r/robotics

Footage likely features a Unitree G1 humanoid robot, which has gained attention for its advanced stability and combat-related routines.

Been working on this on and off for a while and finally got the benchmarks to a point where they're not decent.

threecrate does the stuff you'd normally reach for Open3D or PCL for: kd-tree search, normal estimation, ICP/GICP/NDT registration, FPFH/SHOT features, voxel downsampling, segmentation, a handful of surface reconstruction methods, a wgpu compute path, and a basic viewer. There are Python bindings too (pip install threecrate), since a lot of the point cloud world lives in Python.

I didn't want to write the usual "rewrote it in Rust, it's faster now" post, because that isn't honestly true across the board. Here's where it actually landed against Open3D 0.19 on CPU, same machine, full-resolution TUM/KITTI/nuScenes frames:

1. Reading files: ~1.8–2.2x faster (raw float parsing; one caveat, the TUM read row isn't quite apples-to-apples and I flag that in the docs)

2. Voxel downsampling: ~1.6–1.8x faster

3. Normal estimation: 0.57–1.09x, so slower once clouds get big

4. Single-scale ICP: 0.71–0.99x, also slower on big clouds

So it's clearly ahead on I/O and down-sampling, roughly a wash on compute overall, and still behind on dense normals and ICP as the cloud grows. I know why the normals are slow: the kd-tree is pointer/Box-based and thrashes cache. Swapping in a flat, array-backed tree is the obvious fix, and it's filed as a good-first-issue if anyone wants a self-contained perf problem with a number to beat.

Full tables and the repro command are in the repo, all reproducible: https://github.com/rajgandhi1/threecrate/blob/main/docs/benchmarks.md

Repo: https://github.com/rajgandhi1/threecrate

Feedback welcome, especially if I've done something dumb in the hot loops.

Hi again r/ROS,

Following up on my earlier post about BAGEL, a browser-based ROS bag viewer/editor with no native dependencies and no ROS install. Since v1.0 it's grown from a viewer into something closer to a full robotics debugging tool. Quick links for anyone new here:

Link: https://bagel-ros2.vercel.app

Source: https://github.com/Hussain004/BAGEL

Full changelog with design rationale: https://github.com/Hussain004/BAGEL/blob/main/FEATURES.md

What's new since v1.0:

Bag editing (v1.1, v1.2)

• Trim by time range, drop topics you don't need, export a fresh indexed MCAP, all client-side, no CLI.
• Works across every format BAGEL reads: .mcap, ROS2 .db3, and ROS1 .bag all edit down to MCAP now.

URDF robot models and richer 3D (v1.3)

• Drop a URDF (or paste one) and the robot animates in the 3D scene, following the bag's /tf and joint states.
• MESH_RESOURCE and TRIANGLE_LIST markers render real meshes instead of a placeholder.
• CameraInfo overlay (principal point reticle, intrinsics badge), a wireframe camera frustum in the 3D scene, and one-click undistort using the calibration.
• Saved per-data-type display defaults, loop playback, per-camera frustum hide toggles.

Analysis and shareability (v1.4)

• Bag Health dashboard: per-topic Hz, jitter, gaps, and bandwidth with color-coded waately see which topic dropped out or is publishing erratically.
• Inline math expressions as derived plot series (unit conversions, vector magnitudes, bias correction), real tokenizer/AST, no eval.
• Export any panel as a WebM video or PNG sequence for a time window.
• Timeline bookmarks/annotations that round-trip through the share URL.

Live robot data (v1.5)

• The big one: paste a ws:// URL (the same protocol Foxglove Studio and foxglove_bridvery panel updates in real time from a running robot. No ROS install, no account, justa browser tab.
• Record live sessions straight to a proper indexed MCAP from the browser.
• Works over ROS1 bridges too, not just ROS2. - Sim clock (/clock) support, so Gazebo/Isaac Sim sessions get correct timestamps ins
• Cross-bag health comparison when multiple bags are loaded.

Format breadth and RViz parity (v1.6) - Standalone .pcd / .ply viewer, no bag wrapping needed.

• Foxglove Studio's JSON-schema MCAPs (foxglove.* types) decode correctly now instead of showing empty panels.
• WebCodecs-based H264/H265 video decoding for foxglove.CompressedVideo topics.
• Zoom and pan in the image viewer.

What's next?

v1.7 is up next: a 3D measurement tool (click two points, get a distance), nav_msgs/Path rendering, more colormaps, image-on-point-cloud projection using camera intrinsics, then bag merge/split, then QoS inspection (surfacing reliability/durability/history per topic).

I sometimes need to tune the inertial property of the robot by changing the density or mass of each parts. Doing it in CAD and have it re-export to URDF takes a bit long and too tedious.

So this online editor lets you (and me) quickly make changes, and have the inertia tensor of the links be recomputed immediately. You can then copy-paste the updated URDF.

This is basically entirely made by claude (with some of my help :))

(And yes, it is placed under my startup's domain as a potential lead magnet. but I think it could be useful for some people nonetheless.

EDIT (forgot to post the link)

Welcome to try: https://urdf.aperobotics.io/

I see a lot of smaller parts are costlier than the usual sizes. Even for screws , it sometimes costs 2k rs. Why is this? Don't tell that it's because of the import duty.

I used the HM-LD1 dToF LiDAR, yep, the robot vacuum sensor, to build an obstacle-stop demo on my drone. it is easy to replicate. l will open-sourcing on GitHub soon.

The BMW Group said it gained important experience with humanoid robots at Plant Spartanburg in 2025. Figure 02 supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles. In the body shop, the robot inserted sheet-metal parts for the welding process, a task that demands high speed and accuracy and that can be physically demanding.

“Our 11-month deployment of Figure 02 proved that humanoids are no longer lab experiments — they can be a valuable asset in establishing a flexible, reliable manufacturing workforce,” stated Brett Adcock, founder and CEO of Figure AI. “We are excited to continue our work in Spartanburg as Figure tackles the complexity of the assembly and logistics hall.”

https://youtu.be/Eu5mYMavctM?is=kDPp80bhnOhexGFR

The automaker last week announced that, following its successful deployment with Figure 02 at its plant in Spartanburg, S.C., it will deploy the company’s latest Figure 03 robot.

“The robot introduces several new features for expanded applications. These include soft components designed for enhanced safety, wireless charging designed for higher availability, and audio functions for speech-to-speech communication, along with improved hands with tactile sensors and palm cameras designed to increase precision and dexterity."

https://www.therobotreport.com/bmw-group-deploys-figure-03-humanoid-after-tests-previous-version/

We recently open-sourced our implementation of obstacle overtaking using GPMP2 (Gaussian Process Motion Planning).

The project demonstrates trajectory optimization for autonomous overtaking by representing robot trajectories as continuous-time Gaussian Processes and optimizing them as a factor graph. Instead of sampling-based planning, the approach jointly minimizes smoothness and obstacle costs while satisfying vehicle dynamics constraints, producing collision-free and dynamically feasible trajectories.

Some highlights:

• GPMP2-based trajectory optimization using factor graphs
• Integration with robotics simulation for reproducible experiments
• Clear codebase that can serve as a starting point for researchers and students working on motion planning

If you're working on motion planning, trajectory optimization, autonomous driving, or robotics, I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or ideas for extending it.

Repository: https://github.com/AutonomousVehicleLaboratory/obstacle-overtaking-gpmp2

Is there anyone who could help me regarding controlling multiple robstride o2 motor?

What im trying to do is to control multiple Robstride o2 motors (preferably 3) with the default CAN to USB debugger it came with. Is it possible to control multiple motor with that?. I search around the internet for guides, says it'll work if i daisy chained the motor?.

I tried wiring 2 motors , first i tried to wire it parallel and second i tried Daisy chain wiring. But it always result the same. Using robstride official software motorstudio it only detects and control 1 motor (the nearest motor to the CAN-USB debugger).

And i know it's not a faulty motor or anything since if i only test 1 motor using the CAN-USB debugger . The motor still works (i can rotate it around and such)

I tried using ai to solve this. And it still dont work. I mean i understand that ai can sometimes be bs. So if anyone here can help me, That would be really great, also sorry if this is a dumb question 🙏

Boston Dynamics is developing Atlas using an AI-based system instead of relying on hard-coded behaviors.

Aya Durbin describes a shift away from fixed, pre-programmed routines toward a robot that can operate in less controlled, real-world environments. For humanoid robots, this difference is important because demonstrations can be tightly scripted, while practical use requires dealing with variability, unexpected situations, and changing physical tasks.

This outlines how Atlas is being developed as Boston Dynamics continues working on humanoid robotics.

A 44-room “full scenario robot-serviced” hotel is being build on the West Artificial Island of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in China. A limited trial is supposed to start late this year, with full public opening coming in 2027.

Robots will handle reception, check-in, luggage, deliveries, room service, cleaning, food service, guest support, security and even guest interaction and companionship.

Pudu Robotics and Shenzhen Culture & Tourism Industry Development have officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop the world's first full-scenario robot-serviced hotel.

To showcase the vision behind the project, Pudu Robotics transformed the signing ceremony into a live demonstration of future hotel operations, presenting a comprehensive portfolio of robotic solutions operating together in a hospitality setting.

The PUDU T300 demonstrated heavy-duty luggage transportation and autonomous elevator interaction, highlighting its 300-kilogram payload capability. Meanwhile, the PUDU CC1 Pro and PUDU MT1 cleaning robots performed real-time cleaning operations throughout the venue, demonstrating AI-native waste detection and autonomous floor maintenance. BellaBot Pro served freshly brewed coffee to guests while interacting through voice and lighting effects, while KettyBot Pro continuously delivered refreshments and snacks throughout the event while displaying event information on its advertising screen.
 
The showcase concluded with interactive performances from PUDU D5, offering attendees a glimpse of how robotics can create engaging and memorable guest experiences beyond operational efficiency.

https://youtu.be/nDwZ8Wq\_YXw?is=B9VFHrADSJz3D2N-

Olá a todos!

estou construindo meu próprio robô humanoide em tamanho real do zero. Este é o protótipo atual do antebraço, cotovelo e mão.

Para a mão, fiz engenharia reversa do mecanismo dos dedos usado no robô InMoov e o recriei usando parafusos em vez do projeto original. Os dedos são acionados por servos que puxam linha de pesca, que funciona como tendões artificiais.

O mecanismo de rotação do antebraço usa um rolamento 6916-2RS e projetei todas as peças mecânicas no Fusion.

Esta versão é apenas um protótipo. Ela é impressa em PLA e montada com parafusos zincados para manter os custos baixos durante os testes. A versão final será impressa em PETG e usará parafusos de aço inoxidável, insertos de latão termofixados e porcas autotravantes de nylon (porcas Nyloc) para maior resistência e durabilidade.

Infelizmente, ainda não consigo demonstrar todos os movimentos porque um dos canais do meu testador de servos está com defeito, então só consigo testar dois servos por vez em vez de três.

Agradeceria muito qualquer feedback ou sugestão. Estou aprimorando o projeto passo a passo antes de construir o robô humanoide completo.

I recently made a major update to my Control and Robotics learning repository and decided to keep the course materials freely accessible.

The repository now includes structured course folders with standalone HTML lecture pages, mathematical explanations, diagrams, and companion code examples for many lessons. The topics cover areas such as:

• Linear control
• Modern control
• System dynamics
• Robot kinematics and dynamics
• Robot control
• Advanced robotics
• Autonomous mobile robots

For some lessons, the code examples are provided in different languages/environments such as Python, C++, Java, MATLAB, and Wolfram/Mathematica, so the material can be studied from both the theory and implementation side.

Repo: https://github.com/mohammadijoo/Control_Robotics_Lab

I’m sharing it here in case it is useful for students, instructors, or self-learners working through control systems and robotics topics. I would also appreciate feedback, especially if you notice mistakes in equations, explanations, code examples, structure, or missing topics that would make the material more useful.

After designing and printing the gearbox in-house, it’s time to see how much torque it can actually handle. Early results look promising — more testing and improvements coming soon!

Hi,

I started working on an academic college project about VLAs (SmolVLA as I choose after some research) on the SO101 but thought to make it ruled by the FK and IK model of the robot it self as a safety measure for the model outputs.

The thing I want to ask about - because I'm kinda constrained with a time period that doesn't allow for that much trial and error, so I need to decide from the beginning with the path I'm choosing - is that is this a good path to go on (putting in mind that the needed end result will be a peer reviewed publishing).

If it is a good path then what is a good advice that you anyone have tried to go down this path can tell me, and if not what is the right pivot to be done for such requirements.

My background is a BS in mechatronics, and I have an intermediate level of knowledge in robotics and AI that make me comfortable around the subjects but with no prior detailed experience with such requirements and such topics.

From Booster Robotics on 𝕏: "One save. Countless hours of development.": https://x.com/boosterobotics/status/2073359730161103088