Recap: ROS-I Training Spring 2016

Spring ROS-Industrial Basic Developers Training classes gave participants an opportunity to learn new skills through hands-on training. The ROS-Industrial Developers’ Training Class was held April 6 - 8, 2016 at SwRI, in San Antonio, Texas where the ROS-I Consortium Americas is based.

On April 6 the class reviewed ROS packages, parameters, topics, messages, launch files and URDF's. The first day ended with a tour of a SwRI labs and campus where the participants were able to see several ROS applications as well as get a better idea of Southwest Research Institute facilities. The rest of training took developers through foundational robot manipulation (with an introduction to Descartes and other path planners) and perception with a multi-option lab day. The lessons can be found here. Participants from 3M, ABB, Bastian, IDEXX, John Deere, JR Automation, Smart Robotics (Japan) and one student from the Make School attended. Check out the pictures (below).

Many thanks for Jonathan Meyer, Levi Armstrong, Shaun Edwards, and Christina Gomez from SwRI for this year's training.

students independently walking through an online exercise while jonathan clarifies a point

all students bring their own laptops with a virtual machine that is set up and ready to go; levi approaches a student with a question

The full class with  Swri ROS-Industrial support staff included

ROS-Industrial Training April 6-8, 2016

Southwest Research Institute is hosting a ROS-Industrial Training Class April 6 – 8, 2016 in San Antonio Texas.

The classroom portion is similar to the training held last year with the same curriculum and lab option for Descartes; a more detailed agenda can be found at the ROS-I website. Please bring a laptop to the class with the ROS-I training Virtual Machine pre-installed . This class is geared toward individuals with a programming background who seek to learn to compose their own ROS nodes. Day 1 will focus on basic/introductory ROS concepts. Day 2 will examine motion planning using MoveIt! as well as the Descartes planner and Perception concepts. Day 3 offers a lab programming exercise (with a choice of):
• Simple Perception Lab
• Simple MoveIt! Application
• Simple Descartes Application.
• Pick and Place Application
Registration is now open: http://rosindustrial.org/training-registration
Book your hotel by March 22 to receive the discounted room rate! Details can be found at the event website.

Recap: ROS-I Developers Training Class in Milpitas

In collaboration with E&M, Flex, SVR, Olympus Controls, and SwRI, the ROS-Industrial Fall training class gave participants an opportunity to learn new skills through hands-on experience. The ROS-Industrial Basic Developers Training Class was held November 16 -18, 2015, in Milpitas, CA at Flex. The event included a tour of the Flex AEG Labs, specifically the areas of Wearables Tech, Failure Analysis - Reliability Testing and Automation Development.

On November 16 the class reviewed ROS packages, parameters, topics, messages, launch files and URDF's. The next day of training took developers through foundational robot manipulation (with an introduction to the Descartes path planner) and perception. The last day of training consisted of a multi-option lab day. The training curriculum for each session can be found here. We had participants from 3M, Bastian Solutions, Flex, Foresight Robotics US, Modbot, Olympus Controls, Siemens, and Stratasys. Check out pictures from the class below.

Special thanks to:

• Flex for their help in coordinating the tour, arranging the training location(s), and overall support of the ROS-I training. Special thanks goes out to Hassan Aluraibi and Alexandra Coltman for their roles in leading the coordination effort.
• E&M for providing lunch on Nov. 17.
• Silicon Valley Robotics for helping to promote the class.
• Olympus Controls for providing two UR robots to use during the lab day.

The first two days focused on ROS fundamentals and motion planning

Lab day, an open space for side conversations, programming and robot interaction.

Re-grouping at the Flex main entrance for the tour. 

ROS-Industrial Training Opportunities

October 21, Stuttgart, Germany

The ROS-Industrial Consortium Europe is hosting a ROS-Industrial Training Class October 21 in Stuttgart, Germany. For details, refer to the event page.

Registration is still open: Link

November 16-18, San Jose area, California, USA

The ROS-Industrial Consortium Americas is coordinating with Flex and Silicon Valley Robotics to host a ROS-Industrial Developers Training Class November 16-18, 2015 in Milpitas, California. For details, refer to the events page.

Registration is now open: Link

Recap: ROS-I Developers Training Class in Peoria

Spring training classes for ROS-Industrial gave participants an opportunity to learn new skills through hands-on training. The ROS-Industrial Developers’ Training Class was held April 29 - May 2, 2015, in Peoria, Illinois in collaboration with Caterpillar Inc. The training started with a tour of a Caterpillar manufacturing plant where the participants were able to see the assembly of several types of Caterpillar tractors.

For the first time, SwRI prepared an advanced track curriculum to go alongside the Basic Track (full agenda). On April 30 the class of 40 split into two groups; the basic track reviewed ROS packages, parameters, topics, messages, launch files and URDF's while the advanced track reviewed and implemented the Industrial Calibration Library and a snippet of OpenCV code. The rest of training took developers through foundational robot manipulation (with an introduction to the Descartes path planner) and perception leading to a multi-option lab day. The lessons for each session for both advanced and basic tracks can be found here. We had participants from ABB, Alpha Automation, Boeing, CAT, GE, HDT Robotics, IDEXX, John Deere, Northwestern University, Siemens, UT Austin NRG, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Vetex, Vizient, and Wolf Robotics. Check out pictures from the classes below.

We would like to thank Caterpillar for their help in coordinating the tour, providing transportation, arranging the training location(s), and overall support of the ROS-I training. Special thanks goes out to Matt Robinson and John Sherman for their roles in leading the coordination effort.

In addition, thanks to Jeremy Zoss, Chris Lewis and Jorge Nicho from SwRI for serving as knowledgeable and supportive instructors for this year's training.

 MOST OF THE GROUP ENJOYING DINNER IN THE Two25 Restaurant in the mark twain hotel.

Advanced track class with cameras and robot setup for extrinsic calibration

Combined tracks for Friday Sessions in caterpillars beautiful visitors center

Interactive lab day where participants could use moveit with the ur5's or work on descartes with the ur5 or work on a perception lab or a virtual pick and place application

ROS-Industrial Training 2015 (April 29)

Southwest Research Institute is coordinating with Caterpillar to host a ROS-Industrial Training Class April 29 – May 2, 2015 in Peoria, Illinois. Wednesday at 1 pm, we begin with a tour of a Caterpillar manufacturing plant, and end with a dinner in downtown Peoria. The detailed agenda can be found at the ROS-I website.

The classroom portion is similar to the training held last year with the same curriculum and an added session and lab option for Descartes. Please bring a laptop to the class with the ROS-I training Virtual Machine pre-installed. This class is geared toward individuals with a programming background who seek to learn to compose their own ROS nodes. Day 1 will be split into two tracks: the ROS Basics track will focus on introductory ROS skills; the Advanced track will focus on camera/perception topics. Day 2 will examine motion planning using MoveIt! as well as the Descartes planner and Perception concepts. Day 3 offers a lab programming exercise (with a choice of):
• Simple Perception Lab
• Simple MoveIt! Application
• Simple Descartes Application.
Registration is now open: http://rosindustrial.org/training-registration.