If you're a serious roboticist, you know that having the right software tools is essential for keeping your robot stable and analyzing everything that happens in and around it. However, finding the right tools can be challenging, especially if you're new to the field. In this article, we'll introduce you to some of the best robotics software tools available for developers in 2023.

ROS Based Tools ROS (Robot Operating System) is one of the most popular frameworks for building robotics applications. ROS-based tools such as RVIZ and Gazebo are widely used by robotics companies for simulation, visualization, and debugging. These tools are designed to help software developers build robot applications and are available at wiki.ros.org/Tools, where you can browse other tools, find tutorials, and get support when you need it.

MoveIt Studio MoveIt Studio is a powerful tool for robot application programming and motion control. Owned by PickNik, a leading player in the ROS Library universe, MoveIt Studio uses the widely popular MoveIt motion planning library and the Behavior Trees library, BehaviorTree.CPP, which is rapidly gaining popularity in the industry.

PlotJuggler If you need a tool to quickly visualize time series, PlotJuggler is an excellent choice. Known for its power and intuitive interface, PlotJuggler provides a simple drag-and-drop user interface and can connect to a real-time data stream. As a bonus, it is also compatible with both ROS and ROS 2 thanks to its plugin architecture.

CAD Tools When working with URDF and 3D models, CAD Tools is a great option. Often used to model a 3D version of a robot, users can easily view the model from all angles to ensure they match the provided geometry and customize the robot to their exact specifications. CAD Tools are available through Adobe Illustrator and even offer live chat support for any questions.

NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Isaac ROS Powered by NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA's Isaac Sim is a scalable robotics simulation application that creates a photorealistic virtual environment in which AI-based robots can be developed, tested, and controlled in environments such as warehouses and healthcare facilities. NVIDIA also provides Isaac ROS to help ROS developers build high-performance solutions on NVIDIA hardware.

Unity 3D You may know Unity as a game studio and engine, but did you know that they also publish and maintain a toolkit for connecting your robot to their game engine to create realistic simulations and renderings? If you have game development experience, you'll feel right at home creating impressive worlds in Unity.

ngrok Widely used by developers, ngrok is a programmable network that allows users to provide a local development server for Internet access. It offers features including connectivity, security, and observability. When it comes to robotics, ngrok is especially useful, allowing users to open specific ports from the robot.

Docker If you've ever shared your codebase with a colleague only to see a build fail on their machine due to some outdated or missing dependency, Docker is here for you. No matter what's on your local development machine, Docker allows you to keep packages, dependencies, and overall environment configuration the same between robot and all of your developers, allowing everyone to build and run code seamlessly in the knowledge that it will work just like the robot itself.

In conclusion, these are some of the best robotics software tools available for developers in 2023. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced roboticist, these tools can help you build, program, and simulate robots more efficiently and effectively.