Biped controller code

For information on manufacturing and deploying the humanoid, please visit our 🔧 hardware wiki.

Project structure

├── build                 # Compiled binaries and build artifacts
│   ├── ethercat_motor_py.cpython-38-x86_64-linux-gnu.so  # Compiled Python extension
│   ├── simple_test
│   └── ...
├── checkpoint            # RL model checkpoints
│   ├── baseline
│   └── ...
├── setup                   
│   └── conda_env.yaml    # conda env configuration file
├── CMakeLists.txt        # CMake build configuration file
├── ext                   # External dependencies and libraries
│   └── SOEM              # EtherCAT master library
├── biped_controller.py   # Main entrance for biped controller
├── motor_controller.py   # motor controller and initialization code
├── sensor_controller.py  # Sensor communication with teensy
├── trajectory_PD_test.py # Trajectory PD test script
├── gampad.py             # gamepad control script
├── numpy_ringbuffer.py   # Ring buffer implementation using NumPy
├── publisher.py          # Message publishing/receiving utility
├── README.md  
├── src                        # C++ source code directory
│   ├── ethercat_motor.h       # EtherCAT motor control header
│   ├── ethercat_motor_py.cpp  # Python binding for EtherCAT motor control
│   ├── pybind_test.cpp        # Pybind test implementation
│   ├── Readme.md              # Source code README file
│   └── simple_test.cpp        # Simple test implementation
├── sshkeyboard_pd_test.py     # SSH keyboard PD test script
└──  teensy_comm
    └── teensy_comm.ino        # Teensy communication Arduino code

Setting up

Tested environment

• Operating system: Ubuntu 22.04 with CUDA 12.3
• Development environment: Visual Studio Code (VSCode)
• C++ build tools:
  • vcpkg (package manager)
  • CMake (build system generator)
  • GCC 12 (compiler)
• Python environment management: micromanba

Setup python virtual environment

first install Micromamba if you have not done so. Recommended to install at ~/repo/micromamba

"${SHELL}" <(curl -L micro.mamba.pm/install.sh)

Setup a python virtual envirnpoment named  py38 with conda yaml file setup/conda_env.yaml

alias conda="micromamba"

# Create environment
conda env create --file setup/conda_env_py38.yaml -y

# Activate the environment
conda activate py38

# Export library path
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${CONDA_PREFIX}/lib

Setup vcpkg

follow the instructions to install vcpkg: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/vcpkg/get_started/get-started?pivots=shell-bash

git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg && ./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh
./vcpkg install msgpack eigen3 iir1

Set vcpkg environment variables:

export VCPKG_ROOT=/path/to/vcpkg
export PATH=$VCPKG_ROOT:$PATH

Build the c++ code

Create the build directory and navigate to it.

For example:

• the python virtual environment is ~/repo/micromamba/envs/py38
• the python executatble is ~/repo/micromamba/envs/py38/bin/python
• the vcpkg tool chain file is ~/repo/vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake

change these variables to your actual variable to run the following:

mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=~/repo/micromamba/envs/py38 -DPython_EXECUTABLE=~/repo/micromamba/envs/py38/bin/python -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=~/repo/vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake -G Ninja

setup python environment

Setup vscode

Install VSCode: Download and install vscode if you have not done so

Install vscode Extensions:

• C/C++: ms-vscode.cpptools
• CMake Tools: ms-vscode.cmake-tools
• Python: ms-python.python Optionally Install other extensions such as Git based on your needs.

To configure the project using vscode:

• Open the project folder.
• Ensure C/C++ uses GCC 12.
• Select the correct Python virtual environment.
• Configure CMake Tools if needed, You should replace .vscode/c_cpp_properties.json to point to your Python path:

  "includePath": [
      "${workspaceFolder}/**",
      "${workspaceFolder}/ext/SOEM/soem",
      // replace those to point to your python include
      "${env:HOME}/repo/micromamba/envs/py38/include/**",
      "${env:HOME}/repo/micromamba/envs/py38/include"
 ],

Also replace .vscode/settings.json to poin to your python path

  "cmake.configureSettings": {
      // replace to your path
      "CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH": "${env:HOME}/repo/micromamba/envs/py38",
      "Python_EXECUTABLE": "${env:HOME}/repo/micromamba/envs/py38/bin/python",
      "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE":"${env:HOME}/repo/vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake",
 },

Build the Arduino code

setup arduino + Teensyduino

• Install the Arduino IDE from https://www.arduino.cc/en/software
• Install Teensyduino from https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_download.html
• Teensy Arduino usage can be found at https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_usage.html
• Install Adurino library: go to Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries..., In the search bar, type "TCA9548" and then "packetizer", and install.

Build the teensy code: in the Arduino IDE, open teensy_comm/teensy_comm.ino and upload.

Run

Initialization

First confirm the sensors are working

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u sensor_controller.py

Then, initialize the joint at the zero standing position. refer to wiki:Joint initialization

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u motor_controller.py

after the initalization you can choose either to run dynamic matching with the robot hanging, or run the RL biped controller.

Dynamic matching/Trajectory test

in one terminal run trajectory_PD_test.py

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u trajectory_PD_test.py

in another terminal run keyboard control code

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u sshkeyboard_pd_test.py

RL biped control

run biped_controller.py.

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u biped_controller.py

in another terminal run gampad.py

sudo chrt -f 99 $(which python) -u gampad.py

Note:

For the gamepad, we use 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller with a 2.4g adapter. The gamepad code should work with any gampad that pygame supports with some modification.