Best Practices for Robotics and OpenUSD#

Introduction#

The field of robotics is undergoing a significant transformation with the adoption of OpenUSD, revolutionizing interoperability between applications, enhancing modularity, and leveraging open APIs.

This module will explore the powerful capabilities of OpenUSD in robotics, focusing on the conversion of URDF (Universal Robot Description Format) to USD (Universal Scene Description).

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • Convert URDF files to USD format for use in Isaac Sim

  • Assemble complex robotic systems by importing and combining multiple components

  • Analyze the structure of URDF and USD files to understand their key components

  • Optimize robotic asset performance through mesh merging and scenegraph instancing

  • Evaluate and refine physics simulations using the physics inspector

We’ll begin by exploring the fundamental components of URDF and their USD counterparts. Then, we’ll dive into hands-on activities, importing a UR10e robot and a 2F-140 gripper into Isaac Sim. You’ll learn to assemble these components, optimize meshes, and validate your work using the physics inspector.

Throughout the module, we’ll discuss advanced topics such as URDF file import structures and upcoming features like robot schema. We’ll also cover crucial performance optimization techniques in Isaac Sim, including simplifying asset structures and using instanceable assets and references for efficient simulation of complex robots.

Let’s get started!

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