Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle)
Subject: Re: Simulating a legged robot
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Date: Sat, 25 Feb 1995 19:47:35 GMT
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richardr@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Richard Reeve) writes:
>I've been rooting around for a while to try to find asimulator to use
>to model a legged robot (controlled by a neural network). It has to be
>fairly realistic - ie it would be nice if it could model friction,
>contact/impact dynamics, etc.

>So far I've found it very difficult to get any useful ideas, because
>I've tended to find simulators that people have written themselves for
>their own projects and are generally unwilling to part with, or ones
>on the FAQ of which there are a lot but there is not much information
>about them.

     Here are the dynamics simulators commercially available in the US:

	Adams Animator, Mechanical Dynamics, Ann Arbor, MI.
		3D, big, hard to use, expensive, 17 years old, but
		reasonably comprehensive.
	Mechanica, Rasna, San Jose, CA.
		Newer product, good 3D, doesn't do general collisions.
	Working Model, Knowledge Revolution, San Mateo, CA.
		Moderate cost product, 2D, does collisions, dynamics,
		friction.  Hard to attach control code.
	Boston Dynamics, Boston MA.
		Raibert's system for 3D legged running.  Doesn't do
		general collisions or friction.

All have good educational pricing.  But none of them really do it all yet.

					John Nagle
