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Minimum Requirements (Simulator-Only Path)

Overview​

This chapter describes the minimum system requirements for completing the entire 13-week robotics course using simulation only. No physical hardware is required—all labs and the capstone project can be completed in software simulation environments.

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Primary Recommendation)​

Why Ubuntu?

  • Official ROS 2 Humble supported platform
  • Pre-packaged binaries for ROS 2, Gazebo, and Isaac tools
  • Large community support and extensive documentation

System Requirements:

  • Processor: Intel/AMD x86-64 CPU (2+ cores recommended)
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum; 8 GB recommended for comfortable simulation
  • Storage: 20 GB free space for OS, ROS 2, Gazebo, and dependencies
  • Internet: Broadband connection for downloading packages

Alternative Operating Systems​

macOS 12+ (Intel or Apple Silicon):

  • ROS 2 Humble supported
  • Gazebo available via Homebrew
  • Limitation: Isaac Sim requires Linux; must use cloud-based Isaac Sim or skip Module 3 labs on Mac
  • RAM: 8 GB minimum; 16 GB recommended

Windows 11 + WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux):

  • Run Ubuntu 22.04 in WSL2 for full ROS 2/Gazebo support
  • Performance: Slightly slower than native Linux; acceptable for learning
  • Storage: 30 GB for WSL2 + Ubuntu + tools
  • Limitation: GUI applications require X11 server (VcXsrv, WSLg)

Hardware Specifications (Simulator-Only)​

Minimum Configuration​

ComponentSpecificationNotes
CPU2+ cores @ 2 GHzSingle-core insufficient for running multiple nodes + Gazebo
RAM4 GB totalGazebo ~1 GB; ROS 2 nodes ~0.5-1 GB each; OS ~1 GB
Storage20 GB free10 GB OS + 10 GB tools/datasets
GPUOptionalCPU physics sufficient for learning; GPU accelerates rendering only
Network10+ MbpsFor downloading packages and cloud services
ComponentSpecificationBenefits
CPU4+ cores @ 2.5+ GHzParallel simulation, faster colcon builds
RAM8-16 GBMultiple Gazebo instances, Isaac Sim (if available)
Storage50 GB SSDFaster builds, smoother Gazebo performance
GPUDiscrete GPU (GTX 1050+)Faster Gazebo rendering, near real-time simulation
NetworkBroadband 50+ MbpsQuick package downloads, cloud Isaac Sim

Real Hardware Laptop/Desktop Examples​

Example 1: Budget Laptop (Suitable for Simulator)

  • Lenovo ThinkPad E-series (2018+)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 @ 2.6 GHz, 4 cores
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • Performance: Acceptable for this course; Gazebo may run at 20-30 FPS

Example 2: Developer Workstation (Optimal for Simulator)

  • MacBook Pro 16" M2/M3
  • CPU: Apple M2/M3 (8+ cores)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Performance: Excellent; Gazebo runs at 60 FPS; Isaac Sim cloud-accessible

Example 3: Desktop Gaming PC

  • CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X @ 3.7 GHz, 6 cores
  • GPU: RTX 3060 Ti
  • RAM: 32 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD
  • Performance: Exceptional; Isaac Sim local with smooth photorealistic rendering

Software Stack (Minimum)​

Core ROS 2 Installation​

ROS 2 Humble (current distribution; LTS support until 2027):

# Install ROS 2 Humble (Ubuntu 22.04)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ros-humble-desktop

# Source ROS 2 environment
source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash

# Verify installation
ros2 --version

Gazebo​

Gazebo (latest compatible with ROS 2 Humble):

sudo apt install gazebo

# Verify
gazebo --version

Python & Development Tools​

# Python 3.10+ (typically pre-installed on Ubuntu 22.04)
python3 --version

# Essential build tools
sudo apt install build-essential cmake git python3-pip python3-dev

# colcon build tool (ROS 2 build system)
sudo apt install python3-colcon-common

# Text editor
sudo apt install code    # VS Code recommended
# OR: sudo apt install vim
# ROS 2 development tools
sudo apt install ros-humble-rosdep ros-humble-rqt

# Python packages for labs
pip install numpy scipy matplotlib opencv-python

# For capstone VLA development (later)
pip install openai whisper

Installation Step-by-Step​

Step 1: Install Ubuntu 22.04 LTS​

Option A: Native Installation

  • Download ISO from ubuntu.com
  • Create bootable USB
  • Install on machine or partition

Option B: Virtual Machine

  • Download VirtualBox or VMware Player
  • Create VM with 20+ GB storage, 8 GB RAM allocation
  • Install Ubuntu 22.04 in VM

Option C: WSL2 on Windows

# In Windows PowerShell (as Administrator)
wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04

# After reboot, Ubuntu terminal opens; complete setup

Step 2: Update System Packages​

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install ROS 2 Humble​

# Add ROS 2 repository
sudo apt install curl gnupg lsb-release ubuntu-keyring
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.key | sudo apt-key add -

# Add repository
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture)] http://packages.ros.org/ros2/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2-latest.list'

# Install ROS 2 Humble
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ros-humble-desktop

Step 4: Set Up Workspace​

# Create ROS 2 workspace
mkdir -p ~/ros2_ws/src
cd ~/ros2_ws

# Clone example package (optional)
git clone https://github.com/ros2/examples src/examples

# Build workspace
colcon build

# Source setup script
source install/setup.bash

# Add to ~/.bashrc for automatic sourcing
echo "source ~/ros2_ws/install/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc

Step 5: Verify Installation​

# Test ROS 2
ros2 node list       # Should show no error

# Start a simple publisher/subscriber demo
# Terminal 1
ros2 run demo_nodes_cpp talker

# Terminal 2
ros2 run demo_nodes_cpp listener

Disk Space & Bandwidth Estimates​

ComponentSpaceDownload Time (50 Mbps)
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS3 GB8 minutes
ROS 2 Humble (binary)1.5 GB4 minutes
Gazebo + dependencies2 GB5 minutes
Development tools (Python, GCC, CMake)2 GB5 minutes
Workspace + labs3-5 GB8-12 minutes
Isaac Sim (if installing locally on Linux)50+ GB30+ minutes
Total for course (simulator only)~12-15 GB~30-40 minutes

Network Requirements​

Bandwidth​

  • Minimum: 5 Mbps (for text-based packages)
  • Recommended: 25+ Mbps (for faster downloads)

Internet Connectivity​

Required for:

  • Downloading OS and package repositories
  • Installing ROS 2 and Gazebo via apt
  • Downloading example code from GitHub
  • API calls to LLM services (Module 4)
  • Cloud-based Isaac Sim (if not local)

Offline Setup​

If offline installation is needed:

  1. Download all packages on a machine with internet
  2. Use apt-offline to create offline package cache
  3. Transfer cache to target machine via USB
  4. Follow installation steps with cached packages

Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues​

Issue: ROS 2 commands not found​

Symptom: ros2: command not found

Solution:

# Source ROS 2 environment
source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash

# Or add permanently to ~/.bashrc
echo "source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Issue: Gazebo won't start or crashes​

Symptom: gazebo: command not found or segmentation fault

Solution:

# Reinstall Gazebo
sudo apt remove gazebo* -y
sudo apt install gazebo

# Check graphics drivers
glxinfo | grep -i opengl

Issue: colcon build fails with missing dependencies​

Symptom: Package X is not found

Solution:

# Install rosdep and resolve dependencies
sudo rosdep init
rosdep update

cd ~/ros2_ws
rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r -y

# Rebuild
colcon build

Issue: Slow simulation or rendering lag​

Symptom: Gazebo runs at under 10 FPS; simulation feels choppy

Solutions:

  1. Reduce physics complexity:

    <!-- In world.sdf -->
    <physics name="default_physics" default="0" type="ode">
      <max_step_size>0.01</max_step_size>
      <real_time_factor>0.9</real_time_factor>
    </physics>

  2. Use "faster than real-time" simulation:

    gazebo --verbose my_world.sdf
    # Check "Real Time Factor" in console; aim for ~1.0 or higher

  3. Upgrade RAM or close other applications

  4. Switch to simpler physics engine or reduce sensor update rates

What's NOT Included in Minimum Setup​

  • Physical Hardware: Jetson, robot, sensors, actuators (all optional)
  • Isaac Sim (local): Requires significant GPU resources; available via cloud
  • Real-time Operating System: Linux desktop sufficient for learning
  • Industrial Tools: RViz advanced plugins, Gazebo plugins (basic version included)

Next Steps​

Once your system is set up and verified:

  1. Proceed to Module 0: Introduction to Physical AI concepts
  2. Start Module 1: ROS 2 fundamentals with hands-on examples
  3. Lab 1.1: Your first ROS 2 publisher/subscriber

Time to first working example: ~30 minutes after installation

Additional Resources​

Last Updated: 2025-12-10 Relevant For: Modules 0–4 (all modules) Capstone Connection: Provides foundation environment for all capstone development

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