Orca Core is the core control package of the ORCA Hand. It's used to abstract hardware, provide scripts for calibration and tensioningm and to control the hand with simple high-level control methods in joint space.

Get Started

To get started with Orca Core, follow these steps:

1. Create a virtual environment (recommended):

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate

   You can also use Poetry, pyenv, conda, or any other environment manager if you prefer.

2. Install dependencies:

   pip install -e .

3. Check the configuration file:

   • Review the config file (e.g., orca_core/orca_core/models/orcahand_v1_right/config.yaml) and make sure it matches your hardware setup.

4. Run the tension and calibration scripts:

   python scripts/tension.py orca_core/models/orcahand_v1_right
   python scripts/calibrate.py orca_core/models/orcahand_v1_right

   Replace the path with your specific hand model folder if needed.

5. Move the hand to the neutral position:

   python scripts/neutral.py orca_core/models/orcahand_v1_right

6. Example usage: test.py

   Here is a minimal example script you can use to test your setup:

   from orca_core import OrcaHand
   import time
   
   hand = OrcaHand('orca_core/models/orcahand_v1_right')
   status = hand.connect()
   print(status)
   if not status[0]:
       print("Failed to connect to the hand.")
       exit(1)
   
   hand.enable_torque()
   
   joint_dict = {
       "index_mcp": 90,
       "middle_pip": 30,
   }
   
   hand.set_joint_pos(joint_dict, num_steps=25, step_size=0.001)
   
   time.sleep(2)
   hand.disable_torque()
   hand.disconnect()

---

Note:

• Always ensure your config.yaml matches your hardware and wiring.
• All scripts in the scripts/ folder take the model path as their first argument.
• For more advanced usage, see the other scripts and the API documentation.

---