rs2

rs2 is commonly used to denote Intel RealSense SDK 2.0, the librealsense API for interfacing with Intel RealSense depth cameras. It is the successor to the original RealSense SDK and underpins the RealSense ecosystem of sensors, drivers, and sample applications. The rs2 framework provides a cross‑platform interface to access multiple sensor streams such as depth, color, infrared, and fisheye, along with tools for configuring devices and processing data.

A core concept in rs2 is the pipeline, which manages streaming from one or more sensors, negotiates stream profiles (resolution, frame rate, and format), and delivers synchronized frames to applications. Common processing tasks include aligning depth to color frames, generating point clouds, and applying built‑in image processing blocks such as decimation, temporal and spatial filtering, and hole filling. The library exposes a structured data model with frames, sensors, and stream profiles, enabling flexible, modular processing pipelines.

rs2 is designed for use with a variety of Intel RealSense cameras, including the D400 series and L500 series, and it supports multiple programming languages. Official bindings and wrappers exist for C++, Python (pyrealsense2), and other language ecosystems, enabling integration into robotics, computer vision, augmented reality, and 3D scanning workflows. The library is maintained as open source under the librealsense project, with ongoing development to support new devices, improved performance, and compatibility with evolving operating systems and drivers.

In practice, rs2 serves as the foundational API for RealSense-based applications, providing access to raw and processed sensor data, device management, and a suite of utilities for real‑time 3D sensing and analysis.