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KinDynSolverInterface

An library that interfaces with different kinematic and dynamic solvers

This library offers a unified interface for the end-user, encapsulating the API of the back-end. Such back-end could libraries such as RBDL, KDL, iDynTree, etc.

Such approach achieves three goals:

  1. It would be possible to entirely switch to another solver without changing the user code (e.g., if new solvers with better performance appear, or, if a certain library performs better in different domains)
  2. The preliminary steps are concentrated in one place (for KDL for instance, the whole URDFtoKDL business is done outside of the users space)
  3. Creates some algorithmic refactoring conveniences: e.g., switching between recursive Newton Euler to/from composite rigid body can be done in one place without changing the user code.

Currently I will do a RBDL version and keep the rest as TODOs.

Dependencies

RBDL

Can be obtained from https://github.com/rbdl/rbdl.git

git clone -b dev https://github.com/rbdl/rbdl.git
mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -DRBDL_BUILD_ADDON_URDFREADER=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/path/to/your/install
make
make install

The install path then can be pass to this project's cmake when configuring the project by -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/path/to/your/install.

Notes:

RBDL

  1. RBDL has this method called UpdateKinematics() which is a bit peculiar: each function call (e.g., CalcPointJacobian6D) has an optional boolean parameter that if =true calls the UpdateKinematics(). If we pass false, then function kinematic/dynamic calls return zero. So we have two options: either call the factions with =true, or, make a call to UpdateKinematics() from somewhere like the user space and update everything. If the update is not computationally expensive, I rather to for the first option. For the moment I pass true.
  2. RBDL urdf-reader plugin that we use is a mysterious creature that functions in baffling ways. Maybe, just maybe, we need to resort to a more stable/reliable solution.

TODO

  1. Resolve the issue 1 of RBDL.