Python IndyDCP client

Python IndyDCP client is a Python module for users to interface with Indy Framework and control Indy based on IndyDCP Protocol. All functions of Python IndyDCP client is implemented in a single module file, and this section provides basic tutorial and all command list of Python IndyDCP client.

Installation

Python IndyDCP client can be run by a computer that Python is installed. The module file and example notebook file can be downloaded by clicking the link below

Download Python IndyDCP Client

indydcp_client.py is the source file of Python IndyDCP module, and example_indydcp.ipynb is a jupyter notebook file that contains usage examples.

Basic Tutorial

Python IndyDCP client can be easily used by importing indydcp_client.py as below

from indydcp_client import IndyDCPClient

The IndyDCPClient class, which contains socket connection and robot command functions, is implemented in the module file. Here, the bind IP (IP address of PC you want to connect to Indy), server IP (IP address of Indy's control box), and robot name (in case of Indy7, string "NRMK-Indy7") should be arguments of the class constructor.

bind_ip = "192.168.0.2"    # example IP
server_ip = "192.168.0.3"  # example IP
robot_name = "NRMK-Indy7"  # in case of IndyRP2 7DOF robot, "NRMK-IndyRP2"
indy = IndyDCPClient(bind_ip, server_ip, robot_name) # object

Using connect() function, users can connect to the robot, and can check the connection status using is_connected() function.

indy.connect()
print(indy.is_connected())

Also, some functions that related to the socket connection are provided as below

indy.disconnect()       # close the socket
indy.shutdown()         # shut down the socket connection
indy.set_timeout_sec()  # set timeout second

List of IndyDCP Command Functions

All command functions in the module is implemented by referring to IndyDCP protocol command list, so please refer to the IndyDCP protocol command list for detailed description of each command fuction.

The list of command function in the module is summarized in Table. The Table provides the type and number of arguments/returns for each function. The input is numpy array or list, and the output is numpy array. The notes are given in the remarks column.

Including C++, MATLAB and Labview interfaces are also client examples that utilize IndyDCP protocol. The name of functions and arguments are slightly different from the other interface such as C++ due to language's preferred naming convention, but the basic functionality and usage are exactly same. Therefore, users can refer to the same Table even though they use another example interface.

Function	Input	Output	Remarks
emergency_stop()	-	-	-
reset_robot()	-	-	-
set_servo_on_off(var_arr)	bool[DOF¹]	-	-
set_brake_on_off(var_arr)	bool[DOF]	-	Warning! When the brake is released, the robot drops to the ground by gravity
stop_motion()	-	-	-
execute_move_command(str)	string	-	Warning! The move name registered in default program
go_home()	-	-	Warning!
go_zero()	-	-	Warning!
joint_move_to(q)	double[DOF]	-	Warning! q[0]-q[DOF-1]: Degree
joint_move_by(q)	double[DOF]	-	Warning! q[0]-q[DOF-1]: Degree
task_move_to(p)	double[6]	-	Warning! p[0]-p[2] (x, y, z): Meter p[3]-p[5] (u, v, w): Degree
task_move_by(p)	double[6]	-	Warning! p[0]-p[2] (x, y, z): Meter p[3]-p[5] (u, v, w): Degree
start_current_program()	-	-	Warning!
pause_current_program()	-	-	-
resume_current_program()	-	-	-
stop_current_program()	-	-	-
start_default_program()	-	-	-
set_default_program(idx)	int	-	idx: 1-9 index of the registered default program
get_default_program_idx()	-	int	-
is_robot_running()	-	bool	-
is_robot_ready()	-	bool	-
is_emergency_stop()	-	bool	-
is_collided()	-	bool	-
is_error_state()	-	bool	-
is_move_finished()	-	bool	-
is_in_resetting()	-	bool	-
is_direct_teaching_mode()	-	bool	-
is_teaching_mode()	-	bool	-
is_program_running()	-	bool	-
is_program_paused()	-	bool	-
is_conty_connected()	-	bool	-
change_to_direct_teaching()	-	-	-
finish_direct_teaching()	-	-	-
add_joint_waypoint(q)	double[DOF]	-	-
remove_last_joint_waypoint()	-	-	-
clear_joint_waypoints()	-	-	-
execute_joint_waypoints()	-	-	-
add_task_waypoint(p)	double[6]	-	-
remove_last_task_waypoint()	-	-	-
clear_task_waypoints()	-	-	-
execute_task_waypoints()	-	-	-
set_default_tcp(tcp)	double[6]	-	-
reset_default_tcp()	-	-	-
set_tcp_compensation(tcp)	double[6]	-	-
reset_tcp_compensation()	-	-	-
set_ref_frame(ref)	double[6]	-	-
reset_ref_frame()	-	-	-
set_collision_level(level)	int	-	Set level (1-5)
set_joint_boundary_level(level)	int	-	Set level (1-9)
set_task_boundary_level(level)	int	-	Set level (1-9)
set_joint_waypoint_time(time)	double	-	-
set_task_waypoint_time(time)	double	-	-
set_task_base_mode(mode)	int	-	0: reference body, 1: tool-tip
set_joint_blend_radius(rad)	int	-	Degree
set_task_blend_radius(rad)	double	-	mm
get_default_tcp()	-	double[6]	-
get_tcp_compensation()	-	double[6]	-
get_ref_frame()	-	double[6]	-
get_collision_level()	-	int	-
get_joint_boundary_level()	-	int	-
get_task_boundary_level()	-	int	-
get_joint_waypoint_time()	-	double	-
get_task_waypoint_time()	-	double	-
get_task_base_mode()	-	int	-
get_joint_blend_radius()	-	double	-
get_task_blend_radius()	-	double	-
get_robot_running_time()	-	double	-
get_cmode()	-	int	-
get_joint_servo_state()	-	char[12]	-
get_joint_pos()	-	double[DOF]	-
get_joint_vel()	-	double[DOF]	-
get_task_pos()	-	double[6]	-
get_task_vel()	-	double[6]	-
get_torque()	-	double[DOF]	-
get_last_emergency_info()	-	int, int[3], double[3]	-
get_smart_di(idx)	int	char	-
get_smart_dis()	-	char[32]	-
set_smart_do(idx, val)	int, char	-	-
set_smart_dos()	char[32]	-	-
get_smart_ai()	int	int	-
set_smart_ao(idx, val)	int, int	-	-
get_smart_do(idx)	int	char	-
get_smart_dos()	-	char[32]	-
get_smart_ao(idx)	int	int	-

Table 1. The list of Python IndyDCP client command functions

The functions marked with Warning! in the remarks column are the command functions that the robot performs the actual motion. When teaching robots using a teach pendant, the robot should be moved to the target position by JOG or direct teaching, and then the position can be registered as a waypoint. However, when using the IndyDCP client, users have to directly input the target position (joint angle or task space position). This can cause the robot to move to unintended position at a high speed due to user mistakes such as wrong input of target position, mistake of the unit, wrong use of command function, etc., which may cause the robot to collide with an obstacle and be damaged. To reduce these mistakes, we highly recommend that users first run the robot operation in simulation mode and then apply it to the actual robot. The method to use the simulation mode is described in IndyFramework.

List of Extended IndyDCP Command Function

List of command functions of extended IndyDCP is summarized in below Table.

Function	Input	Output	Remarks
move_ext_traj_binary()	Data length	-	-
move_ext_traj_text()	Data length	-	-
move_ext_traj_binary_file()	File path	-	-
move_ext_traj_text_file()	File path	-	Formatted txt file
joint_move_to_waypoint_set()	DOF8len	-	-
task_move_to_waypoint_set()	68len	-	-

Table 2. The list of Python Extended IndyDCP client command functions

The number of robot joints (Indy7=6, IndyRP2 redundant option=7)
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