Add ability to fetch assets from an external git repository

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -62,30 +62,16 @@ jobs:
           echo "MODEL_DIR=$MODEL_DIR" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "model_dir=$MODEL_DIR" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Restore mesh cache
-        id: meshcache
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: ${{ steps.model.outputs.model_dir }}
-          key:  ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.python-version }}-judo_meshes
-
-      - name: Download meshes (cache miss)
-        if: steps.meshcache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      - name: Download meshes
         env:
           MODEL_DIR: ${{ steps.model.outputs.model_dir }}
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
           python - <<'PY'
           import os
-          from judo.utils.assets import download_and_extract_meshes
-          download_and_extract_meshes(extract_root=os.environ["MODEL_DIR"])
+          from judo.utils.assets import retrieve_model_from_remote
+          retrieve_model_from_remote("cylinder_push", force=True)
           PY
 
-      - name: Show cache outcome
-        run: |
-          echo "::notice::mesh cache hit = ${{ steps.meshcache.outputs.cache-hit }}"
-          echo "::notice::MODEL_DIR = ${{ steps.model.outputs.model_dir }}"
-          ls -R "${{ steps.model.outputs.model_dir }}" | head
-
       - name: Test with pytest
         run: pytest -rsx

judo/__init__.py

@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 PACKAGE_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
-MODEL_PATH = PACKAGE_ROOT / "models"
+DESCRIPTION_CACHE_DIR = "~/.cache/judo_descriptions_cache"

judo/cli.py

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 from hydra.core.config_store import ConfigStore
 from omegaconf import DictConfig
 
+from judo.utils.assets import retrieve_description_path_from_remote
+
 # suppress annoying warning from hydra
 warnings.filterwarnings(
     "ignore",
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@
 @hydra.main(config_path=str(CONFIG_PATH), config_name="judo_dora_default", version_base="1.3")
 def main_app(cfg: DictConfig) -> None:
     """Main function to run judo via a hydra configuration yaml file."""
+    # Include a download for the default asset to cache the description repository
+    retrieve_description_path_from_remote(cfg["task"], force=False)
     run(cfg)
 
 

judo/controller/__init__.py

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2025 Robotics and AI Institute LLC. All rights reserved.
 
-from judo import MODEL_PATH
 from judo.controller.controller import Controller, ControllerConfig, make_controller
 from judo.controller.overrides import (
     set_default_caltech_leap_cube_overrides,
@@ -10,13 +9,6 @@
     set_default_leap_cube_down_overrides,
     set_default_leap_cube_overrides,
 )
-from judo.utils.assets import download_and_extract_meshes
-
-download_and_extract_meshes(
-    extract_root=str(MODEL_PATH),
-    repo="bdaiinstitute/judo",
-    asset_name="meshes.zip",
-)
 
 set_default_caltech_leap_cube_overrides()
 set_default_cartpole_overrides()