README.md

vive_tracking_ros

pyOpenVR based vive controller tracking for teleoperation.

For now, only the twist and input feedback is published to ROS.

In the future, I may add the pose.

Inspired by robosavvy/vive_ros and triad_openvr

This was tested on ROS Noetic / Ubuntu 20.04

Getting started

After installing dependencies and this package

1. Configure your system on the vive_tracking_ros/config/vive_config.yaml to easily identify each controller

2. Start the VR server

   roslaunch vive_tracking_ros server_vr.launch
   

3. To close the node you can Ctrl+C. To close the vr server you have to kill the process.

   rosrun vive_tracking_ros close_server.sh
   

4. To start tracking the controllers run (added part from original package):

   roslaunch vive_tracking_ros tracking_controller.launch
   

Installation instructions

Download and build Valve's OpenVR SDK (most recently tested version):

cd ~
mkdir libraries
cd libraries
git clone https://github.com/ValveSoftware/openvr.git -b v1.3.22
cd openvr
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../
make

Allow hardware access

Then plug-in VIVE to your computer and make sure you can see the devices on /dev/hidraw[1-6].

Copy the file 60-HTC-Vive-perms.rules to the folder /etc/udev/rules.d. Then run:

  sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

Install Steam and SteamVR

Install Steam:

  sudo apt install steam

Run Steam:

  steam

Setup or log in into your Steam account and install SteamVR app from Steam store.

Steam files should be located in: ~/.steam/steam

SteamVR files should be located in: ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/SteamVR

To work without the Headset HMD

See here for instructions

Rewrite default.vrsettings for use without headset.

~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamVR/resources/settings/default.vrsettings

By changing the the following part, it became possible to use Vive Tracker alone.

3 "requireHmd" : true 
↓
3 "requireHmd" : false