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Using ROS 2 RViz2

1. Introduction to RViz2​

During robot development, many functions require data-level analysis, which can be difficult to interpret directly from raw values. For example, when working with robot models, developers often need to understand both the visual appearance and the internal coordinate frame relationships during motion.

For robotic arm motion planning and mobile robot autonomous navigation, it is essential to visualize:

  • The robot's surrounding environment\
  • The planned navigation path\
  • Sensor information such as cameras, 3D cameras, and LiDAR

Data is used for calculations, while visualization is used for human interpretation.

RViz2 is a powerful data visualization tool designed specifically for ROS 2 robot development. It supports visualization of:

  • Robot models\
  • Sensor data\
  • Environmental information

2. Preparation​

  • If you have a physical robot, you can launch RViz2 directly on the robot controller.
  • If you do not have a physical robot, you can use Gazebo to simulate a TurtleBot3 robot, including LiDAR, camera, and other sensors.
note

The following installation steps are optional. If you already have a physical robot configured with multi-machine communication, you can directly use the real robot's sensor data. This section is intended for users without a physical robot.

This lesson uses a simulated robot to demonstrate the visualization capabilities of RViz2. The workflow is identical for both real and simulated robots.

Install the TurtleBot3 Simulation Package​

sudo apt install ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-turtlebot3*

Install the ROS--Gazebo Bridge​

sudo apt install ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-gz

Set the TurtleBot3 Robot Type​

export TURTLEBOT3_MODEL=waffle

Start the Gazebo Simulation Environment​

ros2 launch turtlebot3_gazebo turtlebot3_world.launch.py

TurtleBot3 Gazebo Simulation

3. Starting RViz2​

Open a terminal and start RViz2 using:

rviz2

If you are starting RViz2 inside Docker, make sure GUI support is properly enabled.

RViz2 Startup Interface

4. Image Data Visualization​

  1. Click Add in the Displays panel on the left.
  2. Select Image and confirm.
  3. Configure the topic that the display subscribes to.

Adding Image Display

Configuration Tips​

  • Set Fixed Frame to:

    base_footprint

  • Select the camera image topic:

    /camera/image_raw

You can now view the robot's real-time camera feed.

Camera Image View

5. Radar (LiDAR) Data Visualization​

  1. Click Add in the Displays panel.
  2. Select LaserScan.
  3. Configure the topic name.

Adding LaserScan Display

Configuration​

  • Select the LaserScan topic:

    /scan

You will now see the LiDAR point cloud outline.

LiDAR Visualization

6. Robot Model Visualization​

  1. Click Add in the Displays panel.
  2. Select RobotModel.

Adding RobotModel Display

Configuration​

  • Set Description Topic to:

    /robot_description

You can now see the full robot model visualized in RViz2.

Robot Model Visualization

7. Other Data Visualizations​

The rviz_default_plugins section includes many commonly used visualization plugins such as:

  • TF
  • Path
  • PointCloud2
  • Marker
  • Grid

Feel free to experiment with these tools to better understand your robot's perception and planning systems.

RViz Default Plugins

This documentation is maintained by HemiHex for ROS 2 visualization and development workflows.