[Robotics] Introduction

[Herman Bruyninckx]

On Thu, 27 Aug 2009, Gilberto Echeverria wrote:

> I'm Gilberto Echeverria. I'll be working on the OpenRobots Simulation
> proyect at LAAS/CNRS, along with Severin Lemaignan and Nicolas Lassabe.

Welcome! I hope you will enjoy the job! :-)

> I'm starting to familiarize myself with what has been done already,
> particularly the applications proposed here at LAAS using Blender+YARP.
> Also getting up to date with what has been previously discussed in this
> list.

Good! Let me try to help you getting started, by a brief summary of what we
learned in Leuven wrt Blender:

- there is a significant difference between the game engine and the
   simulation mode. The former is the most important one for robotics
   (because it has the interaction possibilities with the outside world) and
   hence we should concentrate on that.
- Blender has a very difficult user interface for starters, and for "poor"
   robotics engineers. So, coming up with a 'robotics panel' would be a good
   idea, I think. The new 2.50 provides lots of opportunities for customized
   panels.
- we all want to interface Blender with our own middleware, hence it makes
   sense to develop together the Blender part of that interface such that it
   is compatible with all possible external middleware projects, with just a
   little amount of configuration.
- this interface middleware is just half of the story: besides being able
   to send "messages" to, and receive from, the outside world, we also have
   to come up with a "standard" about the meaning of the data structures in
   the messages.
- the game engine has already very interesting sensors for robotics, the
   "message" and the "distance sensor" being the first ones that come to my
   mind. Also making artificial "camera images" should be rather easy. But
   more complex robotics sensors should be added, and we should be able to
   share developments. For example, inertia sensors, laser range scans,
   force and touch sensors, ...
- other relevant additions will be: the traditional controllers and motion
   planners of robotics (especially for mobile devices); a common structure
   for numerical solutions of the ODEs that come with dynamic properties of
   robots; interoperability with "robot programming languages".

> Will keep you posted of the developments here at LAAS.
Thanks!

A good thing to do could be to post a brief list of things on your agenda,
that is, what are the concrete expectations and goals of the OpenRobots
Simulation, and to which extent will they rely on Blender. This way, other
people could offer cooperation on the topics for which there is overlap
with their own interests and expertise :-)

I also want to repeat my suggestion of two weeks ago, to organize a
workshop or conference around open source robotics software. I have
received close to zero reactions to that suggestion, which is in contrast
with the self-acclaimed openness and cooperation of the open source
community... :-(

Finally, it would not be a problem for us in Leuven to be your host for a
couple of days, if you are interested in discussing some topics in more
detail.

Best regards,

Herman Bruyninckx