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👤Author

Project Sternbergia Team
A robotics-focused engineering group developing ROS2-based control systems, embedded motion modules, and cross-platform teleoperation tools.
They explore real-time feedback, multi-sensor integration, and advanced actuator protocols with low-cost hardware like M5Stack and ESP32.

🔗 GitHub: https://github.com/project-sternbergia/cybergear_m5_ros2
🔗 ROS2 Project Page: https://github.com/project-sternbergia

🎯PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project demonstrates a ROS2-compatible controller for T-Motor CyberGear smart actuators using the M5Stack (ESP32) platform.
The goal is to provide a portable, wireless, and low-cost ROS2 teleoperation interface that can:

publish actuator commands

receive real-time feedback

visualize motor state

act as a standalone testing tool or integrated ROS2 node

It closely follows the architecture of the "CyberGear ROS2 Controller" but replaces the Python + USB interface with an embedded ESP32 Wi-Fi bridge.

🧩COMPONENTS

🧠 Main Hardware

• M5Stack Core / Core2 (ESP32 기반)
• T-Motor CyberGear Actuator (RS485 / CAN variants)
• UART → CyberGear interface board or TTL adaptor

🔌 Communication

• Wi-Fi (ROS2 micro-ROS or custom UDP bridge)
• UART serial protocol to CyberGear actuator
• ROS2 topics for command & feedback

💻 Software

• micro-ROS or custom ROS2 bridge firmware
• M5Stack UIFlow or Arduino-ESP32
• CyberGear actuator command library
• PC-side ROS2 Humble/Foxy workspace

🛠SYSTEM OVERVIEW

[M5Stack (ESP32)]
   |  CyberGear serial protocol
   ↓
[T-Motor CyberGear Actuator]
   ↑
   |  Wi-Fi (ROS2 or UDP bridge)
[ROS2 PC (Humble/Foxy)]
   ↑
   |  Teleop UI / RViz / Node Graph
[User]

🔧KEY FEATURES

✔ 1. ROS2-Compatible Wireless Control

The ESP32 publishes and subscribes to ROS2 topics using micro-ROS or a UDP translator:

/cybergear/command
/cybergear/feedback

Commands include:

• target position
• velocity
• torque
• mode switching (position/velocity/torque)

✔ 2. Real-Time Telemetry

The actuator returns:

• position
• velocity
• torque
• temperature
• error flags

M5Stack visualizes these values on its built-in LCD.

✔ 3. Portable Embedded Controller

Unlike USB-based CyberGear controllers, this device:

• works wirelessly
• can be battery-powered
• acts as both a tester and a ROS2 node
• can control multiple CyberGear actuators with minor firmware changes

✔ 4. ROS2 Integration & Visualization

On the ROS2 PC, users can:

• monitor live feedback in RViz
• use joystick or keyboard teleop
• chain multiple CyberGear actuators
• integrate into mobile robots or joint test rigs

🧠 ENGINEERING INSIGHTS

✔ Lightweight ROS2 Node on ESP32

By offloading actuator control to ESP32, the PC only handles high-level ROS2 logic.
This reduces USB latency and simplifies wiring.

✔ Deterministic CyberGear Serial Commands

The firmware ensures that:

• serial timing
• checksum logic
• actuator state machine

match CyberGear specifications.

✔ M5Stack as a Visualization Device

The LCD UI allows:

• torque graph
• velocity meter
• mode switch buttons
• temperature warnings

A powerful front-end without a PC.

✔ Extensible Architecture

The modular design makes it easy to extend:

• CAN Bus support
• multi-actuator arrays
• BLE joystick teleop

rover/manipulator integrations

📘REFERENCE LINKS

• Project GitHub: https://github.com/project-sternbergia/cybergear_m5_ros2
• CyberGear Specs: https://store.t-motor.com/goods.php?id=1225
• micro-ROS: https://micro.ros.org/
• Original Related Project (Benjamin):
  https://maker.wiznet.io/Benjamin/projects/cybergear%2Dros2%2Dcontroller