readme

README.rst

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+***********
+Maps Server
+***********
+
+The maps server is a request-respond application for collating local LIDAR (or stereo) data into a point cloud and the serving outputs from that point cloud such as heightmaps, depthmaps or octrees. 
+
+Care is take to make the application:
+* Minimal: except for the standard libararies mentioned below
+* Data-efficient: an support transmission of local maps at 5KB/sec - sufficient for a very very weak wireless link
+* Stateless: all content output by the server is self enclosed
+
+The software was developed for the MIT DARPA Robotics Challenge entry
+
+**Details about message flow**
+
+TODO: put flow chart here
+
+1. DATA_REQUEST: tiny message requesting a high level type of map (a few bits in size). Made by UI e.g. Director. (A)
+2. MAP_REQUEST: specific details of map of interest (a few bytes). Made by the data-request-server. (B)
+3. MAP_DEPTH: actual height/depth map data stream. Published by maps-server (C)
+
+MAP_OCTREE: as for MAP_DEPTH above except an Octree, messages 10x larger
+
+***(A) enum types supported by data request***
+- short range, detailed height map (for footstep planning)
+- long range, coarse height map (for navigation planning)
+- short range depth map (for manipulation)
+- long range depth map (for situational awareness)
+- octomap (for manipulation)
+- stereo depth map
+
+***(B) information in the maap request***
+- which data type to use (depth image, point cloud, octree
+- time window to accumulate
+- virtual camera to use to project data
+- quantization level, resolution
+- height estimation mode e.g. median, mean, nearest
+
+***(C) details about the actual maps produced***
+
+The maps is entirely self contained e.g. it doesn't use bot frames or tf, or joint angles. It contains:
+- id to identify it
+- resolution, compression (e.g. Zlib usually)
+- projective transformation matrix for data
+- data blob
+
+example data rate for short range height map: 5KB at 1Hz
+
+
+**Dependencies**
+
+* Required: PCL, Octomap
+* Optional: LCM, libbot
+
+**Pods**
+
+This software is constructed according to the Pods software policies and
+templates.  The policies and templates can be found at:
+
+* http://sourceforge.net/projects/pods
+
+