sick_scan_xd - Driver and tools for SICK LiDAR and RADAR devices

This project provides a driver for SICK LiDARs and Radar sensors mentioned here. The driver supports both Linux (native, ROS 1, ROS 2) and Windows (native and ROS 2). See the CHANGELOG.md for the latest updates.

Main features and characteristics:

• Support of ROS 1 (Linux), ROS 2 (Linux and Windows) NOTE: Although ROS 1 is still mentioned below, active development for ROS1 will not be continued.
• Generic C/C++ and Python API for usage without ROS (Linux and Windows)
• SLAM support
• Compatible with x64 and ARM64 architecture (incl. Raspberry Pi)
• No dependencies to 3rd party libraries like boost

Table of contents

Expand to full table of contents

• Repository organization
• Supported SICK devices
• Getting started
• Starting with a new SICK device
• Detecting SICK devices in the network
• Change IP address
• Test connection (Linux)
• Building the driver
• ROS 1 on Linux
  • ROS 1: Install prebuilt binaries
  • ROS 1: Build from sources
• ROS 2 on Linux
  • ROS 2: Install prebuilt binaries
  • ROS 2: Build from sources
• ROS 2 on Windows
• Without ROS on Linux
• Without ROS on Windows
• Running the driver
• Starting device with specific IP address
• Start multiple devices / nodes
• Parameters
• ROS services
• ROS 2 example for messages and services
• SOPAS mode
• Example startup sequence
• Driver features and additional information
• Software overview and structure
  • Message handling
  • Driver states and timeouts
  • sick_scansegment_xd
  • Files and folders
• Generic driver API
  • Build and test shared library
  • Build the shared library on Linux
  • Build the shared library on Windows
  • Test the shared library
  • Usage examples
  • Minimalistic usage example in C
  • Minimalistic usage example in C++
  • Minimalistic usage example in Python
  • Complete usage example in C++
  • Complete usage example in Python
  • Diagnostic
• Simulation and unit test
• Timestamps and synchronization (Software PLL)
• Coordinate transforms
• IMU support (LRS4000, MRS6000 and MRS1000)
• Encoder support
• Field evaluation information
  • Visualization with rviz
  • Cola commands
  • Emulation
  • Unit tests
  • Pcapng converter tool
• Raspberry Pi support
  • Performance limitations
  • Build without internet or GitHub access
• Docker support
  • Build and run on Linux ROS 1 (short cut)
  • Build and run from local sources
  • Build and run from a git repository
  • Build and run from prebuilt binaries
• Hector SLAM support
  • NAV350 ROS 1 SLAM example
  • NAV350 ROS 2 SLAM example
  • picoScan100 ROS 1 SLAM example
  • MRS1000 SLAM support
• Google cartographer support
• OctoMap support
• RTAB-Map support
  • Install RTAB-Map on ROS 1
  • Run RTAB-MAP and multiScan100 on ROS 1
  • Install RTAB-Map on ROS 2
  • Run RTAB-MAP and multiScan100 on ROS 2
• More tools
• Device specific information
• picoScan100/multiScan100
  • Configuration
  • SOPAS support for sick_scan_segment_xd
  • Start and stop sequence
  • IMU support
  • Point cloud memory layout
  • Customized point clouds
  • Customized point clouds on a Raspberry Pi
  • MSGPACK validation
  • Firewall configuration
  • Reflector detection
  • TF frame IDs and layer suffixes (picoScan / multi-layer devices)
• TiMxxx
• NAV350
  • Process loop
  • Initialization and setup
  • Messages
  • Angle compensation
  • Example
  • Comparing compensated vs. raw values
  • Coordinate systems
  • Check compensation function
• MRS6124
• LMS1000 / MRS1000
• RMS1000
  • Raw targets
  • Tracking objects
  • ROS message for Radar
  • Visualization
  • Launch files
  • Parameter for Radar usage
  • Radar datagram
• Combination of devices
  • multiScan100 and picoScan100
  • RMS1000 and MRS6000
  • RMS1000 and LMS1000
• FAQ
• How to fix "Failed to open TCP connection"?
• How to run multiple sensors concurrently?
• What to do if the driver restarts again and again after "sFA" message?
• What to do if the driver restarts after a timeout error?
• Why are my changes in launch files are ignored?
• How can I create a ROS 2 node in python to run sick_generic_caller from a launch.py file?
• What timestamp is provided in the point cloud and laserscan messages?
• Why does sick_scan_xd publish laserscan messages for with multiple frame ids?
• The compiler reports errors in file /opt/ros/<distro>/include/sick_scan_xd. What can I do?
• cmake cannot find diagnostic_updater. What can I do?
• catkin reports "By not providing "FindSICKLDMRS.cmake" ..." . What can I do?
• rviz only shows a grey point cloud. What can i do?
• rviz shows a grey point cloud and the size of points can not be adjusted. What can I do?
• rviz2 on Ubuntu 24 with ROS 2 jazzy crashes immediately after start. How to fix this?
• The angular resolution or the scanning frequency is lower than expected. Any ideas?
• Independent of the configuration, the LMS1000 point cloud always displays 0.75 [deg] angular resolution?
• My device does not use the default IP address. What shall I do?
• During start the error "no answer received after 5000 ms" appears. What can I do?
• How to process data with my own methods?
• Occasionally, no scan data appear, but the lidar is still reachable (ping). What can I do?
• On Windows with ROS, cmake complains "python_d.exe not found" when running rosidl generator. How to fix this?
• How can I debug sick_generic_caller on ROS 1?
• I see curved lines on a straight wall. Why?
• How should I interpret the scan rate and lidar resolution from the manual?
• In Windows debug version the compiler does not stop at breakpoints. What to do?
• sick_scan_xd seems to drop packages, when sending msgpacks. What to do?
• How can I convert a pcapng-file with scan data to a msgpack- or json-file?
• Troubleshooting and technical support
• Creators and contribution
• License
• Keywords

Repository organization

The repository supports two main branches. The "master" branch is the branch that contains official releases that are tagged and versioned and also included in the ROS distribution. If you want to work with this official branch, you must explicitly specify this branch in the 'git clone' command by adding "-b master". The "develop" branch is the default branch and contains the latest development status.

Checking out the latest revision (usually older than the develop version, but officially released):

git clone -b master https://github.com/SICKAG/sick_scan_xd.git

Checking out the latest development status:

git clone https://github.com/SICKAG/sick_scan_xd.git

Supported SICK devices

The driver supports Ethernet-IPv4-based communication with all of the following SICK products.