Describing Robots from Design to Learning: Towards an Interactive Lifecycle Representation of Robots

TL;DR

This paper proposes an interactive lifecycle framework for robots, linking design, simulation, and learning stages through standardized description formats and automation tools to enhance information exchange and streamline development.

Contribution

It introduces an open-source plugin that automates robot description transfer from design to simulation and learning, facilitating seamless information flow across development stages.

Findings

Developed ACDC4Robot plugin for Fusion 360

Enabled automated transfer of robot data between stages

Provided a robot model library for efficiency

Abstract

The robot development process is divided into several stages, which create barriers to the exchange of information between these different stages. We advocate for an interactive lifecycle representation, extending from robot morphology design to learning, and introduce the role of robot description formats in facilitating information transfer throughout this pipeline. We analyzed the relationship between design and simulation, enabling us to employ robot process automation methods for transferring information from the design phase to the learning phase in simulation. As part of this effort, we have developed an open-source plugin called ACDC4Robot for Fusion 360, which automates this process and transforms Fusion 360 into a user-friendly graphical interface for creating and editing robot description formats. Additionally, we offer an out-of-the-box robot model library to streamline and reduce repetitive tasks. All codes are hosted open-source. (\url{https://github.com/bionicdl-sustech/ACDC4Robot})