Prerequisite Tools and Knowledge:

• You need to know the basics of Linux, Python, and C++. This is mandatory, so in case you need it, take the following three free courses:
  • Linux for robotics
  • Python3 for robotics
  • C++ for robotics
• You need to understand what a terminal is, what an IDE is, and what a Jupyter notebook is. Be comfortable switching between them quickly.
• You need to quickly understand how a new IDE, editor, file manager, etc., works differently from the one you usually use.
• You need to understand what Discord is and how it works for basic communication requirements (sending and receiving messages).
• You need to know how to use Zoom for the class call.

• We will be using The Construct platform, which offers a complete ROS environment through a web browser. You need to be comfortable adapting to new implementations of common tools such as terminals, editors, simulators, etc.

Equipment:

• A laptop (you can use Windows, Linux, or macOS) with camera
• Google Chrome or Firefox browser.
• It is not necessary to have Linux on your computer. Any operating system is valid.

• We recommend that you have two screens: one to view the teacher’s screen and another for working on the lesson or project yourself.

No. You only need to bring your laptop and don’t need to have ROS installed. You can use Windows, Linux, or macOS.

We will be using The Construct platform, which offers a complete ROS environment through a web browser. You need to be comfortable adapting to new implementations of common tools such as terminals, editors, simulators, etc.

ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2) is an open-source software development kit for robotics applications. The purpose of ROS 2 is to offer a standard software platform to developers across industries that will carry them from research and prototyping to deployment and production. ROS 2 builds on the success of ROS 1, which is used today in myriad robotics applications around the world.

» Shorten time to market
ROS 2 provides the robotics tools, libraries, and capabilities needed to develop your applications, allowing you to spend time on important work for your business. In addition, because it is open-source, you have the flexibility to decide where and how to use ROS 2 and, the freedom to customize it to fit your needs.

» Designed for production
Based on a decade of experience establishing ROS 1 as the de facto global standard for robotics R&D, ROS 2 was built from the ground up to be industry-grade and used in production, including high reliability and safety-critical systems. Design choices, development practices, and project governance for ROS 2 are based on requirements from industry stakeholders.

» Multi-platform
ROS 2 is supported and tested on Linux, Windows, and macOS, allowing seamless development and deployment of on-robot autonomy, back-end management, and user interfaces. In addition, the tiered support model allows for ports to new platforms, such as real-time and embedded OSs, to be introduced and promoted as they gain interest and investment.

» Multi-domain
Like ROS 1, ROS 2 is ready for use across various robotics applications, from indoor to outdoor, home to automotive, underwater to space, and consumer to industrial.

» No vendor lock-in
ROS 2 is built on an abstraction layer that insulates the robotics libraries and applications from communication technologies. Below the abstraction are multiple implementations of the communications code, including open source and proprietary solutions. Above the abstraction, core libraries and user applications are portable.

» Built on open standards
The default communications method in ROS 2 uses industry standards like IDL, DDS, and DDS-I RTPS, which are already widely deployed in various industrial applications, from factories to aerospace.

» Permissive open source license
ROS 2 code is licensed under the Apache 2.0 License, with ported ROS 1 code under the 3-clause (or “new”) BSD License. Both licenses allow permissive use of the software, without implications on the user’s intellectual property.

» Global community
Over 10+ years, the ROS project has produced a vast ecosystem of software for robotics by nurturing a global community of hundreds of thousands of developers and users who contribute to and improve that software. ROS 2 is developed by and for that community, who will be its stewards into the future.

» Industry support
As demonstrated by the membership of the ROS 2 Technical Steering Committee, industry support for ROS 2 is strong. Companies large and small from around the world are committing their resources to make open-source contributions to ROS 2, in addition to developing products on top.

» Interoperability with ROS 1
ROS 2 includes a bridge to ROS 1 that handles bidirectional communication between the two systems. If you have an existing ROS 1 application, you can start experimenting with ROS 2 via the bridge and port your application incrementally according to your requirements and available resources.

(source: https://docs.ros.org/en/galactic/index.html)