Start SLAM — RTAB-Map external skill

AgenticROS skill that exposes start_slam, stop_slam, save_map, load_map, set_mapping_mode, and set_localization_mode as external service capabilities. AgenticROS does not launch RTAB-Map — bring it up on the robot, then install this skill.

This skill does not drive the base. Pair it with @agenticros/explore to cover a room, then @agenticros/navigate-to to go places on the saved map.

npx agenticros skills install @agenticros/start-slam
# or: npx agenticros skills install chrismatthieu/start-slam
# or: "skillRefs": ["@agenticros/start-slam"]

Capabilities

| Id | Service | Type | What it does | |---|---|---|---| | start_slam | rtabmap/resume | std_srvs/srv/Empty | Resume mapping | | stop_slam | rtabmap/pause | std_srvs/srv/Empty | Pause mapping | | save_map | rtabmap/backup | std_srvs/srv/Empty | Copy the live database to <database_path>.back (default ~/.ros/rtabmap.db.back) | | load_map | rtabmap/load_database | rtabmap_msgs/srv/LoadDatabase | Load a .db; inputs { database_path, clear? } | | set_mapping_mode | rtabmap/set_mode_mapping | std_srvs/srv/Empty | Continue expanding the map | | set_localization_mode | rtabmap/set_mode_localization | std_srvs/srv/Empty | Localize only (Nav2-friendly after a mapping session) |

RTAB-Map already publishes /map (nav_msgs/OccupancyGrid) while it runs. save_map persists the graph/database, not a PGM. To also dump a Nav2 occupancy file:

ros2 run nav2_map_server map_saver_cli -f ~/maps/room

Mission example — map, then localize

{
  "mission": {
    "name": "map the room",
    "steps": [
      { "id": "slam", "capability": "start_slam", "inputs": { "request": {} } },
      { "id": "cover", "capability": "explore", "inputs": { "timeout_s": 180 } },
      { "id": "save", "capability": "save_map", "inputs": { "request": {} } },
      { "id": "localize", "capability": "set_localization_mode", "inputs": { "request": {} } }
    ]
  }
}

Reload a previous database:

{
  "id": "load",
  "capability": "load_map",
  "inputs": {
    "database_path": "/home/user/.ros/rtabmap.db",
    "clear": true
  }
}

Default service names match common rtabmap_ros / rtabmap_slam bringups. If your launch file uses different names, fork the skill or edit agenticros.capabilities[].implementation.service in package.json.

Requirements

• Apt: ros-jazzy-rtabmap-ros (or ros-humble-rtabmap-ros)
• rtabmap_ros running with the documented services
• Transport with service-call support (local DDS / rosbridge preferred; Zenoh depends on bridge config)
• RGB-D (RealSense) or lidar topics already remapped in your RTAB-Map launch

Operator bringup

See Mapping a room in the AgenticROS repo (RealSense + RTAB-Map + Nav2, no AMCL).

On Jazzy, install the stacks first:

sudo apt-get install -y \
  ros-jazzy-navigation2 \
  ros-jazzy-nav2-bringup \
  ros-jazzy-rtabmap-ros

Short form:

ros2 launch rtabmap_launch rtabmap.launch.py \
  rgb_topic:=/camera/camera/color/image_raw \
  depth_topic:=/camera/camera/aligned_depth_to_color/image_raw \
  camera_info_topic:=/camera/camera/color/camera_info \
  frame_id:=base_link \
  approx_sync:=true