This is the control system for the MHSeals boat.
This document reflects the current state of the codebase.

• ROS 2 Humble
• Ubuntu 22.04
• Python >= 3.8
• numpy ~= 1.24.4
• Custom messages
  (replace ros_ws with the path to your ROS 2 workspace)
  cd ~/ros_ws/src && git clone https://github.com/MHSeals/boat_interfaces

You should build this package using symlink install so that you can easily modify the code and see the changes without having to rebuild the package. To build the package, run the following commands (substitute with the path to your ROS 2 workspace):

cd ~/ros_ws
colcon build --symlink-install --packages-select mhsboat_ctrl

See commands_to_run_boat.md

See packages_description.md

1. Boat-Centric Coordinates:
   All coordinates and movements are relative to the boat. The boat is always considered the origin (0,0) of the coordinate system. This simplifies calculations and ensures that all sensor data and task decisions are made with respect to the boat's current position and orientation.

2. Modularity:
   The system is modular, allowing for easy addition and modification of tasks. Each task is implemented as a separate class that inherits from the base Task class in mhsboat_ctrl/tasks/task.py. This design allows new tasks to be added without affecting existing components.

3. Simulation Support:
   The system supports running in simulation mode for testing and development without physical hardware. This is achieved by passing the use_simulated_map and map_file parameters to the mhsboat_ctrl node.

Task files are stored in the mhsboat_ctrl/tasks directory. Each task is implemented as a separate class that extends the base Task class in mhsboat_ctrl/tasks/task.py. The base Task class defines a run method that is called by the main loop of the control system and should return a TaskCompletionStatus object. It also defines a search method that:

• Returns None if no task is found.
• Returns a tuple (x, y) when a task is detected.

Tasks are automatically detected and loaded by the control system. To add a new task, simply create a new file in the mhsboat_ctrl/tasks directory that defines a class inheriting from Task. At the bottom of the file, include a main function that accepts a BoatController object and calls BoatController.add_task with an instance of your new task.

The main loop of the control system is found in mhsboat_ctrl/mhsboat_ctrl.py. It continuously searches for the next available task and then executes it. During execution, each task receives a Sensors object (from mhsboat_ctrl/sensors.py) that contains both sensor data and a generated map of the course. This design facilitates easy modifications and expansions as needed.

The Sensors class in mhsboat_ctrl/sensors.py is responsible for subscribing to various sensor topics and processing their data. This processed data is then used by tasks to make informed decisions throughout the control loop.

The TaskCompletionStatus and TaskStatus enums are defined in mhsboat_ctrl/enums.py and are used to represent the state and results of the tasks.

To run the control system in simulation mode, pass the use_simulated_map and map_file parameters to the mhsboat_ctrl node. For example:

ros2 run mhsboat_ctrl mhsboat_ctrl --ros-args -p use_simulated_map:=true -p map_file:=src/mhsboat_ctrl/maps/taskone.yaml