Robots Atlas>ROBOTS ATLAS

Perception · Perception & Vision Software

rs_perception

RoboSense

Active Open source Real-time capable API available
CATEGORYPerception · Perception & Vision Software
READINESSTRL 8
ADOPTION SCALEProduction – Limited Deployment
LICENSESApache-2.0
FIRST RELEASE2020

Overview

rs_perception is the official LiDAR perception package by RoboSense Technology. Full pipeline: point cloud segmentation, 3D bounding box detection, classification (pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists/motorcycles, others) and multi-object tracking. Intended for AV and mobile robotics.

Architecture

SDK uses rs_driver as data source. Pipeline: (1) preprocessing (filtering, voxelisation), (2) ground removal, (3) object cluster segmentation, (4) DNN classification (CPU + GPU/CUDA), (5) object tracking (Kalman + Hungarian). Results: object lists with ID, type, 3D bounding box, velocity, heading.

ROS 2 integration

Official ROS 2 node publishing results as rsperception_msgs. Supports ROS 2 Humble and Iron (Ubuntu 22.04). Online and offline (.pcap / ROS 2 bags) modes. Compatible with Nav2, Autoware Universe.

Hardware requirements

CPU: x86_64/ARM64, 4 cores, 4 GB RAM. GPU: NVIDIA CUDA 11.x/12.x, 6 GB VRAM; TensorRT optional on Jetson Orin/AGX Xavier.

License and distribution

Dual-license: open-source Apache 2.0 (GitHub) + proprietary commercial version with advanced DL models. Build: CMake + colcon; binary DL models downloaded after registration on the RoboSense portal.

WebsiteDocumentationRepository
Type & Roles
Software types
Robot manufacturer SDK
SDK

An SDK (Software Development Kit) is a curated set of libraries, interfaces, tools, sample code, and documentation intended for building applications and integrating with a specific hardware device, platform, or service. In robotics, an SDK typically exposes device control, telemetry, sensor access, configuration, and execution functions, significantly reducing the time-to-first-integration for developers targeting a specific robot or platform.

Select an item to see its description.
Main category
Perception & Vision SoftwareSDKs
Roles in robotics ecosystem
PerceptionComputer Vision
Maturity & Adoption
8 / 9
Prototype / pilot phase
ResearchPrototypeProduction
Adoption scaleProduction – Limited Deployment
Maintenance statusMaintained by Single Vendor
First release2020
Last update22 May 2026
Deployments

Used in AV vehicles with RoboSense LiDARs (BYD, XPeng, GAC) and in AGV/AMR integrators. Compatible with Autoware Universe.

Community

GitHub: ~200+ stars (RoboSense-LiDAR/rs_perception)

Organizations
Depends on
R
rs_driver
Low-level C++14 RoboSense library for receiving and decoding UDP packets from RS-LiDAR-16/32, Helios, Bpearl, Ruby, M1 LiDARs. No ROS dependency — the core of the rslidar_sdk ecosystem.
→
R2
ROS 2
Open-source framework for building robot software. The successor to ROS 1, built on DDS with native support for distributed, real-time and multi-platform systems. The de facto standard in research and commercial robotics.
→
Integrates with
R
rslidar_sdk
Official RoboSense SDK for receiving, decoding and publishing point clouds from RoboSense mechanical and solid-state LiDARs (RS-LiDAR-16/32, Helios, Bpearl, M1). Supports ROS and ROS 2.
→
R2
ROS 2 Humble Hawksbill
LTS release of the ROS 2 framework based on Ubuntu 22.04, supported through May 2027. The most widely deployed release in humanoids, AMRs, and research platforms. Full integration with Nav2, MoveIt 2 and ros2_control.
→
Related robotics software
R
rs_driver
Low-level C++14 RoboSense library for receiving and decoding UDP packets from RS-LiDAR-16/32, Helios, Bpearl, Ruby, M1 LiDARs. No ROS dependency — the core of the rslidar_sdk ecosystem.
→
R
rslidar_sdk
Official RoboSense SDK for receiving, decoding and publishing point clouds from RoboSense mechanical and solid-state LiDARs (RS-LiDAR-16/32, Helios, Bpearl, M1). Supports ROS and ROS 2.
→
R2
ROS 2 Humble Hawksbill
LTS release of the ROS 2 framework based on Ubuntu 22.04, supported through May 2027. The most widely deployed release in humanoids, AMRs, and research platforms. Full integration with Nav2, MoveIt 2 and ros2_control.
→
Target robotic platforms
Mobile Robot
Industrial Robot
Humanoid
Research Robot
Quadruped
Supported hardware
RoboSense RS-LiDAR-16
sensing · lidar · industrial · Mechanical Spinning 3D LiDAR · RoboSense R-platform (mechanical LiDAR)
ROS supportCompatibility with ROS / ROS 2 ecosystem
Official Vendor ROS 2 WrapperOficjalny wrapper ROS 2 tworzony i utrzymywany przez producenta sprzętu lub oprogramowania
ROS 2 Node (Standalone)Samodzielny węzeł ROS 2 (node) jako główna forma dystrybucji
ROS 2 Launch IntegrationGotowe pliki launch ROS 2 jako forma integracji systemowej
System capabilities
⊙
Open source
Source code is publicly available under an open-source license — enables security audits, custom modifications, and integration without licensing barriers.
✓
⚡
Real-time capable
Designed with timing-determinism guarantees — meets the requirements of control loops, safety systems, and tasks demanding low, predictable latency.
✓
⟨/⟩
API available
The software exposes a programmable interface (REST, gRPC, SDK, or language bindings) that enables automation and integration with other systems.
✓
📦
Pre-built / binary
Distributed as ready-to-use binary packages, container images, or installers — no need to build from source.
×
Programming languages
C++Python
Operating systems
Ubuntu 20.04Ubuntu 22.04JetPack Linux
Minimum hardware requirements
Minimum hardware requirements
CPUx86_64 or ARM64; 4 cores at 2.5 GHz+ (CPU); NVIDIA GPU with CUDA 11+ (GPU)
RAM (GB)4
GPUNVIDIA GPU with CUDA 11.x/12.x + min. 6 GB VRAM; TensorRT optional on Jetson
Disk (GB)5

Additional 2–5 GB for binary DNN models (downloaded after registration on the RoboSense portal).

Packaging & distribution
Package managers
Source – CMake / ament_cmakecolcon (ROS 2 build tool)Docker / Docker Hub
CPU architectures
x86_64 (AMD64)ARM64 / AArch64NVIDIA Jetson – AArch64 (JetPack)
Installation difficulty
LevelModerate
Protocols and interfaces
Communication protocols
ROS 2 TopicsDDS (Data Distribution Service)
Latency classes
Soft Real-Time (20–100 ms)
Deployment types
On RobotEdgeContainerized
Licenses
Apache-2.0Apache License 2.0v2.0

License family: Permissive

ModificationDistributionCommercial useSublicensingPrivate useROS-compatibleOSI approvedFSF Free/LibreRequires attributionPatent grant
Official text ↗SPDX ↗OSI ↗
LicenseRef-ProprietaryProprietary – All Rights Reserved

License family: Proprietary – Commercial

SPDX ↗
Commercial License
Version history
—Jan 2024
—Jan 2023
—Jan 2022
—Jan 2020