Frank Emika Panda Pick-and-Place Controls Simulations

Check out the videos from this project below to see the Franka Panda arm complete a full pick-and-place sequence in simulation. For MENG 405, I implemented the full control pipeline, inverse kinematics through trajectory generation to torque-level control. IK is computed numerically using the Jacobian pseudoinverse method and an SE(3) error twist, motions are timed with quintic polynomial scaling for smooth accelerations, and execution runs through a PD-plus-inverse-dynamics controller that uses the arm's live mass matrix and bias forces for accurate torque commands. The robot picks up a randomly placed cube and places it at a second randomized target, tracking position and orientation error at each stage of the motion.