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Safety Features

Emergency Stop​

# Emergency stop all actuators
controller.emergency_stop()

# Resume after emergency stop
controller.reset()

The emergency stop function immediately halts all actuator movement and disables motor power. Always call reset() before resuming normal operation.

Limits and Protection​

# Set position limits
controller.set_position_limits(actuator_id=1, min_pos=-90.0, max_pos=90.0)

# Set velocity limits
controller.set_velocity_limit(actuator_id=1, max_velocity=180.0)

# Set torque limits
controller.set_torque_limit(actuator_id=1, max_torque=5.0)

# Enable thermal protection
controller.set_thermal_protection(actuator_id=1, max_temp=70.0)

Safety Mechanisms​

The actuator controller includes multiple safety mechanisms:

Hardware Protection​

  • Overcurrent protection: Automatically shuts down on excessive current draw
  • Overvoltage/undervoltage protection: Protects against power supply issues
  • Thermal shutdown: Prevents overheating damage
  • Short circuit protection: Safeguards motor windings

Software Protection​

  • Position limits: Software-enforced min/max positions
  • Velocity limits: Maximum speed restrictions
  • Torque limits: Force output restrictions
  • Collision detection: Detects unexpected resistance

Watchdog Timer​

The controller includes a watchdog that triggers emergency stop if:

  • No commands received within timeout period (default: 1 second)
  • Communication with any actuator is lost
  • Controller process crashes or hangs
# Configure watchdog timeout
controller.set_watchdog_timeout(timeout=2.0)  # seconds

# Disable watchdog (not recommended)
controller.set_watchdog_timeout(timeout=0)  # 0 = disabled