ReKnobTargetEmulator

A demo video is available at this link.

• Installation

• Preparation before use

• How to use

  • MAC or Linux

  • Windows

• Explaining the programs

• On going progress

---

Installation

• clone or download this repository

---

Preparation before use

• Change the Unity program accordingly:
  • Change the IP for connection
    • In UDPDataLoader.cs file => LoadUDPData() => (add following lines before returning the udpData)

  udpData.receiveIPAddress = "127.0.0.1";
  udpData.sendIPAddress = "127.0.0.1"
  

  • Increase UDP socket buffer size if necessary
    • In ReHapticKnob.cs file => Connect (UDPData udpData) function => (change following lines)

    // from
    // motorValues.SetReceiveBuffer(1);
    // safety.SetReceiveBuffer(1);
    // to
    motorValues.SetReceiveBuffer(1023);
    safety.SetReceiveBuffer(1023);
    

  • [Optional] To emulate color pad input with keyboard (If this part of changes are not applied, the color pad input is necessary)
    • In InputManager.cs file => Update() function => (replace original color pad input with)

    if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Y)) {
        if (OnYellowDown != null) {
          OnYellowDown();
        }
        if (OnColorDown != null) {
          OnColorDown(0);
        }
    }
    if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.B)) {
        if (OnBlueDown != null) {
          OnBlueDown();
        }
        if (OnColorDown != null) {
          OnColorDown(1);
        }
    }
    if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.R)) {
        if (OnRedDown != null) {
          OnRedDown();
        }
        if (OnColorDown != null) {
          OnColorDown(2);
        }
    }
    if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.G)) {
        if (OnGreenDown != null) {
          OnGreenDown();
        }
        if (OnColorDown != null) {
          OnColorDown(3);
        }
    }
    if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.W)) {
        if (OnWhiteDown != null) {
          OnWhiteDown();
        }
        if (OnColorDown != null) {
          OnColorDown(4);
        }
    }
    

---

How to use

MAC or Linux

• Install Python 3.x (and preferably a package manager, e.g. pip)
• Make sure the Python libraries keyboard, reprint is installed
  • e.g. by
    • pip install keyboard
    • pip install reprint

# bring up a terminal window
python UDP_conns.py

# bring up a terminal window
python UDP_safety.py

# bring up a terminal window, NOTICE the "sudo" requirement
sudo python UDP_motorValues.py

# start the Unity game
# use arrow keys to emulate target machine movements
# or, input 0/1/2 at the UDP_safety.py window to alter safety condition

Windows

• The EASIEST way is the "exe" way

  1. navigate to dist folder in this repository
  2. double click to open the three .exe files, namely
     • UDP_conns.exe
     • UDP_motorValues.exe
     • UDP_safety.exe

• Or if you want, you can also do it the "py" way

# bring up a cmd window
python UDP_conns.py

# bring up a cmd window
python UDP_safety.py

# bring up a *** admin *** cmd window
python UDP_motorValues.py

# start the Unity game
# use arrow keys to emulate target machine movements
# or, input 0/1/2 at the UDP_safety.py window to alter safety condition

---

Explaining the programs

Details of the UDP connection interface, refer to the "Guides - UDP Connection" section of Lucas Eicher's Master Thesis (done at ReLab, ETH Zurich). And this repo is emulating functions of the target machine.

With regard to the UPD Connection interface:

1. UDP_conns.py

• This program emulates the following UDP connections
  • connection
  • mode
  • motorData
  • calibration
• Program output
  • On startup, the program prints (may be in different order)

  Starting - connection
  Starting - mode
  Starting - motorData
  Starting - calibration
  

  • During execution, the program prints messages received or sent, for example:
    • [connection] R 1
      • connection interface received 1 from host
    • [connection] S 0.0
      • connection sent 1.0 to host
    • [mode] R 2
      • mode interface received 2 from host (i.e. set to RUN mode)
    • [mode] S 2.0
      • mode sent 2.0 to host
    • [calibration] R {"value":2,"motor":0}
      • calibration interface received following command json string from host:

      {
          "value":2,
          "motor":0
      }

    • [calibration] S 2.0
      • calibration sent 2.0 to host
    • [motorData] R {"motor":1,"mode":2,"jsonData":"{\"startPosition\":0.0,\"middlePosition\":1000.0,\"endPosition\":1000.0,\"forceConstant\":0.125,\"isDamper\":true}"}
      • motorData interface received following command json string from host:

       {
           "motor":1,
           "mode":2,
           "jsonData":"{
              \"startPosition\":0.0,
              \"middlePosition\":1000.0,
              \"endPosition\":1000.0,
              \"forceConstant\":0.125,
              \"isDamper\":true
            }"
       }

2. UDP_safety.py

• This program emulates this UDP connection
  • safety
• Program output
  • On startup, the program prints Starting - safety
  • During execution, the program prompts for input and prints messages once the input has been sent to host, for example:
    • prompt line: [safety] <<<
    • user type: 0 or 1 or 2, press Enter
    • print confirmation: [safety] S 2.0
      • safety interface sent 2.0 to host

3. UDP_motorValues.py

• This program emulates this UDP connection

  • motorValues

• Program output

  • On startup, the program prints Starting - motorValues
  • During execution, the program constantly prints the motorValues json object that is being sent to host:

  On Mac/Linux machines

  {
      "positionLinear": 20.0,
      "positionRotatory": 0.0,
      "velocityLinear": 0.0,
      "velocityRotatory": 0.0
  }

  On Windows machines: just the "positionLinear" and "positionRotatory" values

  20.0 0.0

• Controls

  • Press UP arrow key: increase positionLinear
  • Press DOWN arrow key: decrease positionLinear
  • Press RIGHT arrow key: increase positionRotatory
  • Press LEFT arrow key: decrease positionRotatory