Software for robotic simulation

The last few years have witnessed a large increase in use of computer graphics to simulate the robotic performance. The utilization of graphic simulation and programming has greatly enhanced the design, control, and productivity of robotic applications, especially in manufacturing. When designing and controlling robotic systems, computer graphics can be used to evaluate how the robot will react to and perform within the production environment before significant time, capital, and expense are incurred. Graphic simulation enables the designer not only to select the right robot but also to program it to perform the task in the most efficient way. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent advances in graphic techniques and to evaluate available software packages for simulating the motion of robots. The equipment associated with the software packages is also discussed.