GitHub Integration & Code Repositories

View the Repository Dashboard

Each repository also has its own dashboard to display recent activity and a list of the information exchanged between GitHub and Innoslate. The figure below is a screenshot of the SPECTER Firmware repository in the Lunar Rover Project.

Repository Dashboard

The Innoslate Repository dashboard has widgets to display the following information:

• Number of active Pull Requests
• Number of active Issues
• Recently opened Issues
• Rate of Commits made per week
• Recent Commits

View the Repository Dashboard

GitHub Issues can be created in each Innoslate repository by navigating to the ‘Issues’ tab on the left side panel. When creating a GitHub Issue the following metadata is encouraged to differentiate the Issues: name, description, assignee, and labels. The figure below is a screenshot of the Issue Creation prompt.

GitHub Issues Metadata

Once created, the GitHub Issue is stored in Innoslate and cloned to GitHub. 

Create GitHub Commits

Each GitHub Commit in Innoslate is a clone of the Commit found in GitHub. Commits can be easily understood as edits made within a file or code in the repository. Metadata that can be added to the Issue in Innoslate includes a description and assignee. Use this information to track the progress made in the repository. Below is a list of the Commits made to the SPECTER User Interface repository.

GitHub Commits Metadata

Use GitHub Repositories

The two LEO Rover GitHub repositories for developing the prototype’s firmware and user interface were cloned by the SPEC team to be modified for this Lunar Rover Project. The LEO Rover’s firmware sends messages to components in the prototype using the connection between the processor and the component that performs the specified function. The user interface is used by operators to view and create commands for controlling the rover’s actions and receiving diagnostics from the prototype’s hardware.

Modify the Firmware Repository

To gather data using SPECTER’s lidar, modifications were made to the firmware for recording the distance obstacles from the rover body as well as ambient temperatures. This information is used to provide data and diagnostics of the rover’s surrounding area. The following sections step through creating Issues and submitting changes to develop an interface for streaming the above metrics directly to the rover operator.

Assign the Lidar to the Processing Port

First, an Issue was created to alert SPEC’s software team of the new feature to be added to the user interface: including the lidar sensor in SPECTER’s robot operating system (ROS). The figure below is a screenshot of this Issue.

Lidar – ROS GitHub Issue

Once the Issue was published and cloned to the GitHub platform, it was assigned a SPEC software team member for the feature creation. Edits to the code were made in GitHub and submitted as Commits. These Commits exchanged the information from GitHub to Innoslate for publishing.

Lidar – ROS GitHub Commit

Once the Commit was made to allow SPECTER to communicate and send messages via the firmware, a reviewer from the SPEC software team examined the code written to verify it was ready for publishing. After reviewing the Commit, it was decided the code needed continuing edits and would not be published yet. The figure below displays the reviewer’s comment made to disapprove of the Commit.

Lidar – ROS GitHub Commit Reviewer Feedback

The original writer reviewed the reviewer’s comments and continued editing the code to meet SPEC Innovation’s software standards. These edits were also submitted as Commits. The figure below highlights the changes made.

Lidar – ROS GitHub Commits

Once the code updates were complete, the reviewer read the new Commits and determined the code to be ready for publishing. The Commits were then submitted as a Pull Request, and the Issue was closed. The figure below is the final comment resolving the Issue.

Lidar – ROS GitHub Pull Request

Transmit Temperature Data

An Issue was also created for developing an ambient temperature recording to be outputted from the Lidar sensor and displayed in the user interface. The figure below shows this GitHub Issue. 

Lidar – Temperature GitHub Issue

Once the Issue was published and cloned to the GitHub platform, it was assigned to a SPEC software team member to be addressed. Any edits to the code were made on the GitHub platform and submitted as Commits to be exchanged with Innoslate. After the Commits were reviewed and approved, the edits were summited as a Pull Request, and the Issue was closed.

Lidar – Temperature GitHub Pull Request

Transmit Distance Data

A final Issue was created for developing an output of distance data from the Lidar sensor to create an obstacle avoidance warning on the user interface. The figure below is a screenshot of the Issue created for this feature.

Lidar – Distance GitHub Issue

The same processes as mentioned with the other two issues were followed. However, the reviewer noticed the units used for distance parameters were incorrect and needed to be converted to meters. The figure below displays this comment made by the reviewer.

Lidar – Distance GitHub Commit Reviewer Feedback

Once the SPEC software team member made the edits and pushed the Commit, the Pull Request was submitted, and the Issue was closed. 

Lidar – Distance GitHub Pull Request

Modify the User Interface Repository

SPECTER’s user interface allows the operator to view messages received from the prototype’s processor. These messages and interface features include:

• Ambient temperature recording
• Distance to obstacles from the rover body’s front and rear display
• Warning signal if a certain distance is reached to an obstacle
• The user interface features provide diagnostic feedback to alert the operator of the rover’s surrounding environment. 

Display Lidar Data

An Issue was created to develop a display for the Lidar messages on the SPECTER’s UI.

UI – Lidar GitHub Issue

Once the Issue was published and cloned to the GitHub platform, it was assigned to a SPEC software team member to be addressed. Edits to the code were made in GitHub and then submitted as Commits to be published on Innoslate. The figure below displays a list of the Commits made in GitHub to create lidar message displays on the user interface. 

UI – Lidar GitHub Commits

Another SPEC software team member reviewed the Commits and decided the Lidar information needed to be parsed into two categories: Distance of Upcoming Obstacles and Ambient Temperature. The reviewer also recommended adding SPEC’s logo to the user interface. The figures below display the comments made by the reviewer on the Commits.

UI – Lidar GitHub Commit Reviewer Feedback

UI – Lidar GitHub Commit Reviewer Feedback

Once the code was updated and the changes were approved by the reviewer, the Commits were submitted as a Pull Request, and the Issue was closed.

UI – Lidar GitHub Pull Request

UI – Warning GitHub Issue

Once the Issue was published and cloned to the GitHub platform, it was assigned to a SPEC software team member to be addressed. Any edits to the code were made in GitHub and then submitted as a Commits to be published on Innoslate. The figure below displays a list of the Commits made in GitHub to create warning message displays on the user interface. 

UI – Warning GitHub Commits

Once the code was updated and the changes approved by the reviewer, the Commits were submitted as a Pull Request, and the Issue was closed.

Display Obstacle Warning Messages

Lastly, an Issue was also created to develop a warning alert display on the rover’s UI for when SPECTER’s body approaches an obstacle too closely. The figure below displays this Issue.