We are pleased to announce the release of version 2.0 of the VRX simulation platform! The VRX platform is a virtual environment built in Gazebo, designed for accelerating development of unmanned surface vehicles. It also serves as the virtual “venue” for the VRX Competition, a virtual competition closely coordinated with the RobotX Challenge.
Release 2.0 adds official support for Gazebo Sim (formerly Ignition Gazebo) and ROS 2. This release will introduce the following major changes:
- Gazebo Sim and ROS 2 are now the default prerequisites for installing and running the “main” branch of the VRX repository.
- The previous “master” branch has been renamed “gazebo_classic” and will continue to be available for users running Gazebo Classic and ROS 1.
Release 2.0 is now the recommended starting point for new users. We will be transitioning the gazebo_classic branch from an officially supported branch to a community supported branch by Spring 2023.
Some other notable features include:
- Ported versions of the Sydney Regatta, VRX 2022 course elements, and VRX 2022 competition tasks.
- PBR support for the buoys, docks, WAM-V and WAM-V accessories, for improved visual fidelity to materials, e.g.:
- Updated documentation and tutorials.
Please give it a try and let us know what you think! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
The VRX Technical Team: Brian, Carlos, Jessica and Michael