Kick Watchdog
SUMMARY
Kick Watchdog resets the communication watchdog timer on the robot controller, signalling that the Python process is alive and healthy. Call this method at a rate at or above the frequency set by Set Watchdog to prevent a watchdog timeout and protective stop.
SUPPORTED ROBOTS
This skill is currently supported on Universal Robots only. Calling this method on other robot brands will raise a NotImplementedError.
The Skill
robot.kick_watchdog()The Code
Example: Enable and Periodically Kick the Watchdog
Enable the watchdog at 10 Hz and send one kick.
from loguru import logger
from telekinesis.synapse.robots.manipulators import universal_robots
robot_ip = "192.168.1.2" # replace with your robot's IP
robot = universal_robots.UniversalRobotsUR10E()
# Connect
robot.connect(ip=robot_ip)
robot.set_watchdog(min_frequency=10.0)
logger.info("Watchdog enabled at 10 Hz.")
robot.kick_watchdog()
logger.success("Watchdog kicked.")
# Disconnect
robot.disconnect()The Explanation of the Code
kick_watchdog sends a heartbeat signal to the robot controller, resetting the watchdog countdown. The watchdog must be first enabled with Set Watchdog. In a real-time control loop, call kick_watchdog at each iteration to keep the watchdog satisfied. If kick_watchdog is not called within the timeout window, the controller triggers a protective stop. Returns True on success.
How to Tune the Parameters
This skill takes no parameters.
Return Value
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
bool | True if the watchdog was successfully kicked, False otherwise. |
Where to Use the Skill
- Real-time control loops — Call at each iteration to prevent watchdog timeout
- Servo and force-control applications — Pair with motion commands sent at the same rate
When Not to Use the Skill
Do not use Kick Watchdog when:
- The watchdog has not been enabled — call Set Watchdog first
- Your application does not run a tight control loop — the watchdog is only appropriate for continuous real-time control patterns