Real Robot Safety

CAUTION

Real robot testing

  • Never test alone. Work with your team.
  • Keep a hand on the E-stop at all times.
  • Don't trust your simulation. Expect a sim-to-real gap.

In this course, you will deploy your trained policy on the real robot. Read this page before every hardware test.

Don’t trust your simulation result. A policy that walks perfectly in simulation can behave very differently on the real robot. There is always a sim-to-real gap, from actuator differences, friction, delay, sensor noise, and assembly variations. Expect the unexpected.

Rules for every hardware test

  1. Never test alone. Always run tests together with your team members in the class.
  2. Keep a hand on the emergency stop. One person’s only job is the E-stop, ready to press it at any moment. Press it as soon as anything looks wrong. Don’t wait to see what happens.
  3. Keep clear of the robot. Stay out of the robot’s reach, especially its legs, while it is powered.

When in doubt, press the E-stop. A stopped test can be restarted; a broken robot or an injury can’t be undone.

Before you deploy

  • Check the E-stop works before you run a policy: press it and confirm the motors lose power.
  • Start small. Try the policy on a supported or lifted robot first, with low commands, before letting it walk freely.
  • Check the hardware. Look for loose bolts, damaged wires, and correct battery levels.
  • Clear the area around the robot.

See the Body System page for how the emergency stop is wired into the power circuit.