Publishing Sensor Streams Over ROS (python)

ros_laser_scanner_example.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import rospy
from sensor_msgs.msg import LaserScan

rospy.init_node('laser_scan_publisher')

scan_pub = rospy.Publisher('scan', LaserScan, queue_size=50)

num_readings = 100
laser_frequency = 40

count = 0
r = rospy.Rate(1.0)
while not rospy.is_shutdown():
    current_time = rospy.Time.now()

    scan = LaserScan()

    scan.header.stamp = current_time
    scan.header.frame_id = 'laser_frame'
    scan.angle_min = -1.57
    scan.angle_max = 1.57
    scan.angle_increment = 3.14 / num_readings
    scan.time_increment = (1.0 / laser_frequency) / (num_readings)
    scan.range_min = 0.0
    scan.range_max = 100.0

    scan.ranges = []
    scan.intensities = []
    for i in range(0, num_readings):
        scan.ranges.append(1.0 * count)  # fake data
        scan.intensities.append(1)  # fake data

    scan_pub.publish(scan)
    count += 1
    r.sleep()

see http://wiki.ros.org/navigation/Tutorials/RobotSetup/Sensors

terminal1:

$ roscore

terminal2:

$ rosrun tf static_transform_publisher 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 /base_frame /laser_frame 1000

terminal3:

$ rviz

terminal4:

$ python ros_laser_scanner_example.py