Opening up a physics simulator for robotics

When you walk, your feet make contact with the ground. When you write, your fingers make contact with the pen. Physical contacts are what makes interaction with the world possible. Yet, for such a common occurrence, contact is a surprisingly complex phenomenon. Taking place at microscopic scales at the interface of two bodies, contacts can be soft or stiff, bouncy or spongy, slippery or sticky. It’s no wonder our fingertips have four different types of touch-sensors. This subtle complexity makes simulating physical contact — a vital component of robotics research — a tricky task.