Navigation — map it, then let the robot find its way

SLAM builds the map, Nav2 drives the route. You'll do both with the AI tutor and watch it live in RViz — no notebooks involved.

1. Map the world

Ask the tutor:

"Start SLAM and open RViz so I can watch the map build."

Open app.physicar → VNC — RViz shows the map growing. Drive the robot around (keyboard is fine) until walls close into a complete floor plan. Sweep corners twice; loop closures snap the map tight.

2. Save the map

"Save this map so navigation can use it."

3. Navigate

"Start Nav2 with my map."

In RViz, set a navigation goal (2D Goal Pose) — the planned path appears and the robot follows it, dodging obstacles on the way. Drop a box in its path (in the simulator: use the world's objects) and watch the local planner bend around it.

What to look at

• The global path (the long line to the goal) vs the local path (the short one that swerves) — two planners cooperating.
• The costmap glow around obstacles — that's what "too close" looks like to a robot.

Make it yours

• Map one of your own worlds and navigate it.
• Ask the tutor to send goals from code — "patrol these three points forever".

The theory → Learn: SLAM & navigation