Map Window (GUI)

The Map Window provides an interactive interface for mission planning, waypoint management, and real-time visualization.

Overview

The Map Window is part of the RAISIN GUI and provides:

  • Interactive map display with satellite/vector layers

  • Waypoint creation and editing

  • Real-time robot position tracking

  • Path visualization

  • Point cloud overlay

  • Autonomy graph visualization

Map Layers

The map supports multiple visualization layers:

Satellite Layer

Displays aerial/satellite imagery from OpenStreetMap tile servers.

  • Zoom levels: 1-19

  • Automatic tile caching

  • Multiple tile server support

Vector Graphics Layer

Displays vector map data including:

  • Roads and paths

  • Building outlines

  • Terrain features

  • Custom annotations

Point Cloud Layer

Overlays LiDAR point cloud data on the map:

  • Real-time point cloud from sensors

  • Saved PCD maps loaded from file

  • Color-coded by height or intensity

  • Adjustable point size and opacity

Tabs

Autonomy Tab

The main interface for autonomous navigation control:

Feature

Description

Waypoint List

Ordered list of navigation waypoints

Add Waypoint

Click map to add new waypoint

Add Current Pose

Add robot’s current position as waypoint

Remove Waypoint

Delete selected waypoint from list

Reorder

Drag to change waypoint order

Clear All

Remove all waypoints

Start/Stop

Begin or halt autonomous navigation

Waypoint Management

Adding Waypoints:

  1. Select the Autonomy tab

  2. Click on the map at desired location

  3. Waypoint appears in the list

Editing Waypoints:

  • Drag waypoints on the map to reposition

  • Use list controls to reorder

  • Click remove button to delete

Sending Mission:

  1. Define all waypoints

  2. Configure repeat/loop settings if needed

  3. Click “Start” to send waypoints to Autonomy plugin

Robot Selection Tab

For multi-robot operations:

Feature

Description

Robot List

Available robots in the system

Select Robot

Choose which robot to control

Status Display

Connection and operational status

Map Editor Tab

For creating and editing map annotations:

Feature

Description

Draw Path

Create path annotations

Draw Area

Define restricted/priority areas

Save/Load

Persist annotations to file

Controls

Map Navigation

  • Pan: Click and drag

  • Zoom: Mouse wheel or pinch gesture

  • Reset View: Double-click or button

Display Options

  • Layer Toggle: Show/hide individual layers

  • Coordinate System: Switch between local/GPS frames

  • Follow Robot: Auto-center on robot position

Configuration

Frame Selection

Choose coordinate reference:

  • Local Frame: Robot-centric coordinates (meters)

  • GPS Frame: Latitude/Longitude coordinates

Path Planning

Valhalla Integration

The Map Window integrates with Valhalla routing for:

  • Street-level path planning

  • Multi-waypoint routing optimization

  • Turn-by-turn navigation

Usage

Basic Workflow

  1. Launch GUI: Start the RAISIN GUI application

  2. Open Map Window: Select from window menu

  3. Connect to Robot: Ensure robot is publishing odometry

  4. Add Waypoints: Click on map to define mission

  5. Start Navigation: Send waypoints to autonomy plugin

Tips

  • Use satellite view for outdoor environments

  • Enable point cloud layer to see sensor coverage

  • Set appropriate zoom level for waypoint precision

  • Save waypoint lists for repeatable missions

Note

The Map Window requires network connectivity for map tile downloads

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key

Action

+/-

Zoom in/out

Arrow keys

Pan map

Delete

Remove selected waypoint

Escape

Cancel current operation