A Survey of Robotic Navigation and Manipulation with Physics Simulators in the Era of Embodied AI

The article presents a survey on the use of physics simulators for robotic navigation and manipulation in the context of Embodied AI, focusing on the persistent sim-to-real gap. It analyzes various properties of simulators, their features for specific tasks, and hardware requirements, while providing a comprehensive resource that includes benchmark datasets, metrics, and simulation platforms. This work is significant for practitioners as it aids in selecting appropriate tools and methodologies for effective sim-to-real transfer, crucial for developing robust AI systems in real-world applications.