added a script to manually request the topics fro the arm or other si…

…mple communication

ros/uc_arm/request_topics.py

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from serial import *
+import time
+import sys
+import termios
+
+def output_data(filedev, ignore = '\r'):
+    '''Outputs data from serial port to sys.stdout.'''
+
+    while True:
+        byte = filedev.read(1)
+        if not byte:
+            break
+        if byte in ignore: continue
+        sys.stdout.write(byte)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+	# Open device with RTS pin low
+	port = Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 38400, timeout=0.5)
+
+	# reset the robot arm
+	port.setRTS(True)
+	time.sleep(0.3) 
+	port.setRTS(False)
+
+	port.flushInput()
+	port.write("\xff\xff\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff")
+
+	try:
+		while 1 :
+		    x = port.read(1)
+		    sys.stdout.write(x)
+
+	except KeyboardInterrupt:
+		print 'Keyboard interrupt, closing.'
+
+	port.close()
+	print '--- Done ---'
+
+
+
+