Robotics simulator

A robotics simulator is used to create embedded applications for a robot without depending physically on the actual machine, thus saving cost and time. In some case, these applications can be transferred on the real robot (or rebuilt) without modifications. The term robotics simulator can refer to several different robotics simulation applications. For example, in mobile robotics applications, behavior-based robotics simulators allow users to create simple worlds of rigid objects and light sources and to program robots to interact with these worlds. Behavior-based simulation allows for actions that are more biological in nature when compared to simulators that are more binary, or computational. In addition, behavior-based simulators may "learn" from mistakes and are capable of demonstrating the anthropomorphic quality of tenacity.

Robologix robotics simulator.

One of the most popular applications for robotics simulators is for 3D modeling and rendering of a robot and its environment. This type of robotics software has a simulator that is a virtual robot, which is capable of emulating the motion of an actual robot in a real work envelope. Some robotics simulators use a physics engine for more realistic motion generation of the robot. The use of a robotics simulator for development of a robotics control program is highly recommended regardless of whether an actual robot is available or not. The simulator allows for robotics programs to be conveniently written and debugged off-line with the final version of the program tested on an actual robot. Of course, this primarily holds for industrial robotic applications only, since the success of off-line programming depends on how similar the real environment of the robot is to the simulated environment. Sensor-based robot actions are much more difficult to simulate and/or to program off-line, since the robot motion depends on the instantaneous sensor readings in the real world.

Features

Modern simulators tend to provide the following features:

• Fast robot prototyping
  • Using the own simulator as creation tool (Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform, Webots, R-Station, Marilou, 4DV-Sim).
  • Using external tools.
• Physics engines for realistic movements. Most simulators use ODE (Gazebo, LpzRobots, Marilou, Webots) or PhysX (Microsoft Robotics Studio, 4DV-Sim).
• Realistic 3d rendering. Standard 3d modeling tools or third party tools can be used to build the environments.
• Dynamic robot bodies with scripting. C, C++, Perl, Python, Java, URBI, MATLAB languages used by Webots, Python used by Gazebo.

Simulators

Among the newest technologies available today for programming are those which use a virtual simulation. Simulations with the use of virtual models of the working environment and the robots themselves can offer advantages to both the company and programmer. By using a simulation, robots can be programmed off-line which does not create any down-time for an assembly line that may greatly depend on these robots. Robot actions and assembly parts can be visualised in a 3-dimensional virtual environment months before prototypes are even produced. Programmers also are not required to have much technical expertise in writing code. While the move toward virtual simulations for programming robot is a step forward in user interface design, many of the designs have a long way to go.

General information

Software	Developers	Development status	License	3D rendering engine	Physics engine	3D modeller	Platforms supported
ARS	RAL	Active	BSD	VTK	ODE	None	Linux, MacOS X, Windows
Gazebo	Open Source Robotics Foundation(OSRF)[1]	Active	Apache 2.0	OGRE	ODE/Bullet/Simbody/DART	Internal	Linux, MacOS X, Windows
MORSE	Academic community[2]	Active	BSD	Blender game engine	Bullet	Blender	Linux, BSD*, MacOS X
OpenHRP	AIST	Active	Eclipse	Java3D	ODE/Internal	Internal[3]	Linux, Windows
RoboDK	RoboDK	Active	Proprietary	OpenGL	none	Internal	Linux, MacOS X, Windows, Android
SimSpark	O. Obst et al. (+26)	Active	GNU GPL (v2)	Internal	ODE	None	Linux, MacOS X, Windows
V-Rep	Coppelia Robotics	Active	Proprietary/GNU GPL	Internal	ODE/Bullet/Vortex	Internal	Linux, MacOS X, Windows
Webots	Cyberbotics	Active	Proprietary	OGRE	custom version of ODE	Internal	Linux, MacOS X, Windows
4DV-Sim	4D Virtualiz	Active	Proprietary	OGRE	PhysX	Internal	Linux
Software	Developers	Development status	License	3D rendering engine	Physics engine	3D modeller	Platforms supported

Technical information

Software	Main programming language	Formats support	Extensibility	External APIs	Robotics middleware support	Primary user interface	Headless simulation
ARS	Python	Unknown	Python	Unknown	None	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	C++	SDF[4]/URDF[5]	Plugins (C++)	C++	ROS, Player, Sockets (protobuf messages)	GUI	Yes
MORSE	Python	Unknown	Python	Python[6]	Sockets, YARP, ROS, Pocolibs, MOOS	Command-line	Yes[7]
OpenHRP	C++	VRML	Plugins (C++), API	C/C++, Python, Java	OpenRTM-aist	GUI	Unknown
RoboDK	Python	STEP, IGES, STL, WRML	Plugins (C++), API	C/C++, Python, Matlab	Socket	GUI	Unknown
SimSpark	C++, Ruby	Ruby Scene Graphs	Mods (C++)	Network (sexpr)	Sockets (sexpr)	GUI, Sockets	Unknown
V-Rep	LUA	OBJ, STL, DXF, 3DS, Collada,[8] URDF[5][9]	API, Add-ons, Plugins	C/C++, Python, Java, Urbi, Matlab/Octave	Sockets, ROS	GUI	Yes[10]
Webots	C++	WBT, VRML'97	Plugins (C++), API	C/C++, Python, Java, Matlab	ROS, URBI, NaoQI	GUI	Yes[11]
4DV-Sim	C++	3DS, OBJ, Mesh	Plugins (C++), API	FMI/FMU, Matlab	ROS, Sockets, Plug & Play interfaces[12]	GUI	Yes
Software	Main programming language	Formats support	Extensibility	External APIs	Robotic middleware support	Primary user interface	Headless simulation

Infrastructure

Support

Software	Mailing List	API Documentation	Public Forum/Help System	User Manual	Issue Tracker	Wiki
ARS	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	Yes[13]	Yes[14]	Yes[15]	Yes[16]	Yes[17]	Yes[18]
MORSE	Yes[19]	N/A	No	Yes[20]	Yes[21]	No
OpenHRP	Yes[22]	Yes[23]	No	Yes[24]	Yes[25]	No
RoboDK	Yes[26]	Yes[27]	No	Yes[28]	No	No
SimSpark	Yes[29]	Yes[30]	No	Yes[31]	Yes[32]	Yes[33]
V-Rep	No	Yes[34]	Yes[35]	Yes[36]	Unknown	No
Webots	No	Yes[37]	Yes[38]	Yes[39]	Yes[40]	Yes[41]
4DV-Sim	Yes[42]	No	Yes[43]	Yes	Yes[44]	No
Software	Mailing List	API Documentation	Public Forum/Help System	User Manual	Issue Tracker	Wiki

Code Quality

Software	Static Code Checker	Style Checker	Test System(s)	Test Function coverage	Test Branch coverage	Lines of Code	Lines of Comments	Continuous Integration
ARS	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	cppcheck	cpplint	gtest and qtest	46.1%	34.3%	190.7k	60.45k	Jenkins
MORSE	N/A	pylint	Python unittests	Unknown	Unknown	31.4k[45]	9.0k	Jenkins, Travis
OpenHRP	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
RoboDK	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
SimSpark	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
V-Rep	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Webots	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
4DV-Sim	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Software	Static Code Checker	Style Checker	Test System(s)	Test Function coverage	Test Branch coverage	Lines of Code	Lines of Comments	Continuous Integration

Simulation Features

Families of robots

Software	UGV (ground mobile robot)	UAV (aerial robots)	AUV (underwater robots)	Robotic arms	Robotic hands (grasping simulation)	Humanoid robots	Human avatars
ARS	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	Yes	Yes	Yes[46]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
MORSE	Yes	Yes	Partial[47]	Some[48]	No	No	Yes
OpenHRP	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
RoboDK	No	No	No	Yes[49]	No	No	No
SimSpark	Yes	No	No	Maybe	Maybe	Yes	No
V-Rep	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Webots	Yes	Yes	Yes[50]	Yes	Yes	Yes[51]	Yes
4DV-Sim	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Maybe	No	Yes
Software	UGV (ground mobile robot)	UAV (aerial robots)	AUV (underwater robots)	Robotic arms	Robotic hands (grasping simulation)	Humanoid robots	Human avatars

Supported actuators

Software	Generic kinematic chains	Force-controlled motion	Full list
ARS	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	Yes	Yes
MORSE	Yes[52]	Yes	MORSE actuators
OpenHRP	Yes	Yes
RoboDK	Unknown	Unknown
SimSpark	Yes	No	SimSpark effectors
V-Rep	Yes	Yes
Webots	Yes	Yes
4DV-Sim	Yes	Yes
Software	Generic kinematic chains	Force-controlled motion	Full list

Supported sensors

Software	Odometry	IMU	Collision	GPS	Monocular cameras	Stereo cameras	Depth cameras	Omnidirectional cameras	2D laser scanners	3D laser scanners	Full list
ARS	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Gazebo	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Yes
MORSE	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Yes[53]	MORSE sensors
OpenHRP	Unknown	Yes[54]	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Yes[55]	OpenHRP sensors
RoboDK	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
SimSpark	Yes	Yes	Yes[56]	Partial[57]	Yes	Partial	Unknown	Unknown	No	No	SimSpark perceptors
V-Rep	Unknown	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Yes
Webots	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unknown	Yes	Yes
4DV-Sim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Software	Odometry	IMU	Collision	GPS	Monocular cameras	Stereo cameras	Depth cameras	Omnidirectional cameras	2D laser scanners	3D laser scanners	Full list

Other simulators

Open source simulators

• breve: a 3D-world multi-agent simulator in Python.
• EZPhysics: Combination of Ogre3D and ODE physics, GUI exposes all of ODE's objects data, network closed loop remote control optionally via Matlab/Simulink.
• Khepera Simulator an open-source Windows simulator for the Khepera robot predating Webots.
• Klamp't : a simulator introduced in 2013 specializing in stable trimesh-trimesh contact. Supports legged locomotion and manipulation.
• LpzRobots: a 3D-physics robot simulator developed at the University of Leipzig.
• miniBloq: This robot programing software for Arduino boards has a new simulator.
• Moby: a rigid-body dynamics library written in C++.
• OpenSim Simulator for articulated and wheeled robots with a wide range of characteristics. Further development stopped in the year 2006.
• Robotics Toolbox for MATLAB is Free Software that provides functionality for representing pose (homogeneous transformations, Euler and RPY angles, quaternions), arm robots (forward/inverse kinematics, dynamics, simulation, animation) and mobile robots (control, localisation, planning and animation).
• ARTE A Robotics Toolbox for Education (ARTE) is a Free Software educational tool based on Matlab. It provides functions to represent position and orientation. As well, includes functions to simulate robotic arms (direct/inverse kinematics, dynamics, path planning and more). The toolbox includes a large set of 3D robotic models that can be viewed and simulated inside a robotic cell.
• Simbad 3d Robot Simulator Java based simulator
• SimRobot: A robot simulator software package developed at the Universität Bremen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence.
• Stage: 2.5D simulator often used with Player to form the Player/Stage system. Part of the Player Project
• STDR Simulator A simple, flexible and scalable 2D multi-robot simulator for use within Robot Operating System.
• UCHILSIM: A physics based simulator for AIBO Robots introduced in RoboCup 2004.
• UWSim : an UnderWater SIMulator for marine robotics research and development which incorporates sensor, dynamic and physics simulation.

Closed-source and proprietary simulators

• anyKode Marilou
• ORCA-Sim: a (Windows) 3D robot simulator using the Newton Game Dynamics physics engine.

References

1. The development is led by 13+ full-time developers with graduate-level backgrounds in physics, rendering, robot control, human-robot interaction, user-interface design, communication protocols, and multi-robot coordination.
2. The development is led by 10+ universities/research institutes including LAAS-CNRS, TUM, ONERA, DLR. See the AUTHORS list for the complete list.
4. Simulation Description Format
5. Universal Robot Description Format
6. pymorse
7. Only when running on a X server; relies on Xvfb.
8. See the V-Rep documentation
9. Can import URDF files through bundled plugin
10. Versions >= 3.1.0 V-rep Command line options
11. However, requires a connection on an X server for 3D rendering
12. Emulate the real sensors protocols and media (Ethernet, Serial, CAN,etc.)
13. Gazebo mailing list
14. Gazebo API
15. Gazebo Answers
16. Gazebo User Guide
17. Gazebo Issue Tracker
18. Gazebo Wiki
19. MORSE users mailing list, MORSE developers mailing list
20. MORSE documentation
21. MORSE issue tracker
26. RoboDK mailing list
27. RoboDK API examples
28. RoboDK quick help
29. SimSpark mailing lists
30. SimSpark client protocols
31. SimSpark user manual (Wiki)
32. SimSpark Tracker
33. SimSpark Wiki
34. v-rep API framework
35. v-rep forum
36. v-rep User Manual
37. Webots Reference Manual
38. Webots Forum
39. Webots User Guide
40. Webots bug report
41. Cyberbotics Robot Curriculum
42. support{AT}4d-virtualiz.com
43. support{AT}4d-virtualiz.com
44. Bug report
45. Source: Ohloh
46. Hydrodynamic plugin available in Gazebo6+
47. Submarine model available, but no dynamic model.
48. Kuka-LWR and Mitsubishi PA-10 included. Other non-concurrent arms can be simulated via the kinematic chains actuator.
49. Complete library of industrial robots
50. including Salamander robot
51. including Nao, DARwIn-OP, Fujitsu HOAP2, Kondo KHR-2HV, KHR-3, etc.
52. Joint control (position/velocity only, no force control) and inverse kinematics
53. Velodyne 3D laser scanner
54. Acceleration and Gyro sensors
55. OpenHRP sensors
56. Collision detection uses a simplified model
57. Possible, no model for noise

External links