URDF robot visualizer

Visualize robot models from URDF files with interactive joint controls.

Requires yourdfpy and robot_descriptions. Any URDF supported by yourdfpy should work.

• https://github.com/robot-descriptions/robot_descriptions.py

• https://github.com/clemense/yourdfpy

Features:

• viser.extras.ViserUrdf for URDF file parsing and visualization

• Interactive joint sliders for robot articulation

• Real-time robot pose updates

• Support for local URDF files and robot_descriptions library

Source: examples/04_demos/02_urdf_visualizer.py

Code

from __future__ import annotations

import time
from typing import Literal

import numpy as np
import tyro
from robot_descriptions.loaders.yourdfpy import load_robot_description

import viser
from viser.extras import ViserUrdf


def create_robot_control_sliders(
    server: viser.ViserServer, viser_urdf: ViserUrdf
) -> tuple[list[viser.GuiInputHandle[float]], list[float]]:
    slider_handles: list[viser.GuiInputHandle[float]] = []
    initial_config: list[float] = []
    for joint_name, (
        lower,
        upper,
    ) in viser_urdf.get_actuated_joint_limits().items():
        lower = lower if lower is not None else -np.pi
        upper = upper if upper is not None else np.pi
        initial_pos = 0.0 if lower < -0.1 and upper > 0.1 else (lower + upper) / 2.0
        slider = server.gui.add_slider(
            label=joint_name,
            min=lower,
            max=upper,
            step=1e-3,
            initial_value=initial_pos,
        )
        slider.on_update(  # When sliders move, we update the URDF configuration.
            lambda _: viser_urdf.update_cfg(
                np.array([slider.value for slider in slider_handles])
            )
        )
        slider_handles.append(slider)
        initial_config.append(initial_pos)
    return slider_handles, initial_config


def main(
    robot_type: Literal[
        "panda",
        "ur10",
        "cassie",
        "allegro_hand",
        "barrett_hand",
        "robotiq_2f85",
        "atlas_drc",
        "g1",
        "h1",
        "anymal_c",
        "go2",
    ] = "panda",
    load_meshes: bool = True,
    load_collision_meshes: bool = False,
) -> None:
    # Start viser server.
    server = viser.ViserServer()
    server.initial_camera.position = (1.2, 1.2, 1.2)

    # Load URDF.
    #
    # This takes either a yourdfpy.URDF object or a path to a .urdf file.
    urdf = load_robot_description(
        robot_type + "_description",
        load_meshes=load_meshes,
        build_scene_graph=load_meshes,
        load_collision_meshes=load_collision_meshes,
        build_collision_scene_graph=load_collision_meshes,
    )
    viser_urdf = ViserUrdf(
        server,
        urdf_or_path=urdf,
        load_meshes=load_meshes,
        load_collision_meshes=load_collision_meshes,
        collision_mesh_color_override=(1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.5),
    )

    # Create sliders in GUI that help us move the robot joints.
    with server.gui.add_folder("Joint position control"):
        (slider_handles, initial_config) = create_robot_control_sliders(
            server, viser_urdf
        )

    # Add visibility checkboxes.
    with server.gui.add_folder("Visibility"):
        show_meshes_cb = server.gui.add_checkbox(
            "Show meshes",
            viser_urdf.show_visual,
        )
        show_collision_meshes_cb = server.gui.add_checkbox(
            "Show collision meshes", viser_urdf.show_collision
        )

    @show_meshes_cb.on_update
    def _(_):
        viser_urdf.show_visual = show_meshes_cb.value

    @show_collision_meshes_cb.on_update
    def _(_):
        viser_urdf.show_collision = show_collision_meshes_cb.value

    # Hide checkboxes if meshes are not loaded.
    show_meshes_cb.visible = load_meshes
    show_collision_meshes_cb.visible = load_collision_meshes

    # Set initial robot configuration.
    viser_urdf.update_cfg(np.array(initial_config))

    # Create grid.
    trimesh_scene = viser_urdf._urdf.scene or viser_urdf._urdf.collision_scene
    server.scene.add_grid(
        "/grid",
        width=2,
        height=2,
        position=(
            0.0,
            0.0,
            # Get the minimum z value of the trimesh scene.
            trimesh_scene.bounds[0, 2] if trimesh_scene is not None else 0.0,
        ),
    )

    # Create joint reset button.
    reset_button = server.gui.add_button("Reset")

    @reset_button.on_click
    def _(_):
        for s, init_q in zip(slider_handles, initial_config):
            s.value = init_q

    # Sleep forever.
    while True:
        time.sleep(10.0)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    tyro.cli(main)