Warning
Warning: Unity Simulation is deprecated as of December 2023, and is no longer available.
Use a predefined vehicle model
If you don't have a specific model yet and want to continue on through the guides, you can use one of our pre-defined models!
Unity AMR
The Unity AMR is a basic mobile robot with differential drive. It can be used for transporting packages placed on top of the flat top surface and other similar tasks.
The Unity AMR consists of two driving wheels in the middle controlled via differential drive, responsible for going forwards or backwards and turning. It also has four caster wheels on the corners to keep it level with the ground.
The mass of the robot is about 100 kg.
Download and import the whole folder containing the URDF file for the Unity AMR from the Vehicle Controllers repository into your scene. This is because the URDF depends on some of the assets to be alongside it during import.
You should delete the "Controller" Script that is attached on the vehicle root GameObject after importing a URDF file as it is a very basic controller and we will be adding controllers that better fit our needs later!
Navigate to the right and left wheel link Collision GameObjects and replace existing MeshColliders with SphereColliders.
The reason for this is that even a very detailed MeshCollider with many faces will introduce "bumpiness" to the ride as its edges roll over a surface. The edges of SphereColliders, on the other hand, are perfect circles which roll smoothly over surfaces, resulting in a more accurate simulation of wheels.
You should now have the Unity AMR in your scene ready for the next step!
Unity Forklift
We have created a rough representation of what a forklift robot could look like in a warehouse setting, driven either autonomously or by user input and able to execute various package loading, transport and unloading tasks.
The forklift consists of two driving wheels in the back, meant to be used with an Ackermann steering drive and four caster wheels in the front. The mast has four levels of extension - vertical joint for upwards motion, a longitudinal joint for extending the fork forward, a lateral joint for moving the fork sideways and a tilter joint for tilting the fork once the package is being transported.
The physical mass of the robot comes up to around 600 kg.
Download and import the whole folder containing the URDF file for the Unity Forklift robot from the Vehicle Controllers repository into your scene. This is because the URDF depends on some of the assets to be alongside it during import.
You should delete the "Controller" Script that is attached on the vehicle root GameObject after importing a URDF file as it is a very basic controller and we will be adding controllers that better fit our needs later!
You should now have the Unity Forklift model in your scene!
NOTE: If your forklift has pink wheels, it's probably because you are using the built-in renderer for your project. Just navigate to the material used by the wheels and change their shader to a Standard Diffuse one.
Unity Three-Wheeled Forklift
Alongside the Ackermann steering forklift, we know there is a popular model of a vehicle with a single driving wheel. That is why we also prepared a three-wheeled forklift!
It uses a single driving wheel in the back to rotate the robot and drive it forwards or backwards. The two front wheels are only meant to support the robot. Here you can see what it looks like in action! (The back chassis has been made invisible to demonstrate the back driving wheel)
The elevator on this model only supports vertical motion and the physical mass of the robot comes up to around 600 kg.
Download and import the URDF file for the Unity Three-Wheeled Forklift from the Vehicle Controllers repository into your scene. In this case, the forklift model is simplistic and doesn't have any additional files, so the URDF can be imported to the project as a standalone.
You should delete the "Controller" Script that is attached on the vehicle root GameObject after importing a URDF file as it is a very basic controller and we will be adding controllers that better fit our needs later!
You should now have the Unity Three-Wheeled Forklift model in your scene!