Unity3D-MATLAB simulator in real time for robotics applications

Abstract

This paper presents the implementation of a new 3D simulator applied to the area of robotics. The simulator allows to analyze the performance of different schemes of autonomous and/or tele-operated control in structured environments, partially structured and unstructured. For robot-environment interaction is considered virtual reality software Unity3D, this software exchanges information with MATLAB to execute different control algorithms proposed through the use of shared memory. The exchange of information in real time between the two software is essential because the advanced control algorithms require a feedback from the robot-environment interaction to close the control loop, while the simulated robot updates its kinematic and dynamic parameters depending on controllability variables calculated by MATLAB. Finally, the 3D simulator is evaluated by implementing an autonomous control scheme to solve the problem of path following of a 6DOF robot arm, also the results obtained by implementing the tele-operation scheme for said robot are presented.