Interfacing Hokuyo utm-30lx Lidar (USB interface) to MATLAB

Hello everybody

I want to read data from Hokuyo utm-30lx sensor using matlab. It has USB interface. Is there any way to read from it rather than creating my own usb driver?!

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/mlc-downloads/downloads/submissions/47593/versions/9/previews/documentation/examples/PointCloud/html/PointCloudExample.html

[Hiba Al Farsi]

This link is to interface the Lidar using UDP, TCP/IP, Serial and Ethernet.

My Lidar has USB interface. So, how can i interface it to MATLAB?!!

[Walter Roberson]

There was a link there to http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/36700-hokuyo-urg-04lx-lidar-driver-for-matlab which is probably very similar.

[Hiba Al Farsi]

I tried to run the code and changing the com port value. This is the output:

Error using serial/fopen (line 72)
Open failed: Cannot connect to the COM5 port. Possible reasons are another
application is connected to the port or the port does not exist.

[Walter Roberson]

delete(instrfindall())

and try again.

Another possibility is that the port number is wrong.

[Hiba Al Farsi]

I am sure about the port number because i connect the lidar using labview and i get the reading from it using COM5. I tried to add your command and the error message still same.

[Walter Roberson]

You might be able to use one of the tools mentioned at http://superuser.com/questions/296493/which-programs-are-using-my-usb-flash-drive to figure out which process is using the COM port.

[Hiba Al Farsi]

Dear Mr.Walter

Thank you for the quick response. now, there is another error when the code reach fscan(lidar)

Warning: Unsuccessful read: A timeout occurred before the Terminator was reached.. 

ans =

       ''

I tried to increase the pause value. but still i have the same issue.

[Hiba Al Farsi]

Also, when i tried to enter this command in Command Window >> lidar=serial('COM5') ; The output:

   Serial Port Object : Serial-COM5

   Communication Settings 
      Port:               COM5
      BaudRate:           9600
      Terminator:         'LF'

   Communication State 
      Status:             closed
      RecordStatus:       off

   Read/Write State  
      TransferStatus:     idle
      BytesAvailable:     0
      ValuesReceived:     0
      ValuesSent:         0

Answer 2

[Mohamed Hassanien]

Hi Hiba,

I am currently just trying to figure out the point your trying to reach, I want to extract the data from the same LIDAR type ( points and angles )

maybe you can help me out if you have succeed already in that ?

Thank you, Mohamed