This chapter developed an understanding of how robot arms are modeled and controlled. We created a URDF/SDF for a simple three-link, two-joint robot arm to be used in a Gazebo simulation. Xacro was used to make the URDF/SDF modular and efficient. Mesh files were incorporated into the gripper design to give it a more realistic look. Control plugins and transmission elements were added to the robot model code to enable control of the robot arm in simulation. Then, ROS commands were used via the command line and rqt tools to control the arm's position in Gazebo.

In Chapter 6, Wobbling Robot Arms Using Joint Controls, we will extend our control of robot arms to the 7-DOF dual-armed Baxter. We will learn multiple ways to command and control Baxter's arms using both forward kinematic and inverse kinematic methods.