Robotic Simulation, Modelling, and the Reality Gap

The use of simulators in robotics research is widespread, underpinning the majority of recent advances in the field. There are now more options available to researchers than ever before, however navigating through the plethora of choices in search of the right simulator is often non-trivial. Depending on the field of research and the scenario to be simulated there will often be a range of suitable simulators from which it is difficult to ascertain the most relevant one. In this talk I’ll address the topic of simulation in robotics – from the basics of ‘what is a simulator?’ to addressing key issues in modern robotics simulation.  In terms of issues, I’ll specifically focus on the reality gap, which can be considered the final challenge of robotic simulation that prevents its full-on adoption within the domain.  I’ll review a broad range of physics simulators for use within the major fields of robotics research. I’ll navigate through key sub-domains and discuss the features, benefits, applications and use-cases of the different simulators categorised by the respective research communities.