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Control System

Intermediate RoboticsIntro Python plus classes, NumPy arrays, sensor data, physical units, and supervised robot use.

Before you start

  • Complete Robot Module
  • Understand meters per second and radians per second
  • Have an instructor present for every motion run

Use Robot from gather_sdk for all Python control projects. It owns the controller connection, presents clear safety state, validates speed limits, and guarantees best-effort shutdown.

Public Control Interface

from gather_sdk import Robot

The control methods are:

MethodPurpose
safety_status()Read E-stop, motor, and service-button state
enable_motors()Enable output only when the E-stop circuit is OK
drive(linear_mps, angular_rps)Send an in-range supervised velocity
stop()Command zero linear and angular velocity
disable_motors()Stop and disable motor output
close()Stop, disable, and close camera/controller devices

Opening Robot connects to the camera and controller but never enables motor output.

Safety State

from gather_sdk import Robot
 
with Robot() as robot:
    status = robot.safety_status()
    print("E-stop circuit healthy:", status.estop_ok)
    print("Motors enabled:", status.motors_enabled)

status.estop_ok=True means the E-stop circuit reports healthy. A false or unreadable safety state blocks motion.

Supervised Motion Pattern

Do not run this example until an instructor confirms the area, speed, and physical E-stop.

import time
 
from gather_sdk import Robot
 
with Robot() as robot:
    robot.enable_motors()
    try:
        robot.drive(linear_mps=0.10, angular_rps=0.0)
        time.sleep(1.0)
        robot.stop()
    finally:
        robot.disable_motors()

The default limits are 0.25 m/s linear and 0.75 rad/s angular. Commands outside the configured limits raise an error.

Control Rules

  • Read safety state before enabling motion.
  • Begin below the configured speed limits.
  • Keep the physical E-stop reachable.
  • Stop and disable in finally or a context manager.
  • Do not bypass SafetyError or edit controller/network configuration.

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