actuator 0.0.18

Python interface for controlling various robotic actuators

actuator

Defines a package to make it easy and performant to control actuators.

Getting Started

Install Build Dependencies

Ubuntu

sudo apt install pkg-config libudev-dev

Install the Package

pip install actuator

Alternatively, to install the bleeding edge version from Github:

pip install 'actuator @ git+https://github.com/kscalelabs/actuator.git@master'

Motor-Specific Examples

Robstride

The following example can be used to move a Robstride motor in a sinusoidal pattern.

python -m actuator.examples.sinusoidal_movement

Note that there are some additional steps needed before the Robstride USB controller will work on Linux:

1. Install this driver for the CH341 USB controller.
2. This should create a /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyCH341USB0 device - you should check which one by doing ls /dev/tty*. You might need to the change the permissions:

sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyCH341USB0

3. Run the following command to configure the baud rate of the controller:

sudo stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 921600

4. Alternatively, you can add the following line to your /etc/udev/rules.d/51-ch340.rules file to automatically configure the baud rate:

KERNEL=="ttyCH341USB[0-9]", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1a86", ATTRS{idProduct}=="7523", SYMLINK+="ttyUSB%n", RUN+="/bin/stty -F /dev/ttyCH341USB0 921600"
KERNEL=="ttyUSB[0-9]", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1a86", ATTRS{idProduct}=="7523", RUN+="/bin/stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 921600"

5. After adding the above rule, you should run sudo udevadm control --reload-rules to reload the rules.

Supported Actuators

• Robstride

ATTRS{idVendor}=="1a86" ATTRS{idProduct}=="7523"