Learning with pyCub: A Simulation and Exercise Framework for Humanoid Robotics

TL;DR

pyCub is an open-source Python-based simulation framework for the iCub humanoid robot, designed for educational purposes and easier to use than existing simulators, enabling students to learn humanoid robotics through scalable exercises.

Contribution

It introduces a YARP-free, Python-based simulation environment for iCub, making humanoid robotics education more accessible and easier to implement for beginners.

Findings

Successfully tested in humanoid robotics courses

Provides scalable exercises for different skill levels

Accessible with comprehensive documentation and resources

Abstract

We present pyCub, an open-source physics-based simulation of the humanoid robot iCub, along with exercises to teach students the basics of humanoid robotics. Compared to existing iCub simulators (iCub SIM, iCub Gazebo), which require C++ code and YARP as middleware, pyCub works without YARP and with Python code. The complete robot with all articulations has been simulated, with two cameras in the eyes and the unique sensitive skin of the iCub comprising 4000 receptors on its body surface. The exercises range from basic control of the robot in velocity, joint, and Cartesian space to more complex tasks like gazing, grasping, or reactive control. The whole framework is written and controlled with Python, thus allowing to be used even by people with small or almost no programming practice. The exercises can be scaled to different difficulty levels. We tested the framework in two runs of a course on humanoid robotics. The simulation, exercises, documentation, Docker images, and example videos are publicly available at https://rustlluk.github.io/pyCub.