Realsense-ros is a ROS 2 wrapper that integrates Intel RealSense cameras into ROS 2 robotics applications.
The wrapper solves the problem of connecting RealSense depth and RGB cameras to ROS 2 systems by providing a standardized interface for camera data. It publishes camera streams as ROS topics, including RGB and depth images, and exposes camera parameters through ROS services and actions. The tool handles coordinate system transformations between ROS 2 and optical camera conventions, publishes diagnostic information, and supports post-processing filters on camera data. It also provides an RViz 2 plugin for visualization and enables efficient intra-process communication for performance-critical applications.
The wrapper suits robotics projects that need depth sensing or RGB imaging from RealSense hardware within a ROS 2 ecosystem. It supports multiple cameras with configurable namespaces and names, and works on both Ubuntu and Windows. The project has moved away from ROS 1 support, with legacy ROS 1 code available on a separate branch. Developers migrating from earlier versions should note that the project has transitioned to the RealSenseAI GitHub organization from its previous location.
The project maintains active continuous integration workflows. Development activity shows regular updates and contributions from multiple developers. The codebase is written primarily in Python, making it accessible for modification and extension by ROS 2 developers.
