{GSoC_2026} Project #7: SLAM and Localization Package (Simulation-Based)

[RUN-zx]

Hi Dora-rs team,I am a beginner learning DORA and robotics SLAM, working on Project #7. I have a simple question: In the DORA dataflow framework, what is the easiest way to send a loaded PGM + YAML map from the map server operator to the LiDAR localization operator?Should I use regular topic messages or service calls? Is there a minimal example configuration I can follow?Right now I can only load PGM and YAML maps in the map server, but I don’t know how to pass the map to the localization operator.
I look forward to your guidance and thank you very much for your help.

[RuPingCen]

In DORA, for data transmission from the Map Server to the LiDAR Localization operator, the Topic messaging mechanism (publish/subscribe) is recommended. The reasons are as follows:

• The map is static, one-off, and large-volume data.
• The localization operator only needs to subscribe once and then use it continuously.
• It natively supports one-to-many communication (multiple operators can subscribe to the map).
• It is the standard method for static configuration transmission between operators in DORA.

[RuPingCen]

By the way. PGM + YAML is the most classic standard format for 2D Occupancy Grid Maps in mobile robots. PGM is a grayscale image, where the grayscale value of each pixel indicates whether the area is passable (255: free space, 0: obstacle, others: unknown). The YAML file contains the map resolution (how many meters in the physical world correspond to one pixel) and the origin position.