Repository of libraries

Desktop software to solve advanced image computing challenges with a focus on clinical and biomedical applications.
Development platform to quickly build and deploy custom solutions for research and commercial products, using free, open source software. Community of knowledgeable users and developers working together to improve medical computing.

Type: Software

Tags: Image processing, visualization, vtk, medical imaging

Community: Large

Latest version: 5.0.3

Resource updated: 2022

Resource created: 1998

License: Open source (BSD license)

Operating system: Windows, Linux, MacOs

Languages: Python, C++

Comments: There is no restriction on use, but Slicer is not approved for clinical use and the distributed application is intended for research use. Permissions and compliance with applicable rules are the responsibility of the user. For details on the license see here. Slicer 3D could be extended using Python and C++.

Prototype surgical robot system using widely-available software and hardware such as 3D Slicer as planning interface, Lego Mindstorms as robot hardware, and Robot Operating System (ROS) as robot control software.

Type: Tutorial

Tags: Image processing, visualization, medical imaging, ROS

Operating system: Linux

Comments: This tutorial contains software architecture of surgical robot systems, acquire hands-on experience of software-hardware integration for medical robotics.

A list of various books, courses and other resources for robotics. It’s an attempt to gather useful material in one place for everybody who wants to learn more about the field.

Type: List of resources

Tags: Image processing, visualization, control, simulation, machine learning, motion planning, optimization, SLAM, inverse kinematics, ROS

Community: Medium (32 contributors)

Resource updated: Feb 23, 2022

Operating system: Multiple

Comments: This repository contains courses, books, software and libraries, papers, conferences, journals, competitions, companies, and other resources.

A curated list of robotics simulators and libraries.

Type: List of resources

Tags: Image processing, visualization, control, simulation, machine learning, motion planning, optimization, SLAM, inverse kinematics, ROS

Community: Medium (26 contributors)

Resource updated: Nov 1, 2022

Resource created: 2015

Operating system: Multiple

Comments: This list links to simulators and libraries for Dynamics Simulation, Inverse Kinematics, Machine Learning, Motion Planning and Control, Optimization, Robot Modeling, Robot Platform, SLAM, and more.

This package contains a ROS wrapper for OpenSlam’s Gmapping. The gmapping package provides laser-based SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), as a ROS node called slam_gmapping. Using slam_gmapping, you can create a 2-D occupancy grid map (like a building floorplan) from laser and pose data collected by a mobile robot.

Type: Package

Tags: Motion planning, manipulation, 3D perception, control, navigation, ROS

Community: Small (21 contributors)

Latest version: 1.4.2

Resource updated: Oct 2, 2020

Resource created: Aug 26, 2009

License: Open source (BSD-2-Clause license)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python

The image_pipeline stack is designed to process raw camera images into useful inputs to vision algorithms: rectified mono/color images, stereo disparity images, and stereo point clouds.

Type: Collection of packages

Tags: Imaging, image processing, visualization, ROS

Community: Large (75 contributors)

Latest version: 2.1.1

Reference updated date: Oct, 2022

Resource updated: Jun 12, 2020

Resource created: May 20, 2020

License: Open source (BSD)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python

Comments: The packages included are the following: (i) Calibration: Cameras must be calibrated in order to relate the images they produce to the three-dimensional world. The camera_calibration package provides tools to calibrate monocular and stereo cameras in your ROS system. A CameraInfo wiki page provides a detailed description of the parameters used by the pipeline; (ii) Monocular processing: The raw image stream can be piped through the image_proc node to remove camera distortion. The node also performs color interpolation for Bayer pattern color cameras; (iii) Stereo processing: The stereo_image_proc node performs the duties of image_proc for a pair of cameras co-calibrated for stereo vision. It also uses stereo processing to produce disparity images and point clouds; (iv) Depth processing: depth_image_proc provides nodelets for processing depth images (as produced by the Kinect, time-of-flight cameras, etc.), such as producing point clouds; (iv) Visualization: The image_view package provides a lightweight alternative to rviz for viewing an image topic. It also includes a stereo_view tool for viewing stereo pairs and disparity images.

ITK is an open-source, cross-platform library that provides developers with an extensive suite of software tools for image analysis.

Type: Software toolkit

Community: Very large (270 contributors)

Latest version: 5.2.1

Resource updated: 2022

Resource created: 2002

License: Open source (Apache 2.0)

Operating system: Windows, Linux, MacOs

Languages: C++, Python

A library to easily compute multiple manipulability metrics for a single or dual-arm manipulator.

Type: Library

Tags: Object manipulation, metrics, ROS

Community: Small

Latest version: No release published

Resource created: Oct 20, 2020

License: Open source (Apache 2.0)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, C

Comments: The list of metrics that can be computed for a single-arm manipulator are:
– Inverse condition number: Computes the quotient between the smaller and the greater singular values of the Jacobian. The inverse of the condition number is used so that a bigger value represents better manipulability, which is the case with the rest of the metrics.
– Manipulability Measure: Computes the square root of the determinant of the product of the Jacobian and the Jacobian transpose. It’s equivalent to the product of all singular values of the Jacobian.
– Minimum Singular Value: Returns the value of the minimum singular value.
– Task-Oriented Manipulability Measure (TOMM): Computes how well the manipulability ellipsoid of the manipulator matches the provided desired manipulability ellipsoid.
– In addition to the above metrics that can be used for an individual arm in a dual-arm setup, the following dual-arm-specific metrics are available:
– Dual-Arm Manipulability Measure (DAMM)1: Approximates the combined manipulability ellipsoid of both manipulators as the intersection of the manipulability matrices of each manipulator and returns a value proportional to its volume.
– Task-Oriented Dual-Arm Manipulability Measure (TODAMM): Computes how well the combined manipulability ellipsoid of both manipulator matches the provided desired manipulability ellipsoid.
– For more information about the TOMM, DAMM and TODAMM metrics, refer to: S. Lee, ‘Dual redundant arm configuration optimization with task-oriented dual arm manipulability,’ in IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 78-97, Feb. 1989, doi: 10.1109/70.88020. (link).

MoveIt 2 is the robotic manipulation platform for ROS 2, and incorporates the latest advances in motion planning, manipulation, 3D perception, kinematics, control, and navigation. MoveIt 2 was first released in 2019; for ROS 1 documentation.

Type: Platform

Tags: Motion planning, manipulation, 3D perception, Inverse kinematics, control, navigation, ROS

Community: Large, supported by Rosin and PickNik

Latest version: 2.5.2

Reference updated date: Aug 16, 2022

Resource updated: Jul 15, 2022

Resource created: Oct 2011 (version 2 in 2019)

License: Open source (BSD-3-Clause license)

Operating system: Linux, limited Windows support

Languages: C++

A library dedicated to the development of open source medical robotics, providing simple platforms for researchers and developers through increased accessibility. It is Arduino-based.

Type: Library

Tags: Arduino

Community: Small (21 contributors)

Latest version: 1.0.0

Resource created: Jun 25, 2020

License: Open source (GNU General Public License v3.0)

Operating system: Arduino

Languages: C++

Comments: There are two repositories, namely Endo-Continuum-Robot Public
CAD Model for the OSMR Endo Continuum Robot, and Endo-Continuum-Robot-Library, a Public Arduino Library for the OSMR Endo Continuum Robot.

An open-source network communication interface specifically designed for image-guided interventions.

Type: Network communication interface

Tags: Tracking, Imaging, Control

Community: Medium (27 contributors)

Latest version: 3.0 (year 2018)

Resource updated: 2022

Resource created: 2009

License: Open source (BSD license)

Operating system: MultiOS

Languages: C++, Python, Java

Comments: The OpenIGTLink protocol defines a set of message formats for several data types that are frequently used for image-guided and robot-assisted interventions. Those formats are used to compose messages that are transferred from one device to another over the local area network. The application developers can choose their own transportation layer that fits for their application and environment (e.g. TCP, UDP, WebSocket).

Real-time usable kinematics and dynamics code for rigid body kinematics calculations and representations for kinematic structures and their inverse and forward kinematic solvers.

Type: Library

Tags: Inverse Kinematics, ROS

Community: Medium (37 contributors)

Latest version: 1.5.1

Reference updated date: Oct 2022

Resource updated: Sep 12, 2021

Resource created: Jun 6, 2021

License: Not specified

Operating system: MultiOS

Languages: C++

A PCL (Point Cloud Library) ROS interface stack. PCL-ROS is the preferred bridge for 3D applications involving n-D Point Clouds and 3D geometry processing in ROS.

Type: Package

Tags: Image processing, 3D perception, navigation, ROS

Latest version: 1.7.4

Reference updated date: Feb 9, 2022

Resource updated: Nov 2022

Resource created: Nov 26, 2019

License: Open source (BSD)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python

Guidelines for developers who use ROS.

Type: Information guidelines (Tutorial, sotware resources, tools, etc.)

Tags: Software development, ROS

Community: Large

Reference updated date: Sep 1, 2019

License: Open source but it depends on the resources that are listed

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python, JavaScript

An open-source software project to provide an open-source software platform for medical robotics research. Specifically, the project focuses on architectures to seamlessly integrate a robot system with medical image computing software using two popular open-source software packages: Robot Operating System (ROS) and 3D Slicer.

Type: Software toolkit

Tags: Image processing, 3D graphics, visualization, ROS

Community: Very small (the project is very new)

License: Open source

Operating system: Linux, limited Windows support

Comments: The following software packages are available for integrating 3D Slicer and ROS: ROS-IGTL-Bridge for ROS 1, ROS-IGTL-Bridge for ROS 2, and SlicerROS2.

A 2D navigation stack that takes in information from odometry, sensor streams, and a goal pose and outputs safe velocity commands that are sent to a mobile base.

Type: Navigation 2D stack

Tags: Navigation, ROS

Community: Large (123 contributors)

Latest version: 1.17.2

Resource updated: Jun 20, 2022

Resource created: Sep 10, 2009

License: Open source (BSD, LGPL)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python, C

A set of packages that include controller interfaces, controller managers, transmissions and hardware_interfaces.

Type: Collection of packages

Tags: Control, ROS

Community: Medium (50 contributors)

Latest version: 0.19.6

Resource updated: Oct 21, 2021

Resource created: Dec 25, 2012

License: Open source (BSD-3-Clause license)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python

Rosbridge provides a JSON API to ROS functionality for non-ROS programs. There are a variety of front ends that interface with rosbridge, including a WebSocket server for web browsers to interact with. Rosbridge_suite is a meta-package containing rosbridge, various front end packages for rosbridge like a WebSocket package, and helper packages.

Type: Collection of packages

Tags: JSON, JavaScript, ROS

Community: Large (92 contributors)

Latest version: 1.3.1

Resource updated: Oct 21, 2021

Resource created: Nov 15, 2012

License: Open source (BSD-3-Clause license)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: Python, Javascript

Comments: The rosbridge_suite package is a collection of packages that implement the rosbridge protocol and provides a WebSocket transport layer.
The packages included are:
(i) rosbridge_library – The core rosbridge package. The rosbridge_library is responsible for taking the JSON string and sending the commands to ROS and vice versa;
(ii) rosapi – Makes certain ROS actions accessible via service calls that are normally reserved for ROS client libraries. This includes getting and setting params, getting topics list, and more;
(iii) rosbridge_server – While rosbridge_library provides the JSON<->ROS conversion, it leaves the transport layer to others. Rosbridge_server provides a WebSocket connection so browsers can “talk rosbridge.” Roslibjs is a JavaScript library for the browser that can talk to ROS via rosbridge_server.

An open-source project that extends the advanced capabilities of ROS software to industrial relevant hardware and applications.

Type: Libraries, tools and drivers for industrial hardware

Tags: Control, tracking, motion planning, navigation, ROS

Community: Depends on the project

Latest version: Depends on the project

Reference updated date: Apr 20, 2020

Resource updated: Depends on the project

Resource created: Depends on the project

License: Open source (BSD (legacy) / Apache 2.0 (preferred))

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python

Comments: The goals of ROS-Industrial are to
(i) create a community supported by industrial robotics researchers and professionals;
(ii) provide a one-stop location for industry-related ROS applications;
(iii) develop robust and reliable software that meets the needs of industrial applications;
(iv) combine the relative strengths of ROS with existing industrial technologies (i.e. combining ROS high-level functionality with the low-level reliability and safety of industrial robot controllers);
(v) create standard interfaces to stimulate ‘hardware-agnostic’ software development (using standardized ROS messages);
(vi) provide an easy path to apply cutting-edge research in industrial applications, using a common ROS architecture;
(vii) provide simple, easy-to-use, well-documented APIs.

A list of sensors supported oficially by ROS and the community.

Type: Webpage

Tags: Sensors, hardware, navigation, control, vision, ROS

Resource updated: Aug 22, 2022

An open-source, freely available software system for 3D computer graphics, modeling, image processing, volume rendering, scientific visualization, and 2D plotting. It supports a wide variety of visualization algorithms and advanced modeling techniques, and it takes advantage of both threaded and distributed memory parallel processing for speed and scalability, respectively.

Type: Software toolkit

Tags: Image processing, 3D
graphics, volume rendering, visualization

Community: Large, supported by Kitware, Department of Energy (DOE) ASC Program, Los Alamos National Lab (LANL), Sandia National Laboratories, National Library of Medicine (NLM), Army Research Laboratory (ARL)

Latest version: 9.2.2

Resource updated: 2022

Resource created: Started on 1998

License: Open source (BSD license)

Operating system: Windows, Linux, MacOs

Languages: Javasript, C#, Trame (based on Python), C++

A repository containing ROS packages to run a simulated mockup of the Tracebot setup in Rviz and Gazebo. The objective is to analyse different placements of the robots and equipment in regard to reachability and manipulability.

Type: Package

Tags: Manipulability, metrics, ROS

Community: Small

Latest version: No release published

Resource created: Aug 5, 2021

License: Not specified

Operating system: Linux

Languages: Python

Packages for interfacing ROS with OpenCV, a library of programming functions for real time computer vision.

Type: Collection of packages

Tags: Computer Vision, ROS

Community: Medium (59 contributors)

Latest version: 3.1.3

Resource updated: Oct 3, 2022

Resource created: Jul 1, 2009

License: Open source (BSD-3-Clause license)

Operating system: Linux

Languages: C++, Python, C

Comments: This repository contains cv_bridge (bridge between ROS 2 image messages and OpenCV image representation), image_geometry (a collection of methods for dealing with image and pixel geometry), opencv_tests (integration tests to use the capability of the packages with opencv), vision_opencv (meta-package to install both cv_bridge and image_geometry).