V-REP 2.5.11

V-REP 2.5.11 offers users with an interesting and convenient to use program which is designed to edit and simulate whole robotic systems, or sub-systems (e.g. sensors, mechanisms, etc.). It offers a multitude of functionalities that can be easily integrated and combined through an exhaustive API and script functionality. V-REP is used for remote monitoring, hardware control, fast prototyping and verification, fast algorithm development / parameter adjustment, safety double-checking, robotics-related education, factory automation simulations, etc. 

Major Features:

1. Distributed control:
   • Script driven. Fully customizable simulations through an unlimited number of simultaneously operating scripts (threaded or non-threaded). C/C++ API function calls are of course also supported
2. Powerful API:
   • More than 300 clean, fine-grained, and well-documented API functions, available from the C/C++ and Lua side (other languages capable of API calls also usable)
3. Compact and Lightweight:
   • The whole application fits into 6 Mb, no dependency installations are required. Simulation scenes and models can be saved as a single compressed file, loading operation is blazingly fast
4. Dynamics/Physics:
   • Fast and customizable dynamics calculations to simulate real-world physics and object interactions (collision response, grasping, etc.). The user can select one of two physics engines (Bullet or ODE)
5. Inverse/Forward Kinematics
   • Inverse/forward kinematics calculations for any type of mechanism (branched, closed, redundant, containing nested loops, etc.). A hybrid mode allows applying calculated joint values as dynamic control values
6. Dynamic particles:
   • V-REP supports customizable particles that can be used to simulate air or water jets, jet engines, propellers, etc.
7. Collision Detection:
   • Fast interference checking between any meshes or collection of meshes, with optional collision contour calculation
8. Minimum Distance Calculation:
   • Fast and exact minimum distance calculation between any meshes (convex, concave, open, closed) or collection of meshes
9. Cutting Simulation:
   • Simulation of surface cutting operations using various customizable cutting tool shapes
10. Proximity Sensor Simulation:
    • Powerful, realistic and exact proximity sensor simulation, fully customizable. Performs an exact minimum distance calculation within a customizable detection volume
11. Visual-Type Sensor Simulation:
    • Simulation of visual-type sensors with many built-in image processing filters, fully customizable and extendable (e.g. via plugin)
12. Force/Torque Sensor Simulation
    • Force and torque sensors can record applied forces or torques, and react to threshold overshoot by breaking apart
13. Path Planning:
    • Holonomic path planning in 2-6 dimensions, and non holonomic path planning for car-like vehicles. Custom path planning algorithms are also supported
14. Data Recording and Visualization
    • A large variety of recordable data streams (including user-defined) can display time-graphs, or can be combined with each other to form x/y-graphs, or 3D curves
15. Custom User Interfaces
    • Unlimited number of fully customizable user interface elements, with integrated edit mode. Custom Windows-style dialogs are of course also supported through plugins
16. Integrated Edit Modes
    • Next to the regular scene edition/composition, special edit modes are also supported, including mesh edit modes (including a semi-automatic primitive shape extraction method) or the path/trajectory edit mode
17. Easy CAD Data Import/Export
    • Following file formats are supported (also when called through the API): DXF, 3DS, OBJ, STL (ASCII & binary)
18. Fully Customizable
    • The simulator itself can be customized at various levels: by writing a customized client application, or by writing plugins
19. Full-Featured Scene Hierarchy:
    • The scene composition is intuitively visualized in a scene hierarchy view, indicating object names, types, associated control scripts, loop closures, selection and visibility states, warnings, etc.
20. Convenient Model Browser
    • The integrated model browser supports drag-and-drop operations (also during simulation!) for convenient scene composition. The available model library, updated at each release, can be easily extended by the user
21. Full Interaction
    • Full interaction also during simulations: models, together with their associated behavior (i.e. scripts) can be shifted, rotated, copy/pasted, scaled, erased, etc. without having to adjust any code
22. Free for Students:
    • Students can benefit from the full V-REP functionality for free as long as they use it at home on their private PC
23. Free Player Version
    • A free V-REP player version is available, and allows running and interacting with V-REP simulations
24. Many More features!
    • E.g. multilevel undo/redo, four in-parallel running simulator instances, AVI recorder, simulation of wireless communications, simulation of paint or welding seams, static and dynamic textures, exhaustive documentation, etc.

Requirements:

• OS: Windows XP/Vista/Seven (other Windows versions not tested). Linux and Mac versions are in preparation.
• CPU: >300 (Passmark CPU Rating)
• RAM: >=512 MB
• Storage capacity: >50 MB
• Video card: >200 (Passmark G3D Rating) (a good video card (i.e. hardware accelerated) is a crucial element)
• Monitor resolution: >=1024x768