What are the ROS versions compatible with the robotics toolbox?

What are the ROS versions compatible with the robotics toolbox? I am looking to use the toolbox for a research project with the robot Baxter.

Answer 1

[Jayaram Theegala]

In general, different ROS distributions (Groovy, Hydro, Indigo) can communicate with each other, as long as they agree on the definition of the message type that they are interchanging. Message type definitions do not change very often and a set of definitions is included for ROS Hydro in Robotics System Toolbox.

If you need support for message types that are not included in Robotics System Toolbox(or that changed between ROS distributions), you can use the custom message support package present at the following URL to add the new message type to MATLAB and Simulink:

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/49810-robotics-system-toolbox-interface-for-ros-custom-messages

If you want to re-define shipping message types to a different version, then you can follow the instructions described in the following MATLAB Answers post:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/283695-updating-existing-custom-message-types-with-rosgenmsg

Through this mechanism, MATLAB should be able to communicate to any version of ROS.

In terms of Baxter support, there are several demos of using Baxter with the toolbox, for example at the MATLAB Expo in 2015: http://www.matlabexpo.com/uk/2015/demo-stations.html