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A Flexible MATLAB/Simulink Simulator for Robotic Floating-base Systems in Contact with the Ground: Theoretical Background and Implementation Details

Nuno Guedelha

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1117-2428

Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

E-mail Address: [email protected]

Corresponding author.

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Venus Pasandi

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1671-0547

Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

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Giuseppe L’Erario

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6042-3222

Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

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Silvio Traversaro

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9283-6133

Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

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, and

Daniele Pucci

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7600-3203

Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793351X24300036Cited by:0 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

This paper presents an open-source MATLAB/Simulink physics simulator for rigid-body articulated systems, including manipulators and floating-base robots. Thanks to MATLAB/Simulink features like MATLAB system classes and Simulink Function blocks, the presented simulator combines a programmatic and block-based approach, resulting in a flexible design in the sense that different parts, including its physics engine, robot-ground interaction model, and state evolution algorithm are simply accessible and editable. Moreover, through the use of Simulink dynamic mask blocks, the proposed simulator supports robot models integrating open-chain and closed-chain kinematics with any desired number of links interacting with the ground. This simulator can also integrate second-order actuator dynamics. Furthermore, the simulator benefits from a one-line installation and an easy-to-use Simulink interface.

Keywords:

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