The document discusses how MATLAB and Simulink can be used for robot simulation and implementation, highlighting several robotics projects that used these tools including simulating a Tesla Roadster and developing thought-controlled prosthetics. It then demonstrates how algorithms developed in MATLAB and Simulink can be tested in robot simulators like Gazebo and on physical robots through ROS, and how Simulink models can be converted to C++ code to deploy as standalone ROS nodes.

1. 1© 2015 The MathWorks, Inc.
Using MATLAB and Simulink for Robot
Simulation and Implementation
Yanliang Zhang (Ph.D.)
Robotics Product and Industry Manager
Yanliang.Zhang@mathworks.com
RoboUniverse, 5/11/2015

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Tesla Roadster:
Whole Car Simulated using Simulink

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Orion Spacecraft
Successful first flight
(unmanned) Dec. 5, 2014

4. 4
Thought‐controlled prosthetics

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#1 (tied) Drone Formation Flying – University of Sydney

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Smart Emergency Response System

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Move from Simulation to Implementation?
Hand convert
to C/C++
node?
Simulation Implementation

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Demos…
1. Airplane Wing Landing Gear Control
2. Design and Test Robotics Algorithms Robots or
Simulators with MATLAB
3. Design and Test Robotics Algorithms Robots or
Simulators with Simulink

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Demo1 Overview: Airplane Wing Landing Gear
Control
Switch to Demo

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Demo 2 Overview: Design and Test Robotics
Algorithms
Prototype
algorithms
(e.g., Path Planning)
in MATLAB
Test algorithms
with ROS-enabled
Simulators such
as Gazebo
Test algorithms on
a Robot
and
analyze the
performance with
rosbag
Switch to Demo

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Demo 2: Design and Test Robotics Algorithms
• Prototype a path-planning algorithm in MATLAB

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Demo 2: Design and Test Robotics Algorithms
• Test it with Gazebo through MATLAB-ROS Interface

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Demo 2: Design and Test Robotics Algorithms
• Test it with a physical robot running ROS

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Demo 2: Design and Test Robotics Algorithms
• Analyze the performance by reading rosbag files

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Demo 3 Overview: Generate a ROS Node from
a Simulink Model
Prototype
algorithms
(e.g., Collision
Avoidance)
in Simulink
Test algorithms
with a ROS-
enabled Simulator
or Robot
Generate a
standalone ROS
node from the
Simulink Model
Switch to Demo

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Demo 3: Generate a ROS Node from a
Simulink Model
• Connect Simulink Model to a ROS network to simulate a Collision
Avoidance algorithm

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Demo 3: Generate a ROS Node from a
Simulink Models
• Convert Simulink model to C++ code for a standalone ROS node

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Demo 3: Generate a ROS Node from a
Simulink Model
• Verify the generated ROS node

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Key Features of Robotics System Toolbox (v1.0)
• MATLAB-ROS Interface
• Simulink-ROS Interface
• Robotics Algorithms
• Comprehensive Demos

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Key Takeaways
 Robot simulation is important
 Moving from simulation to implementation is easy,
especially if you use MATLAB/Simulink
 MathWorks new launched Robotics System Toolbox
has seamless integration between MATLAB/Simulink
and ROS and Gazebo

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Thank You…
Yanliang Zhang (Ph.D.)
Robotics Product and Industry Manager
Yanliang.Zhang@mathworks.com