Technology Category
Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor FusionComputer Vision: Low Level & Physics-based VisionCognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Simulating Human Behavior
MEbots: Integrating a RISC-V Virtual Platform with a Robotic Simulator for Energy-aware Design
🤖 AI Summary
Existing virtual platforms (VPs) lack environmental interaction capabilities, while robotic simulators omit precise timing and power modeling—hindering full-stack co-verification for low-power autonomous systems. This paper introduces the first open-source co-simulation framework that tightly integrates the MESSY RISC-V virtual platform with the Webots robot simulator. Leveraging a hybrid C++/Python interface and a real-time power–environment coupling mechanism, it enables task-level, energy-aware, end-to-end closed-loop simulation. The framework bridges a critical capability gap by unifying high-fidelity power/timing modeling with dynamic physical environment interaction—previously unsupported in either VPs or robotics simulators. It facilitates quantitative evaluation and optimization of dynamic power management strategies under realistic operational scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate significantly improved design efficiency and verification completeness for low-power autonomous systems.
Technology Category
Application Category
📝 Abstract
Virtual Platforms (VPs) enable early software validation of autonomous systems' electronics, reducing costs and time-to-market. While many VPs support both functional and non-functional simulation (e.g., timing, power), they lack the capability of simulating the environment in which the system operates. In contrast, robotics simulators lack accurate timing and power features. This twofold shortcoming limits the effectiveness of the design flow, as the designer can not fully evaluate the features of the solution under development. This paper presents a novel, fully open-source framework bridging this gap by integrating a robotics simulator (Webots) with a VP for RISC-V-based systems (MESSY). The framework enables a holistic, mission-level, energy-aware co-simulation of electronics in their surrounding environment, streamlining the exploration of design configurations and advanced power management policies.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Bridging gap between robotics simulators and Virtual Platforms
Enabling energy-aware co-simulation for RISC-V systems
Integrating environment simulation with functional power analysis
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Integrates RISC-V Virtual Platform with robotic simulator
Enables holistic energy-aware co-simulation of electronics
Streamlines design configuration and power management
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