MuJoCo : Modular design. Pt: 1

🔧 In this video, we dive into applying modular design principles in MuJoCo by combining separately modeled components — like a conveyor belt and a pneumatic cylinder — into one functional simulation. This tutorial builds on previous modeling efforts and demonstrates how to reuse and manage complex systems using the new mujoco model structure, custom prefixes, and coordinated control programs. 🎯 Key steps covered: ✔ Importing modular XML models with attach ✔ Grouping components under named body tags ✔ Using touch sensors for modular compatibility ✔ Managing actuator and sensor naming with prefixes ✔ Creating complex layouts with multiple instances ✔ Organizing assets and mesh files ✔ Controlling all components in one unified simulation 📘 Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & Overview What you’ll learn in this tutorial and the goals of modular modeling in MuJoCo. 00:06 - Recap: Conveyor & Pneumatic Cylinder Models Briefly revisiting models created in previous tutorials. 00:19 - Goal: Building a Modular Simulation How to design a clean, scalable simulation using multiple reusable components. 00:27 - Why Modular? Advantages of using modular design for complex robotic systems. 00:45 - Refactoring the Conveyor XML Encapsulating the conveyor parts into one named body. 01:08 - Updating Sensor Types for Compatibility Switching to touch sensors for easier integration. 01:32 - Mesh File Organization Ensuring your mesh assets are correctly placed for import. 01:48 - Creating a Visual Environment Using MuJoCo visuals to improve your simulation aesthetics. 02:16 - Defining model Assets Referencing external models inside your main XML using asset blocks. 02:50 - Using attach to Add Components Importing individual models and positioning them in the world body. 03:35 - Adding Multiple Conveyors Instancing multiple conveyors with different prefixes and positions. 04:09 - Prefixing for Clean Namespaces Preventing conflicts by automatically prefixing actuator/sensor names. 04:34 - Importing the Pneumatic Cylinders Adding multiple cylinder models to the simulation. 05:02 - Final Layout Overview The complete scene with conveyors, cylinders, and a box for testing. 05:11 - What’s Next: Control Programs Preview of the upcoming tutorial covering sensor access and control logic. 💡 Whether you're building factory simulations or robotic systems, modular design is key to scalable, maintainable models in MuJoCo. This video sets the foundation for larger, multi-part simulations. 📌 Subscribe to stay updated as we continue developing this system with full control logic and task automation! 📁 Files – https://github.com/felixokolo/MuJoCo_tutorials #MuJoCo #Robotics #Simulation #ModularDesign #Automation #DigitalTwin #PhysicsSimulation #RobotControl #MechanicalDesign #MujocoTutorial #FactorySimulation #OpenSourceRobotics #STL #MuJoCoXML