1. IARP/EURON Workshop on Robotics for Risky Interventions and Environmental Surveillance
Mobile robot simulators and their application to hazardous and challenging environments
L. Nomdedeu, J. Sales, E. Cervera, J. Alemany,
R. Sebastia, K. McAllister
January 7th-8th, Benicàssim (Spain)‏

2. Overview Introduction The Player / Stage / Gazebo tools
Installation and configuration
Setting up a scenario
Conclusion and future work

3. Introduction: motivation
Multiple robot platforms and sensors.
Cross-platform development.
Reuse of robot software
Simulation aid:
evaluation of algorithms
training

4. Introduction: related work
Mobile platforms:
K-team Khepera
Pioneer / Erratic
Robotnik rescuer
Robot Development Environments.
Proprietary versus Open Source.
Mobile robot simulators.
2D versus 3D.

5. Introduction: list of choices
Open Source:
Orocos
Player / Stage (2D) / Gazebo (3D)‏
Carmen
Marie
USARSim (3D)‏
Proprietary:
Robot manufacturers
Microsoft Robotics Studio

6. Player / Stage / Gazebo tools
Open-Source, cross-platform, active.
Player robot device interface
N mobile platforms
M sensors
Algorithm drivers (amcl, vfh, ...)‏
Tools
Stage 2D simulator
Gazebo 3D simulator

7. Player architecture

8. Player tools
[Vaughan & Gerkey 07]

9. Stage 2D simulator
[Vaughan & Gerkey 07]

10. Stage 2D simulator
[Vaughan & Gerkey 07]

11. Gazebo 3D simulator
[Vaughan & Gerkey 07]

12. Installation and configuration
System requirements:
Standard Linux box
Native Windows version planned
Installing:
Package distribution
Source compilation
CVS

13. A Windows solution Virtualization. Any host + Linux P/S guest.
Free (not open) Virtual Machine software.
Full-equipped Linux on a CD (or website).
System requirements:
Non-administrative user account
Modern CPU
1 GB RAM, 10 GB hard disk

14. Setting up a scenario World: Models: Configuration:
Bitmap / vector map
Models:
Mobile platforms
Sensors
Configuration:
Devices and interfaces
Algorithms

15. Warehouse fire in 1999 in Worcester (USA)‏

16. Warehouse fire in 1999 in Worcester (USA)‏
Configuration file
World file
Map file
Warehouse fire in 1999 in Worcester (USA)‏

18. Conclusion and future work
Player abstraction layer for development.
Player robot device interface.
Stage 2D simulator.
Player algorithm repository.
Installation on any host computer.
Definition of scenarios in Guardians.

19. Conclusion and future work