Simulating Robotic Locomotion in Sand: Resistive Force Theory in an Open-Source Physics Engine (opens in new tab)

Recent advancements in Resistive Force Theory (RFT) enable approximation of ground reaction forces for locomotion in sand without the computational expense of modeling interactions with individual grains. However, these tools have been absent in 3D physics engines commonly used for robot simulation. We explore if resistive force approximations are sufficient, when integrated with standard dynamics calculations, to provide a stable substrate for ...