simulation/modules/IsaacLab/docs/source/how-to/visualizer_tiled_camera.rst

.. _how-to-visualizer-tiled-camera:

Using Visualizer Tiled Cameras
==============================

.. currentmodule:: isaaclab

For general visualizer documentation, see :doc:`/source/overview/core-concepts/visualization`.

The visualizer tiled camera view is a live monitoring and debugging tool. It opens a
non-interactive panel in the Kit or Newton visualizer and displays tiled camera views
across all selected environments. They can stream observation camera data or generate cameras
that follow the robots.

This guide is accompanied by the ``run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py`` script in the
``IsaacLab/scripts/tutorials/07_visualizers`` directory.

Running this script demonstrates two ways to use tiled cameras:

- configured tiled cameras pointed at and following moving Anymal-D robots shown in the Kit visualizer
- streaming from existing wrist-mounted robot cameras shown in the Newton visualizer

Note: Visualizer tiled cameras are currently supported only in the Kit and Newton visualizers.
Either visualizer can be used to run either example.

.. dropdown:: Code for run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py
   :icon: code

   .. literalinclude:: ../../../scripts/tutorials/07_visualizers/run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py
      :language: python
      :emphasize-lines: 72-78,87-94
      :linenos:


Example One: Following Anymal-D Robots
--------------------------------------

The Kit Visualizer shows the tiled camera view in a separate tab inside the main
Viewport window. The highlighted tab area in the figures below shows where to
toggle between the interactive viewport and the visualizer tiled camera view.

.. figure:: ../_static/visualizers/kit_viz_anymal_iteractive_view.jpg
   :width: 100%
   :alt: Kit visualizer interactive viewport for Anymal-D robots

   Kit visualizer showing the default interactive viewport.

.. figure:: ../_static/visualizers/kit_viz_anymal_tiled_view.jpg
   :width: 100%
   :alt: Kit visualizer tiled camera view for Anymal-D robots

   Kit visualizer showing the tiled camera view generated for selected Anymal-D
   robots.

Note, you can also display the main visualizer camera and the tiled camera view side by
side for dual monitoring.

To run the tutorial with the args for this example, use:

.. code-block:: bash

   python scripts/tutorials/07_visualizers/run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py --enable_cameras --task Isaac-Velocity-Rough-Anymal-D-v0 --num_envs 256 --viz kit

Within the script, you’ll find the ``KitVisualizerCfg`` configuration used to
generate this example. You can use this config as a template for your own use
cases.

In this example, a set of cameras is created to point toward each robot's base
prim and follow its motion. The camera's position, relative to the prim, is set
by the ``tiled_cam_eye`` field of ``KitVisualizerCfg``. For this demo, the
camera is offset by ``(3.0, 3.0, 3.0)`` from each robot base. If you change ``tiled_cam_eye``
(for example, to ``(0, 0, 5)``), the panel will show a top-down view instead.

In this example, there are 256 total environments, and we randomly sample 36 to stream to the
tiled camera view.

Also note that the Kit visualizer tiled camera view requires passing the
``--enable_cameras`` CLI arg.


Example Two: Streaming from Robot-Mounted Cameras
-------------------------------------------------

The Newton visualizer provides a tiled camera view in a lightweight OpenGL window.
Use the highlighted ``Tiled Camera View`` dropdown in the left-hand sidebar to
show or hide the tiled camera panel.

.. figure:: ../_static/visualizers/newton_viz_galbot_interactive_view.jpg
   :width: 100%
   :alt: Newton visualizer interactive view for the Galbot cube stacking environment

   Newton visualizer showing the default interactive viewport.

.. figure:: ../_static/visualizers/newton_viz_galbot_tiled_view.jpg
   :width: 100%
   :alt: Newton visualizer tiled camera view for Galbot wrist cameras

   Newton visualizer showing the selected Galbot head-camera feeds in the tiled
   camera panel.

In this example, we use the Galbot cube stacking environment, which comes with
built-in wrist-mounted cameras. This setup provides an egocentric view of the
gripper, table, and cubes in each selected environment.

To launch this example, run:

.. code-block:: bash

   python scripts/tutorials/07_visualizers/run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py --task Isaac-Stack-Cube-Galbot-Left-Arm-Gripper-Visuomotor-v0 --num_envs 25 --viz newton

Within the script, the ``NewtonVisualizerCfg`` is configured to stream images from the
existing camera sensor located at
``/World/envs/env_.*/Robot/head_camera_sim_view_frame/head_camera``. This path
points to the head camera, but you can edit the ``tiled_cam_prim_path``
field of ``NewtonVisualizerCfg`` in the script to show a different existing camera if
needed.

In this demo, 25 environments are simulated, and 12 camera feeds are shown in the tiled panel by default.


Configuration notes
-------------------

To customize tiled camera behavior, edit the highlighted ``VisualizerCfg`` fields in
``run_tiled_camera_visualizer.py``:

* For generated cameras, ``tiled_cam_target_prim_path`` chooses the followed prim and
  ``tiled_cam_eye`` sets the camera offset from that prim.
* For existing scene cameras, ``tiled_cam_prim_path`` must match an Isaac Lab
  :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.Camera` sensor in the selected task.
* ``tiled_cam_num`` controls how many environment tiles are shown.


Troubleshooting
---------------

* If a generated view fails with a missing prim error, check that
  ``tiled_cam_target_prim_path`` resolves in each selected environment. Common template
  forms include ``/World/envs/*/...`` and ``/World/envs/env_.*/...``.
* If an existing-camera view reports that no Isaac Lab camera owns the prim, check that
  ``tiled_cam_prim_path`` matches a :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.Camera` sensor in the task.
* If ``rerun`` or ``viser`` is selected, use ``--viz kit`` or ``--viz newton`` instead.
  The tiled camera panel is currently implemented for Kit and Newton.
* If the view is too expensive, reduce ``tiled_cam_num``, ``--num_envs``, or the camera
  resolution. The visualizer caps the tiled panel at 100 tiles.


See also
--------

* :doc:`/source/overview/core-concepts/visualization` - visualizer configuration and UI controls.
* :doc:`/source/how-to/configure_rendering` - selecting rendering presets and quality modes.