Simulation Interfaces Examples

This repository contains useful resources for the ROS simulation interfaces..

RViz plugin

Manually test your interfaces & the simulation with RViz plugin.

Sample script

This repository contains an example script using standardized simulation interfaces powering different simulation backends. The script implements the following scenario:

1. Initialize simulation
   • Load world (only if supported)
   • Spawn and despawn an object
   • Spawn two robots and multiple static objects
2. Start the simulation
   • Play and pause simulation
   • Move some objects
   • Step simulation
3. Loop the simulation
   • Query the entity state of a robot
   • Send target goals to a robot and move it around
   • Move the robot once it had reached a certain pose
   • Move the robotic arm to simulate pick and place
4. Terminate the simulation (unload the world if supported)

The goal of this script is to demonstrate how to use the standardized simulation interfaces to control different simulation backends. Multiple parameters, such as robot speed, target poses, etc. are hardcoded for simplicity.

Running the script

Run the simulator (Gazebo, Isaac Sim, or O3DE) and make sure the simulation interfaces are properly installed and sourced. Next, set the DEMO_ASSET_PATH env variable to point the root of the folder containing the tutorial asset files.

Finally, run the warehouse_simulation_script.py script with the desired backend flag.

Simulator	flag
Gazebo	--sim-backend gazebo
Isaac Sim	--sim-backend isaacsim
O3DE	--sim-backend o3de

E.g. for Isaac Sim run:

export DEMO_ASSET_PATH=<path/to/the/asset/folder/root>
python3 warehouse_simulation_script.py --sim-backend isaacsim

Cloud simulation tutorial

To setup Gazebo, Isaac Sim or O3DE in the cloud, refer to this helpful cloud sim tutorial.

Simulation projects and assets

Projects

Simulation projects showcasing simulation interfaces for three simulators:

• Gazebo
• [Isaac Sim Demo Asset download] (https://download.isaacsim.omniverse.nvidia.com/demos/isaacsim-demos-opensource.zip)
• O3DE

World

The world used in tutorial originates from this open source NVIDIA asset.

Robots

Dingo and UR10e robots are used in the simulation, originating from their description packages.

Other resources

ROSCon 2025 talk introducing the standard and resources