Examples

Overview

The RaiSim binary distribution ships runnable C++ examples and rayrai tools. Use server examples such as primitive_grid, rayrai examples such as rayrai_pbr_material_grid, and non-visual tools such as model_asset_pipeline to exercise RaiSim physics APIs, mesh import/export, OpenUSD mesh loading, and rayrai asset inspection. Use rayrai_tcp_viewer to inspect applications that publish a raisim::World through raisim::RaisimServer. RaisimUnity and RaisimUnreal are no longer supported.

Run

Run examples from the installed package bin directory:

<raisim-install>/bin/primitive_grid
<raisim-install>/bin/rayrai_pbr_material_grid

On Windows, use the .exe executable from the installed package bin directory:

C:\path\to\raisim\bin\primitive_grid.exe

If the runtime loader cannot find shared libraries, use the platform-specific environment setup before running examples:

source /path/to/raisim2Lib/raisim_env.sh

This script sets LD_LIBRARY_PATH on Linux and DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on macOS.

.\raisim_env.ps1

raisim_env.bat

Visualization modes

There are two visualization paths. See Visualization for the full workflow comparison.

RaisimServer examples

Server examples such as primitive_grid create a RaiSim world and publish it through raisim::RaisimServer. They do not open a renderer window themselves. Start rayrai_tcp_viewer, then run the example:

# Terminal 1
<raisim-install>/bin/rayrai_tcp_viewer

# Terminal 2
<raisim-install>/bin/primitive_grid

The default server port is 8080 unless the example changes it. Use this path when you want to inspect the same simulation data that a normal RaisimServer application publishes.

Rayrai examples

Examples such as rayrai_pbr_material_grid, rayrai_pbr_texture_maps, and rayrai_visual_asset_support create or use a raisin::RayraiWindow directly and render in process. They do not need the TCP viewer:

<raisim-install>/bin/rayrai_pbr_material_grid

Prefer these examples when you need camera images, GPU/offscreen rendering, PBR materials, glTF visual import, or standalone rayrai feature inspection. USD visual meshes can also be loaded through RayraiWindow::addVisualMesh; see OpenUSD Loading for the importer scope.

Non-visual examples

Some examples are intended to print output or create files rather than show a window. model_asset_pipeline writes preprocessed and exported OBJ files to /tmp/raisim_model_asset_pipeline_example.

Example layout

The installed package groups examples by executable behavior:

Group	Purpose
Server examples	Installed examples for RaiSim physics, contact, terrain, sensor, robot, XML/MJCF, and OpenUSD scene workflows.
rayrai_*	rayrai tools and standalone renderer examples.

Choosing an example

Start with these targets when learning a specific feature:

Target	Demonstrates
primitive_grid	Basic rigid primitive creation and RaisimServer publishing.
model_asset_pipeline	Mesh preprocessing, content-hash cache reuse, addMesh with processed assets, and OBJ export from a world.
shadow_hand_usd_cube	Loading an OpenUSD ShadowHand scene through World(shadow_hand.usd) with a textured cube visual and publishing it through RaisimServer.
nvidia_usd_robots	Loading vetted NVIDIA Isaac Sim robot USD scenes through the World constructor and publishing them through RaisimServer.
rayrai_pbr_material_grid	Inspecting metallic-roughness PBR material behavior under rayrai.
rayrai_visual_asset_support	Importing glTF/GLB visual scenes with PBR materials, authored lights, and reflection-probe sidecars.
rayrai_coacd_mesh_approximation	Visually comparing original meshes and CoACD convex approximation parts generated through World::addMesh.
rayrai_tcp_viewer	The TCP visualizer used by RaisimServer examples.

Runtime assets

Some targets depend on bundled assets or platform runtime packages:

• OpenUSD loading uses the package’s bundled OpenUSD runtime and USD files; keep the openusd runtime directory and rsc assets with the installed package. OpenUSD examples are skipped by CMake only when the selected RaiSim package is too old to expose USD scene loading.

• Rayrai examples require SDL2/OpenGL and rayrai runtime libraries.

• Poly Haven and PBR asset examples require the corresponding assets under rsc.

List available examples by inspecting the installed package bin directory:

ls <raisim-install>/bin

Current Package Examples

• granular_media

Benchmark Examples

• articulated_system_benchmark
• anymal_standing_benchmark

Rayrai Tools And Examples

• Rayrai Example: Basic Scene
• Rayrai Example: Complete Showcase
• rayrai_blender_scene_import
• Rayrai Example: RGB Camera
• Rayrai Example: Depth Camera
• Rayrai Example: LiDAR Pointcloud
• Rayrai Example: Aruco Marker
• Rayrai Example: Custom Visuals
• Rayrai Example: Instancing Grid
• Rayrai Example: Pointcloud Animation
• Rayrai Example: PBR Material Grid
• Rayrai Example: PBR Texture Maps
• Rayrai Example: Quality Lighting and FXAA
• rayrai_visual_asset_support
• Rayrai Example: CoACD Mesh Approximation
• Rayrai Example: Runtime Scene Editing
• Rayrai Example: Rolling And Spinning Friction
• Rayrai Example: Swept CCD
• Rayrai Example: TCP Viewer

Server Examples

• Server Example: Compound Object
• Server Example: Deformable Objects
• Server Example: Dynamic Heightmap
• Server Example: Dynamic Object Addition
• Server Example: Dzhanibekov Effect
• granular_media
• Server Example: Heightmap From Png
• Server Example: Inverse Dynamics
• Server Example: Kinematic Platform
• Server Example: Length Constraints Newtons Cradle
• Server Example: Material Restitution
• Server Example: Material Static Friction
• Server Example: Mesh Stack
• Server Example: Minitaur PD
• mjcf_gymnasium_hopper
• mjcf_gymnasium_humanoid
• mjcf_gymnasium_walker2d
• Server Example: Model Asset Pipeline
• Server Example: NVIDIA USD Robots
• Server Example: Object Lifecycle Stress
• Server Example: Primitive Grid
• Server Example: Procedural Heightmap
• Server Example: Ray Casting
• Server Example: Ray Scan LiDAR
• Server Example: Sphere Drop
• Server Example: Spring Damper Joints
• Server Example: Shadow Hand USD Cube
• Server Example: Templated Tracked Robot
• Server Example: Visual Objects Showcase
• Server Example: Wheeled Robot Force Control
• ycb_objects
• ANYmal Pair
• Atlas
• Hill1 Heightmap
• Kinova Arm
• Lake1 Heightmap
• Mountain1 Heightmap
• Office1 Scene

XML Examples

• XML Example: Templated World
• XML Example: World Loader