Welcome to PAL Robotics' Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2025 project ideas page! We are excited to offer multiple robotics-related projects for students who are passionate about robotics, ROS 2, control systems, and simulation technologies.
- Google Summer of Code Official Page
- GSoC Proposal Writing Guidelines
- PAL Robotics GitHub
- PAL Robotics Website
PAL Robotics specializes in humanoid robots, mobile manipulators, and AI-driven robotics solutions. We are an active contributor to open-source robotics and a strong supporter of ROS (Robot Operating System).
PAL Robotics is a leading robotics company focused on designing robots for industrial, research, and service applications. Our robots are used worldwide in research labs and commercial settings.
Each project requires a different skill set, ranging from C++ and Python programming to ROS 2 development, Gazebo simulation, and visualization tools. The specific requirements for each project are listed in the table below.
We encourage applicants to engage with the community early, contribute to discussions, and refine their project proposals. A strong proposal includes prior contributions, a clear understanding of the problem, and a well-thought-out implementation plan.
- Join Discussions: Engage in discussions on PAL Robotics' GitHub.
- Explore Open Issues: Contribute to related open-source repositories.
- Reach Out to Mentors: Discuss your ideas and get feedback.
- Prepare a Strong Proposal: Follow GSoC's official proposal writing guide.
- Follow GSoC’s Writing a Proposal Guidelines: Read and adhere to the official GSoC proposal writing guide.
- Include Your GitHub Profile: Provide a link to your GitHub to showcase your previous contributions.
- Point Us to Your Open Source Contributions: Highlight any contributions you have made to open-source projects.
- Provide Contact Information: Ensure we have a way to reach you for any communication regarding your application.
- Specify Your Technical Background: Mention your programming skills, experience with relevant technologies, and any coursework you have taken.
- Describe Your Background in Robotics and ROS 2: Provide insights into your experience and knowledge of robotics and ROS 2.
- Specify Your Project of Interest: Clearly mention the project you are applying for and explain why you are interested in it.
- Explain Your Goals for GSoC: Share what you hope to achieve and learn from your Google Summer of Code experience.
- Engage with Mentors: Feel free to reach out to the project mentors on GitHub to discuss your ideas and seek guidance.
For further questions, please contact Sai Kishor Kothakota.
- Use public forums for discussions.
- Avoid sending private messages unless absolutely necessary.
- Be respectful and professional in communications.
See below for a list of projects ideas for Google Summer of Code 2025.
- Payload Visualization and Metrics
- ROS 2 Action Multiplexer (Action Mux)
- RFID Simulation Plugin for Gazebo Harmonic
- ROS 2 Control Ecosystem Visualization
- ROS 2 Python-Launch LSP Server
| Project Name | Difficulty | Project Size | Description | Skills Required | Mentors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload Visualization & Metrics | Medium | 175 hours | Develop a ROS 2 tool to visualize robot payload capabilities | C++/Python, ROS 2, URDF, RViz, Rigid Body Dynamics | Luca Marchionni |
| ROS 2 Action Mux | Medium/Hard | 175 hours | Middleware tool for prioritizing multiple action servers in ROS 2 | C++, ROS 2 Basics | Sai Kishor Kothakota |
| RFID Simulation for Gazebo Harmonic | Medium | 175 hours | Develop an RFID simulation plugin for Gazebo | C++, ROS 2, Gazebo, RFID Systems | Oscar Martinez |
| ROS 2 Control Ecosystem Visualization | Medium/Hard | 350 hours | Develop an RQT or web-based tool to visualize ROS 2 Control | Qt, JavaScript, ROS 2 Actions/Services | Sai Kishor Kothakota |
| ROS2 Python-Launch LSP Server | Medium | 175 hours | Develop a Language Server Protocol (LSP) tool for analyzing ROS 2 launch files | Rust, ROS 2, LSP, AST | Thomas Ung |
This project aims to create a ROS 2-based software tool for assessing and visualizing the payload capacity of a robot, considering its kinematic and dynamic constraints.
- Parses robot's URDF to extract kinematic data.
- Computes payload constraints based on actuation limits.
- Provides visual representations of payload capabilities.
- Develops a joint requirement estimator for torque, power, and stiffness.
- Payload visualization tool with RViz integration.
- Custom RViz plugin for dynamic payload display.
- Documentation with example use cases.
- C++/Python, ROS 2, URDF, RViz Plugin Development, Rigid Body Dynamics.
- 175 hours
- Medium
A middleware tool to handle multiple ROS 2 action servers with a priority-based task management system.
- Develops a multiplexer to prioritize actions dynamically.
- Implements preemption mechanisms for high-priority actions.
- Provides a user-friendly API for integration with ROS 2.
- A working action multiplexer with ROS 2 integration.
- Support for multiple action message types.
- Automated tests for preemption and goal acceptance.
- C++, ROS 2 Basics.
- 175 hours
- Medium/Hard
Develop an RFID simulation plugin to support object tracking and localization in Gazebo Harmonic.
- Models RFID readers and tags using physical wave transmission (Friis equation).
- Simulates real-world noise, interference, and attenuation.
- Validates the plugin with PAL Robotics' open-source simulation packages.
- Configurable RFID sensor plugin for Gazebo.
- ROS 2 interface for publishing detection messages.
- Documentation and API reference.
- C++, ROS 2, Gazebo Plugin Development, RFID Systems.
- 175 hours
- Medium
Develop a visualization tool to monitor and analyze ROS 2 Control systems in real time.
- Displays controller states, hardware interfaces, and data flow.
- Implements filtering and customization options.
- Provides a user-friendly interface as an RQT plugin or web-based tool.
- Interactive visualization of ROS 2 Control systems.
- Seamless integration with existing ROS 2 frameworks.
- Performance debugging tools.
- Qt, JavaScript, ROS 2 Actions/Services.
- 350 hours
- Medium/Hard
Develop a Language Server Protocol (LSP) tool for analyzing ROS 2 Python-based launch files, improving code navigation, validation, and development efficiency.
- The ROS 2 launchfile system is responsible for managing the launch and configuration of multiple processes and nested launchfiles.
- Python launchfiles utilize launch descriptions, composed of ordered lists of actions and action groups.
- These descriptions often include substitutions, allowing for dynamic configuration, but making it difficult to track parameter usage and executable launches.
- Due to this complexity, understanding and debugging ROS 2 launch files before runtime is challenging.
- A Language Server Protocol (LSP) tool will address these issues by enabling static analysis, error detection, and intelligent navigation.
- This tool will assist developers in large-scale ROS 2 projects by providing:
- Go-to-definition for navigating ROS 2 launch files.
- Code completion for Actions and Substitutions.
- Find references for improving traceability across files.
- Executable argument suggestions for better configuration.
- Syntactic error diagnostics to catch issues early.
- Pre-processing ROS 2 substitutions for structured validation.
- A working ROS 2 Python-Launch LSP server.
- Features such as go-to-definition, auto-completion, and reference tracking.
- Executable argument suggestions for improved usability.
- Error diagnostics for syntax validation.
- Comprehensive documentation on how to integrate the tool with LSP-compatible editors (VS Code, Vim, etc.).
- Rust
- ROS 2 Basics
- Familiarity with LSP (Language Server Protocol)
- AST (Abstract Syntax Tree) Processing
- 175 hours
- Medium