Addition of custom models/actors into parrot-sphinx

[oyssolbo]

Hi!

I am new to both gazebo and sphinx, so sorry if the questions appear basic.
I have tried looking through previous posts, but couldn’t find anything directly relevant. The post found at Custom Gazebo models disappearing did import custom models, but this was done directly into gazebo, and not using Parrot-Sphinx with UE4.

I have a use-case which requires a custom model / static actor to be imported into Parrot-Sphinx.
According to the documentation at Populate the scene with actors - 2.14.1 it appears that only a predefined set of models and actors are available. Does this mean that it is impossible to add a custom model?

If it is possible to add custom models, how is it done?
I have tried to import some custom models into
~/.gazebo/models
and
/opt/parrot-sphinx/usr/share/gazebo-11/models
After launching sphinx and parrot-ue4-empty, I tried to run
sphinx-gzclient
and import the custom model using gazebo’s insert-functionality. This creates errors where parrot-sphinx is unable to locate the model / actor:
LogGzUE4: Warning: Model not found LogGzUE4: Error: Actor not found:

[ayedes]

Hello,

It is possible to load a custom mesh using the UE4 application’s command line option -config-file.

parrot-ue4-empty -config-file=path/to/config/file.yaml

This documentation page Customize the 3D environment - 2.9.1 shows how to do so.

Note that only .fbx files are supported by this feature.

[oyssolbo]

Thanks for the quick response, ayedes!

[Neil]

Out of curiosity: Would that .fbx format also allow to create 2D elements, like Aruco codes, and place that in worlds? Up to now it is only possible to stick Aruco codes on top or bench of a truck in the empty world.

[ayedes]

Yes it is possible if you create the proper material for the .fbx file.
You can create a simple 3d cube and add 2D texture to its material.

The documentation page, mentioned above, shows what is actually supported by this feature.

[Neil]

Thanks