Daniel's agent evolution M2 Scratchpad

[stonier]

Working notes.

Has-A Agents

• rail-car ⇨ Has-a drake agents #404
• simple-car ⇨ Has-a drake agents #404
• mobil-car ⇨ Has-a drake agents #404
• reenable tests ⇨ Has-a drake agents #404
• Port to the new and shiny trajectory agent ⇨ Python bound trajectory agent #417

Non-Dynamically Loaded Agents

• SimpleCar ⇨ Python bound trajectory agent #417
• RailCar ⇨ Python bound agents Part II #425
• MobilCar ⇨ Python bound agents Part II #425
• Trajectory Agent ⇨ Python bound trajectory agent #417
• Unwind dynamically loadable / plugin methods ⇨ Python bound agents Part II #425
• Upstream or unwind changes to src/systems/maliput_railcar_system.h/cc

ToDo

• Still need AutomotiveSimulator::InitializeSimpleCar? ⇨ Still need AutomotiveSimulator<T>::InitializeSimpleCars()? #397
• Drop DrakeLcmInterface as an arg to LoadableAgent::Configure ⇨ Has-a drake agents #404
• Why is initial_lane_direction for RailCar not a parameter? It's not a context variable
• Drop the template param from AgentBase? (it's no longer a system), no - hypothetically useful for the templated AutomotiveSimulator class in some future
• AutomotiveSimulator::get_lcm(), lcm_ can disappear? Yes ⇨ [infra] drop the unused lcm interface #408
• Store loadable_agent_initial_states_ in the agents instead of the simulator ⇨ Python bound trajectory agent #417, Python bound agents Part II #425
• Move all diagram / configuration work to the loadable agents (currently split)?
• Override DefaultContext methods instead of an Initialize method?
• Drop get_system usage in AutomotiveSimulator::InitializeAgents`, we have n-system agents
• Refactor unused? AutomotiveSimulator::ConnectCarOutputsAndPriusVis
• Drop get_system usage from AgentBase
• SimpleCar -> TeleopCar?
• Teleop id -> name?
• (drake) refactor out lanedirection, it's discombabulating
• a unique id in AgentBase actually necessary?
• move FindLane -> maliput::FindLane convenience library
• asserts in AddAgent should probably be just checks, err msg and return -1
• exceptions by CheckNameUniqueness in AddAgent shouldn't be exceptions

Stretch

• Agents that can load anytime -> get inserted between updates
• Use SceneGraph instead of the aggregator
• Parameters streaming/publishing

TrajectoryAgent

• Dump AgentType/AgentData from TrajectoryAgent (should be handled separately?)
• Rename to TrajectoryFollower (system, not an agent)
• Unwind if(plugin_library_name != "trajectory-agent") when loadable_initial_states_ goes away

Python

• replace robot_id with human readable names

Architecture Thoughts

• Systems, Diagrams and then agents

NotDo

• Agentcounter automagically from AgentPluginBase? No, necessary for uniquely id'ing a port to the aggregator. There may be other systems to be id'd, not just agents. Threading issues can also be a problem, better to have a single instance generating them.

[stonier]

@basicNew renamed the title as this is mostly a private scratchpad - I'm keen to get very familiar with the agent development, here and back in drake so we can better support our needs across the different sims at TRI.

[stonier]

I'll farm out work if I want assistance on these things, but feel free to pick up on some if you don't have anything else to tackle or it's an itch for you as well.

[basicNew]

+1, thanks!

[stonier]

I'll rebuild this for M3