Jiminy-py

This release fixes a bunch of bugs mainly introduced by the previous one and extend the serialization to geometry models to support convex shapes.

Improvements

* [core] Add serialization of convex geometries.
* [python/viewer] Enhance lighting for panda3d.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core|python] Fix read/write of log files for HDF5 and CSV formats.
* [python/log] Fix deserialization of pinocchio models in log files with HDF5 format.
* [python/viewer] Fix flipped overlay for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix update color and improve except handling for legend.
* [python/viewer] Fix loading of Convex geometries.
* [python/viewer] Fix shadows on floor if available with EGL driver for panda3d.

Miscellaneous

* [misc] Fix wheel deploy for gym jiminy.
* [misc] Fix gym jiminy inter-dependencies.

It is now possible to dump the whole robot (including visual and collision meshes) in log files. These standalone log files can be replayed on any system without requiring any extra file. It is convenient for sharing simulation results and safe long-term backups.

New features

* [core] Enable serialization of geometry models optionally.

Improvements

* [core] Refactor telemetry to support binary object dump as constant.
* [core] Simulation time unit is now fixed to 1e-10.
* [core] Add option to force loading visual meshes.
* [python/simulator] 'plot' is blocking by default if not interactive.
* [python/log] Build robot from logged models.
* [python/viewer] Fallback to loading geometry if path not available.
* [python/viewer] Add option to render markers on background.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Fix definition of time unit in log files.
* [core] Fix reading of binary log files.
* [core] Fix writing log with no data available.
* [python/plot] Fig figure sometimes rendered blank.
* [python/plot] Fix figure offscreen rendering.
* [misc] Fix python importlib usage.
* [misc] Fix crash if optional python deps are missing.

Miscellaneous

* [core] Use dynamic and non-contiguous memory for telemetry.
* [misc] Update easy install dependencies ahead of deployment.
* [misc] Refactor CI to test building extension from pip install.

This release brings some minor performance improvements. The dependency management in Python has been rationalized to allow users to select desired features and prevent version incompatibilities. Support of Python 3.10 have been prepared to be distributed as soon as wheels for all dependencies will be available. Finally, deprecated documentation has been updated.

Improvements

* [core] Minor speed up of the constraint solver.
* [core] Speed up computation of 'JMinvJt' required for constraint solving.
* [core] Use same formula to compute tolerance for stepper and contact solver.
* [misc] Meshcat and Matplotlib are now an optional requirements (meshcat,plot).

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Update gravity attribute of theoretical model to match options.
* [core/python] HeightMapFunctor raises an exception if an output is unset.
* [python/viewer] Fix replay of multiple trajectories.

Miscellaneous

* [python/viewer] Do not enforce 'spawn' for meshcat.
* [python] Class attributes that must be set at init are no longer considered Optional.
* [misc] Fix support of avx2 instructions.
* [misc] Fix jiminy cmake library path discovery after update.
* [misc] Fix documentation and jupyter notebook tutorial.
* [misc] Fix support of Python 3.10 while building from source.
* [misc] Blacklist 'numpy>=1.21,<1.21.5' as it causes segfault of boost::python.
* [misc] Easy install script for ubuntu is now container-friendly.

A few bugs that have been introduced in the previous release and earlier have been fixed. Exception handling has been improved to diagnose if something is going wrong with the physics.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Fix joint constraint reverse flag.
* [core] Fix computation of ref contact position.
* [core] Better handling of integration failure.
* [core/python] Fix bindings class names and missing attributes.
* [misc] Fix documentation generation.

A new custom constraint solver has been implemented. It is more reliable and convergences faster (less than 10 iterations most of the time). The speed is about the same as before the addition of friction cone and maximum energy dissipation. Hardware compatibility issues of Panda3d with some integrated Intel GPU have been addressed and off-screen parallel rendering is now supported. Finally, the recording speed has been greatly improved with Panda3d (x2).

New features

* [core] Add random sensor jitter.
* [python/viewer] Add synchronous panda3d backend for subprocess rendering.
* [python/viewer] Support opening viewer without robot.

Improvements

* [core] Faster and more reliable constraint solver.
* [core] Avoid discontinuities at init by starting with contact enabled and adding transitionEps for joint bounds.
* [core] Faster computation of extra terms (subtree inertias and com, centroidal dynamics)
* [python/viewer] Dynamic update of available/default backend.
* [python/viewer] Speed-up x2 replay video recording for panda3d backend.
* [gym/common] Automatically render ground profile.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Fix potential mismatch between collision pairs and constraints.
* [core] Fix engine not reset at start if not done before.
* [core] Initialize stepper with smallest timestep to avoid peaks at init.
* [core] Enable config baumgarte freq for user-specified constraints.
* [core] Remove dedicated tolerance for PGS solver.
* [python/viewer] Fix support of Intel GPU for rendering and on-demand Nvidia with panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Default to sync panda3d backend if onscreen impossible.
* [python/viewer] Disable shader in headless mode with panda3d to avoid segfault.
* [python/viewer] Use physics-based shader on Intel GPU with Panda3d.
* [gym/common] Fix init sensor data proxy and send llc command.
* [gym/common] Use fastest modern rng 'SFC64'.

Miscellaneous

* [misc] Update ANYmal robot model.
* [misc] Add support of Gym<0.24.0.
* [misc] Fix support of ray==1.10.0

The overall stability and reliability has been improved, with a strong focus on the viewer. The support of 'gepetto-gui' has been dropped as it was platform-specific and missing key features.

New features

* [python/viewer] Drop support of 'gepetto-gui' backend. (482)
* [gym/common] Enable to provide custom robot to 'WalkerJiminyEnv'. (477)

Improvements

* [core] Always regenerate original flexible model at reset to allow manual overwrite of rigid original model. (475)
* [python/viewer] Fallback to generic direct connection through ipykernel for Meshcat (VSCode, Jupyterlab). (479)
* [python/viewer] More robust comm filtering for executing meshcat related requests out of order. (479)
* [python/viewer] Speed up frame capture and reduce CPU load in offscreen mode for panda3d backend. (481)
* [gym/rllib] PPO supports dict and box spaces for observation/action. (474)

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Fix segfault when adding unspecified constraint. (476)
* [core] Fix 'buildReducedModel' for pinocchio < 2.6.0. (477)
* [core] Fix segfault when initializing engine with null robot. (477)
* [python/viewer] Fix connection to existing meshcat process. (479)
* [python/viewer] Fix random segfault at exit for synchronous panda3d backend. (484)
* [gym/rllib] PPO L2 reg only on train params. (485)

Miscellaneous

* [gym/rllib] Refactor PPO implementation to support 'ray>=1.10.0'. (474) (485)
* [misc] Use Ctest for managing C++ unit tests. (475)

Co-authored-by: Alexis Duburcq <alexis.duburcqgmail.com>