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🧠 Software Stack Overview

The brains of SMapper

SMapper runs a robust and modular software stack designed to handle the full pipeline of data acquisition, real-time processing, visualization, and storage—all on-device, thanks to the onboard Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit (64GB).

The stack brings together ROS 2 nodes, custom software packages, and web-based interfaces to provide a streamlined experience for both field operations and remote monitoring.

⚙️ System Runtime

  • Base OS & Platform
    The system runs JetPack 6.0, chosen to maintain compatibility with the e-Con Systems Argus cameras, which require a custom kernel only supported by this version.

  • ROS 2 Distribution
    All robot-centric components operate on ROS 2 Humble, ensuring long-term support and compatibility across the ecosystem.

  • Sensor Data Flow

    • Sensor drivers (LiDAR, cameras, IMUs) publish to ROS topics.
    • A LiDAR odometry node estimates pose in real-time.
    • Data is recorded into ROS 2 bag files for offline processing.

🌐 API & Web Interface

Alongside the ROS stack, SMapper hosts a local hotspot that runs:

  • A REST API to control data capture, monitor system status, and trigger recordings.
  • A web application for real-time visualization, interaction, and metadata management.
  • This very documentation site, served locally for offline access in the field.

These services communicate with ROS through a ROS bridge, allowing real-time updates (e.g., live point clouds or pose trajectories) to appear directly in the browser.

🧩 Key Components

Component Description
ouster_ros Official Ouster ROS 2 driver used to interface with the OS0-64 LiDAR.
argus_ros (custom) Custom-built ROS 2 package for interfacing with 4x Argus 20MP cameras.
mola_lidar_odometry LiDAR odometry package used for pose estimation.
rosbridge_server WebSocket and JSON-based bridge for connecting the web app to ROS.
smapper_api RESTful API that exposes control and status endpoints.
smapper_app Web dashboard and visualization layer built for touch-friendly interaction.

🔍 Learn More

You can explore each software module in more detail: