Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method that includes: obtaining, by a robotic simulator, data representing a physical robotic operating environment having a physical robot therein, setting a first level of physical simulation fidelity that disables one or more simulation features of the robotic simulator, receiving a user specification of a task to be performed by the physical robot, executing a simulation of the task being performed by a virtual robot representing the physical robot in a virtual robotic operating environment at the first level of physical simulation fidelity, determining that the task succeeded at the first level of physical simulation fidelity, in response to the determining, enabling one or more of the disabled simulation features, and performing a rerun of the simulation of the task with the one or more of the disabled simulation features enabled.

Abstract: Fast and stable methods are provided for estimating contact forces at multiple contact patches for multi-contact interactions between a robot and objects in its environment. Additionally, the estimated contact forces are physically consistent, and provide a useful to substitute to measured forces using sensors. Embodiments of this invention can be programmed as computer- implemented method(s) into a simulation software to produce smooth motion of the robot and objects in its environment without artifacts such as inter-penetration between bodies and unexpected oscillations.

Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method that incudes obtaining physical sensor measurements of a physical robotic operating environment and obtaining a virtual representation of the robotic operating environment. The method further includes generating a user interface presentation including a first view of the virtual representation based virtual sensor parameters, and a second view of the physical robotic operating environment based on the physical sensor measurements. The method further includes receiving an update to values of the virtual sensor parameters, and updating, in the user interface presentation, the first view of the virtual representation based on the updated values of the virtual sensor parameters.