A BBC feature looks at increasingly sophisticated simulation systems used to train robots for the physical world. These environments let developers work on how machines respond to tasks and surroundings.
The original report explains the systems and examples behind this approach. Progress in a simulated environment does not by itself establish performance in every real-world setting.
Practice before deployment
The BBC visited Cambridge-based Vsim, where developers demonstrated a robot handling a bottle after training in simulation. Virtual environments allow repeated practice without repeating every physical movement in a room. Transferring a learned behaviour into an unpredictable home or workplace remains a separate challenge, particularly for fine manipulation.
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