6.3. Configuration generators

6.3.1. Arm IO, arm and arm console

To get started, you should use the Python based application dvrk-config-generator.py. The script should be in your path after your build and source your devel/setup.bash (ROS 1) or install/setup.bash (ROS 2).

This script will generate a “blank” IO XML configuration file for the arm identified by its serial number. This file will be updated by the different calibration steps. The script also generates a sample arm configuration file as well as a console file with a single arm.

The script has 5 options:

  • arm name: MTMR, MTML, PSM1, PSM2, PSM3 or ECM.

  • generation: either Classic or Si.

  • hardware: this depends on the controllers you have. All controllers for Classic arms delivered before 2022 are QLA1 based. All controllers for Classic arms delivered after 2022 are DQLA based. All controllers for Si arms (PSMs and ECMs) are dRAC based. The hardware type should match the output of qladisp.

  • calibration file: also referred as .cal file. For all Classic arms (first generation PSMs and ECMs as well as all MTMs currently supported), you will need a .cal file. This file contains the latest calibration performed by Intuitive Surgical. You will need to reach out to Intuitive Surgical to get these files. Please save them along your dVRK configuration files for future use.

  • serial number: you can find the serial number on the arm itself (aka trk id). The serial number doesn’t need to be specified for Classic arms since it can be found in the .cal file, but you need to make sure it matches the number on the arm you’re using.

There are only 3 possible combinations of generations and hardware/controller type:

  • For a Classic arm with a QLA1 based controller (use qladisp to find the controller type), you would use:

    dvrk-config-generator.py -a MTMR -g Classic -H QLA1 -c m23456.cal

  • For a Classic arm with a DQLA based controller, you would use:

    dvrk-config-generator.py -a MTMR -g Classic -H DQLA -c m23456.cal

  • For an Si arm, the controller is always dRA1 based, so you need to use:

    dvrk-config-generator.py -a PSM1 -g Si -H dRA1 -s 123456

6.3.2. Console generator

Future feature!