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Robotics & Automation

Mobile robots, manipulators, swarm robots, factory automation

18 articles

Article

Drake: Model-Based Design and Trajectory Optimization for Robotic Manipulation

Drake is an open-source C++ and Python toolbox from MIT and Toyota Research Institute that provides a unified framework for multibody dynamics, trajectory optimization, and feedback control synthesis. It features Hydroelastic contact modeling, DIRCOL trajectory optimization, and constrained inverse kinematics for contact-rich manipulation tasks. Drake's composable systems architecture enables zero-code-change deployment from simulation to real hardware via LCM.

By Jeff 96 views
Article

CoppeliaSim: Distributed Control Architecture and Scripting API for Multi-Robot Simulation

CoppeliaSim (formerly V-REP) sets itself apart with a distributed control model where every scene object carries its own embedded Lua or Python script, enabling modular, per-robot logic without a monolithic controller. This article examines CoppeliaSim's four script types, the ZeroMQ Remote API for external Python and RL integration, sensor data retrieval, and best practices for scalable multi-robot and swarm simulations. Performance tuning strategies — including headless mode, physics engine selection, and stepped simulation for reinforcement learning — are also covered.

By Jeff 207 views
News

Visual Components 5.1: 10x Faster AMR Simulation, PhysX 5.5 Physics, and Allen-Bradley PLC Connectivity

Visual Components 5.1 delivers a complete rebuild of its mobile robot navigation stack, enabling hundreds of AMRs and AGVs to run simultaneously with up to 10x faster performance. The release also upgrades the physics engine to PhysX 5.5 for more reliable material flow simulation and adds Allen-Bradley PLC connectivity alongside new virtual commissioning plugins for Nachi and Epson robots.

By Jeff 179 views
Article

PyBullet: Scriptable Physics Simulation for Robotics Research and Reinforcement Learning

PyBullet is a lightweight, Python-accessible physics simulation library built on the Bullet Physics SDK, widely used for robotics research and reinforcement learning training. This article covers PyBullet's architecture, joint control modes, contact query API, camera simulation, and best practices for integrating it with OpenAI Gym and Stable-Baselines3 for scalable RL workflows.

By Jeff 243 views
Article

PyBullet: Scriptable Physics Simulation for Robotics Research and Reinforcement Learning

PyBullet is a lightweight, Python-accessible physics simulation library built on the Bullet Physics SDK, widely used for robotics research and reinforcement learning training. This article covers PyBullet's architecture, joint control modes, contact query API, camera simulation, and best practices for integrating it with OpenAI Gym and Stable-Baselines3 for scalable RL workflows.

By Jeff 503 views
Article

NVIDIA Isaac Sim: GPU-Accelerated Robot Simulation with Synthetic Data Generation

NVIDIA Isaac Sim is a high-fidelity, GPU-accelerated robotics simulation platform built on the Omniverse USD framework that delivers photorealistic rendering and accurate physics simultaneously. This article covers Isaac Sim's core architecture, the Replicator synthetic data generation framework, native ROS 2 integration via the Action Graph, and best practices for closing the sim-to-real gap in manipulation and mobile robotics applications.

By Jeff 1016 views
Article

Webots: Open-Source Robot Simulation with Cross-Platform Physics and Sensor Fidelity

Webots is a free, open-source robot simulator that provides a complete, self-contained environment for modeling, programming, and simulating robots without requiring ROS. This article explores Webots' physics engine, sensor noise modeling, ROS 2 integration via the webots_ros2 package, and the powerful Supervisor API for automated benchmarking and reinforcement learning workflows. Engineers will learn best practices for production-grade simulations, including PROTO node reuse, physics validation, and headless fast-simulation mode for large-scale experiments.

By Jeff 1323 views
News

Siemens Unveils Digital Twin Composer: Building the Industrial Metaverse at Scale

Siemens has launched Digital Twin Composer, a revolutionary platform that enables organizations to build Industrial Metaverse environments at enterprise scale. Built on NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, the software combines real-time data, AI-powered simulation, and photorealistic visualization to transform how companies design, optimize, and operate complex industrial systems.

By Jeff 297 views
News

SimScale and PTC Partner to Democratize Cloud Simulation for Startups

SimScale and PTC announce strategic collaboration providing Onshape Start-Up Program members with three months of free access to professional cloud-native simulation capabilities, breaking down traditional barriers to advanced CAE tools for emerging businesses.

By Jeff 271 views
News

SimScale and PTC Partner to Democratize Cloud Simulation for Startups

SimScale and PTC announce strategic collaboration providing Onshape Start-Up Program members with three months of free access to professional cloud-native simulation capabilities, breaking down traditional barriers to advanced CAE tools for emerging businesses.

By Jeff 206 views
News

Siemens Completes $10 Billion Acquisition of Altair Engineering, Creating Industry's Most Comprehensive AI-Powered Simulation Portfolio

Siemens has completed its acquisition of Altair Engineering Inc. for $10 billion, finalizing on March 26, 2025. This landmark merger integrates Altair's simulation, HPC, and AI capabilities into Siemens Xcelerator, creating the world's most comprehensive AI-powered design and simulation portfolio with projected synergies exceeding $1 billion annually.

By Jeff 1121 views
News

NVIDIA Expands Omniverse Blueprint for Factory-Scale Digital Twin Simulation

NVIDIA announced a major expansion of its Omniverse Blueprint on October 28, 2025, enabling factory-scale digital twin simulations with support from Siemens, FANUC, and Foxconn Fii. The development marks a significant advance in physical AI and collaborative robotics for U.S. manufacturing.

By Jeff 964 views