Synapse: Robotic Skills

SUMMARY

Synapse provides the full robotics stack, including motion planning, kinematics, control, and hardware integration.

It enables the same robotic skills to run consistently across manipulators, mobile robots and humanoids by abstracting both software control and hardware interfaces into a unified execution layer.

EARLY ACCESS

We are actively expanding Synapse!

APIs may change between releases and robot support varies per skill. Please check the individual skill pages for current compatibility.

Installation Guide

Setting up Synapse for the first time? Follow the Installation Guide to configure your environment.

When to Use Synapse?

Synapse is designed to address fragmentation in robotics software stacks, particularly across motion planning, kinematics, control, and hardware interfaces.

It provides a unified execution layer that abstracts robot-specific implementations into a consistent interface, reducing the need for per-platform integration.

Synapse is appropriate when the system requires:

Motion Planning: RRT, RRT*, and related sampling-based planning methods
Forward and Inverse Kinematics: CLIC, TRAC-IK, Multi-Seed CLIC IK
Hardware-Agnostic Communication: Unified interface across multiple robot vendors and control systems
Simulation Workflows: Isaac Sim support, with MuJoCo support coming soon
Simulation-to-Real Consistency: Identical behaviors can be deployed in both simulation and real-world environments

How to Use Synapse?

To use the skills from synapse, simply use:

python

from telekinesis import synapse

Here is an example of Inverse Kinematics:

python

import numpy as np
from loguru import logger
from telekinesis.synapse.robots.manipulators import kuka

robot = kuka.KukaKR6R9002()

q = np.asarray([0, -np.pi / 2 - 0.1, -np.pi / 2, 0, np.pi / 2, 0])
target_pose = robot.forward_kinematics(q, rot_type="rad")

noise = np.random.normal(loc=0.0, scale=0.5, size=q.shape)
q_init = q + noise

q = robot.inverse_kinematics(
    target_pose=target_pose,
    rot_type="rad",
    q_init=q_init,
    solver="clik",
)
logger.success(f"IK solution: {q}")

Here is another example to move the real robot in Cartesian space:

EARLY ACCESS

Synapse is under active development. Currently this skill is supported only on Universal Robots.

python

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()
robot.connect(ip=robot_ip)

initial_tcp_pose = robot.get_cartesian_pose()

new_tcp_pose = initial_tcp_pose[:]
new_tcp_pose[2] -= 0.2

robot.set_cartesian_pose(
    cartesian_pose=new_tcp_pose,
    speed=0.25,
    acceleration=0.25,
    asynchronous=False,
)
logger.info(f"Moved to target Cartesian pose: {new_tcp_pose}")

robot.disconnect()

Here is an example of moving a Robotiq gripper:

python

from telekinesis.synapse.tools.parallel_grippers import robotiq

gripper = robotiq.Robotiq2F85()
gripper.connect(ip="192.168.1.1", protocol="RTDE")

# Open fully
gripper.move(position=85.0, speed=100.0, force=100.0, asynchronous=False)
# Grasp
gripper.move(position=30.0, speed=50.0, force=60.0, asynchronous=False)
# Release
gripper.move(position=85.0, speed=100.0, force=100.0, asynchronous=False)

gripper.disconnect()

Overview of Skills

Kinematics

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
forward_kinematics	Compute the end-effector pose from a given joint configuration.	ABB, Fanuc, Franka Robotics, Kuka, Motoman, Neura Robotics, Universal Robots
inverse_kinematics	Solve joint configurations from a target Cartesian pose.	ABB, Fanuc, Franka Robotics, Kuka, Motoman, Neura Robotics, Universal Robots
get_on_robot_forward_kinematics	Compute forward kinematics using the robot controller's built-in solver.	Universal Robots
get_on_robot_inverse_kinematics	Compute inverse kinematics using the robot controller's built-in solver.	Universal Robots
get_inverse_kinematics_has_solution	Check whether a valid IK solution exists for a target Cartesian pose.	Universal Robots
get_jacobian	Read the geometric Jacobian at the current or specified configuration.	Universal Robots
get_jacobian_time_derivative	Read the time derivative of the Jacobian matrix.	Universal Robots
get_actual_tool_flange_pose	Read the actual tool flange pose without TCP offset.	Universal Robots

Connection

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
connect / disconnect	Connect to and disconnect from robot controllers.	Universal Robots

Motion

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
set_cartesian_pose	Command robot motion to a target Cartesian pose.	Universal Robots
set_joint_positions	Command robot motion to a target joint configuration.	Universal Robots
set_cartesian_pose_in_joint_space	Command a Cartesian target pose using a joint-space interpolated trajectory.	Universal Robots
set_joint_position_in_cartesian_space	Command a joint configuration using a Cartesian-interpolated trajectory.	Universal Robots
move_joint_path	Move the robot through a sequence of joint configurations.	Universal Robots
move_cartesian_path	Move the TCP through a sequence of Cartesian waypoints.	Universal Robots
move_path	Execute a pre-built controller-native path object.	Universal Robots
move_until_contact	Execute an approach motion that stops on contact.	Universal Robots
stop_cartesian_motion	Decelerate and stop any ongoing Cartesian motion.	Universal Robots
stop_joint_motion	Decelerate and stop any ongoing joint-space motion.	Universal Robots
trigger_protective_stop	Immediately halt all robot motion by triggering a protective stop.	Universal Robots
start_jog	Start continuous joint jogging at specified speeds.	Universal Robots
stop_jog	Stop an active jog motion.	Universal Robots
start_freedrive_mode	Start gravity-compensated back-drivable (freedrive) mode.	Universal Robots
stop_freedrive_mode	Exit freedrive mode and restore normal motion control.	Universal Robots
start_teach_mode	Start zero-gravity teach mode for unconstrained manual back-drive.	Universal Robots
stop_teach_mode	Exit teach mode and restore normal motion control.	Universal Robots
motion_planning	Plan collision-aware and feasible robot trajectories.	ABB, Fanuc, Franka Robotics, Kuka, Motoman, Neura Robotics, Universal Robots

Servo Control

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
servo_joint	Send real-time high-frequency joint servo commands.	Universal Robots
servo_cartesian	Send real-time high-frequency Cartesian servo commands.	Universal Robots
servo_circular	Execute a circular arc move via the servo interface.	Universal Robots
servo_stop	Stop an active servo motion.	Universal Robots

Speed Control

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
speed_joint	Command the robot with joint-space velocity targets.	Universal Robots
speed_cartesian	Command the robot with Cartesian velocity targets.	Universal Robots
speed_stop	Stop an active speed controller.	Universal Robots

Force Control

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
move_in_force_mode	Execute compliant force-controlled motions.	Universal Robots
stop_force_mode	Stop an active force mode and return to normal position control.	Universal Robots
set_force_mode_damping	Set the damping coefficient for the active force mode controller.	Universal Robots
set_force_mode_gain_scaling	Scale the gain of the active force mode controller.	Universal Robots
set_external_force_torque	Feed an external wrench estimate into the robot's dynamics model.	Universal Robots
tool_contact	Check whether the tool has made contact in a specified Cartesian direction.	Universal Robots
zero_ft_sensor	Zero (tare) the force/torque sensor at the current reading.	Universal Robots

State Reading

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_joint_positions	Read the current joint positions in degrees.	Universal Robots
get_cartesian_pose	Read the current TCP pose as [x, y, z, rx, ry, rz].	Universal Robots
get_pose_transform	Compute a pose by applying a relative transformation in the frame of a source pose.	Universal Robots
get_timestamp	Read the elapsed time since the robot controller was started.	Universal Robots
get_robot_mode	Read the current robot mode integer code from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_robot_status	Read the robot status bitmask from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_safety_mode	Read the current safety mode integer code from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_runtime_state	Read the current program runtime state from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_controller_frequency	Measure the robot controller's update frequency in Hz.	Universal Robots

Joint Telemetry

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_actual_joint_velocities	Read the current joint velocities in degrees per second.	Universal Robots
get_actual_joint_currents	Read the actual motor currents for each joint.	Universal Robots
get_joint_temperatures	Read the current temperature of each joint motor.	Universal Robots
get_joint_torques	Read the net joint torques (gravity and friction corrected).	Universal Robots
get_actual_joint_positions_history	Read past joint positions from the controller's history buffer.	Universal Robots

TCP Telemetry

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_actual_tcp_speed	Read the current TCP speed in Cartesian coordinates.	Universal Robots
get_actual_tcp_force	Read the generalized forces (wrench) at the TCP.	Universal Robots
get_target_waypoint	Read the target waypoint of the active move.	Universal Robots
get_tcp_offset	Read the active TCP offset pose from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_ft_raw_wrench	Read the raw uncompensated force/torque sensor measurement.	Universal Robots

I/O and Configuration

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_digital_in_state	Read the state of a digital input channel.	Universal Robots
get_digital_out_state	Read the state of a digital output channel.	Universal Robots
get_actual_digital_input_bits	Read all digital input states as a bitmask.	Universal Robots
get_actual_digital_output_bits	Read all digital output states as a bitmask.	Universal Robots
get_standard_analog_input	Read a standard analog input channel value.	Universal Robots
get_standard_analog_output	Read a standard analog output channel value.	Universal Robots
get_output_int_register	Read an output integer register value from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_output_double_register	Read an output double (float) register value from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_payload	Read the configured payload mass from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_payload_cog	Read the configured payload center of gravity offset.	Universal Robots
set_payload	Set the payload mass and center of gravity on the controller.	Universal Robots
set_tcp	Set the Tool Center Point offset on the controller.	Universal Robots
get_step_time	Read the duration of one robot control time step in seconds.	Universal Robots
get_speed_scaling	Read the current speed scaling factor applied by the controller.	Universal Robots
get_async_operation_progress	Read the progress of the current asynchronous operation.	Universal Robots
get_freedrive_status	Read the freedrive singularity proximity status.	Universal Robots

Safety Checks

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
is_protective_stopped	Check whether the robot is in a protective stop state.	Universal Robots
is_emergency_stopped	Check whether the robot is in an emergency stop state.	Universal Robots
is_program_running	Check whether a program is currently running on the controller.	Universal Robots
is_steady	Check whether the robot is fully at rest.	Universal Robots
is_pose_within_safety_limits	Check whether a Cartesian pose is within the robot's safety limits.	Universal Robots
is_joints_within_safety_limits	Check whether a joint configuration is within the robot's safety limits.	Universal Robots
unlock_protective_stop	Programmatically unlock a protective stop.	Universal Robots
get_safety_status_bits	Read the robot safety system status as a bitmask.	Universal Robots

Contact Detection

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
start_contact_detection	Arm asynchronous contact detection on the robot.	Universal Robots
read_contact_detection	Poll the asynchronous contact detection state.	Universal Robots
stop_contact_detection	Disarm contact detection and return the final result.	Universal Robots

F/T Sensor Setup

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
ft_rtde_input_enable	Enable or disable the RTDE-fed external force/torque sensor input.	Universal Robots
enable_external_ft_sensor	Enable or disable the external force/torque sensor using the legacy API.	Universal Robots

Dynamics

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
set_gravity	Set the gravity direction used by the robot's dynamics model.	Universal Robots
set_target_payload	Set the payload mass, center of gravity, and inertia tensor.	Universal Robots
direct_torque	Command direct joint torques on the robot.	Universal Robots
get_mass_matrix	Read the joint-space mass (inertia) matrix.	Universal Robots
get_coriolis_and_centrifugal_torques	Read the Coriolis and centrifugal joint torques at the current state.	Universal Robots

Target State

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_target_joint_positions	Read the controller-commanded target joint positions.	Universal Robots
get_target_joint_velocities	Read the controller-commanded target joint velocities.	Universal Robots
get_target_joint_currents	Read the controller-commanded target joint motor currents.	Universal Robots
get_target_joint_moments	Read the controller-commanded target joint torques (moments).	Universal Robots
get_target_joint_accelerations	Read the controller-commanded target joint accelerations.	Universal Robots
get_target_tcp_pose	Read the controller-commanded target TCP pose.	Universal Robots
get_target_tcp_speed	Read the controller-commanded target TCP speed.	Universal Robots
get_target_speed_fraction	Read the programmatically set target speed scaling fraction.	Universal Robots

Electrical

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_actual_main_voltage	Read the Safety Control Board main supply voltage.	Universal Robots
get_actual_robot_voltage	Read the 48V robot drive rail voltage.	Universal Robots
get_actual_robot_current	Read the total robot current from the Safety Control Board.	Universal Robots
get_actual_joint_voltage	Read the actual joint motor drive voltages.	Universal Robots
get_actual_current_as_torque	Read actual joint motor currents converted to torque estimates.	Universal Robots

Diagnostics

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
get_actual_execution_time	Read the robot controller real-time thread execution time.	Universal Robots
get_actual_tool_accelerometer	Read the tool accelerometer readings.	Universal Robots
get_actual_momentum	Read the norm of the robot's Cartesian linear momentum.	Universal Robots
get_speed_scaling_combined	Read the combined effective speed scaling factor.	Universal Robots
get_joint_control_output	Read the joint control output currents from the controller.	Universal Robots
get_joint_mode	Read the joint control mode codes for all six joints.	Universal Robots
get_payload_inertia	Read the currently configured payload inertia tensor.	Universal Robots

Custom Scripting

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
send_custom_script	Send an inline URScript program string to the controller.	Universal Robots
send_custom_script_file	Send a URScript file to the robot controller.	Universal Robots
send_custom_script_function	Register a named URScript function on the controller.	Universal Robots
set_custom_script_file	Set a persistent custom control script file on the controller.	Universal Robots

Watchdog

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
set_watchdog	Enable the RTDE communication watchdog on the controller.	Universal Robots
kick_watchdog	Reset the RTDE communication watchdog timer.	Universal Robots

Recording

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
start_file_recording	Record RTDE data to a CSV file.	Universal Robots
stop_file_recording	Stop an active RTDE file recording.	Universal Robots

Tools (Grippers)

SDK Call	Description	Supported Robots
connect / disconnect	Connect to and disconnect from parallel grippers.	OnRobot, Robotiq
set_unit	Configure the units for position, speed, and force parameters.	OnRobot, Robotiq
set_position_range	Configure the physical stroke range for millimeter-unit commands.	OnRobot, Robotiq
set_speed	Configure the default motion speed of the gripper.	OnRobot, Robotiq
set_force	Configure the default gripping force of the gripper.	OnRobot, Robotiq
open	Fully open the gripper.	OnRobot, Robotiq
close	Close the gripper to grasp an object.	OnRobot, Robotiq
move	Move the gripper to a specific position.	OnRobot, Robotiq
get_current_position	Read the current finger position of the gripper.	OnRobot, Robotiq

Synapse: Robotic Skills ​

When to Use Synapse? ​

How to Use Synapse? ​

Overview of Skills ​

Kinematics ​

Connection ​

Motion ​

Servo Control ​

Speed Control ​

Force Control ​

State Reading ​

Joint Telemetry ​

TCP Telemetry ​

I/O and Configuration ​

Safety Checks ​

Contact Detection ​

F/T Sensor Setup ​

Dynamics ​

Target State ​

Electrical ​

Diagnostics ​

Custom Scripting ​

Watchdog ​

Recording ​

Tools (Grippers) ​

Synapse: Robotic Skills

When to Use Synapse?

How to Use Synapse?

Overview of Skills

Kinematics

Connection

Motion

Servo Control

Speed Control

Force Control

State Reading

Joint Telemetry

TCP Telemetry

I/O and Configuration

Safety Checks

Contact Detection

F/T Sensor Setup

Dynamics

Target State

Electrical

Diagnostics

Custom Scripting

Watchdog

Recording

Tools (Grippers)