High Level Command — Quick Start (ROS2)

Source: rbq_sdk/ros2/src/rbq_examples/src/rbq_high_level.cpp

Publishes HighLevelCommand at 50 Hz over ROS 2.
Select gaits from the terminal; control velocity with a joystick.

Build

cd RBQ/rbq_sdk/ros2
rosdep install --from-paths src -y --ignore-src
colcon build --symlink-install
source install/setup.bash

Run

ros2 run rbq_examples rbq_high_level [joystickPath]
# e.g.
ros2 run rbq_examples rbq_high_level
ros2 run rbq_examples rbq_high_level /dev/input/js1

Default joystick path is /dev/input/js0.

Terminal usage

list              ← print all gaits
stand             ← switch by name
3                 ← switch by ID (walk)
rl_trot           ← switch to RL trot

All gaits

Name	ID	Notes
sit	0	Sit down
stand	1	Default standing
aim	2	Aiming posture
walk	3	MPC trot gait
stairs	4	Stair-adaptive gait
wave	5	Slow walk gait
run	6	High-speed gait
rl_trot	30	RL trot
rl_front_walk	31	RL forward walk
rl_left_walk	33	RL lateral left
rl_right_walk	34	RL lateral right
rl_bound	35	RL bound
rl_pace	36	RL pace
rl_pronk	37	RL pronk
rl_3leg_hr	38	RL 3-leg (hind right)
rl_3leg_hl	39	RL 3-leg (hind left)
rl_3leg_fr	40	RL 3-leg (front right)
rl_3leg_fl	41	RL 3-leg (front left)
rl_trot_vision	42	RL trot with vision
rl_trot_run	45	RL fast run
rl_silent	46	RL silent
rl_stairs	47	RL stair climbing

Joystick velocity

Axis	Command	Max
L stick forward/back	vel_x	±1.2 m/s
L stick left/right	vel_y	±0.5 m/s
R stick left/right	omega_z	±60 deg/s

Deadzone: 0.12. omega_z is in deg/s.

ROS 2 topics used

Direction	Topic	Message type
Publish	/rbq/cmd/high_level	rbq_msgs/msg/HighLevelCommand
Publish	/rbq/cmd/switch_control_mode	std_msgs/msg/Bool
Publish	/rbq/cmd/switch_gait	std_msgs/msg/Int8
Subscribe	/rbq/robot_status	rbq_msgs/msg/RobotStatus (best-effort QoS)

HighLevelCommand posture/velocity fields (roll, pitch, yaw, vel_x, vel_y, omega_z, delta_body_h, delta_foot_h) are float32. See the full field reference.

Important

At startup, switch_control_mode = true is sent once to enable HighLevel mode.
Without this, the robot ignores HighLevelCommand and stays in joystick mode.

→ Full reference: High Level Command (ROS2)