A system for parameter tuning for robotic manipulators is provided. The system includes an interface configured to receive a task specification, a plurality of physical parameters, and a plurality of control parameters, wherein the interface is configured to communicate with a real-world robot via a robot controller. The system further includes a memory to store computer-executable programs including a robot simulation module, a robot controller, and an auto-tuning module a processor, in connection with the memory. In this case, the processor is configured to acquire, in communication with the real-world robot, state values of the real-world robot, state values of the robot simulation module, simultaneously update, by use of a predetermined optimization algorithm with the auto-tuning module, an estimate of one or more of the physical, and said control parameters, and store the updated parameters.