities of the ROS file structure, communication, services and actions.
• The course covers the creation, organization, and management of ROS packages and the concept of nodes in ROS.

Program Details

• The course is offered by the IGMR in collaboration with the International Academy of the RWTH.
• The course is hands-on and includes theoretical and practical aspects of ROS.
• The course is tailored for use on collaborative robots, with the support of Universal Robots.

Conclusion

The ROS Skill-Building Course provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the Robot Operating System and its application in robotics. The course covers both theoretical and practical aspects, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience with ROS and its applications in collaborative robots.