Status
Open
Goal: Learn how to configure LiDAR sensors in Isaac Sim, connect them to ROS 2, filter unwanted objects, run headless simulations, and use them for SLAM.
Outline:
1. What LiDAR Simulation is For
- Navigation and obstacle avoidance
- Mapping and localization
- Synthetic dataset generation
- Complements camera sensors
2. Setup in Isaac Sim + ROS 2
- Add 2D or 3D LiDAR to a robot (e.g. Carter, Turtlebot, custom URDF)
- Adjust sensor properties (range, field of view, resolution)
- Stream data to ROS 2 and visualize in RViz2
3. Mesh Filtering
- Exclude certain meshes from LiDAR scans
- Options: ignore flag, disable collisions, or sensor filters
- Compare scans before and after filtering
4. Headless Simulation
- Run Isaac Sim without a GUI for automation or dataset generation
- Save LiDAR outputs to files or ROS 2 bags
- Useful for large-scale experiments or server environments
5. Understanding LiDAR Data
- LaserScan: ranges and intensities
- PointCloud2: 3D coordinates and intensities
- Visualize in RViz2 or with plotting tools
6. SLAM with LiDAR
- Showcase a useful task for LiDAR
- Nav2: LiDAR used in costmaps for path planning and navigation
- RTAB-Map: builds occupancy grids and maps from LiDAR + odometry
- Drive a robot in simulation and watch maps form in real time
7. Recap & Next Steps
- Configure LiDAR in Isaac Sim
- Connect to ROS 2 and visualize scans
- Filter objects and run headless simulations
- Apply to SLAM, sensor fusion, or synthetic dataset generation