What you need for this book
The format of this book is intended for the reader to follow along and perform the instructions as the information is provided. The reader will need a computer ideally with Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus) installed. Other Ubuntu versions and Linux distributions may work, as well as macOS, Android, and Windows, but documentation for those versions will need to reference the ROS wiki (http://wiki.ros.org/kinetic/Installation).
The version of ROS that this book was written around is Kinetic Kame, which is the current release recommended for stability. Its end of life is targeted for April 2021.
All software used in this book is open source and freely available for download and use. Instructions for downloading the software are found in the chapter where the software is introduced. In Chapter 1, Getting Started with ROS, instructions are given for downloading and setting up the ROS software environment.
Our preferred method to download software is the use of Debian packages. Where no Debian packages exist, we refer to downloading the software from repositories such as GitHub.
Gazebo simulation performs intensive graphics processing, and the use of a dedicated graphics card is advised but not required.
Peripheral devices, such as 3D sensors, Xbox or PS3 controllers, Arduino or Raspberry Pi controller boards, and Android mobile devices are optional equipment.