ROS 2 Jazzy with ESP32 via UDP Network Communication

Prerequisites

• Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
• ROS 2 Distribution: Jazzy Jalisco (LTS, released May 2024)
• Microcontroller: ESP32 (with WiFi capability)
• Development Environment: Arduino IDE (latest version)
• Additional Hardware:
  • HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor
  • DC Motors with motor driver (L298N or similar)
  • Wheels and chassis for robot platform
• Network: Both ESP32 and Ubuntu machine should be on the same local network (WiFi or Ethernet)
• Python 3: Ensure Python 3 is installed on your Ubuntu system
• Basic Knowledge: Familiarity with ROS 2 concepts, Arduino programming, and terminal commands

Compatibility Overview

ROS 2 Jazzy Jalisco is fully compatible with ESP32 microcontrollers through micro-ROS. Jazzy is the latest Long Term Support (LTS) release launched in May 2024, with support extending until May 2029. The micro-ROS project has been actively updated to support Jazzy, with all core repositories and standalone build systems receiving Jazzy branch updates.¹²³

Key Compatibility Points:

• Supported Platforms: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (your setup) is a Tier 1 platform for ROS 2 Jazzy²¹
• ESP32 Support: ESP32 has been officially supported by micro-ROS since 2020, with native WiFi and UDP transport capabilities⁴⁵
• Network Communication: UDP port 8888 is the default transport method for micro-ROS agents⁶⁷

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

1. Install micro-ROS Agent on Ubuntu 24.04

First, set up the micro-ROS agent on your host system:

# Source ROS 2 Jazzy
source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash

# Create workspace for micro-ROS
mkdir ~/microros_ws
cd ~/microros_ws

# Clone micro-ROS setup tools
git clone -b jazzy https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_setup.git src/micro_ros_setup

# Clone roboneo_bot package
git clone https://github.com/Aqirito/roboneo_ros_bot.git src/roboneo_bot

# Optional: Clone teleop_twist_keyboard for manual control
git clone -b dashing https://github.com/ros2/teleop_twist_keyboard.git src/teleop_twist_keyboard

# Install dependencies
sudo apt update && rosdep update
rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -y

# Build micro-ROS tools
colcon build
source install/local_setup.bash

# Create and build micro-ROS agent
ros2 run micro_ros_setup create_agent_ws.sh
ros2 run micro_ros_setup build_agent.sh
source install/local_setup.bash

Add this to your .bashrc for convenience:

echo "source ~/microros_ws/install/local_setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc

2. Install micro-ROS Arduino Library

1. Download and install the micro-ROS Arduino library: Download as ZIP: micro_ros_arduino
   • Go to Sketch → Include Library → Add .ZIP Library... in Arduino IDE
   • Select the downloaded ZIP file
   • Check Sketch → Include Library find the installed libraries probably named micro_ros_arduino to confirm installation

3. Configure ESP32 in Arduino IDE

1. Install ESP32 Board Support:
   • Open Arduino IDE
   • Go to File → Preferences
   • Add this URL to Additional Board Manager URLs: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json
   • Go to Tools → Board → Boards Manager
   • Search for "ESP32" and install version 2.0.2 for safe compatibility with micro-ROS
2. Select Board and Port:
   • Tools → Board → ESP32 Arduino → ESP32 Dev Module
   • Tools → Port → [Your ESP32 Port] (usually /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyACM0)

4. Hardware Setup

HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor Connections:

ESP32         HC-SR04
---------------------
5V     ---->  VCC
GND    ---->  GND
GPIO 25 ---->  Trig
GPIO 26 ---->  Echo

Motor Driver (L298N) Connections:

ESP32         Motor Driver     Motors
-------------------------------------
GPIO 16  ---> IN1 (Left)      Left Motor
GPIO 17  ---> IN2 (Left)      
GPIO 18  ---> IN3 (Right)     Right Motor
GPIO 19  ---> IN4 (Right)

5V       ---> VCC (Logic)
GND      ---> GND

5. ESP32 Arduino Sketches

The project includes multiple Arduino sketches for different functionalities:

A. Basic String Publisher

ESP32 code that publishes a "hello" string message via WiFi UDP: esp32_hello_publisher.ino

B. Ultrasonic Sensor Publisher

ESP32 code that publishes distance measurements from HC-SR04 sensor: ultrasonic_publisher.ino

C. Motor Control Subscriber

ESP32 code that subscribes to Twist messages for motor control: twist_subscriber.ino

D. Complete Robot Node

Combined functionality with both ultrasonic sensor publishing and motor control: roboneo_bot.ino

Key Configuration Points for all sketches:

• Update YOUR_WIFI_SSID and YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD with your network credentials
• Change host_ip to your Ubuntu PC's IP address (find with ip addr show)
• Built-in LED (pin 2) indicates micro-ROS agent connection status
• All sketches use UDP port 8888 for communication

6. ROS 2 Python Scripts

Create ROS 2 nodes for communication with ESP32:

A. Basic String Subscriber

Receives messages from ESP32 hello publisher: hello_sub.py

B. LED Control Publisher

Publishes messages to control ESP32 LED: led_state_pub.py

C. Ultrasonic Distance Subscriber

Receives distance measurements from ESP32: ultrasonic_sub.py

D. Robot Test Script

Comprehensive test script for the complete robot system: test_roboneo_bot.py

7. Build and Source Your ROS 2 Workspace

You likely already have the rclpy, std_msgs, and geometry_msgs packages installed as part of your ROS 2 system. It's good practice to run rosdep in the root of your workspace (ros2_ws) to check for missing dependencies before building:

rosdep install -i --from-path src --rosdistro jazzy -y

Then build your workspace:

cd ~/microros_ws
colcon build --packages-select roboneo_bot
source install/setup.bash

8. Running the Complete System

For Basic Hello Publisher/Subscriber:

Terminal 1 - Start micro-ROS Agent:

source ~/microros_ws/install/local_setup.bash
ros2 run micro_ros_agent micro_ros_agent udp4 --port 8888

You should see:

[INFO] [UDPv4AgentLinux.cpp] init | running... | port: 8888

Terminal 2 - Run ROS 2 Subscriber:

source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash
ros2 run roboneo_bot hello_sub

Terminal 3 - Monitor Topics (Optional):

source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash
ros2 topic list
ros2 topic echo /esp32/hello

For Complete Roboneo Bot:

Terminal 1 - Start micro-ROS Agent:

source ~/microros_ws/install/local_setup.bash
ros2 run micro_ros_agent micro_ros_agent udp4 --port 8888

Terminal 2 - Run Ultrasonic Distance Subscriber:

source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash
ros2 run roboneo_bot ultrasonic_sub

Terminal 3 - Run Robot Test Script:

source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash
ros2 run roboneo_bot test_roboneo_bot

9. Flash and Test ESP32

1. Upload Code: Flash the desired Arduino sketch to your ESP32
2. Monitor Connection: Watch the serial monitor - you should see WiFi connection and micro-ROS agent discovery
3. Verify Communication: The ESP32's LED should turn on when connected to the agent
4. Check Messages: Your Python subscribers should receive messages from the ESP32

10. Advanced Usage

Running Individual Components:

To run individual components of the roboneo_bot system:

# Publish distance measurements
ros2 topic pub /ultrasonic_distance std_msgs/msg/Float32 "data: 0.0" --once

# Control motors with Twist messages
ros2 topic pub /cmd_vel geometry_msgs/msg/Twist "linear:
  x: 0.5
  y: 0.0
  z: 0.0
angular:
  x: 0.0
  y: 0.0
  z: 0.5" --once

Testing the Complete Robot:

Use the test script to verify all functionality:

ros2 run roboneo_bot test_roboneo_bot

This will:

1. Move the robot forward
2. Rotate the robot
3. Stop the robot
4. Display distance measurements

Controlling the Robot with teleop_twist_keyboard:

You can manually control the roboneo_bot using the teleop_twist_keyboard package:

Terminal 1 - Start micro-ROS Agent:

source ~/microros_ws/install/local_setup.bash
ros2 run micro_ros_agent micro_ros_agent udp4 --port 8888

Terminal 2 - Run teleop_twist_keyboard:

ros2 run teleop_twist_keyboard teleop_twist_keyboard

Follow the on-screen instructions to control the robot:

• i/k - Move forward/backward
• j/l - Turn left/right
• q/z - Increase/decrease linear speed
• w/x - Increase/decrease angular speed
• space - Stop the robot

Terminal 3 - Monitor distance sensor (optional):

ros2 topic echo /ultrasonic_distance

Troubleshooting Tips

Common Issues:

• No topics visible: Ensure both devices are on the same network and firewall allows UDP traffic on port 8888⁸⁹
• Connection fails: Verify IP address is correct and micro-ROS agent is running⁸
• WiFi connection issues: Double-check SSID and password in the ESP32 code¹⁰
• Sensor readings inaccurate: Check HC-SR04 wiring and power supply
• Motor not responding: Verify motor driver connections and power supply

Network Verification:

# Check if ESP32 can reach your PC
ping [ESP32_IP]

# Verify micro-ROS agent is listening
netstat -ulnp | grep 8888

Debugging Connection Issues:

1. Check that the micro-ROS agent is running on port 8888
2. Verify that both ESP32 and PC are on the same network
3. Confirm that the IP address in the ESP32 code matches your PC's IP
4. Use the serial monitor to check ESP32 connection status

This setup provides a robust foundation for ESP32-ROS 2 Jazzy communication over your local network via UDP, enabling real-time bidirectional communication between your microcontroller and ROS 2 system for robotics applications.^{1112 1314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556575859606162}

⁂

Footnotes

1. https://www.openrobotics.org/blog/2024/5/ros-jazzy-jalisco-released ↩ ↩²

2. https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-2-jazzy-jalisco-released/37862 ↩ ↩²

3. https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_setup/discussions/694 ↩

4. https://discourse.ros.org/t/micro-ros-porting-to-esp32/16101 ↩

5. https://micro.ros.org/blog/2020/08/27/esp32/ ↩

6. https://snapcraft.io/install/micro-ros-agent/arch ↩

7. https://snapcraft.io/install/micro-ros-agent/ubuntu ↩

8. https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_setup/issues/532 ↩ ↩²

9. https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_platformio/issues/139 ↩

10. https://technologiehub.at/project-posts/micro-ros-on-esp32-tutorial/ ↩

11. https://github.com/97hackbrian/uRos2_esp32_uPython ↩

12. https://husarnet.com/blog/esp32-microros ↩

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R8VUPEkYhg ↩

14. https://www.reddit.com/r/ROS/comments/15jey91/dynamic_communication_between_esp32_and_ros2/ ↩

15. https://crossbell.io/notes/57370-2 ↩

16. https://dev.to/lonebots/seamless-robotics-integration-setting-up-micro-ros-on-esp32-2ad2 ↩

17. https://xiangyu.xlog.app/Integrating-ESP32-with-ROS-over-WiFi?locale=en ↩

18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48SxC6LBVs8 ↩

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WncOr9l4KQ8 ↩

20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtVFsgTG3AA ↩

21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcbNKhWhL8o ↩

22. https://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/ros2-over-ethernet.html ↩

23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP9fVZKwBTk ↩

24. https://www.reddit.com/r/ROS/comments/175k1hl/ros2_esp32_sos/ ↩

25. https://github.com/albertrichard080/ros2_esp32-microros ↩

26. https://docs.ros.org/en/jazzy/p/network_bridge/ ↩

27. https://xiangyu-fu.github.io/2023/08/07/misc/esp32_ros_wifi/ ↩

28. https://github.com/yossefhady/Self-Balance ↩

29. https://ros2-tutorial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/publishers_and_subscribers.html ↩

30. https://blog.hadabot.com/set-up-esp32-microcontroller-for-ros2-robotics.html ↩

31. https://www.theconstruct.ai/how-to-write-a-ros-publisher-and-subscriber-with-a-custom-message/ ↩

32. https://deepwiki.com/micro-ROS/micro-ROS-Agent/3.2-running-the-agent\&rut=8410700258b7e59a9cf9de81d68c668823c76557b9b72b971bac5b6970e81766 ↩

33. https://docs.ros.org/en/foxy/Tutorials/Beginner-Client-Libraries/Writing-A-Simple-Cpp-Publisher-And-Subscriber.html ↩

34. https://docs.ros.org/en/jazzy/index.html ↩

35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8407qTyBRe0 ↩

36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL7swYonY8w ↩

37. https://snapcraft.io/micro-ros-agent ↩

38. https://docs.ros.org/en/foxy/Tutorials/Beginner-Client-Libraries/Writing-A-Simple-Py-Publisher-And-Subscriber.html ↩

39. https://www.reddit.com/r/ROS/comments/1cyvjfg/ros_2_jazzy_jalisco_has_been_released_details/ ↩

40. https://adityakamath.github.io/2022-07-02-even-more-microros-examples/ ↩

41. https://www.mathworks.com/help/ros/gs/ros2-topics.html ↩

42. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2HTDllOKRw ↩

43. https://adityakamath.github.io/2022-06-26-more-microros-examples/ ↩

44. https://answers.ros.org/question/379267/ ↩

45. https://github.com/alvaro0308/micro-ROS-Teleop-ESP32 ↩

46. https://github.com/mgonzs13/esp32_ros ↩

47. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4redsBi-Uo ↩

48. https://discourse.ros.org/t/ros-2-jazzy-jalisco-released/37862 ↩

49. https://www.hackster.io/514301/micro-ros-on-esp32-using-arduino-ide-1360ca ↩

50. https://qiita.com/ousagi_sama/items/b4eb3d9c6b337cbe1b05 ↩

51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQWRPGLg6OI ↩

52. https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Releases/Release-Jazzy-Jalisco.html ↩

53. https://gist.github.com/rasheeddo/5a6dd95b206233ad58bda8304ae2f30d ↩

54. https://automaticaddison.com/how-to-create-a-ros-2-python-subscriber-iron/ ↩

55. https://www.reddit.com/r/ROS/comments/vgycwx/microros_node_on_esp32_that_both_publishes_and/ ↩

56. https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_setup/issues/234 ↩

57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od3JwOeyEXc ↩

58. https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Tutorials/Beginner-Client-Libraries/Writing-A-Simple-Py-Publisher-And-Subscriber.html ↩

59. https://www.theconstruct.ai/ros2-programming-basics-using-python/ ↩

60. https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_espidf_component ↩

61. https://ppl-ai-code-interpreter-files.s3.amazonaws.com/web/direct-files/8d9aff20712c0dc808dee3a1918c6910/b500273d-9cec-4b5c-99bc-498499d85735/422142d4.ino ↩

62. https://ppl-ai-code-interpreter-files.s3.amazonaws.com/web/direct-files/8d9aff20712c0dc808dee3a1918c6910/3808b7d3-c2a7-4dd1-ab48-8ed0e178d6fd/dc0c08fa.py ↩