Is ROS being used in the project?

[Robotgir]

I saw the mention of URDF files but couldnt find a trace of ROS anywhere. If ROS is not used where for example in the project are these URDF files used? I wanted to implment this project but only in simulation. Is this possible without having a physical setup?

[fwiebe]

Hi @Robotgir, the URDF files are provided in case anybody would like to work with them. At the moment they are used to load the robot model in Crocoddyl in the DDP trajectory optimization

https://github.com/dfki-ric-underactuated-lab/torque_limited_simple_pendulum/blob/6caf96f4663ef8034b60dbd6d34ced5f1d8d5081/software/python/simple_pendulum/trajectory_optimization/ddp/boxfddp.py#L117

ROS is currently not used in the project. This project can absolutely be used in simulation only :) See here for simulation examples of various control methods.

[Robotgir]

Thanks for the answer! I have noticed the python simulation files but was not sure how they would visually simulate without using ROS. So the project uses "Crocoddyl" for visual simulation correct? I have never used Crocoddyl but should not be hard to use it looking at the doccumentaion available.

Correct me if i am understanding something wrong. Thanks alot @fwiebe

[fwiebe]

Most of the simulations and visualizations are realized with the dependency-free plant for the pendulum dynamics. The simulator class performs the integration and provides a visualization with matplolib.animation.

The simulated DDP trajectory (see this example and here the implementation) can be visualized in the gepetto viewer, for which interfaces inside crocoddyl exist https://github.com/dfki-ric-underactuated-lab/torque_limited_simple_pendulum/blob/6caf96f4663ef8034b60dbd6d34ced5f1d8d5081/software/python/simple_pendulum/trajectory_optimization/ddp/boxfddp.py#L247