Sim2Real in Robotics and Automation: Applications and Challenges

Sebastian Höfer, Kostas Bekris, Ankur Handa, Juan Camilo Gamboa, Melissa Mozifian, Florian Golemo, Christopher G. Atkeson, Dieter Fox, Ken Goldberg, John Leonard, C. Karen Liu, Jan Peters, Shuran Song, Peter Welinder, Martha White

Abstract: To Perform reliably and consistently over sustained periods of time, large-scale automation critically relies on computer simulation. Simulation allows us and supervisory AI to effectively design, validate, and continuously improve complex processes, and helps practitioners to gain insight into the operation and justify future investments. While numerous successful applications of simulation in industry exist, such as circuit simulation, finite element methods, and computeraided design (CAD), state-of-the-art simulators fall short of accurately modeling physical phenomena, such as friction, impact, and deformation.