Clearpath Robotics design technologies and software

Software modeling is important for robotics. Clearpath Robotics uses Maplesoft’s MapleSim, an intuitive multidomain modeling and simulation environment including mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, thermal, and signal-flow systems.

By Paul Goossens May 30, 2012

For robotic design, especially for automated guided vehicles, Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics, explained that “Maplesoft’s MapleSim is an incredibly attractive tool for highly efficient multidomain systems modeling” with “potential to completely change the way we design robots."

MapleSim is a high-performance physical modeling and simulation software tool from Maplesoft that uses a sophisticated symbolic computation engine to handle all complex mathematics involved in the development of engineering models. MapleSim has an intuitive multidomain modeling and simulation environment including mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, thermal, and signal-flow systems.

MapleSim helps overcome these challenges because of its exceptional 3-D multibody dynamics and multidomain modeling capabilities.

Clearpath Robotics works with other software tools, which “still need to be manually coupled into our models and design process. …With MapleSim, we can eliminate these hurdles; everybody is able to work on a single model,” said Gariepy, expressing excitement about the software.

Since MapleSim models can be highly parameterized, it provides an ideal rapid prototyping environment for creating new designs.

“MapleSim models have fewer equations than others. Its symbolic approach takes care of the grunt work and computes quickly. It’s all that we’re looking for in a tool,” concluded Gariepy.

– Paul Goossens is vice president, applications engineering, Maplesoft. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager CFE Media, Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, and Consulting-Specifying Engineer. Hoske can be reached at mhoske@cfemedia.com.

www.maplesoft.com

www.clearpathrobotics.com

See related article on multi-domain modeling, linked below.