OpenRAVE

OpenRAVE is a cool, free tool for Windows that lets developers create, test, and use motion planning algorithms. This can be super handy when working with real-world robotics projects!

Why Choose OpenRAVE?

One of the best things about OpenRAVE is that it works on different platforms! It comes packed with various command-line utilities to support robots and planners. Plus, its small-sized runtime core means you can easily integrate it into controllers or larger frameworks. Even though it's versatile, it mainly shines in industrial robotics automation.

Real-World Applications of OpenRAVE

There are some exciting projects using OpenRAVE right now! For instance:

• Personal Robotics, being developed at Intel Research Pittsburgh.


• OpenGRASP, an open-source toolkit for simulating grasping and dexterous manipulation.


• Modular Robots (OpenMR), a plugin for simulating modular robot movements.


• CoMPS, which helps robots navigate while considering multiple constraints.


• Planning Arm System, SmartSoft Toolchain, and Arm Model-Based Hierarchical Planner.

Diving Deeper into Features

If you need help or want to learn more about how to use OpenRAVE, there’s a ton of documentation available on the developer's website. You can check out examples like the calibration module that centers a camera attached to a robot by moving it around specific patterns. There’s even a module that calculates how visible an object is from the camera's point of view!

You might also want to look at collision modules that help check for collisions, generate reports, and perform distance queries. These features let users plot out collision contacts too! Want to get started? Check out this link.