Expert skill for Gazebo Classic and Ignition/Gazebo Sim world creation and plugin development. Create SDF worlds with terrain, lighting, physics configuration, sensor models, and custom plugins.
Scanned 9/2/2026
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---
name: gazebo-simulation
description: Expert skill for Gazebo Classic and Ignition/Gazebo Sim world creation and plugin development. Create SDF worlds with terrain, lighting, physics configuration, sensor models, and custom plugins.
allowed-tools: Bash(*) Read Write Edit Glob Grep WebFetch
metadata:
author: babysitter-sdk
version: "1.0.0"
category: simulation
backlog-id: SK-002
graph:
domains: [domain:robotics]
specializations: [specialization:robotics-simulation]
skillAreas: [skill-area:motion-planning, skill-area:sensor-fusion]
roles: [role:research-engineer]
---
# gazebo-simulation
You are **gazebo-simulation** - a specialized skill for Gazebo simulation environment creation, configuration, and plugin development.
## Overview
This skill enables AI-powered Gazebo simulation including:
- Creating SDF world files with terrain, lighting, and physics
- Configuring physics engine parameters (ODE, Bullet, DART)
- Implementing Gazebo plugins (model, world, sensor, visual)
- Generating sensor models (camera, LiDAR, IMU, GPS, depth)
- Setting up contact sensors and force-torque sensors
- Configuring dynamic actors and animated models
- Implementing custom physics materials and friction
- Creating procedural world generation
- Optimizing simulation performance (LOD, collision simplification)
- Setting up multi-robot simulation instances
## Prerequisites
- Gazebo Sim (Harmonic, Ionic) or Gazebo Classic (11)
- ROS2 with gazebo_ros_pkgs
- SDF specification knowledge
- C++ development tools for custom plugins
## Capabilities
### 1. World File Creation
Generate SDF world files:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<sdf version="1.8">
<world name="robot_world">
<!-- Physics Configuration -->
<physics name="default_physics" type="ode">
<max_step_size>0.001</max_step_size>
<real_time_factor>1.0</real_time_factor>
<real_time_update_rate>1000</real_time_update_rate>
<ode>
<solver>
<type>quick</type>
<iters>50</iters>
<sor>1.3</sor>
</solver>
<constraints>
<cfm>0.0</cfm>
<erp>0.2</erp>
<contact_max_correcting_vel>100.0</contact_max_correcting_vel>
<contact_surface_layer>0.001</contact_surface_layer>
</constraints>
</ode>
</physics>
<!-- Lighting -->
<light type="directional" name="sun">
<cast_shadows>true</cast_shadows>
<pose>0 0 10 0 0 0</pose>
<diffuse>0.8 0.8 0.8 1</diffuse>
<specular>0.2 0.2 0.2 1</specular>
<direction>-0.5 0.1 -0.9</direction>
</light>
<light type="point" name="point_light">
<pose>5 5 3 0 0 0</pose>
<diffuse>0.5 0.5 0.5 1</diffuse>
<specular>0.1 0.1 0.1 1</specular>
<attenuation>
<range>20</range>
<linear>0.05</linear>
<quadratic>0.001</quadratic>
</attenuation>
</light>
<!-- Ground Plane -->
<model name="ground_plane">
<static>true</static>
<link name="link">
<collision name="collision">
<geometry>
<plane>
<normal>0 0 1</normal>
<size>100 100</size>
</plane>
</geometry>
<surface>
<friction>
<ode>
<mu>100</mu>
<mu2>50</mu2>
</ode>
</friction>
</surface>
</collision>
<visual name="visual">
<geometry>
<plane>
<normal>0 0 1</normal>
<size>100 100</size>
</plane>
</geometry>
<material>
<ambient>0.8 0.8 0.8 1</ambient>
<diffuse>0.8 0.8 0.8 1</diffuse>
</material>
</visual>
</link>
</model>
<!-- Include Models -->
<include>
<uri>model://my_robot</uri>
<name>robot1</name>
<pose>0 0 0.1 0 0 0</pose>
</include>
<!-- Plugins -->
<plugin filename="gz-sim-physics-system" name="gz::sim::systems::Physics"/>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-user-commands-system" name="gz::sim::systems::UserCommands"/>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-scene-broadcaster-system" name="gz::sim::systems::SceneBroadcaster"/>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-sensors-system" name="gz::sim::systems::Sensors">
<render_engine>ogre2</render_engine>
</plugin>
</world>
</sdf>
```
### 2. Physics Engine Configuration
Configure different physics engines:
```xml
<!-- ODE (Default, fast) -->
<physics name="ode_physics" type="ode">
<max_step_size>0.001</max_step_size>
<real_time_factor>1.0</real_time_factor>
<ode>
<solver>
<type>quick</type>
<iters>50</iters>
</solver>
</ode>
</physics>
<!-- Bullet (Better for complex collisions) -->
<physics name="bullet_physics" type="bullet">
<max_step_size>0.001</max_step_size>
<real_time_factor>1.0</real_time_factor>
<bullet>
<solver>
<type>sequential_impulse</type>
<iters>50</iters>
<sor>1.3</sor>
</solver>
</bullet>
</physics>
<!-- DART (Best for robotics, articulated bodies) -->
<physics name="dart_physics" type="dart">
<max_step_size>0.001</max_step_size>
<real_time_factor>1.0</real_time_factor>
<dart>
<collision_detector>fcl</collision_detector>
<solver>
<solver_type>pgs</solver_type>
</solver>
</dart>
</physics>
```
### 3. Sensor Configuration
Add various sensors to robots:
```xml
<!-- Camera Sensor -->
<sensor name="camera" type="camera">
<always_on>true</always_on>
<update_rate>30</update_rate>
<camera>
<horizontal_fov>1.3962634</horizontal_fov>
<image>
<width>640</width>
<height>480</height>
<format>R8G8B8</format>
</image>
<clip>
<near>0.1</near>
<far>100</far>
</clip>
<noise>
<type>gaussian</type>
<mean>0</mean>
<stddev>0.007</stddev>
</noise>
</camera>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-camera-system" name="gz::sim::systems::Camera"/>
</sensor>
<!-- Depth Camera -->
<sensor name="depth_camera" type="depth_camera">
<always_on>true</always_on>
<update_rate>15</update_rate>
<camera>
<horizontal_fov>1.047</horizontal_fov>
<image>
<width>640</width>
<height>480</height>
<format>R_FLOAT32</format>
</image>
<clip>
<near>0.1</near>
<far>10</far>
</clip>
</camera>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-depth-camera-system" name="gz::sim::systems::DepthCamera"/>
</sensor>
<!-- LiDAR Sensor -->
<sensor name="lidar" type="gpu_lidar">
<always_on>true</always_on>
<update_rate>10</update_rate>
<lidar>
<scan>
<horizontal>
<samples>640</samples>
<resolution>1</resolution>
<min_angle>-3.14159</min_angle>
<max_angle>3.14159</max_angle>
</horizontal>
<vertical>
<samples>16</samples>
<resolution>1</resolution>
<min_angle>-0.26</min_angle>
<max_angle>0.26</max_angle>
</vertical>
</scan>
<range>
<min>0.3</min>
<max>100</max>
<resolution>0.01</resolution>
</range>
<noise>
<type>gaussian</type>
<mean>0</mean>
<stddev>0.01</stddev>
</noise>
</lidar>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-gpu-lidar-system" name="gz::sim::systems::GpuLidar"/>
</sensor>
<!-- IMU Sensor -->
<sensor name="imu" type="imu">
<always_on>true</always_on>
<update_rate>200</update_rate>
<imu>
<angular_velocity>
<x>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0.0</mean>
<stddev>0.0002</stddev>
</noise>
</x>
<y>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0.0</mean>
<stddev>0.0002</stddev>
</noise>
</y>
<z>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0.0</mean>
<stddev>0.0002</stddev>
</noise>
</z>
</angular_velocity>
<linear_acceleration>
<x>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0.0</mean>
<stddev>0.017</stddev>
</noise>
</x>
</linear_acceleration>
</imu>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-imu-system" name="gz::sim::systems::Imu"/>
</sensor>
<!-- GPS Sensor -->
<sensor name="gps" type="navsat">
<always_on>true</always_on>
<update_rate>5</update_rate>
<navsat>
<position_sensing>
<horizontal>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0</mean>
<stddev>0.5</stddev>
</noise>
</horizontal>
<vertical>
<noise type="gaussian">
<mean>0</mean>
<stddev>1.0</stddev>
</noise>
</vertical>
</position_sensing>
</navsat>
<plugin filename="gz-sim-navsat-system" name="gz::sim::systems::NavSat"/>
</sensor>
```
### 4. ROS2-Gazebo Bridge
Configure ROS2 bridge for topics:
```xml
<!-- In world file -->
<plugin filename="gz-sim-ros-gz-bridge" name="ros_gz_bridge::RosGzBridge">
<ros>
<namespace>/robot</namespace>
</ros>
<!-- Camera -->
<bridge topic="/camera/image_raw" ros_topic="/robot/camera/image_raw" type="sensor_msgs/msg/Image" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<bridge topic="/camera/camera_info" ros_topic="/robot/camera/camera_info" type="sensor_msgs/msg/CameraInfo" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<!-- LiDAR -->
<bridge topic="/lidar/points" ros_topic="/robot/scan" type="sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<!-- IMU -->
<bridge topic="/imu" ros_topic="/robot/imu" type="sensor_msgs/msg/Imu" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<!-- Velocity Commands -->
<bridge topic="/cmd_vel" ros_topic="/robot/cmd_vel" type="geometry_msgs/msg/Twist" direction="ROS_TO_GZ"/>
<!-- Odometry -->
<bridge topic="/odom" ros_topic="/robot/odom" type="nav_msgs/msg/Odometry" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<!-- Joint States -->
<bridge topic="/joint_states" ros_topic="/robot/joint_states" type="sensor_msgs/msg/JointState" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
<!-- TF -->
<bridge topic="/tf" ros_topic="/tf" type="tf2_msgs/msg/TFMessage" direction="GZ_TO_ROS"/>
</plugin>
```
### 5. Terrain and Environment
Create terrain and environment models:
```xml
<!-- Heightmap Terrain -->
<model name="terrain">
<static>true</static>
<link name="link">
<collision name="collision">
<geometry>
<heightmap>
<uri>file://terrain/heightmap.png</uri>
<size>100 100 10</size>
<pos>0 0 0</pos>
</heightmap>
</geometry>
</collision>
<visual name="visual">
<geometry>
<heightmap>
<uri>file://terrain/heightmap.png</uri>
<size>100 100 10</size>
<pos>0 0 0</pos>
<texture>
<diffuse>file://terrain/grass.png</diffuse>
<normal>file://terrain/grass_normal.png</normal>
<size>10</size>
</texture>
</heightmap>
</geometry>
</visual>
</link>
</model>
<!-- Obstacles -->
<model name="obstacle_box">
<static>true</static>
<pose>5 3 0.5 0 0 0</pose>
<link name="link">
<collision name="collision">
<geometry>
<box>
<size>1 1 1</size>
</box>
</geometry>
</collision>
<visual name="visual">
<geometry>
<box>
<size>1 1 1</size>
</box>
</geometry>
<material>
<ambient>0.5 0.5 0.5 1</ambient>
</material>
</visual>
</link>
</model>
```
### 6. Custom Plugin Development
Create custom Gazebo plugins:
```cpp
// WorldPlugin example
#include <gz/sim/System.hh>
#include <gz/plugin/Register.hh>
namespace my_plugins {
class MyWorldPlugin : public gz::sim::System,
public gz::sim::ISystemConfigure,
public gz::sim::ISystemPreUpdate
{
public:
void Configure(const gz::sim::Entity &_entity,
const std::shared_ptr<const sdf::Element> &_sdf,
gz::sim::EntityComponentManager &_ecm,
gz::sim::EventManager &_eventMgr) override
{
// Configuration on load
gzmsg << "MyWorldPlugin configured" << std::endl;
}
void PreUpdate(const gz::sim::UpdateInfo &_info,
gz::sim::EntityComponentManager &_ecm) override
{
// Called before each simulation step
if (_info.paused)
return;
// Custom logic here
}
};
}
GZ_ADD_PLUGIN(my_plugins::MyWorldPlugin,
gz::sim::System,
my_plugins::MyWorldPlugin::ISystemConfigure,
my_plugins::MyWorldPlugin::ISystemPreUpdate)
```
### 7. Launch File Integration
Launch Gazebo with ROS2:
```python
from launch import LaunchDescription
from launch.actions import IncludeLaunchDescription, DeclareLaunchArgument
from launch.launch_description_sources import PythonLaunchDescriptionSource
from launch.substitutions import LaunchConfiguration, PathJoinSubstitution
from launch_ros.actions import Node
from launch_ros.substitutions import FindPackageShare
def generate_launch_description():
pkg_share = FindPackageShare('my_robot_gazebo')
# World file
world_file = PathJoinSubstitution([pkg_share, 'worlds', 'robot_world.sdf'])
# Gazebo launch
gazebo = IncludeLaunchDescription(
PythonLaunchDescriptionSource([
FindPackageShare('ros_gz_sim'), '/launch/gz_sim.launch.py'
]),
launch_arguments={
'gz_args': ['-r ', world_file],
'on_exit_shutdown': 'true'
}.items()
)
# Spawn robot
spawn_robot = Node(
package='ros_gz_sim',
executable='create',
arguments=[
'-name', 'my_robot',
'-topic', '/robot_description',
'-x', '0', '-y', '0', '-z', '0.1'
],
output='screen'
)
# ROS-GZ Bridge
bridge = Node(
package='ros_gz_bridge',
executable='parameter_bridge',
arguments=[
'/cmd_vel@geometry_msgs/msg/Twist@gz.msgs.Twist',
'/odom@nav_msgs/msg/Odometry@gz.msgs.Odometry',
'/scan@sensor_msgs/msg/LaserScan@gz.msgs.LaserScan'
],
output='screen'
)
return LaunchDescription([
gazebo,
spawn_robot,
bridge
])
```
## MCP Server Integration
This skill can leverage the following MCP servers for enhanced capabilities:
| Server | Description | Installation |
|--------|-------------|--------------|
| Gazebo MCP Server | ROS2 MCP for Gazebo | [lobehub.com](https://lobehub.com/mcp/yourusername-gazebo-mcp) |
| ros-mcp-server | ROS/ROS2 bridge | [GitHub](https://github.com/robotmcp/ros-mcp-server) |
## Best Practices
1. **Use appropriate physics** - Choose physics engine based on requirements
2. **Sensor noise** - Add realistic noise models to sensors
3. **Collision simplification** - Use simplified collision geometry
4. **Real-time factor** - Adjust for simulation vs real-time requirements
5. **Resource management** - Disable unused sensors to improve performance
6. **Modular worlds** - Use includes for reusable world components
## Process Integration
This skill integrates with the following processes:
- `gazebo-simulation-setup.js` - Primary simulation setup
- `digital-twin-development.js` - Digital twin creation
- `synthetic-data-pipeline.js` - Training data generation
- `simulation-performance-optimization.js` - Performance tuning
- `hil-testing.js` - Hardware-in-the-loop testing
## Output Format
When executing operations, provide structured output:
```json
{
"operation": "create-world",
"worldName": "robot_world",
"status": "success",
"configuration": {
"physicsEngine": "ode",
"realTimeFactor": 1.0,
"sensors": ["camera", "lidar", "imu"]
},
"artifacts": [
"worlds/robot_world.sdf",
"launch/simulation.launch.py"
],
"launchCommand": "ros2 launch my_robot_gazebo simulation.launch.py"
}
```
## Constraints
- Verify Gazebo version compatibility (Classic vs Sim)
- Check SDF version for feature availability
- Test sensor update rates for performance impact
- Validate physics parameters for stability
- Ensure ROS-GZ bridge topic compatibility
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