How to parse data from 2D laser scanner in MATLAB?

[strider]

Hello,

We are trying to read 2D laser scanner data from MATLAB via remote api.

We checked out the following post and managed to get laser scanner data (a 1xnumber_of_points matrix) to MATLAB with the code given below; however, we could not make any sense out of it.

We guess that the data is in the form of x,y,z coordinates for each laser point but we are not sure about evaluating/parsing the data matrix.

Is it with respect to robot coordinate frame or sensor coordinate frame?

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1535

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Matlab Code:
[returnCode,signal] = vrep.simxGetStringSignal(clientID,'measuredDataAtThisTime',vrep.simx_opmode_buffer);
        if(vrep.simx_return_ok == returnCode)
            data=vrep.simxUnpackFloats(signal);


Aside from this issue, is there a way to represent occupancy grid maps in V-REP?

Thank you in advance,

[coppelia]

Hello,

the data is normally relative to the model reference frame. If you need another type of data (e.g. angle+detected distances), you will have to slightly modify the child script loop that reads out the points.

To read the data from a remote API client such as Matlab, there is now a better method: you can use simxCallScriptFunction.

Your question about the occupancy grid, is it related to visualization only? If yes, you have several possibilities:

• you can use simAddDrawingObject (and similar) to draw the objects into the scene
• you can simply place a dummy object at the location (simCreateDummy)
• you can place a specific object at the location (simCopyPasteObjects)
• If it is a 3D occupancy grid, then you could also use octrees.

Above functions can only be called locally (i.e. not from a remote API client). But you always have the possibility to indirectly call above function via simxCallScriptFunction, from your remote API client.

Cheers

[Astronirav]

Hello Coppelia,

I am using the same laser scanner and facing a similar problem.
I've added the following code in the child script of the robot:

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data=simPackFloats(points)
simSetStringSignal("measuredDataAtThisTime",data)

Now, to get the value of range I've written following code in MATLAB:

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[returnCode, signalValue] = vrep.simxGetStringSignal(clientID,'measuredDataAtThisTime',vrep.simx_opmode_streaming);
   while(1)
      [returnCode, signalValue] = vrep.simxGetStringSignal(clientID,'measuredDataAtThisTime',vrep.simx_opmode_buffer);
      disp(signalValue);
      pause(0.1);
   end


It prints some kind of cryptic code like this: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B65Rebm2Pm6KY05CZ19TUHFRSE0

Is it because the child script sent packed code and I didn't unpack it in MATLAB?
How can I overcome this problem?

[coppelia]

Hello,

yes, if you packed the data, then you should unpack it on the Matlab side, with simxUnpackFloats.

Cheers