Add an RPlidar as a Modular Resource
Requirements
Install the rplidar-module binary on your machine and make it executable by running the following commands according to your machine’s architecture:
sudo curl -o /usr/local/bin/rplidar-module https://storage.googleapis.com/packages.viam.com/apps/rplidar/rplidar-module-stable-aarch64.AppImage
sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/rplidar-module
sudo curl -o /usr/local/bin/rplidar-module https://storage.googleapis.com/packages.viam.com/apps/rplidar/rplidar-module-stable-x86_64.AppImage
sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/rplidar-module
brew tap viamrobotics/brews && brew install rplidar-module
Configuration
Physically connect the RPlidar to your robot.
Be sure to position the RPlidar so that it faces forward in the direction your robot travels. For example, if you are using the RPlidar A1 model, mount it to your robot so that the pointed end of the RPlidar mount housing points in the direction of the front of the robot.
Then, go to your robot’s page on the Viam app.
Navigate to the Config tab of your robot’s page in the Viam app.
Click on the Modules subtab and navigate to the Local section.
Enter a name, for example my_rplidar_module_name, and the executable path /usr/bin/csi-mr.
Then click Add module.
Click on the Components subtab and click Create component.
Select the local modular resources type.
Then select the camera as the type, enter the triplet viam:lidar:rplidar and give your resource a name, for example rplidar.
Click Create.
Click on the Modules subtab and navigate to the Local section.
Enter a name, for example my_rplidar_module_name, and the executable path /usr/bin/csi-mr.
Then click Add module.
Click on the Components subtab and click Create component.
Select the local modular resources type.
Then select the camera as the type, enter the triplet viam:lidar:rplidar and give your resource a name, for example rplidar.
Click Create.
On the new component panel, copy and paste the following JSON object into the attributes field:
{
"device_path": "/dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART"
}
Click on the Modules subtab and navigate to the Local section.
Enter a name, for example my_rplidar_module_name, and the executable path /opt/homebrew/bin/rplidar-module.
Then click Add module.
Click on the Components subtab and click Create component.
Select the local modular resources type.
Then select the camera as the type, enter the triplet viam:lidar:rplidar and give your resource a name, for example rplidar.
Click Create.
On the new component panel, copy and paste the following JSON object into the attributes field:
{
"device_path": "/dev/tty.usbserial-XXX"
}
If you are on an M1 or M2 Macbook, determine the device path by running the following command:
ls /dev/ | grep tty.usbserial
For example, you may see tty.usbserial-130, in which case your device path would be /dev/tty.usbserial-130.
Replace the XXX at the end of the device_path value in the attributes configuration with the number at the end of your device path.
Navigate to the Config tab.
Select the Raw JSON mode.
Copy and paste the JSON object for the module into the modules array to add the module:
{
"executable_path": "/usr/local/bin/rplidar-module",
"name": "my_rplidar_module_name"
}
Next, add the following JSON object to your components array to configure a rplidar camera component with the name rplidar:
{
"namespace": "rdk",
"type": "camera",
"depends_on": [],
"model": "viam:lidar:rplidar",
"name": "rplidar"
}
Copy and paste the JSON object for the module into the modules array to add the module:
{
"executable_path": "/usr/local/bin/rplidar-module",
"name": "my_rplidar_module_name"
}
Next, add the following JSON object to your components array to configure a rplidar camera component with the name rplidar:
{
"namespace": "rdk",
"type": "camera",
"depends_on": [],
"model": "viam:lidar:rplidar",
"attributes": {
"device_path": "/dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART"
},
"name": "rplidar"
}
Copy and paste the JSON object for the module into the modules array to add the module:
{
"executable_path": "/usr/local/bin/rplidar-module",
"name": "my_rplidar_module_name"
}
Next, add the following JSON object to your components array to configure a rplidar camera component with the name rplidar:
{
"namespace": "rdk",
"type": "camera",
"depends_on": [],
"model": "viam:lidar:rplidar",
"attributes": {
"device_path": "/dev/tty.usbserial-XXX"
},
"name": "rplidar"
}
If you are on an M1 or M2 Macbook, determine the device path by running the following command:
ls /dev/ | grep tty.usbserial
For example, you may see tty.usbserial-130, in which case your device path would be /dev/tty.usbserial-130.
Replace the XXX at the end of the device_path value in the attributes configuration with the number at the end of your device path.
Then, save the config.
Check the Logs tab of your robot in the Viam app to make sure your RPlidar has connected and no errors are being raised.
Troubleshooting
You can find additional assistance in the Troubleshooting section.
You can also ask questions in the Community Discord and we will be happy to help.
Next Steps
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