Examples: Tool action

This page shows how to control Ned’s tools.

If you want to see more, you can look at PyNiryo - Tools

Important

In this section, you are already supposed to be connected to a calibrated robot. The robot instance is saved in the variable robot.

Danger

If you are using the real robot, make sure the environment around it is clear.

Tool control

Equip Tool

In order to use a tool, it should be plugged mechanically to the robot but also connected to the software wise.

To do that, we should use the function update_tool() which takes no argument. It will scan motor’s connections and set the new tool!

The line to equip a new tool is:

robot.update_tool()

Note

For the Grasping and Releasing sections, this command should be added in your codes! If you want to use a specific tool, you need to store the ToolID you are using in a variable named tool_used.

Grasping

To grasp with any tool, you can use the function grasp_with_tool(). This action corresponds to:

Close gripper for Grippers

Pull Air for Vacuum Pump

Activate for Electromagnet

The line to grasp is:

robot.grasp_with_tool()

To grasp an object by specifying the tool:

if tool_used in [ToolID.GRIPPER_1, ToolID.GRIPPER_2, ToolID.GRIPPER_3]:
    robot.close_gripper(speed=500)
elif tool_used == ToolID.ELECTROMAGNET_1:
    pin_electromagnet = PinID.XXX
    robot.setup_electromagnet(pin_electromagnet)
    robot.activate_electromagnet(pin_electromagnet)
elif tool_used == ToolID.VACUUM_PUMP_1:
    robot.pull_air_vacuum_pump()

Releasing

To release with any tool, you can use the function release_with_tool(). This action corresponds to:

Open gripper for Grippers

Push Air for Vacuum pump

Deactivate for Electromagnet

To release an object by specifying parameters:

if tool_used in [ToolID.GRIPPER_1, ToolID.GRIPPER_2, ToolID.GRIPPER_3]:
    robot.open_gripper(speed=500)
elif tool_used == ToolID.ELECTROMAGNET_1:
    pin_electromagnet = PinID.XXX
    robot.setup_electromagnet(pin_electromagnet)
    robot.deactivate_electromagnet(pin_electromagnet)
elif tool_used == ToolID.VACUUM_PUMP_1:
    robot.push_air_vacuum_pump()

Pick & Place with tools

A Pick & Place is an action which consists in going to a certain pose in order to pick an object and then, going to another pose to place it.

This operation can be proceed as follows:

Going over the object with a certain offset to avoid collision;
Going down to the object’s height;
Grasping with tool;
Going back to step 1’s pose;
Going over the place pose with a certain offset to avoid collision;
Going down to place’s height;
Releasing the object with tool;
Going back to step 5’s pose.

There are plenty of ways to perform a pick and place with PyNiryo. Methods will be presented from the lowest to highest level.

Code Baseline

For the sake of brevity, every piece of code beside the Pick & Place function will not be rewritten for every method. So that, you will need to use the code and implement the Pick & Place function to it.

# Imports
from pyniryo import *

tool_used = ToolID.XXX  # Tool used for picking
robot_ip_address = "x.x.x.x" # Robot address

# The pick pose
pick_pose = PoseObject(
    x=0.25, y=0., z=0.15,
    roll=-0.0, pitch=1.57, yaw=0.0,
)
# The Place pose
place_pose = PoseObject(
    x=0.0, y=-0.25, z=0.1,
    roll=0.0, pitch=1.57, yaw=-1.57)

def pick_n_place_version_x(robot):
    # -- -------------- -- #
    # -- CODE GOES HERE -- #
    # -- -------------- -- #

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Connect to robot
    client = NiryoRobot(robot_ip_address)
    # Calibrate robot if robot needs calibration
    client.calibrate_auto()
    # Changing tool
    client.update_tool()

    pick_n_place_version_x(client)

    # Releasing connection
    client.close_connection()

First Solution: the heaviest

For this first function, every steps are done by hand, as well as poses computing.

Note

In this example, the tool used is a Gripper. If you want to use another tool than a gripper, do not forget to adapt grasp & release functions!

def pick_n_place_version_1(robot):
    height_offset = 0.05  # Offset according to Z-Axis to go over pick & place poses
    gripper_speed = 400

    # Going Over Object
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose.x, pick_pose.y, pick_pose.z + height_offset,
                               pick_pose.roll, pick_pose.pitch, pick_pose.yaw)
    # Opening Gripper
    robot.open_gripper(gripper_speed)
    # Going to picking place and closing gripper
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose)
    robot.close_gripper(gripper_speed)

    # Raising
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose.x, pick_pose.y, pick_pose.z + height_offset,
                               pick_pose.roll, pick_pose.pitch, pick_pose.yaw)

    # Going Over Place pose
    robot.move_pose(place_pose.x, place_pose.y, place_pose.z + height_offset,
                               place_pose.roll, place_pose.pitch, place_pose.yaw)
    # Going to Place pose
    robot.move_pose(place_pose)
    # Opening Gripper
    robot.open_gripper(gripper_speed)
    # Raising
    robot.move_pose(place_pose.x, place_pose.y, place_pose.z + height_offset,
                               place_pose.roll, place_pose.pitch, place_pose.yaw)

Second Solution: Use of PoseObject

For the second solution, we use a PoseObject in order to calculate approach poses more easily.

Note

To see more about PoseObject, go look at PoseObject dedicated section

def pick_n_place_version_2(robot):
    height_offset = 0.05  # Offset according to Z-Axis to go over pick & place poses

    pick_pose_high = pick_pose.copy_with_offsets(z_offset=height_offset)
    place_pose_high = place_pose.copy_with_offsets(z_offset=height_offset)

    # Going Over Object
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose_high)
    # Opening Gripper
    robot.release_with_tool()
    # Going to picking place and closing gripper
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose)
    robot.grasp_with_tool()
    # Raising
    robot.move_pose(pick_pose_high)

    # Going Over Place pose
    robot.move_pose(place_pose_high)
    # Going to Place pose
    robot.move_pose(place_pose)
    # Opening Gripper
    robot.release_with_tool(gripper_speed)
    # Raising
    robot.move_pose(place_pose_high)

Third Solution: Pick from pose & Place from pose functions

For those who have already seen the API Documentation, you may have seen pick & place dedicated functions!

In this example, we use pick_from_pose() and place_from_pose() in order to split our function in only 2 commands!

def pick_n_place_version_3(robot):
    # Pick
    robot.pick_from_pose(pick_pose)
    # Place
    robot.place_from_pose(place_pose)

Fourth Solution: All in one

The example exposed in the previous section could be useful if you want to do an action between the pick & the place phases.

For those who want to do everything in one command, you can use the pick_and_place() function!

def pick_n_place_version_4(robot):
    # Pick & Place
    robot.pick_and_place(pick_pose, place_pose)