DRT Universal Robots GUI

drt_ur_gui is a ROS 2 based user interface written in python that enables remote operation of Universal Robotics collaborative robotic arms. The key delivered features:

• Enables command of UR Arms with out Polyscope touchscreen pendant interaction
• Intended to be used with UR Arms configured for Remote Control
• Useful in operations where Polyscope interaction is difficult or unsafe

Installation

This package can be installed in any normal colcon workspace:

1. Clone drt_ur_gui into your workspace src/ directory
2. Use rosdep to install drt_ur_gui's dependencies
3. Build your workspace

cd src/
git clone git@js-er-code.jsc.nasa.gov:imetro/drt_ur_gui.git
rosdep install -iy --from-paths . --rosdistro=humble
cd ..
colcon build

Usage

On its own drt_ur_gui is configured to command up to two URs at once using launch files. However, more configuration files can be used to command any number of active UR arms.

One arm use

# To connect to a hardware UR dashboard client
ros2 launch drt_ur_gui one_arm.launch.py

# To launch a simulated client for development and testing
ros2 launch drt_ur_gui one_arm.launch.py mock_dashboard:=true

• one_arm.launch.py is used to run a singular UR arm using the settings in config/one_arm.yaml:
  • dashboard_client_name: name of the UR dashboard_client node, must match or UR communication will fail
  • program: sets the default program to be loaded to the UR when /dashboard_client/load_program is selected
  • window.name: sets the name that appears in the bar at the top of the UI window
  • window.stylesheet: Qt format stylesheet, enables users to customize the look and feel of the UI
  • logo_file_name: the filepath to the logo to be displayed in the UI window

Dual arm use

• two_arm.launch.py is used to run two URs at once, typically in a "humanoid" left-right configuration
  • ros2 launch drt_ur_gui two_arm.launch.py
  • Configured by config/two_arm_left.yaml and config/two_arm_right.yaml
    • Parameters exposed in the two arm configuration files are the same as the one arm configuration parameters explained above

N arm use and use with other robots

• drt_ur_gui can command any number of UR arms in (probably) any robot setup
  • Every drt_ur_gui backend node communicates with an arm's respective dashboard_client node
  • The UI can be run from the command line without configuration files as long as the correct dashboard_client node name is provided as a parameter
    • ros2 run drt_ur_gui run_gui.py --ros-args -p dashboard_client_name:=<your_dashboard_client_name>
  • Alternatively, and similar to the launch files, a full configuration/parameters file can be used if you provide the path
    • ros2 run drt_ur_gui run_gui.py --ros-args --params-file <path_to_your_params_file>
  • drt_ur_gui can also be integrated into your robot's existing launch files
    • Use the provided launch files as and example

Citation

This project falls under the purview of the iMETRO project. If you use this in your own work, please cite the following paper:

@INPROCEEDINGS{imetro-facility-2025,
  author={Dunkelberger, Nathan and Sheetz, Emily and Rainen, Connor and Graf, Jodi and Hart, Nikki and Zemler, Emma and Azimi, Shaun},
  booktitle={2025 22nd International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots (UR)},
  title={Design of the iMETRO Facility: A Platform for Intravehicular Space Robotics Research},
  year={2025},
  volume={},
  number={},
  pages={390-397},
  keywords={NASA;Moon;Seals;Maintenance engineering;Maintenance;Robots;Standards;Open source software;Testing;Logistics},
  doi={10.1109/UR65550.2025.11077983}}