How to add a robot?

[YupuLu]

This is the post for saving the question and answer shown here

About the Jrl library, if I want to add new robots into it, for example, ur3, what is the correct step to do that? Here is my solution based on my understanding:

1. Implement the class Ur3() in robots.py
2. Download related urdf files from some projects like urdf_files_dataset or generate them using ROS based on your README.md
3. Generate the capsule folder using calculate_capsule_approximation.py

Are these steps enough? Should I use calculate_ignorable_link_collision_pairs.py and calculate_rotational_repeatability.py?

[jstmn]

Hi - Yes, that's pretty much it.

Should I use calculate_ignorable_link_collision_pairs.py and calculate_rotational_repeatability.py?

Yes, run calculate_ignorable_link_collision_pairs.py and save the output to the top of robots.py like is here:

RIZON4_ALWAYS_COLLIDING_LINKS = []
RIZON4_NEVER_COLLIDING_LINKS = [...]

# in __init__:
        ignored_collision_pairs = RIZON4_NEVER_COLLIDING_LINKS + RIZON4_ALWAYS_COLLIDING_LINKS
        Robot.__init__(
            self,
            Rizon4.name,
            urdf_filepath,
            active_joints,
            base_link,
            end_effector_link_name,
            ignored_collision_pairs,
            collision_capsules_by_link,
            verbose=verbose,
            additional_link_name=None,
        )

No need to run calculate_rotational_repeatability.py, just use ROTATIONAL_REPEATABILITY_DEG = 0.1

[YupuLu]

Thank you for the reply! I notice that you modified the urdf file and remane it to "xx_formatted.urdf". Is there anything that I should be concerned?

[jstmn]

The idea behind the xx_formatted.urdf is to keep the original urdf file (from a ros package, online source, etc), and make the Jrl specific edits to the xx_formatted.urdf version. This is so that it's clear what's been changed from the original.