README.md

X-Mobility - Isaac Sim + ROS2 Navigation Example

This example demonstrates how you can use the X-Mobility TensorRT engine to run navigation inside Isaac Sim using the ROS2 bridge and the x_mobility_navigator ROS2 package.

Prerequisites

• A Ubuntu 22.04 machine with recommended Isaac Sim System Requirements

We will install Isaac Sim 4.2, ROS2 Humble, and NVIDIA TensorRT on your machine. You may be able to skip some steps if these are already provided.

Instructions

Step 1 - Install Isaac Sim 4.2

1. Follow the instructions here to install Isaac Sim 4.2 on your workstation.

Step 2 - Install ROS2 Humble

1. Follow the instructions here to install ROS2 Humble from debian packages.
2. For convenience, add the text source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash to the end of your ~/.bashrc file.

Step 3 - Install NVIDIA TensorRT

1. Install NVIDIA TensorRT following the guides here.

2. Test the installation by calling python3 -c "import tensorrt"

3. Install PyCUDA

   pip3 install pycuda

Step 4 - Setup your ROS2 workspace and build x_mobility_navigator package

1. Create the ros2 workspace folder

   mkdir -p ~/ros2_ws/src

2. Create a symlink to the x_mobility_navigator ROS2 package in this repository.

   ln -s <repo root>/ros2_deployment/x_mobility_navigator ~/ros2_ws/src/x_mobility_navigator

3. Build the ROS2 workspace

   cd ~/ros2_ws

   and

   colcon build --symlink-install

Step 5 - Build the TensorRT engine

1. Export the ONNX file as detailed in the main README.

2. Build the TensorRT engine

   python3 trt_conversion.py -o <onnx_file_path> -t <trt_file_path>

3. Copy the TensorRT engine to /tmp/x_mobility.engine. The x_mobility_navigator launch file uses this path by default.

Now you have everything needed to run the x_mobility_navigator package.

But we'll return to this step later, first we need to enable ROS2 with Isaac Sim.

Step 6 - Enable ROS2 with Isaac Sim

1. Install the extra ROS2 message packages

   sudo apt install ros-humble-vision-msgs ros-humble-ackermann-msgs

2. Create a file named ~/.ros/fastdds.xml and add the following file contents

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
   
   <license>Copyright (c) 2022-2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.  All rights reserved.
   NVIDIA CORPORATION and its licensors retain all intellectual property
   and proprietary rights in and to this software, related documentation
   and any modifications thereto.  Any use, reproduction, disclosure or
   distribution of this software and related documentation without an express
   license agreement from NVIDIA CORPORATION is strictly prohibited.</license>
   
   <profiles xmlns="http://www.eprosima.com/XMLSchemas/fastRTPS_Profiles" >
       <transport_descriptors>
           <transport_descriptor>
               <transport_id>UdpTransport</transport_id>
               <type>UDPv4</type>
           </transport_descriptor>
       </transport_descriptors>
   
       <participant profile_name="udp_transport_profile" is_default_profile="true">
           <rtps>
               <userTransports>
                   <transport_id>UdpTransport</transport_id>
               </userTransports>
               <useBuiltinTransports>false</useBuiltinTransports>
           </rtps>
       </participant>
   </profiles>

3. Open the Omniverse Launcher.

4. Launch the Isaac Sim App Selector, and set the following parameters to enable ROS2 Bridge

   • Extra Args: FASTRTPS_DEFAULT_PROFILES_FILE=~/.ros/fastdds.xml
   • ROS Bridge Extension: omni.isaac.ros2_bridge
   • Use Internal ROS2 Libraries: humble

   It should look like this:

   

Step 7 - Run the Isaac Sim + ROS2 navigation example

1. Launch Isaac Sim (if not already running)

2. Launch the Carter Navigtion example by clicking Isaac Examples > ROS2 > Navigation > Carter Navigation

   

3. Click the Play icon on the left toolbar.

Step 8 - Test the ROS2 Connection

1. Open a terminal

2. Source the ros2 setup (you can skip if it's in your ~/.bashrc)

   source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
   

3. List the available topics

   ros2 topic list
   

You should see the following topics

/back_stereo_imu/imu
/chassis/imu
/chassis/odom
/clock
/cmd_vel
/front_3d_lidar/lidar_points
/front_stereo_camera/left/camera_info
/front_stereo_camera/left/image_raw
/front_stereo_camera/left/image_raw/nitros_bridge
/front_stereo_imu/imu
/left_stereo_imu/imu
/parameter_events
/right_stereo_imu/imu
/rosout
/tf

Great, that means everything is running and we can interface with the simulated robot over ROS2.

Step 9 - Launch X-Mobility

Now let's launch the X-Mobility package

1. Source the built workspace

   cd ~/ros2_ws

   and

   source install/setup.bash

2. Launch the X-Mobility navigator

   ros2 launch x_mobility_navigator x_mobility_navigator.launch.py

3. Set a goal pose: Select 2D Goal Pose and then click on the map to set a position / orientation.

That's it! If everything worked, you should see the robot moving towards the goal pose in the simulation.

x_mobility_demo_short.mp4