# ROS News for the Week of December 15th, 2025 **URL:** \ **Category:** Community News\ **Tags:** weekly-update\ **Created:** [December 19, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-news-for-the-week-of-december-15th-2025/51465 "2025-12-19T20:23:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1

**Author:** ![Katherine\_Scott](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.openrobotics.org/katherine_scott/32/4434_2.png) [@Katherine\_Scott](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/u/Katherine_Scott)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-news-for-the-week-of-december-15th-2025/51465/1 "2025-12-19T20:23:14Z")

# ROS News for the Week of December 15th, 2025 ![Screenshot From 2025-12-19 11-34-06](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/e/4/e4e5b41a6d9db069a8ee95db51b23fb4d3bf632e.jpeg) ![G8dJjYUakAIhvpV](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/7/8/78e07c5e7c623815646190223629b9a915cec43b.jpeg) ![G8dJjYWacAA4E7Q](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/0/4/043cbfdb17aa4aae8490cf8f730e8f7cae0054d6.jpeg) 🇮🇳 Shout out to our colleagues at [ROSCon India](https://www.rosconindia.in/), which is happening right now in Pune! ![manta](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/c/6/c64a2a6a301a86ebbbd60088238646ccf466affb.gif) This week community member @_bernardo posted a teaser video for an incredible [Manta-ray biomimetic robot that uses ROS 2!](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/manta-ray-biomimetic-ros2-robot-pressure-compensated-should-go-pretty-deep/51403) ![room2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/e/c/ec045b3614ebc5734a06d5023af04dda78a3c309.jpeg) ![room2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/e/f/efac5c787f198c23c80a8010d53e42d7905dce34.gif) Two new Depth Anything 3 tools came out this week. First [PyOctomapAnything turns any image into a PyOctoMap 3D voxel scene](https://github.com/Spinkoo/pyocto-map-anything) There’s also a new [a new foundation model for panoramic depth estimation.](https://insta360-research-team.github.io/DAP_website/) I’ve said it before, but I would love to see a tool that allows you to quickly reconstruct a room into a Gazebo world. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/5/0/50c43d99c7190a3385df4275f7a8ed5cbfe918d9.png) A few our our European colleagues have put together a [fantastic collection of ROS Workshops and training materials.](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-training-material-survey/51451) Take a look or add your own tutorial! ![xmas](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/ros/original/3X/0/8/088aeca1e0b49aaa57926b177bd0035b64b13212.gif) 🎄 It is the time of year where robot companies all over the world release their robot Christmas videos! [This one is from our colleagues at FZI.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTju8lqNTjU) A full list of videos is [available at IEEE Spectrum](https://spectrum.ieee.org/happy-holidays-robot?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=hero&utm_campaign=hero-2025-12-19&utm_content=hero3) # Events - [2026-01-06 =\> 2026-01-07 The 7th UK Robot Manipulation Workshop](https://www.robot-manipulation.uk/) - [2026-01-30 Dronecode + Septentrio Meetup: Leuven, Belgium](https://dronecode.org/dronecode-septentrio-meetup-leuven-belgium/) - [2026-1-31 =\> 2026-02-01 FOSDEM](https://fosdem.org/2026/) - [Robot Dev Room](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/fosdem-2026-robotics-simulation-devroom-2nd-edition/50828) - [2026-04-17 Intrinsic AI for Industry Challenge Deadline](https://www.intrinsic.ai/events/ai-for-industry-challenge) - [2026-06-21 =\> 2026-06-26 RPL Summer school in robotics, perception and learning, Stockholm, Sweden.](https://summer-school.rpl.eecs.kth.se/) - [2026-07-29 =\> 2026-08-04 IEEE RAS Summer School on Multi-Robot Systems in Prague](https://mrs.fel.cvut.cz/summer-school/index.html) - [2026-05-23 =\> 2026-05-24 Open Hardware Summit 2026 in Berlin](https://2026.oshwa.org/) 🆕 CFP Now Open! - [Community meeting: Accelerating Physics-Based Multibeam Sonar Simulation for Underwater Robotics on CUDA](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/community-meeting-accelerating-physics-based-multibeam-sonar-simulation-for-underwater-robotics-on-cuda/51060) # News - [New Release Date for Gazebo Kura](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/new-release-date-for-gazebo-kura/51429) - [Gazebo PMC Meeting Minutes 2025-12-15](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/gazebo-pmc-meeting-minutes-2025-12-15/51425) - How Disney built an [Olaf Robot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoPN02bmzrE) – [paper](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2512.16705) ☃ - [PX4 Simulation Integration Survey](https://www.mcguirerobotics.com/px4_sim_research_report/) - [FZI Living Lab Christmas Robotics 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTju8lqNTjU) 🎄 - [ADAM Robot Bartender Makes Drinks at Vegas Golden Knights Game](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/adam-robot-vegas-golden-knights-thor/?ncid=so-link-607158-vt48&linkId=100000397080291) 🏒 - [Rodney Brooks, the Godfather of Modern Robotics, Says the Field Has Lost Its Way](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/business/rodney-brooks-robots-roomba.html) - [UPS company deploys AI to spot fakes amid surge in holiday returns](https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/ups-company-deploys-ai-spot-fakes-amid-surge-holiday-returns-2025-12-18/) - [Nvidia bulks up open source offerings with an acquisition and new open AI models](https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/15/nvidia-bulks-up-open-source-offerings-with-an-acquisition-and-new-open-ai-models/) - [LimX Dynamics unveils TRON 2 shape-shifting limbed robot](https://www.therobotreport.com/limx-dynamics-just-unveiled-tron-2-shape-shifting-robot/) - [RealMan Robotics open-sources its RealSource robot dataset](https://www.therobotreport.com/realman-robotics-open-sources-realsource-robot-dataset/) - [A look at iRobot’s 35-year robotics journey](https://www.therobotreport.com/a-look-at-irobot-35-year-robotics-journey/) - [Serve Robotics has deployed 2,000+ delivery robots across the U.S.](https://www.therobotreport.com/serve-robotics-has-deployed-2000-delivery-robots-across-u-s/) - [BARA, the Bay Area Robotics Association, launches to accelerate embodied AI](https://www.therobotreport.com/bay-area-robotics-association-bara-launches-accelerate-embodied-ai/) - [iRobot to enter Chapter 11 and be acquired by Chinese creditor](https://www.therobotreport.com/irobot-to-enter-chapter-11-acquired-chinese-creditor/) - [iREX 2025 Recap](https://www.therobotreport.com/irex-2025-from-programmed-perceptive/) – Big ROS shout out! - [RAS University - IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Free Classes](https://www.ieee-ras.org/ras-university/) # ROS - 🆒 [ROS Training Material Survey](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-training-material-survey/51451) - 🆒 [Ros2\_medkit: API-first diagnostics for ROS 2](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros2-medkit-api-first-diagnostics-for-ros-2/51428) - 🆒 [Manta-ray biomimetic ROS 2 robot](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/manta-ray-biomimetic-ros2-robot-pressure-compensated-should-go-pretty-deep/51403) - 🆒 [pyocto-map-anything: Convert photos to 3D voxel scenes with AI depth estimation](https://github.com/Spinkoo/pyocto-map-anything) - 🆒 [“Unofficial” Gazebo Documentation Index](https://j-rivero.github.io/gazebo-doc-index/) - [New Nav2 Tutorial: Lidar-Free Navigation Using NVIDIA Isaac Perceptor](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/new-nav2-tutorial-lidar-free-navigation-using-nvidia-isaac-perceptor-ros/51411) - [MOLA 2.3.0 Released](https://github.com/MOLAorg/mola) - [New LiDAR-Inertial Odometry Tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7dwRCbcvs8) - [EKF SLAM ROS 2](https://github.com/White8848/EKF_SLAM_ROS2) - [plain\_slam\_ros2: Lightweight Dependency-Free LiDAR-Inertial SLAM system for ROS 2](https://github.com/NaokiAkai/plain_slam_ros2) - [DroneBridge for ESP32. A secure & transparent telemetry link with support for WiFi and ESP-NOW](https://github.com/DroneBridge/ESP32/) - [Real-Time Cartesian Controller for UR5/UR5e with External Sensor Feedback](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/real-time-cartesian-controller-for-ur5-ur5e-with-external-sensor-feedback-ros-2-humble-ros2-control/51462) - [Introduction to ROS Part 12: Talking to Microcontrollers (Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIxoTWuxcXg) - [Upcoming ABI break in ros2\_control framework](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/upcoming-abi-break-in-ros2-control-framework/51438) - [Piper Hand-Eye Calibration](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/piper-hand-eye-calibration/51407) - [Toio ROS 2 wrapper](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/toio-ros-2-wrapper/51381) - [New packages for Kilted Kaiju 2025-12-12](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/new-packages-for-kilted-kaiju-2025-12-12/51377) - [aruco\_visual\_servoing: Autonomous visual servoing package for a mobile robots](https://github.com/mohamedeyaad/aruco_visual_servoing) - [Depth Any Panoramas: A Foundation Model for Panoramic Depth Estimation](https://insta360-research-team.github.io/DAP_website/) - [Performance Characteristics: subscription callback signatures, RMW implementation, Intra-process communication](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/performance-characteristics-subscription-callback-signatures-rmw-implementation-intra-process-communication-ipc/51454) - [Low-cost ROS2/SLAM educational kit upgraded to Jazzy](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/low-cost-ros2-slam-educational-kit-upgraded-to-jazzy/51450) - [PIPER single-arm simulation and control on Genesis](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/piper-single-arm-simulation-and-control-on-genesis/51444) - [Upcoming a new RMW Implementation RMW\_SWIFTDDS by Greenstone](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/upcoming-a-new-rmw-implementation-rmw-swiftdds-by-greenstone/51447) - [micro-ROS on Renesas MCK-RA8T2: Motor Speed Control (ROS 2 Integration Demo)(Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6bBRwmvNuw) - [source](https://github.com/micro-ROS/micro_ros_renesas_demos/tree/kilted/Boards/MCK_RA8T2/micro_ros_udp_freertos#micro-ros-renesas-mck-ra8t2-motor-sensorless-tutorial) - [Modeling LeKiwi’s omni-base in MuJoCo](https://ekumenlabs.com/blog/posts/modeling-lekiwis-omni-base-in-mujoco/) - [CARVER-GEN3 Autonomous Robot Platform](https://github.com/Whan000/CARVER-GEN3) - [Custom MOLA SLAM for Livox MID-360 LiDAR + ROS 2 Humble](https://github.com/Whan000/MOLA-SLAM) - [Small Autonomous Mobile Robot](https://github.com/Arash-Barabadi/Small_Autonomous_Mobile_Robot) - [Multifunctional Digital Twin-Enabled Aerospace Drilling End-Effector Deployable by a Collaborative Robot](https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/24/7504) - [Code implementation of Pi-Long](https://github.com/DengKaiCQ/Pi-Long) - [Weekly Robotics #340](https://www.weeklyrobotics.com/weekly-robotics-340) - [NVIDIA Labs Fast Foundation Stereo](https://nvlabs.github.io/Fast-FoundationStereo/) - [ACE-SLAM: Scene Coordinate Regression for Real-Time SLAM](https://ialzugaray.github.io/ace-slam/) # Got a Minute? ⏰ 🆘 **We’re drowning in PRs to review right now, and we could really use some help with second pull request reviews.** If you have a few hours to spare, consider swinging by [RCLCpp](https://github.com/ros2/rclcpp/pulls), [RCLPy](https://github.com/ros2/rclpy/pulls), or any repo in the [ROS 2 org](https://github.com/ros2/) and taking a look at any PR you feel comfortable reviewing. If you’ve never contributed to ROS before, helping us review pull requests is a great way to familiarize yourself with the code and help us out at the same time._You do not need to be a maintainer or committer to do pull request reviews for any of the core ROS packages._ ---

**Author:** ![Katherine\_Scott](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.openrobotics.org/katherine_scott/32/4434_2.png) [@Katherine\_Scott](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/u/Katherine_Scott)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/ros-news-for-the-week-of-december-15th-2025/51465/2 "2025-12-19T20:44:13Z")

I should also mention that this is the last ROS news for the year! 🎁 I’ll be back in early January after my vacation. 🏝