From Simulation to Real Robots with Predictable Results: Methods and Examples

Abstract

Abstr act From a theoretical perspective, one may easily argue (as we will in this chapter) that simulation accelerates the algorithm development cycle. However, in practice many in the robotics development community share the sentiment that "Simulation is doomed to succeed" [Brooks] p. 209. This comes in large part from the fact that many simulation systems are brittle; they do a fair-to-good job of simulating the expected, and fail to simulate the unexpected. It is the authors' belief that a simulation system is only as good as its models, and that deficiencies in these models lead to the majority of these failures. This chapter will attempt to address these deficiencies by presenting a systematic methodology with examples for the development of both simulated mobility models and sensor models for use with one of today's leading simulation engines. Techniques for using simulation for algorithm development leading to real-robot implementation will be presented, as well as opportunities for involvement in international robotics competitions based on these techniques.

Methods for Evaluating and Comparing the Use of Haptic Feedback in Human-Robot Interaction with Ground-Based Mobile Robots

“…• Developing or identifying experiments that best allow us to normalize for differences in hardware-both in the haptic device itself (Hayward & Astley, 1996) and in the robot (Balakirsky, Carpin, Dimitoglou, & Balaguer, 2009)-and to look at the relative metrics.…”

A Study about the Transition of Simulated Algorithms to Real Robotics and its Application in Distance Learning

“…The principal aim of such works is to enable an easy transition of algorithms that were originality developed in simulated platforms to real robots [Balakirsky et al, 2009]. The work of Xu et al (2010), for example, analyses the III Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2014) XXV Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (SBIE 2014) _______________________________________________________________________ behavior of robots via a hierarchical state machine, which models the problem using soccer game rules once this project was applied to the Robocup soccer scenario.…”

Identification of Issues in Predicting Multi-Robot Performance through Model-Based Simulations

“…Balakirsky et al [26] determined that a combination of robot parameters, diverse terrain, and high variability in sensor readings and error rates create dynamic environments that are hard to accurately replicate in simulation. They state that the inherent complexities of robotic environments may introduce significant differences between real and simulated environments.…”