ESP32 Communication Optimization - Summary of Changes

This document summarizes all the changes made to optimize the communication between ROS2 and the ESP32.

Major Changes

1. ESP32 Side (espidf/weefee_esp32/main/main.c)

• Removed subscription to /servo_angles and /servo_angles_str topics
• Reduced executor capacity from 4 to 3
• Removed servo_angles_callback() function
• Modified init_microros() to skip initialization of removed topics
• Updated cleanup_microros() to no longer handle removed resources
• Simplified message handling with a single command channel

2. ROS2 Side (ros2_ws/src/weefee_node/src/servo_commander.cpp)

• Added a diagnostic publisher for /servo_angles that the ESP32 doesn't subscribe to
• Consolidated servo position sending methods into a single optimized method
• Updated sit_command(), stand_command(), and calibration_command() to use the unified method
• Created a dedicated publish_servo_angles_for_visualization() helper method for better code organization
• Updated walk_command(), trot_command(), and stop_command() to use consistent visualization approach
• Improved separation of concerns between command sending and visualization
• Added automatic visualization through the /servo_angles topic
• Translated all French comments to English
• Improved code organization and documentation

3. Documentation (wiki and README)

• Updated ESP32-Optimization.md with detailed explanations of changes
• Updated Command-Reference.md to reflect the new communication architecture
• Updated Getting-Started.md with the new test scripts and monitoring methods
• Added optimizations section to README.md
• Created new test scripts to demonstrate and validate the optimizations

4. Test Scripts

• Created test_servo_commander_optimized.sh and test_servo_commander_optimized_en.sh
• Created test_visualization_and_commands.sh to demonstrate the unified system
• Updated demonstrate_servo_angles.sh and compare_optimizations.sh

Benefits Achieved

1. Reduced ESP32 Resource Usage

   • Fewer subscriptions to manage
   • Simplified message handling
   • Reduced memory footprint

2. Cleaner System Architecture

   • Clear separation between commands and diagnostics
   • Single command channel for all operations
   • Better organized code structure

3. Improved Maintainability

   • Consistent command handling approach
   • Better documentation
   • All documentation and code in English

4. All Functionality Preserved

   • Servo angle visualization still available (now from ROS2 side)
   • All commands continue to work as before
   • Backward compatibility maintained

Future Improvements

Potential next steps for further optimization:

1. Implement rate limiting for servo angle visualization to reduce network traffic
2. Add message validation on the ROS2 side before sending to ESP32
3. Create performance metrics collection to quantify exact improvements
4. Further optimize the executor spin rate on the ESP32 side
5. Add command batching capabilities for more complex movements