Introducing Version 4.0.0 of the MicroStrain ROS Driver

We're excited to announce the release of version 4.0.0 of our ROS driver. As our microstrain_inertial_driver has become the preferred choice to replace or complement existing ROS packages like robot_localization, we've been diligently working to further enhance its integration capabilities. We've listened to your feedback and have made significant improvements to ensure a smoother, more efficient experience.

Key Features of the New Release:

• ROS Standards Compliance: All published messages are now fully compliant with ROS standards, ensuring seamless integration and better compatibility with your systems. For more details, check out the changelog.
• Device-Specific Examples: We've introduced easy-to-use, self-contained examples for each device, making setup and usage a breeze. Stay tuned for more examples coming soon! Visit the examples page on our wiki for more information.
• Transform Publishing: This feature simplifies integration with popular tools like RViz, robot_localization, move_base, and Nav2. Explore the transforms page on our wiki to learn more.
• Enhanced GNSS Capabilities: Now, relative position reporting is available on all GNSS devices. This feature, previously exclusive to the GQ7, is a game-changer. Dive into the relative position configuration page on our wiki for further insights.
• Support for 3DM-CV7-INS and 3DM-GV7-INS: Expand your horizons by taking additional aiding measurements while leveraging MicroStrain's cutting-edge filtering capabilities.

Staged Rollout for a Seamless Transition:

To ensure a smooth transition and minimize disruption, we're adopting a staged rollout approach for these exciting updates. Please note that version 4.0.0 is not backwards compatible, but we've got you covered with an phased release schedule:

• January 26, 2024: Version 4.0.0 will be available on Github. Eager to try the new features? Simply check out and manually build the 4.0.0 (ROS) or ros2-4.0.0 (ROS2) tags following our Building from Source instructions for ROS or ROS2.
• April 1, 2024: The official release to the ROS buildfarm takes place. You can continue manually building as before, or conveniently install from the ROS package index with these instructions. If you prefer the previous version, you can check out and manually build the desired tag from our available tags.

We're excited to bring these enhancements to you and are confident that the latest version of our ROS driver will elevate your projects to new heights.

For more information and to stay updated on future releases, visit the MicroStrain ROS page and follow us on social media.