DyNAMO
DyNAMO advances cognitive robotics by bridging perception, reasoning, and action — an integrated framework for dynamic navigation and manipulation, carried from simulation through to real hardware.
A cognitive robotic system built to adapt to unstructured environments and learn through interaction. It pairs foundation-model reasoning with classical navigation and control to reach versatile, robust behavior in real-world settings.
Objective
Integrate navigation, manipulation, and reasoning
Dynamo demonstrates an integrated system where a humanoid robot identifies, grasps, and places objects while working with an autonomously navigating mobile base. The core challenge is Sim2Real transfer: behavior developed in simulation must survive the noise and constraints of physical operation.
Research question
Can navigation and manipulation developed in simulation transfer to real hardware as one integrated system — and how reliably does each subsystem hold up under physical conditions?
Experiment log
G1 and Ridgeback teleoperation in simulation
The G1 upper body with Dex1 dexterous hands and the Ridgeback are loaded into one NVIDIA Isaac Sim scene. The operator teleoperates the G1 to perform manipulation next to the Ridgeback.
Outcome·This verifies that the teleoperation interface works in Isaac Sim and that both robots can share the same workspace for the final object-placement task.
Milestones
11 videos
Mobile base
Nav2 + explorationRidgeback navigation
Mapping · Path planning · Hardware-facing runs
Manipulator
Teleop + policy interfaceUnitree G1 control
Command timing · Safety boundaries · Manipulation trials
Simulation
Repeatable test scenesIsaac Lab pipeline
USD environments · Synthetic scenarios · Sim2Real validation
Integration
Mobility + manipulationInterface contracts
Scene state · Perception links · Evidence loop