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Weekly Spotlights

This page is a collection of weekly spotlights that highlight the progress of the Object Manipulation team. Each spotlight is a summary of the work done by the team in a week.

2025-03-27

This includes both weeks from 2025-03-07 to 2025-03-20

News

  • First pick of the year

Done

  • Succesful tests on simulation and real life ---> not a line of code modified on sim2real
  • GPD connection to ROS2
  • 2D Detection handler to ease use of 2d object detection
  • Documentation on running pick and place methods and all nodes necessary for receptionist

Pick on Simulation:

image

In Progress

  • Planning of the next phase of the project:
    • New motion planning methods
    • Accelerating 3D perception
    • Constrained Planning
    • Task-specific work
  • Place methods and tests
  • Accelerating perception 3D methods
  • Looking for new GPDs

Notes

  • Our additions to the pick pipeline show a SIGNIFICANT improvement in planning time, from several minutes to less than 10 seconds.
  • We will begin the SOTA phase to improve all areas of the pipeline:
    • Faster Motion planning
    • Optimized Motion Planning
    • Better GPDs

2025-03-20

This includes both weeks from 2025-03-07 to 2025-03-20

News

  • We got early results on the March 15th demo.

Done

  • Pick server, which handles all motion planning to pick objects
  • Manipulation Core, that communicates with detector, GPD and pick server
  • Manipulation Server, which communicates external systems e.g. task manager, with the manipulation core
  • Object detector 2D with 3D point extraction
  • Object 3D extraction -> Clustering and mesh reconstruction
    • We added a new method to accelerate planning by reconstructing the table as a box and the object as a set of spheres instead of a mesh
  • Gazebo simulation and moveit config seem to be all ready to use
  • Octomap working now on ZED input
  • Pick using 3D object extraction and pick server

In Progress

  • Grasping pose detection connection to ROS2
  • Service to handle updating recent detections to avoid subscribers on many nodes
  • Integration of detection and GPD on Manipulation Core
  • Planning of the next phase of the project:
    • New motion planning methods
    • Accelerating 3D perception
    • Constrained Planning
    • Task-specific work

Notes

  • Moveit2 seems to have no real benefits over Moveit1 apart from the constrained planning feature. We expect other changes, such as the primitive object reconstruction to solve old planning time issues.
  • All code so far has not been migrated to ROS2 from its version on home-manipulation, but reworked and replanned for better maintainability and flexibility.

2025-03-06

News

  • no news

Done

  • Object Detector 2D working with 2D, no 3D yet
  • Refactored Motion Planning and Object Detector code
  • Dashgo moveit config working
  • Working gripper with xarm_api
  • Working Action Services and services for most motion planning tasks (plan, execute, collision objects)
  • Demo for scholarships (??)

In Progress

  • Object 2D projection to 3D
  • Object 3D extraction -> Clustering and mesh reconstruction
  • Full pick pipeline tests
  • Grasping pose detection
  • Working octomap from zed input
  • Gazebo simulation

Notes

  • We seem to be on track for good results on March 15th :)

2025-02-27

News

  • Welcoming new team member: Ricardo Guerrero
  • New team for the February-May period:
    • Iván Romero Wells
    • José Luis Dominguez
    • David Vázquez
    • Alexis Chapa
    • Alejandro González
    • Ricardo Guerrero
    • Gerardo Fregoso
    • Yair Reyes
    • Emiliano Flores

This is the largest team we have had so far, with 9 members.

Done

  • Table/Surface extraction migrated
  • MoveIt2 interface on Python integrated within subtask manager

In Progress

  • Object 2D detection and extraction
  • Object 3D extraction -> Clustering and mesh reconstruction
  • Pick and Place server for motion planning

Notes

  • A pick and place demo has been scheduled for March 15th, which will mark the start of development into the next phase of the project, involving new motion planning methods and accelerating 3D perception.
  • A pick and place demo has been scheduled for March 15th, which will mark the start of develoomoent into the next phase of the project, involving new motion planning methods and accelerating 3D perception.