KiKS user guide
Contents
1. button will be replaced by a go passive button Enter the above commands one at a time in the command line interface You will notice that the simulated robot starts moving smoothly when you enter the kiks_ksend D 10 0 10 ref command and keep moving smoothly until you have entered kiks_ksend D 0 0 10 ref You will also notice that you cannot type commands in the main Matlab window until you have returned keyboard control to Matlab by clicking the go passive button in the KiKS GUI Also try running the demo behaviors in active and passive mode There will be no difference in smoothness of the movement of the simulated robot The reason for this is that the demos call kiks_ksend continously to read sensors and set motor speeds The simulated world is updated each time kiks_ksend is called and thus the simulated world will update continously You can also control real Kheperas using the kiks_k functions Simply setting port to 0 or 1 depending on which serial port your Khepera is connected to will send the commands to the real Khepera Kiks_ktime and kiks_pause are two new functions that only work in conjunction with kiks_kopen kiks_ksend kiks_kclose Kiks_time num returns elapsed time since the serial port num simulated or real was opened If the port has not been opened kiks_ktime will return Kiks_pause time is intended to be used instead of pause time It allows for the simulator to make use of CPU2. checkpoint clicking the mode button Click done when finished or cance to undo all changes and return Save Save the current arena to a KAD KiKS Arena Data file Load Load an arena from a TIF or KAD file Checkpoint Takes a snapshot of the positions of the robot and all objects in the arena Reset Resets the robot and all objects to the position they had when the last checkpoint was made Objects Add adds an object of the type selected in the drop down list Delete selected click on an object in the arena then click this button to delete the selected object KiKSnet KikSnet Radio turret id When connected to a KiKSnet server each client recieves a radio turret ID by the server Other clients can dio turret id i ing thi radio turret id na send messages to your simulated Khepera using this ID Server localhost Server enter the ip number of the server running KiKSnet connect to kik Snet server administrate KiK Snet server Connect to KiKSnet server Click to connect to the KiKSnet server as a client When connected to a KiKSnet server you will share the simulated environment with all other clients connected to the same server allowing you to simulate cooperative and competetive behaviors Administrate KiKSnet server Click to administrate the KiKSnet server This will allow you to monitor all clients connected to the KiKSnet server If the server is l
3. of the globe if you want The machine running KiKSnet will only need the files in the kiks2 x x KiKSnet folder Since administrators can connect from any computer KiKSnet can and should be password protected If you start KiKSnet from the KIKS GUI you will be prompted to set an administrator password You can also set an administrator password by simply passing the password as an argument to kiksnet exe Start a command prompt by clicking Start Run in Windows Change directory using the cd command to the KiKSnet directory Type kiksnet mypassword and hit enter to start up KiKS with the administrator password set to mypassword
4. time that would otherwise be spent doing nothing at all If you are familiar with using kMatlab to control Kheperas getting used to KiKS should be very easy It s only a matter of using kiks_kopen kiks_ksend and kiks_close instead of using kopen ksend and kclose Look in the KiKS demos folder for a few code examples KiKS supports all commands found in the Khepera user manual except for the following Configure PID controller F Read A D input T Set PWM P Read a byte on the extension bus R Write a byte on the extension bus W KiKSnet KiKSnet allows several instances of KiKS to share a common arena in order to simulate cooperative or competetive behaviors KIKS uses TCP IP to communicate with KiKSnet How To start a KikKSnet server Use Windows Explorer to browse to the kiks2 x x KiKSnet folder Double click kiksnet exe The KiKSnet server application will start up and KiKSnet will tell you that it is waiting for a server administrator to connect This is due to the fact that when KiKSnet starts up it does not have an arena for robots to move in To upload an arena to KiKSnet Start up Matlab and KiKS Set the arena you want to use with the kiks_arena command or by loading an arena file using the load button Make sure the server field in KIKS says localhost Click the administrate KiKSnet server button in the KiKS GUI KiKS will now connect to the K
5. KiKS is a Khepera Simulator user guide Theodor Storm lt theodor tstorm se gt TOP ON UCD seca scssueisansaievpsieduassntscinsvcusesvarindacansewaauatentasiaeass sia tiuasidavedasanisinsseaudissaiatauessaveias tetaninniiae 2 Installing TAKS soncerincinticincnuniiniaindnndaninnGnminnonnnasanaimanminee 3 Calibrating TIS os siscissivessiesnivntisstecsincnaveienavdtana cies avis ein tua aaan tennant eea 3 Starine up TRUS scepter Sag esate saat cana hes sacanetsa ea sua irea EEEa bates tesiei e sa nae aauaeduasadevaaee ease aeauasusiees 3 The KiKS GT a vasscesiascewncuscesseaseswaindauwnae tans caasdas anuauasad anni oedaesanssuastassaracanssaisdadsadeeuanoeuncaas E EAE Saaai 4 PATON A EPA E SA E E codes cesecsescenenseeosssoos cones ses secsesconcesseseseccoscevensesess 4 O TEE cvessvencsaccscsesccesencsecevececesesoscsaccnssuscsavenesecavecncusatoscscsavesssesssesesedavecucusasoscsaceussssesessscscdevetacesssses 4 KIK SHE ssscsssecestsesosesesscssesssesessonisadecssdssseveaseaseedsasesnvesssesnessasesseesaesonssscsasoabsaseaseacssssesdsesenseasscsseseasses 4 SUMUMAUION DONARE A EE E E E A A E 5 Creating the simulated CNvirOnMe Nh csccccssecsssrecssssccssssccssssscsssaccessccsssacessscesssecessecsessssessssesens 6 Defining an arema mattrix cccccccssccccscccscecscscssccscssscesscscsscssesccceeesecsscscesecceessessssscosocsseseeseesees 6 Creating an arena matrix from a TIF image fille ccccccccssssssssssscrcrsrsrsrersrsss
6. but allows for very fast simulations Use this if speed is more important than realism Movement limit Decides how often the position of the simulated robot can be updated Set this limit higher to get smoother movement at the cost of simulation speed Interpolation limit Set this to a lower value for more precise collision detection at the cost of simulation speed Grid Toggle grid on off Redraw Redraw the visualization Enable disable visualization Toggle visualization on off Simulation speed will increase noticably if you turn off visualization Creating the simulated environment The most simple way to create the simulated environment is by clicking the new button under arena to create an empty arena and then clicking edit to add walls to the arena However arenas can also be created in a few other ways An ARENA matrix and an optional COLORMASK matrix can be used to specify the simulated environment ARENA should be a matrix describing the arena or a string containing the filename of a file to load the arena from If ARENA is empty a default arena is created and a robot is spawned If ARENA is the filename of a TIF image file KiKS will convert the image to an arena start up and spawn a robot If ARENA is the filename of a KAD file KiKS will load the arena from this file If ARENA is an m n matrix an arena corresponding to the matrix is created and one robot will be spawned Defining an arena ma
7. csrscsrscsrccssseees 6 Denna ol E AEE A sesssdsnnnuatcdscenssssecnsenseceseslapsuuuessdacessdssccsnsessncadses cesussesecadesseesessedesnndecsdcessses 6 Controlling simulated kheperaSs sosssossoesssessseesseeesoosssoessseesseosseossooessoesssesssecssoossoossseeesseesseesseosseo 8 TE SHED EE E E EE E A E E 10 How To start a KiKSnet server sscsccssccssssscscssssscesssssssccssccceesssssssssssscceeeessssscsscesseeesecsees 10 How to start a KiKSnet server the easier way Windows only sssccccccccccsccccccscscsrccercecees 10 Running behaviours on a KiKSnet Server scccccscscscssscssscssscscsssssscssscscscscssscssccscscssccseees 10 More on KiKSnet and Server administrators cccccccccsscccscsccsscccsssccscccccescccscsccesccecescccscccesscoees 11 Introduction KiKS is an abbreviation for Kiks is a Khepera Simulator The program is a Matlab application that simulates a Khepera II robot connected to the computer in a very realistic way The simulated Khepera is controlled from Matlab in the same way as real physical Kheperas KiKS currently also simulates the K213 Linear Vision module the Radio Turret module and the fictional Battle Turret which equips the robot with a compass a laser cannon and a few other unrealistic gadgets KiKS requires Matlab r11 1 or newer versions The simulator can be downloaded from http www tstorm se projects kiks In order for the demo behaviors included
8. de arena with a 100x100mm obstacle in the top left corner and the code sequence ARENA COLORMASK kiks_tif2arena myfile tif kiks ARENA COLORMASK or simply kiks myfile tif Will convert the picture myfile tif into an arena and a colormask and start up KiKS You can switch arenas while KiKS is running by using the kiks_arena command Controlling the simulated Khepera KiKS simulates a Khepera connected to the serial port and you use three commands to communicate with the robot kiks_kopen kiks_ksend and kiks_kclose These commands work just like the kopen dll ksend dll and kclose dll modules that K team provide in fact you can use the kiks_k commands to control real Kheperas aswell as simulated Kheperas When calling kiks_kopen with serial port 1 KiKS is activated and a working environment for a simulated Khepera is created If however the serial port 0 kiks_kopen will simply forward the call to kopen dll kiks_ksend and kiks_kclose use the ref array returned by kiks_kopen kopen to detect if the call should be forwarded to ksend dll kclose dll or if the call should be sent to a simulated Khepera A small code sample port 1 simulated Khepera baud 9600 use 9600 baud ref kiks_kopen port baud 1 open the port for communication kiks_ksend B 10 ref read version kiks_ksend D 10 0 10 ref set left motor speed to 10 pulses and right motor speed to 0 pu
9. ectory to kiks2 x x If you have a Khepera connected to the computer run kiks_calibrate port baud where port is the serial port the real khepera is connected to O serial port 1 1 serial port 2 and paud is the baud rate of the real khepera The calibration may take a few minutes don t use the computer and run as few applications as possible during the calibration If you do not have a Khepera connected to the computer run kiks_calibrate without any arguments Starting up KiKS To start up KiKS type the following at the Matlab prompt kiks KiKS should start up and a window resembling the one below should appear oE You can move the simulated robot by placing the mouse pointer over the black square on the robot pressing and holding the left mouse button and moving the mouse To rotate a simulated robot simply repeat this devel neare procedure but over any of the dark caret in RSet server green areas on the robot simulation 00 00 KiKS is now ready to be used Try running the simple avoid obstacle behavior in kiks2 x x demos avoid avoid m cd demos avoid avoid 110 30 63 Checting for evasisble updstes dr The KiKS GUI The KiKS GUI is divided into four different sections Arena Objects KiKSnet and Simulation Arena New Creates a new arena ei ste Edit Puts KiKS into arena editing mode Use the slider to lad e control wall color and toggle between drawing and erasing by
10. iKSnet server and upload the current arena Note that the KIKS GUI has changed this KiKS session is monitoring the KiKSnet server KiKSnet is now ready to accept clients How to start a KiKSnet server the easier way Windows only Start up Matlab and KiKS Set the arena you want to use with the kiks_arena command or load an arena by clicking the load button Click the administrate KiKSnet server button When the Set administrator password dialog appears enter a password of your choice KiKS will start up a KiKSnet server in the background and automatically connect to it as an administrator and upload the current arena Anyone trying to connect to the server as an administrator will be prompted to enter the password you chose KiKSnet is now ready to accept clients Running behaviours on a KiKSnet server To connect a KiKS robot to the KiKSnet server enter the IP number or name of the KiKSnet server in the server field in the KiKS GUI and click the connect to KiKSnet server button KiKS clients connecting to KiKSnet will download the arena from the server automatically From now on most things work as usual You cannot add objects to the arena this will be handled by the server administrator once KiKSnet supports lights and objects and you cannot move the robot using the mouse while running a behaviour once you have called kiks_kopen you will not be able to move the robot using the mouse unt
11. il you have called kiks_kclose Try running the avoid behaviour and watch in amazement as the robot cluelessly wanders around in cyberspace The radio turret and a robot wars inspired battle turret are fully supported by KiKSnet which should open up plenty of interesting opportunities for on line cooperative and competetive behaviours Of course the K213 linear vision camera works as usual when connected to KiKSnet The Battle behaviour kiks2 x x demos battle demonstrates use of the Battle Turret the Radio Turret and the K213 Linear Vision Turret when connected to a KiKSnet server More on KiKSnet and server administrators Currently the server administrator only serves one purpose to upload an arena to the KiKSnet server which happens automatically when you connect by clicking the administrate KiKSnet server button Once that is done the server administrator does not fill a purpose on the KiKSnet server other than passively monitoring the robots that connect to the server The server administrator can disconnect from the server at any time and KiKSnet will keep running To stop the KiKSnet server activate the KiKSnet console window by clicking its title bar and press Ctrl C Also note that KiKSnet does not need to run on the same machine as the server administrator is connecting from Just make sure you enter the right IP number in the server field and you can administrate a server on the other side
12. lses kiks_ksend D 0 0 10 ref set left motor speed 0 0 pulses and right motor speed to 0 pulses kiks_kclose ref close the port IMPORTANT NOTE Matlab doesn t support threads or any other kind of background processing of commands For this reason the position of the robot only updates when you call the kiks_kopen kiks_ksend kiks_kclose or kiks_ktime functions If you enter the above commands at the Matlab prompt you will notice that this means that the robot will make a leap each time you call kiks_ksend Since KiKS accurately interpolates the movement of the robot between each call to kiks_ksend this is only a cosmetic problem but a real Khepera would start moving instantly after the kiks_ksend D 10 0 10 ref command and keep moving smoothly until you entered the kiks_ksend D 0 0 10 ref command To get the same smooth movement in KiKS without using a loop to make sure kiks_ksend is called continously you must run KiKS in active mode by clicking the go active button in the bottom left corner of the GUI In active mode KiKS takes control of the Matlab session and keeps the simulated world updated while still allowing you to execute any Matlab commands in the command line interface at the bottom of the GUI All Matlab commands including scripts and functions can be run using the KiKS command line interface Try switching KiKS to active mode by clicking the go active button The go active
13. ocalhost and no KiKSnet instance is already running clicking this button will start up a KiKSnet server Windows only Simulation simulation 00 00 100 100 monitor simulation details simulated robot Khepera time mode High precision realistic Y time acceleration method emulate CPU speed v This CPU emulation off movement limit 25 updates sec interpolation limit 10 mm grid redraw disable visualization ll Pause the simulation l gt When paused steps forward in the simulation Halt Use this button instead of pressing Ctrl C when you want to interrupt a running behavior Pressing Ctrl C during a simulation will mess up the internal state of the simulator Monitor simulation details Brings up a window that shows you detailed information about the simulated Khepera including sensor readings Simulated robot Switch which type of robot you want to simulate Currently Khepera and Khepera II are supported Time mode Choose between High Precision which is slower but highly realistic since it even takes the speed of the simulated serial port into consideration or Wall Clock which is faster but more simplistic Time acceleration method emulate CPU speed is only available in high precision time mode and realistically emulates another CPU Choose a slower CPU than the one your computer is equipped with to speed up the simulation Target speed is more simplistic
14. trix Each matrix element must be one of the following lt 0 Khepera start position absolute value defines the start angle O no obstacle 1 wall 2 light source 3 ball 4 cylinder One matrix element corresponds to 1 square millimeter The environment may be of any size You may also provide a COLORMASK matrix This matrix tells KiKS what color the walls defined by the ARENA matrix are The COLORMASK matrix must be the same size as the arena matrix For each 1 element in the ARENA matrix at position x y set x y in the COLORMASK matrix to the color you want the wall to have Creating an arena matrix from a TIF image file Draw a grayscale 256 colors picture using your favorite image editor save the picture as tif and use the command arena colormask kiks_tif2arena filename where filename is the name of the tif file All completely black areas RGB 000000 will be regarded as floor by this function and the rest of the colors should be used to draw the walls So if you want a black wall draw it using RGB 010101 There are a few sample pictures in the demos football demos race and demos battle directories Examples Here are a few examples on how to define arenas kiks zeros 500 500 will start up KiKS and create an empty arena of 500x500mm size The sequence ARENA zeros 400 600 ARENA 1 100 1 100 1 kiks ARENA will start up KiKS and create a 400mm high and 600mm wi
15. with KiKS to work you also need to have the kMatlab modules from K team installed The kMatlab package is included and installed with KiKS and can also be downloaded from http www k team com download khepera html The kMatlab package contains a set of three core commands kopen dll ksend dll kclose dll that are used to communicate with real Kheperas from Matlab Also a number of Matlab scripts that takes care of message parsing and error handling when controlling Kheperas are included and although they are not in any way required for KiKS to work these scripts are used in the demos simply because they are very handy The purpose of this document is to describe the core functionality of KiKS Make sure you examine the demos in the kiks2 x x demos folder for detailed information about the supported turrets Note that in this document text written using fixed width font are Matlab commands Installing KiKS Unpack the KiKS zip file to a location of your choice A kiks2 x x directory will be created Start up Matlab Change directory using the cd command to the kiks directory Run kiks_setup to add the kiks2 directories to the Matlab path Calibrating KiKS In order for you to get the most out of this simulator it needs to run a few tests on your computer This calibration procedure is performed automatically when you run kiks_setup but can also be run standalone by following these instructions In Matlab change dir
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