LinkerBot SDKs

SDKs, communication libraries, and teleoperation tools for LinkerBot hands and arms. This repository is a project directory; install and build software from the linked repositories.

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Choose a project

• Hand control: use the C++ or Python hand SDK. Use the Hand ROS 2 SDK for ROS topics and services.
• Arm control: use the Arm Python SDK or Arm ROS 2 SDK.
• Teleoperation: use linkerhand-telop-ros2 for glove-to-hand retargeting, or linkerbot-teleop-arm to read a dual-arm input device.
• Transport integration: use the C++ or Python transport library for communication without device control APIs.
• Existing deployments: check the legacy section before changing SDKs.

Maintenance categories below follow the SDK directory's maintenance plan as of 2026-11-06. They do not imply that a repository is archived. Supported models, firmware, adapters, platforms, and installation requirements are defined by each project's documentation.

Maintained projects

Communication libraries

• linkerbot-transport-cpp — C++17 communication library with CAN/CAN FD backends, shared connections, frame routing, and send receipts. Optional serial and Modbus RTU modules are documented in the current source; availability depends on the chosen release. Device protocols and motion control belong in the device SDK.
• linkerbot-transport — Python communication layer for Classic CAN and CAN FD. Provides receive routing, shared connection management, send results, and transmit scheduling independently of ROS and device models.

C++ SDKs and tools

• linkerbot-hand-cpp-sdk — C++17 hand SDK for discovery, joint control, sensor reads, and background telemetry, using linkerbot-transport-cpp. Consult its model capabilities and compatibility guides before selecting hardware.
• linkerbot-hand-tools — Shared CLI/TUI and Web tools for the modern and legacy C++ hand SDKs, with offline simulation, telemetry and tactile/palm visualization. Hardware operation requires the corresponding SDK and adapter runtimes.
• linkerbot-teleop-arm — Reads 14 joints from a dual-arm input device over Linux SocketCAN. Provides a C++17 core library, CLI, and ROS 2 node. This is an input-device reader, not the robotic arm motion-control SDK.

Python and ROS 2 SDKs

• linkerbot-hand-python-sdk — Python hand SDK for connecting to devices, reading state, and controlling hands through the shared Python transport library. Start with its source installation and connection guides.
• linkerbot-hand-ros2-sdk — ROS 2 hand integration with typed messages and services, a Lifecycle driver, and an O6 URDF slider GUI. Uses the Hand Python SDK and transport library; see its Humble/Jazzy setup instructions.
• linkerbot-arm-python-sdk — Python SDK for A7, A7lite, P7, and H75 arms, with joint control, feedback, and forward/inverse kinematics. See the project documentation for Pinocchio and transport requirements.
• linkerbot-arm-ros2-sdk — ROS 2 topics and services for left and right A7, A7 Lite, and P7 arms, built on the Arm Python SDK. Follow its startup guide: default configuration enables and homes the arm at startup.
• linkerhand-telop-ros2 — ROS 2 teleoperation and motion retargeting for supported data gloves and LinkerHand models. Includes glove adapters, model assets, configuration, and examples. Keep the documented source-workspace layout after building; copying only install/ is not supported by the documented release.

Legacy projects — maintenance ending

These repositories are retained for existing applications. Use maintained projects for new development where the required hardware and features are supported. No end-of-maintenance date is specified here. A listed successor is a starting point for evaluation, not a drop-in replacement or a guarantee of model coverage.

• linkerbot-hand-legacy-cpp-sdk — Legacy packaged C++ hand SDK with public headers, prebuilt libraries, callback adapters and one read-only integration example. Interactive tools now live in linkerbot-hand-tools. The CMake package is linkerhand-legacy-cpp-sdk and its target is LinkerHand::linkerhand_legacy_cpp_sdk; prebuilt library filenames remain unchanged. Compatibility maintenance covers L7, G20 (L20_10/L20_11), L21, L25 and O20. Evaluate linkerbot-hand-cpp-sdk model by model before migrating.
• linkerbot-python-sdk — Earlier combined Python SDK with hand and arm functionality. Evaluate the separate Hand Python SDK, Arm Python SDK, and transport library for new integrations.
• linkerhand-python-sdk — Earlier Python hand SDK with CAN/Modbus configuration and control examples. Evaluate linkerbot-hand-python-sdk; verify device and protocol support first.
• linkerhand-ros2-sdk — Earlier ROS 2 hand driver with control examples, GUI tools, and tactile visualizations. Evaluate linkerbot-hand-ros2-sdk and check message, launch, and model differences.
• linkerhand-ros-sdk — ROS 1 hand driver and functional examples. Moving to linkerbot-hand-ros2-sdk also requires a ROS 1 to ROS 2 application migration.
• linkerhand-l30-sdk — L30-specific ROS 2 driver with CAN FD communication, GUI control, and optional tactile data. Check L30 protocol and feature coverage in the maintained hand SDKs before migrating.
• linkerhand-o20-ros2 — O20-specific ROS 2 driver and GUI examples using CAN FD. Confirm O20 support explicitly; support for O30 does not establish O20 compatibility.
• linkerhand-l20d-ros2 — L20D-specific ROS 2 driver with GUI, hand-state topics, and tactile data. Confirm L20D support explicitly; similarly named L20 models are not sufficient evidence.
• linkerhand-cpp-ros2 — ROS 2 wrapper around the legacy C++ hand SDK, with launch configuration and GUI tools. Evaluate the maintained Hand ROS 2 SDK's interfaces and model coverage before replacing it.
• linkerhand-ros-teleop — Legacy glove retargeting project with ROS 1 and ROS 2 nodes and an offline Python core wheel. Its README documents UDP input from glove software. Evaluate linkerhand-telop-ros2 for current ROS 2 teleoperation needs; model and interface compatibility must be checked.

Read the legacy migration guide before replacing an existing SDK.

Documentation and license

Each linked repository is the source for its own installation, API, hardware limits, and release information. This directory does not distribute the SDKs or their drivers. Its Apache License 2.0 applies to this repository; linked projects have their own licenses.