Merge branch 'feat/mirror' into openarms_wallx_rebased_3

* fix(edit dataset operation): fixing dataset tools CLI operation type specification

* test(edit dataset operation): adding tests for dataset tools operation type specification

* chore(format): running pre-commit

* chore(backward compatibility): adding a type property in OperationConfig for backward compatibility

Signed-off-by: Caroline Pascal <caroline8.pascal@gmail.com>

.github/workflows/documentation.yml

@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ name: Documentation
 on:
   # Allows running this workflow manually from the Actions tab
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: 'Version tag (e.g. v0.1.2) - Leave empty for standard main build'
+        required: false
+        type: string
 
   # Triggers the workflow on push events to main for the docs folder
   push:
@@ -54,7 +59,13 @@ jobs:
     with:
       commit_sha: ${{ github.sha }}
       package: lerobot
-      additional_args: --not_python_module ${{ github.event_name == 'release' && format('--version {0}', github.event.release.tag_name) || '' }}
+      additional_args: >-
+        --not_python_module
+        ${{
+          (github.event_name == 'release' && format('--version {0}', github.event.release.tag_name)) ||
+          (inputs.version != '' && format('--version {0}', inputs.version)) ||
+          ''
+        }}
     secrets:
       token: ${{ secrets.HUGGINGFACE_PUSH }}
       hf_token: ${{ secrets.HF_DOC_BUILD_PUSH }}

.github/workflows/full_tests.yml

@@ -101,9 +101,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on:
       group: aws-general-8-plus
     if: |
-      (github.event_name == 'pull_request_review' && github.event.review.state == 'approved' && github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork == false) ||
-      github.event_name == 'push' ||
-      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+      github.repository == 'huggingface/lerobot' && (
+        (github.event_name == 'pull_request_review' && github.event.review.state == 'approved' && github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork == false) ||
+        github.event_name == 'push' ||
+        github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+      )
     outputs:
       image_tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.image_tag }}
     env:

.github/workflows/unbound_deps_tests.yml

@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
   # Run on the 1st and 15th of every month at 09:00 UTC
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '0 2 1,15 * *'
+  # schedule:
+  #  - cron: '0 2 1,15 * *'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ jobs:
     name: Build and Push Docker
     runs-on:
       group: aws-general-8-plus
+    if: github.repository == 'huggingface/lerobot'
     outputs:
       image_tag: ${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}
     env:

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ You can contribute in many ways:
 - **Documentation:** Improve examples, guides, and docstrings.
 - **Feedback:** Submit tickets related to bugs or desired new features.
 
-If you are unsure where to start, join our [Discord Channel](https://discord.gg/JkrYNdmw).
+If you are unsure where to start, join our [Discord Channel](https://discord.gg/q8Dzzpym3f).
 
 ## Development Setup
 

README.md

@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ Learn how to implement your own simulation environment or benchmark and distribu
 ## Resources
 
 - **[Documentation](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/index):** The complete guide to tutorials & API.
+- **[Chinese Tutorials: LeRobot+SO-ARM101中文教程-同济子豪兄](https://zihao-ai.feishu.cn/wiki/space/7589642043471924447)** Detailed doc for assembling, teleoperate, dataset, train, deploy. Verified by Seed Studio and 5 global hackathon players.
 - **[Discord](https://discord.gg/q8Dzzpym3f):** Join the `LeRobot` server to discuss with the community.
 - **[X](https://x.com/LeRobotHF):** Follow us on X to stay up-to-date with the latest developments.
 - **[Robot Learning Tutorial](https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/robot-learning-tutorial):** A free, hands-on course to learn robot learning using LeRobot.

SECURITY.md

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Security Policy
+
+## Project Status & Philosophy
+
+`lerobot` has so far been primarily a research and prototyping tool, which is why deployment security hasn’t been a strong focus until now. As `lerobot` continues to be adopted and deployed in production, we are paying much closer attention to these kinds of issues.
+
+Fortunately, being an open-source project, the community can also help by reporting and fixing vulnerabilities. We appreciate your efforts to responsibly disclose your findings and will make every effort to acknowledge your contributions.
+
+## Reporting a Vulnerability
+
+To report a security issue, please use the GitHub Security Advisory ["Report a Vulnerability"](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/security/advisories/new) tab.
+
+The `lerobot` team will send a response indicating the next steps in handling your report. After the initial reply to your report, the security team will keep you informed of the progress towards a fix and full announcement, and may ask for additional information or guidance.
+
+#### Hugging Face Security Team
+
+Since this project is part of the Hugging Face ecosystem, feel free to submit vulnerability reports directly to: **[security@huggingface.co](mailto:security@huggingface.co)**. Someone from the HF security team will review the report and recommend next steps.
+
+#### Open Source Disclosures
+
+If reporting a vulnerability specific to the open-source codebase (and not the underlying Hub infrastructure), you may also use [Huntr](https://huntr.com), a vulnerability disclosure program for open source software.
+
+## Supported Versions
+
+Currently, we treat `lerobot` as a rolling release. We prioritize security updates for the latest available version (`main` branch).
+
+| Version  | Supported |
+| -------- | --------- |
+| Latest   | ✅        |
+| < Latest | ❌        |
+
+## Secure Usage Guidelines
+
+`lerobot` is tightly coupled to the Hugging Face Hub for sharing data and pretrained policies. When downloading artifacts uploaded by others, you expose yourself to risks. Please read below for recommendations to keep your runtime and robot environment safe.
+
+### Remote Artefacts (Weights & Policies)
+
+Models and policies uploaded to the Hugging Face Hub come in different formats. We heavily recommend uploading and downloading models in the [`safetensors`](https://github.com/huggingface/safetensors) format.
+
+`safetensors` was developed specifically to prevent arbitrary code execution on your system, which is critical when running software on physical hardware/robots.
+
+To avoid loading models from unsafe formats (e.g., `pickle`), you should ensure you are prioritizing `safetensors` files.
+
+### Remote Code
+
+Some models or environments on the Hub may require `trust_remote_code=True` to run custom architecture code.
+
+Please **always** verify the content of the modeling files when using this argument. We recommend setting a specific `revision` (commit hash) when loading remote code to ensure you protect yourself from unverified updates to the repository.

STREAMING_ENCODING_PR.md

@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+# Streaming Video Encoding — Encode on the fly during recording
+
+## Problem
+
+After each episode, `save_episode()` blocks for **~79 seconds** on a 3-camera setup (3197 frames, 107s episode):
+
+| Step | Time |
+|------|------|
+| Write 9591 PNGs to disk | ~19s |
+| Read PNGs back → compute image stats | ~15s |
+| Read PNGs again → encode 3× AV1 videos → delete PNGs | ~44.5s |
+| Save parquet + metadata | ~0.6s |
+| **Total** | **~79s** |
+
+The entire pipeline writes frames as temporary PNGs, reads them back twice (stats + encoding), then deletes them. This round-trip is the bottleneck.
+
+## Architecture
+
+### Before: sequential post-episode pipeline
+
+```
+  Recording loop                          save_episode() — BLOCKS ~79s
+ ┌─────────────┐          ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+ │  30fps loop  │          │                                                          │
+ │              │  frames  │  frame_buffer ──► write PNGs ──► read PNGs ──► stats     │
+ │  camera ─►───┼──► list  │       (~19s)         │              (~15s)               │
+ │  teleop      │          │                      ▼                                   │
+ │  policy      │          │               read PNGs ──► AV1 encode ──► delete PNGs   │
+ │              │          │                        (~44.5s)                           │
+ └──────┬───────┘          └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+        │                                         │
+        ▼                                         ▼
+   episode ends                             next episode
+   (~107s recording)                        (~79s blocked)
+```
+
+**Data path:** `frame → list → PNG disk → read → stats` + `PNG disk → read → encode → MP4 → delete PNGs`
+
+### After: streaming pipeline (encodes during recording)
+
+```
+  Recording loop (encoding happens HERE)            save_episode() — ~0.5s
+ ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐         ┌──────────────────┐
+ │  30fps control loop                   │         │                  │
+ │                                       │         │  flush encoders  │
+ │  camera ──► frame ─┬─► queue ──► [T1] ├── AV1 ─┤  (already done)  │
+ │                    │    queue ──► [T2] ├── AV1 ─┤  ~0.16s          │
+ │                    │    queue ──► [T3] ├── AV1 ─┤                  │
+ │                    │                  │         │  running stats   │
+ │                    └─► downsample ──► │─ stats ─┤  → finalize      │
+ │                       RunningQuantile │         │  ~0.01s          │
+ │  teleop / policy (never blocked)      │         │                  │
+ └───────────────────────────────────────┘         │  save parquet    │
+                                                   │  ~0.36s          │
+        [T1] [T2] [T3] = encoder threads           └──────────────────┘
+        (one per camera, GIL released by PyAV)
+```
+
+**Data path:** `frame → queue → encode → MP4` (zero PNGs, zero re-reads)
+
+## Stats computation changes
+
+| | Before | After |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Method** | `compute_episode_stats()` reads all PNGs from disk, decodes them, computes min/max/mean/std/quantiles | `RunningQuantileStats` accumulates stats incrementally per frame during recording |
+| **Input** | Full-resolution PNGs read back from disk | Downsampled frames (via `auto_downsample_height_width`, ~150×100px) directly from memory |
+| **When** | After episode ends, inside `save_episode()` | During recording, inside `add_frame()` (~2ms per frame) |
+| **Output** | `{mean, std, min, max, q01..q99}` shaped `(C,1,1)` in `[0,1]` | Identical shape and scale — `RunningQuantileStats.get_statistics()` → reshape `(C,1,1)` / 255 |
+| **I/O** | Reads 9591 PNGs (~15s) | Zero disk I/O |
+| **Numeric features** | Computed from episode buffer (unchanged) | Computed from episode buffer (unchanged) |
+
+The running stats use the same `auto_downsample_height_width` function and produce the same statistical keys (`mean`, `std`, `min`, `max`, `count`, `q01`, `q10`, `q50`, `q90`, `q99`). Video features are excluded from the post-episode `compute_episode_stats()` call when streaming is active — only numeric features go through that path.
+
+## Results
+
+Tested on the same 3-camera setup (2028 frames, 67.6s episode):
+
+| Step | Before | After | Speedup |
+|------|--------|-------|---------|
+| Frame writing (PNGs) | ~19s | **0s** | ∞ (eliminated) |
+| Episode stats | ~15s | **0.01s** | 1500× |
+| Video encoding | ~44.5s | **0.16s** | 278× |
+| Parquet + meta | ~0.6s | **0.36s** | ~same |
+| **Total `save_episode()`** | **~79s** | **0.55s** | **143×** |
+
+The video encoding time drops to near-zero because most encoding already happened during recording. `finish_episode()` only flushes the last few buffered frames.
+
+### Per-frame overhead during recording
+
+| Operation | Time |
+|-----------|------|
+| `queue.put(frame)` (non-blocking) | ~0.01ms |
+| `auto_downsample_height_width` | ~0.5ms |
+| `RunningQuantileStats.update` | ~1ms |
+| **Total per frame** | **~2ms** (well within 33ms budget at 30fps) |
+
+## Usage
+
+Streaming is **on by default**. Users on weaker PCs can disable it to fall back to the old post-episode pipeline:
+
+```bash
+# Default (streaming ON)
+lerobot-record --dataset.repo_id=user/dataset ...
+
+# Old behavior (streaming OFF)
+lerobot-record --dataset.repo_id=user/dataset --dataset.streaming_encoding=false
+```
+
+For the RaC data collection script, set `streaming_encoding: false` in the dataset config.
+
+## Files Changed
+
+### `src/lerobot/datasets/video_utils.py`
+- Added `StreamingVideoEncoder` — manages one `_CameraEncoder` thread per camera
+- Added `_CameraEncoder` — daemon thread that reads frames from a queue and encodes with PyAV
+- Non-blocking unbounded queue ensures the control loop is never delayed
+
+### `src/lerobot/datasets/lerobot_dataset.py`
+- `create()` / `start_streaming_encoder()`: new `streaming_encoding` parameter
+- `add_frame()`: when streaming, feeds frames to encoder + accumulates running stats instead of writing PNGs
+- `save_episode()`: when streaming, uses running stats and calls `finish_episode()` to get already-encoded video paths
+- `clear_episode_buffer()`: cancels in-progress encoding on re-record
+- `finalize()`: cleans up encoder on shutdown
+- **Full backward compatibility**: when `streaming_encoding=False`, all existing code paths are unchanged
+
+### `src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_record.py`
+- Added `streaming_encoding: bool = True` to `DatasetRecordConfig`
+- Wired through to both `create()` and `resume` paths
+
+### `examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms_rtc.py`
+- Added `streaming_encoding: bool = True` to `RaCRTCDatasetConfig`
+- Frames are added inline during the control loop (streaming) or buffered for post-loop writing (old path)
+- Automatically detects mode and adjusts behavior
+
+## Design Notes
+
+- **Why threads, not processes?** PyAV/FFmpeg releases the GIL during encoding. Threads share memory (zero-copy frame passing), avoiding the serialization overhead of multiprocessing.
+- **Why unbounded queue?** At 30fps production vs ~72fps encoding throughput, the queue stays near-empty. Even during brief encoder stalls, memory growth is bounded by episode length. The control loop must never block.
+- **Why running stats?** Avoids the expensive read-back-from-disk step. `RunningQuantileStats` + `auto_downsample_height_width` compute identical statistics incrementally with ~2ms overhead per frame.
+- **Backward compatible**: Setting `streaming_encoding=false` restores the original PNG → encode pipeline exactly. No behavior changes for existing users who don't opt in.

docs/source/_toctree.yml

@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 - sections:
   - local: il_robots
     title: Imitation Learning for Robots
-  - local: cameras
-    title: Cameras
   - local: bring_your_own_policies
     title: Bring Your Own Policies
   - local: integrate_hardware
@@ -29,6 +27,8 @@
     title: Porting Large Datasets
   - local: using_dataset_tools
     title: Using the Dataset Tools
+  - local: dataset_subtask
+    title: Using Subtasks in the Dataset
   title: "Datasets"
 - sections:
   - local: act
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
     title: Use Async Inference
   - local: rtc
     title: Real-Time Chunking (RTC)
+  - local: training_time_rtc
+    title: Training-Time RTC
   title: "Inference"
 - sections:
   - local: envhub
@@ -99,11 +101,19 @@
     title: Unitree G1
   - local: earthrover_mini_plus
     title: Earth Rover Mini
+  - local: omx
+    title: OMX
+  - local: openarm
+    title: OpenArm
   title: "Robots"
 - sections:
   - local: phone_teleop
     title: Phone
   title: "Teleoperators"
+- sections:
+  - local: cameras
+    title: Cameras
+  title: "Sensors"
 - sections:
   - local: torch_accelerators
     title: PyTorch accelerators
@@ -113,6 +123,8 @@
     title: Notebooks
   - local: feetech
     title: Updating Feetech Firmware
+  - local: damiao
+    title: Damiao Motors and CAN Bus
   title: "Resources"
 - sections:
   - local: contributing

docs/source/async.mdx

@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ client_cfg = RobotClientConfig(
     robot=robot_cfg,
     server_address="localhost:8080",
     policy_device="mps",
+    client_device="cpu",
     policy_type="smolvla",
     pretrained_name_or_path="<user>/smolvla_async",
     chunk_size_threshold=0.5,

docs/source/cameras.mdx

@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 # Cameras
 
-LeRobot offers multiple options for video capture, including phone cameras, built-in laptop cameras, external webcams, and Intel RealSense cameras. To efficiently record frames from most cameras, you can use either the `OpenCVCamera` or `RealSenseCamera` class. For additional compatibility details on the `OpenCVCamera` class, refer to the [Video I/O with OpenCV Overview](https://docs.opencv.org/4.x/d0/da7/videoio_overview.html).
+LeRobot offers multiple options for video capture:
 
-### Finding your camera
+| Class             | Supported Cameras                   |
+| ----------------- | ----------------------------------- |
+| `OpenCVCamera`    | Phone, built-in laptop, USB webcams |
+| `ZMQCamera`       | Network-connected cameras           |
+| `RealSenseCamera` | Intel RealSense (with depth)        |
+| `Reachy2Camera`   | Reachy 2 robot cameras              |
 
-To instantiate a camera, you need a camera identifier. This identifier might change if you reboot your computer or re-plug your camera, a behavior mostly dependant on your operating system.
+> [!TIP]
+> For `OpenCVCamera` compatibility details, see the [Video I/O with OpenCV Overview](https://docs.opencv.org/4.x/d0/da7/videoio_overview.html).
 
-To find the camera indices of the cameras plugged into your system, run the following script:
+### Find your camera
+
+Every camera requires a unique identifier to be instantiated, allowing you to distinguish between multiple connected devices.
+
+`OpenCVCamera` and `RealSenseCamera` support auto-discovery. Run the command below to list available devices and their identifiers. Note that these identifiers may change after rebooting your computer or re-plugging the camera, depending on your operating system.
 
 ```bash
 lerobot-find-cameras opencv # or realsense for Intel Realsense cameras
@@ -14,7 +24,7 @@ lerobot-find-cameras opencv # or realsense for Intel Realsense cameras
 
 The output will look something like this if you have two cameras connected:
 
-```
+```bash
 --- Detected Cameras ---
 Camera #0:
   Name: OpenCV Camera @ 0
@@ -33,13 +43,37 @@ Camera #0:
 > [!WARNING]
 > When using Intel RealSense cameras in `macOS`, you could get this [error](https://github.com/IntelRealSense/librealsense/issues/12307): `Error finding RealSense cameras: failed to set power state`, this can be solved by running the same command with `sudo` permissions. Note that using RealSense cameras in `macOS` is unstable.
 
-## Use Cameras
+`ZMQCamera` and `Reachy2Camera` do not support auto-discovery. They must be configured manually by providing their network address and port or robot SDK settings.
 
-Below are two examples, demonstrating how to work with the API.
+## Use cameras
 
-- **Asynchronous frame capture** using an OpenCV-based camera
+### Frame access modes
+
+All camera classes implement three access modes for capturing frames:
+
+| Method                    | Behavior                                                                                                                                                   | Blocks?        | Best For                                 |
+| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
+| `read()`                  | Waits for the camera hardware to return a frame. May block for a long time depending on the camera and SDK.                                                | Yes            | Simple scripts, sequential capture       |
+| `async_read(timeout_ms)`  | Returns the latest unconsumed frame from background thread. Blocks only if buffer is empty, up to `timeout_ms`. Raises `TimeoutError` if no frame arrives. | With a timeout | Control loops synchronized to camera FPS |
+| `read_latest(max_age_ms)` | Peeks at the most recent frame in buffer (may be stale). Raises `TimeoutError` if frame is older than `max_age_ms`.                                        | No             | UI visualization, logging, monitoring    |
+
+### Usage examples
+
+The following examples show how to use the camera API to configure and capture frames from different camera types.
+
+- **Blocking and non-blocking frame capture** using an OpenCV-based camera
 - **Color and depth capture** using an Intel RealSense camera
 
+> [!WARNING]
+> Failing to cleanly disconnect cameras can cause resource leaks. Use the context manager protocol to ensure automatic cleanup:
+>
+> ```python
+> with OpenCVCamera(config) as camera:
+>     ...
+> ```
+>
+> You can also call `connect()` and `disconnect()` manually, but always use a `finally` block for the latter.
+
 <hfoptions id="shell_restart">
 <hfoption id="Open CV Camera">
 
@@ -60,16 +94,30 @@ config = OpenCVCameraConfig(
 )
 
 # Instantiate and connect an `OpenCVCamera`, performing a warm-up read (default).
-camera = OpenCVCamera(config)
-camera.connect()
+with OpenCVCamera(config) as camera:
+
+    # Read a frame synchronously — blocks until hardware delivers a new frame
+    frame = camera.read()
+    print(f"read() call returned frame with shape:", frame.shape)
+
+    # Read a frame asynchronously with a timeout — returns the latest unconsumed frame or waits up to timeout_ms for a new one
+    try:
+        for i in range(10):
+            frame = camera.async_read(timeout_ms=200)
+            print(f"async_read call returned frame {i} with shape:", frame.shape)
+    except TimeoutError as e:
+        print(f"No frame received within timeout: {e}")
+
+    # Instantly return a frame - returns the most recent frame captured by the camera
+    try:
+        initial_frame = camera.read_latest(max_age_ms=1000)
+        for i in range(10):
+            frame = camera.read_latest(max_age_ms=1000)
+            print(f"read_latest call returned frame {i} with shape:", frame.shape)
+            print(f"Was a new frame received by the camera? {not (initial_frame == frame).any()}")
+    except TimeoutError as e:
+        print(f"Frame too old: {e}")
 
-# Read frames asynchronously in a loop via `async_read(timeout_ms)`
-try:
-    for i in range(10):
-        frame = camera.async_read(timeout_ms=200)
-        print(f"Async frame {i} shape:", frame.shape)
-finally:
-    camera.disconnect()
 ```
 <!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
 
@@ -111,10 +159,10 @@ finally:
 </hfoption>
 </hfoptions>
 
-## Use your phone
+## Use your phone's camera
 
 <hfoptions id="use phone">
-<hfoption id="Mac">
+<hfoption id="iPhone & macOS">
 
 To use your iPhone as a camera on macOS, enable the Continuity Camera feature:
 
@@ -124,83 +172,49 @@ To use your iPhone as a camera on macOS, enable the Continuity Camera feature:
 
 For more details, visit [Apple support](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl77879b8a/mac).
 
-Your iPhone should be detected automatically when running the camera setup script in the next section.
-
 </hfoption>
-<hfoption id="Linux">
+<hfoption id="OBS virtual camera">
 
-If you want to use your phone as a camera on Linux, follow these steps to set up a virtual camera
+If you want to use your phone as a camera using OBS, follow these steps to set up a virtual camera.
 
-1. _Install `v4l2loopback-dkms` and `v4l-utils`_. Those packages are required to create virtual camera devices (`v4l2loopback`) and verify their settings with the `v4l2-ctl` utility from `v4l-utils`. Install them using:
+1. _(Linux only) Install `v4l2loopback-dkms` and `v4l-utils`_. These packages create virtual camera devices and verify their settings. Install with:
 
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
+```bash
 sudo apt install v4l2loopback-dkms v4l-utils
 ```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
 
-2. _Install [DroidCam](https://droidcam.app) on your phone_. This app is available for both iOS and Android.
-3. _Install [OBS Studio](https://obsproject.com)_. This software will help you manage the camera feed. Install it using [Flatpak](https://flatpak.org):
+2. _Install the [DroidCam app](https://droidcam.app) on your phone_. This app is available for both iOS and Android.
+3. _Download and install [OBS Studio](https://obsproject.com)_.
+4. _Download and install the [DroidCam OBS plugin](https://droidcam.app/obs)_.
+5. _Start OBS Studio_.
 
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-flatpak install flathub com.obsproject.Studio
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
-
-4. _Install the DroidCam OBS plugin_. This plugin integrates DroidCam with OBS Studio. Install it with:
-
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-flatpak install flathub com.obsproject.Studio.Plugin.DroidCam
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
-
-5. _Start OBS Studio_. Launch with:
-
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-flatpak run com.obsproject.Studio
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
-
-6. _Add your phone as a source_. Follow the instructions [here](https://droidcam.app/obs/usage). Be sure to set the resolution to `640x480`.
-7. _Adjust resolution settings_. In OBS Studio, go to `File > Settings > Video`. Change the `Base(Canvas) Resolution` and the `Output(Scaled) Resolution` to `640x480` by manually typing it in.
+6. _Add your phone as a source_. Follow the instructions [here](https://droidcam.app/obs/usage). Be sure to set the resolution to `640x480` to avoid the watermarks.
+7. _Adjust resolution settings_. In OBS Studio, go to `File > Settings > Video` or `OBS > Preferences... > Video`. Change the `Base(Canvas) Resolution` and the `Output(Scaled) Resolution` to `640x480` by manually typing it.
 8. _Start virtual camera_. In OBS Studio, follow the instructions [here](https://obsproject.com/kb/virtual-camera-guide).
-9. _Verify the virtual camera setup_. Use `v4l2-ctl` to list the devices:
+9. _Verify the virtual camera setup and resolution_.
+   - **Linux**: Use `v4l2-ctl` to list devices and check resolution:
+     ```bash
+     v4l2-ctl --list-devices  # find VirtualCam and note its /dev/videoX path
+     v4l2-ctl -d /dev/videoX --get-fmt-video  # replace with your VirtualCam path
+     ```
+     You should see `VirtualCam` listed and resolution `640x480`.
+   - **macOS**: Open Photo Booth or FaceTime and select "OBS Virtual Camera" as the input.
+   - **Windows**: The native Camera app doesn't support virtual cameras. Use a video conferencing app (Zoom, Teams) or run `lerobot-find-cameras opencv` directly to verify.
 
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-v4l2-ctl --list-devices
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
+<details>
+<summary><strong>Troubleshooting</strong></summary>
 
-You should see an entry like:
+> The virtual camera resolution is incorrect.
 
-```
-VirtualCam (platform:v4l2loopback-000):
-/dev/video1
-```
+Delete the virtual camera source and recreate it. The resolution cannot be changed after creation.
 
-10. _Check the camera resolution_. Use `v4l2-ctl` to ensure that the virtual camera output resolution is `640x480`. Change `/dev/video1` to the port of your virtual camera from the output of `v4l2-ctl --list-devices`.
+> Error reading frame in background thread for OpenCVCamera(X): OpenCVCamera(X) frame width=640 or height=480 do not match configured width=1920 or height=1080.
 
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video1 --get-fmt-video
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
+This error is caused by OBS Virtual Camera advertising a `1920x1080` resolution despite rescaling. The only fix for now is to comment out the width and height check in `_postprocess_image()`.
 
-You should see an entry like:
-
-```
->>> Format Video Capture:
->>>	Width/Height      : 640/480
->>>	Pixel Format      : 'YUYV' (YUYV 4:2:2)
-```
-
-Troubleshooting: If the resolution is not correct you will have to delete the Virtual Camera port and try again as it cannot be changed.
-
-If everything is set up correctly, you can proceed with the rest of the tutorial.
+</details>
 
 </hfoption>
 </hfoptions>
+
+If everything is set up correctly, your phone will appear as a standard OpenCV camera and can be used with `OpenCVCamera`.

docs/source/damiao.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+# Damiao Motors and CAN Bus
+
+This guide covers setup and usage of Damiao motors with LeRobot via CAN bus communication.
+
+Currently, only Linux is supported, as the OpenArms CAN adapter only has drivers for Linux.
+
+## Linux CAN Setup
+
+Before using Damiao motors, you need to set up the CAN interface on your Linux system.
+
+### Install CAN Utilities
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install can-utils
+```
+
+### Configure CAN Interface (Manual)
+
+For standard CAN FD (recommended for OpenArms):
+
+```bash
+sudo ip link set can0 down
+sudo ip link set can0 type can bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 5000000 fd on
+sudo ip link set can0 up
+```
+
+For standard CAN (without FD):
+
+```bash
+sudo ip link set can0 down
+sudo ip link set can0 type can bitrate 1000000
+sudo ip link set can0 up
+```
+
+### Configure CAN Interface (Using LeRobot)
+
+LeRobot provides a utility script to setup and test CAN interfaces:
+
+```bash
+# Setup multiple interfaces (e.g., OpenArms Followers with 2 CAN buses)
+lerobot-setup-can --mode=setup --interfaces=can0,can1
+```
+
+## Debugging CAN Communication
+
+Use the built-in debug tools to test motor communication:
+
+```bash
+# Test motors on all interfaces
+lerobot-setup-can --mode=test --interfaces=can0,can1
+
+# Run speed/latency test
+lerobot-setup-can --mode=speed --interfaces=can0
+```
+
+The test mode will scan for motors (IDs 0x01-0x08) and report which ones respond. Example output:
+
+```
+can0: UP (CAN FD)
+  Motor 0x01 (joint_1): ✓ FOUND
+    → Response 0x11 [FD]: 00112233...
+  Motor 0x02 (joint_2): ✓ FOUND
+  Motor 0x03 (joint_3): ✗ No response
+  ...
+  Summary: 2/8 motors found
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+### Basic Setup
+
+```python
+from lerobot.motors import Motor
+from lerobot.motors.damiao import DamiaoMotorsBus
+
+# Define your motors with send/receive CAN IDs
+motors = {
+    "joint_1": Motor(id=0x01, motor_type_str="dm8009", recv_id=0x11),
+    "joint_2": Motor(id=0x02, motor_type_str="dm4340", recv_id=0x12),
+    "joint_3": Motor(id=0x03, motor_type_str="dm4310", recv_id=0x13),
+}
+
+# Create the bus
+bus = DamiaoMotorsBus(
+    port="can0",  # Linux socketcan interface
+    motors=motors,
+)
+
+# Connect
+bus.connect()
+```
+
+### Reading Motor States
+
+```python
+# Read single motor position (degrees)
+position = bus.read("Present_Position", "joint_1")
+
+# Read from multiple motors
+positions = bus.sync_read("Present_Position")  # All motors
+positions = bus.sync_read("Present_Position", ["joint_1", "joint_2"])
+
+# Read all states at once (position, velocity, torque)
+states = bus.sync_read_all_states()
+# Returns: {'joint_1': {'position': 45.2, 'velocity': 1.3, 'torque': 0.5}, ...}
+```
+
+### Writing Motor Commands
+
+```python
+# Enable torque
+bus.enable_torque()
+
+# Set goal position (degrees)
+bus.write("Goal_Position", "joint_1", 45.0)
+
+# Set positions for multiple motors
+bus.sync_write("Goal_Position", {
+    "joint_1": 45.0,
+    "joint_2": -30.0,
+    "joint_3": 90.0,
+})
+
+# Disable torque
+bus.disable_torque()
+```
+
+## Configuration Options
+
+| Parameter      | Default   | Description                                                 |
+| -------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `port`         | -         | CAN interface (`can0`) or serial port (`/dev/cu.usbmodem*`) |
+| `use_can_fd`   | `True`    | Enable CAN FD for higher data rates                         |
+| `bitrate`      | `1000000` | Nominal bitrate (1 Mbps)                                    |
+| `data_bitrate` | `5000000` | CAN FD data bitrate (5 Mbps)                                |
+
+## Motor Configuration
+
+Each motor requires:
+
+- `id`: CAN ID for sending commands
+- `motor_type`: One of the supported motor types (e.g., `"dm8009"`, `"dm4340"`)
+- `recv_id`: CAN ID for receiving responses
+
+OpenArms default IDs follow the pattern: send ID `0x0N`, receive ID `0x1N` where N is the joint number.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### No Response from Motors
+
+1. **Check power**
+2. **Verify CAN wiring**: Check CAN-H, CAN-L, and GND connections
+3. **Check motor IDs**: Use Damiao Debugging Tools to verify/configure IDs
+4. **Test CAN interface**: Run `candump can0` to see if messages are being received
+5. **Run diagnostics**: `lerobot-setup-can --mode=test --interfaces=can0`
+
+### Motor Timeout Parameter
+
+If motors were configured with timeout=0, they won't respond to commands. Use Damiao Debugging Tools to set a non-zero timeout value.
+
+### Verify CAN FD Status
+
+```bash
+ip -d link show can0 | grep fd
+```

docs/source/dataset_subtask.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
+# Using Subtasks in LeRobot Datasets
+
+Subtask support in robotics datasets has proven effective in improving robot reasoning and understanding. Subtasks are particularly useful for:
+
+- **Hierarchical policies**: Building policies that include subtask predictions to visualize robot reasoning in real time
+- **Reward modeling**: Helping reward models understand task progression (e.g., SARM-style stage-aware reward models)
+- **Task decomposition**: Breaking down complex manipulation tasks into atomic, interpretable steps
+
+LeRobotDataset now supports subtasks as part of its dataset structure, alongside tasks.
+
+## What are Subtasks?
+
+While a **task** describes the overall goal (e.g., "Pick up the apple and place it in the basket"), **subtasks** break down the execution into finer-grained steps:
+
+1. "Approach the apple"
+2. "Grasp the apple"
+3. "Lift the apple"
+4. "Move to basket"
+5. "Release the apple"
+
+Each frame in the dataset can be annotated with its corresponding subtask, enabling models to learn and predict these intermediate stages.
+
+<img
+  src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/subtask-asset.png"
+  alt="An overview of subtask annotation showing how frames are labeled with intermediate subtask stages"
+  width="80%"
+/>
+
+<p>
+  <em>Figure: Overview of subtask annotation.</em>
+</p>
+
+**Reference:** _Subtask-learning based for robot self-assembly in flexible collaborative assembly in manufacturing_, Original Article, Published: 19 April 2022.
+
+## Dataset Structure
+
+Subtask information is stored in the dataset metadata:
+
+```
+my-dataset/
+├── data/
+│   └── ...
+├── meta/
+│   ├── info.json
+│   ├── stats.json
+│   ├── tasks.parquet
+│   ├── subtasks.parquet      # Subtask index → subtask string mapping
+│   └── episodes/
+│       └── ...
+└── videos/
+    └── ...
+```
+
+### Subtasks Parquet File
+
+The `meta/subtasks.parquet` file maps subtask indices to their natural language descriptions:
+
+| subtask_index | subtask (index column) |
+| ------------- | ---------------------- |
+| 0             | "Approach the apple"   |
+| 1             | "Grasp the apple"      |
+| 2             | "Lift the apple"       |
+| ...           | ...                    |
+
+### Frame-Level Annotations
+
+Each frame in the dataset can include a `subtask_index` field that references the subtasks parquet file:
+
+```python
+# Example frame data in the parquet file
+{
+    "index": 42,
+    "timestamp": 1.4,
+    "episode_index": 0,
+    "task_index": 0,
+    "subtask_index": 2,  # References "Lift the apple"
+    "observation.state": [...],
+    "action": [...],
+}
+```
+
+## Annotating Datasets with Subtasks
+
+We provide a HuggingFace Space for easily annotating any LeRobotDataset with subtasks:
+
+**[https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/annotate](https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/annotate)**
+
+After completing your annotation:
+
+1. Click "Push to Hub" to upload your annotated dataset
+2. You can also run the annotation space locally by following the instructions at [github.com/huggingface/lerobot-annotate](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot-annotate)
+
+## Loading Datasets with Subtasks
+
+When you load a dataset with subtask annotations, the subtask information is automatically available:
+
+```python
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+
+# Load a dataset with subtask annotations
+dataset = LeRobotDataset("jadechoghari/collect-fruit-annotated")
+
+# Access a sample
+sample = dataset[100]
+
+# The sample includes both task and subtask information
+print(sample["task"])        # "Collect the fruit"
+print(sample["subtask"])     # "Grasp the apple"
+print(sample["task_index"])  # tensor(0)
+print(sample["subtask_index"])  # tensor(2)
+```
+
+### Checking for Subtask Support
+
+You can check if a dataset has subtask annotations:
+
+```python
+# Check if subtasks are available
+has_subtasks = (
+    "subtask_index" in dataset.features
+    and dataset.meta.subtasks is not None
+)
+
+if has_subtasks:
+    print(f"Dataset has {len(dataset.meta.subtasks)} unique subtasks")
+    print("Subtasks:", list(dataset.meta.subtasks.index))
+```
+
+## Using Subtasks for Training
+
+### With the Tokenizer Processor
+
+The `TokenizerProcessor` automatically handles subtask tokenization for Vision-Language Action (VLA) models:
+
+```python
+from lerobot.processor.tokenizer_processor import TokenizerProcessor
+from lerobot.processor.pipeline import ProcessorPipeline
+
+# Create a tokenizer processor
+tokenizer_processor = TokenizerProcessor(
+    tokenizer_name_or_path="google/paligemma-3b-pt-224",
+    padding="max_length",
+    max_length=64,
+)
+
+# The processor will automatically tokenize subtasks if present in the batch
+# and add them to the observation under:
+# - "observation.subtask.tokens"
+# - "observation.subtask.attention_mask"
+```
+
+When subtasks are available in the batch, the tokenizer processor adds:
+
+- `observation.subtask.tokens`: Tokenized subtask text
+- `observation.subtask.attention_mask`: Attention mask for the subtask tokens
+
+### DataLoader with Subtasks
+
+```python
+import torch
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+
+dataset = LeRobotDataset("jadechoghari/collect-fruit-annotated")
+
+dataloader = torch.utils.data.DataLoader(
+    dataset,
+    batch_size=16,
+    shuffle=True,
+)
+
+for batch in dataloader:
+    # Access subtask information in the batch
+    subtasks = batch["subtask"]  # List of subtask strings
+    subtask_indices = batch["subtask_index"]  # Tensor of subtask indices
+
+    # Use for training hierarchical policies or reward models
+    print(f"Batch subtasks: {set(subtasks)}")
+```
+
+## Example Datasets with Subtask Annotations
+
+Try loading a dataset with subtask annotations:
+
+```python
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+
+# Example dataset with subtask annotations
+dataset = LeRobotDataset("jadechoghari/collect-fruit-annotated")
+
+# Explore the subtasks
+print("Available subtasks:")
+for subtask_name in dataset.meta.subtasks.index:
+    print(f"  - {subtask_name}")
+
+# Get subtask distribution
+subtask_counts = {}
+for i in range(len(dataset)):
+    sample = dataset[i]
+    subtask = sample["subtask"]
+    subtask_counts[subtask] = subtask_counts.get(subtask, 0) + 1
+
+print("\nSubtask distribution:")
+for subtask, count in sorted(subtask_counts.items(), key=lambda x: -x[1]):
+    print(f"  {subtask}: {count} frames")
+```
+
+## Use Cases
+
+### 1. Hierarchical Policy Training
+
+Train policies that predict both actions and current subtask:
+
+```python
+class HierarchicalPolicy(nn.Module):
+    def __init__(self, num_subtasks):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.action_head = nn.Linear(hidden_dim, action_dim)
+        self.subtask_head = nn.Linear(hidden_dim, num_subtasks)
+
+    def forward(self, observations):
+        features = self.encoder(observations)
+        actions = self.action_head(features)
+        subtask_logits = self.subtask_head(features)
+        return actions, subtask_logits
+```
+
+### 2. Stage-Aware Reward Modeling (SARM)
+
+Build reward models that understand task progression:
+
+```python
+# SARM predicts:
+# - Stage: Which subtask is being executed (discrete)
+# - Progress: How far along the subtask (continuous 0-1)
+
+class SARMRewardModel(nn.Module):
+    def forward(self, observations):
+        features = self.encoder(observations)
+        stage_logits = self.stage_classifier(features)
+        progress = self.progress_regressor(features)
+        return stage_logits, progress
+```
+
+### 3. Progress Visualization
+
+Monitor robot execution by tracking subtask progression:
+
+```python
+def visualize_execution(model, observations):
+    for t, obs in enumerate(observations):
+        action, subtask_logits = model(obs)
+        predicted_subtask = subtask_names[subtask_logits.argmax()]
+        print(f"t={t}: Executing '{predicted_subtask}'")
+```
+
+## API Reference
+
+### LeRobotDataset Properties
+
+| Property                    | Type                   | Description                                |
+| --------------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
+| `meta.subtasks`             | `pd.DataFrame \| None` | DataFrame mapping subtask names to indices |
+| `features["subtask_index"]` | `dict`                 | Feature spec for subtask_index if present  |
+
+### Sample Keys
+
+When subtasks are available, each sample includes:
+
+| Key             | Type           | Description                          |
+| --------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------ |
+| `subtask_index` | `torch.Tensor` | Integer index of the current subtask |
+| `subtask`       | `str`          | Natural language subtask description |
+
+## Related Resources
+
+- [SARM Paper](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.25358) - Stage-Aware Reward Modeling for Long Horizon Robot Manipulation
+- [LeRobot Annotate Space](https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/annotate) - Interactive annotation tool
+- [LeRobotDataset v3.0](./lerobot-dataset-v3) - Dataset format documentation

docs/source/earthrover_mini_plus.mdx

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # EarthRover Mini Plus
 
+<img
+  src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/Earth_Rover_Mini_5_240c9adc-4f9e-44b7-982f-5d1dc24af1d8.png.webp"
+  alt="EarthRover Mini Plus"
+  width="70%"
+/>
+
 The EarthRover Mini Plus is a fully open source mobile robot that connects through the cloud using the Frodobots SDK. This lets you control the robot and record datasets for training AI models.
 
 ## What You Need

docs/source/installation.mdx

@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 # Installation
 
-## Install [`miniforge`](https://conda-forge.org/download/)
+This guide uses conda (via miniforge) to manage environments. If you prefer another environment manager (e.g. `uv`, `venv`), ensure you have Python >=3.10 and ffmpeg installed with the `libsvtav1` encoder, then skip ahead to [Install LeRobot](#step-3-install-lerobot-).
+
+## Step 1: Install [`miniforge`](https://conda-forge.org/download/)
 
 ```bash
 wget "https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/latest/download/Miniforge3-$(uname)-$(uname -m).sh"
 bash Miniforge3-$(uname)-$(uname -m).sh
 ```
 
-## Environment Setup
+## Step 2: Environment Setup
 
 Create a virtual environment with Python 3.10, using conda:
 
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ conda install ffmpeg -c conda-forge
 >
 > - _[On Linux only]_ If you want to bring your own ffmpeg: Install [ffmpeg build dependencies](https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/CompilationGuide/Ubuntu#GettheDependencies) and [compile ffmpeg from source with libsvtav1](https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/CompilationGuide/Ubuntu#libsvtav1), and make sure you use the corresponding ffmpeg binary to your install with `which ffmpeg`.
 
-## Install LeRobot 🤗
+## Step 3: Install LeRobot 🤗
 
 ### From Source
 

docs/source/lekiwi.mdx

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # LeKiwi
 
+<img
+  src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/1740517739083.jpeg"
+  alt="LeKiwi"
+  width="70%"
+/>
+
 In the steps below, we explain how to assemble the LeKiwi mobile robot.
 
 ## Source the parts

docs/source/libero.mdx

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ lerobot-eval \
 ```
 
 - `--env.task` picks the suite (`libero_object`, `libero_spatial`, etc.).
+- `--env.task_ids` picks task ids to run (`[0]`, `[1,2,3]`, etc.). Omit this flag (or set it to `null`) to run all tasks in the suite.
 - `--eval.batch_size` controls how many environments run in parallel.
 - `--eval.n_episodes` sets how many episodes to run in total.
 

docs/source/omx.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+## Order and Assemble the parts
+
+First, assemble the OMX hardware following the official assembly guide.
+
+OMX Assembly Guide: https://ai.robotis.com/omx/assembly_guide_omx.html
+
+OMX robots are shipped preconfigured from the factory. Motor IDs, communication parameters, and joint offsets are already set, so no additional motor setup or calibration is required before using LeRobot.
+
+## Install LeRobot 🤗
+
+To install LeRobot, follow our [Installation Guide](./installation)
+
+In addition to these instructions, you need to install the Dynamixel SDK:
+
+```bash
+pip install -e ".[dynamixel]"
+```
+
+## Connect the robot
+
+To find the port for each bus servo adapter, run this script:
+
+```bash
+lerobot-find-port
+```
+
+This command runs and when prompted, disconnect the USB cable from either the leader or follower arm and press Enter. The output will show 'The port of this MotorsBus is [port]'. This identifies the port for the disconnected arm. Repeat for the other arm to identify both ports.
+
+<hfoptions id="find_port">
+<hfoption id="Mac">
+
+Example output on macOS:
+
+```
+Finding all available ports for the MotorBus.
+['/dev/tty.usbmodem575E0032081', '/dev/tty.usbmodem575E0031751']
+Remove the USB cable from your MotorsBus and press Enter when done.
+
+[...Disconnect corresponding leader or follower arm and press Enter...]
+
+The port of this MotorsBus is /dev/tty.usbmodem575E0032081
+Reconnect the USB cable.
+```
+
+Where the found port is: `/dev/tty.usbmodem575E0032081` corresponding to your leader or follower arm.
+
+</hfoption>
+<hfoption id="Linux">
+
+On Linux, we strongly recommend using udev rules to assign persistent and human-readable device names to the OMX leader and follower arms. This avoids issues where device names such as ttyACM0 and ttyACM1 change when the robot is unplugged, replugged, or when the system is rebooted.
+
+#### 1. Find your device serial numbers
+
+You should have obtained the port numbers like ../../ttyACM? for the leader and follower using `lerobot-find-port`. You can match those results with the serial numbers using the `ls -l /dev/serial/by-id/` command.
+To create udev rules, you need the unique serial number for each OMX device. The easiest way is to list devices under:
+
+```bash
+ls -l /dev/serial/by-id/
+```
+
+You will see output similar to:
+
+```bash
+usb-ROBOTIS_OpenRB-150_228BDD7B503059384C2E3120FF0A2B19-if00 -> ../../ttyACM0
+usb-ROBOTIS_OpenRB-150_67E1ED68503059384C2E3120FF092234-if00 -> ../../ttyACM1
+```
+
+In each line, the serial number is the long string after `usb-ROBOTIS_OpenRB-150_` and before `-if00`.
+
+Follower serial: `228BDD7B503059384C2E3120FF0A2B19`
+
+Leader serial: `67E1ED68503059384C2E3120FF092234`
+
+#### 2. Create the udev rule
+
+Create a new udev rule file:
+
+```bash
+sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-omx.rules
+```
+
+Paste the following lines, replacing the serial numbers with the values you found above:
+
+```bash
+SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{serial}=="228BDD7B503059384C2E3120FF0A2B19", SYMLINK+="omx_follower"
+SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{serial}=="67E1ED68503059384C2E3120FF092234", SYMLINK+="omx_leader"
+```
+
+Save the file and reload udev rules:
+
+```bash
+sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
+sudo udevadm trigger
+```
+
+Now unplug and replug both devices once.
+
+#### 3. Verify the symlinks
+
+Check that the persistent device names exist:
+
+```bash
+ls -l /dev/omx_follower /dev/omx_leader
+```
+
+You should see them pointing to ttyACM\* devices:
+
+```bash
+/dev/omx_follower -> ttyACM*
+/dev/omx_leader   -> ttyACM*
+```
+
+These names remain stable across reboots and reconnections.
+
+</hfoption>
+</hfoptions>
+
+## Teleoperate
+
+After identifying the correct ports, you can directly teleoperate the follower arm using the leader arm.
+
+<hfoptions id="teleoperate">
+<hfoption id="Mac">
+
+### Teleoperate without camera
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+  --robot.type=omx_follower \
+  --robot.port=<your_follower_port> \
+  --robot.id=omx_follower_arm \
+  --teleop.type=omx_leader \
+  --teleop.port=<your_leader_port> \
+  --teleop.id=omx_leader_arm
+```
+
+During teleoperation, motions of the leader arm are mirrored in real time by the follower arm. OMX is already preconfigured, teleoperation can begin immediately without any calibration steps.
+
+### Teleoperate with camera
+
+You can also enable camera input during teleoperation by providing a camera configuration for the follower arm.
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+  --robot.type=omx_follower \
+  --robot.port=<your_follower_port> \
+  --robot.id=omx_follower_arm \
+  --robot.cameras="{front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: '/dev/video0', width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+  --teleop.type=omx_leader \
+  --teleop.port=<your_leader_port> \
+  --teleop.id=omx_leader_arm \
+  --display_data=true
+```
+
+When the camera is enabled, the camera stream is displayed in real time and synchronized with the robot state. This setup is useful for visual monitoring and can be reused later for demonstration recording and imitation learning.
+
+</hfoption>
+<hfoption id="Linux">
+
+### Teleoperate without camera
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+  --robot.type=omx_follower \
+  --robot.port=/dev/omx_follower \
+  --robot.id=omx_follower_arm \
+  --teleop.type=omx_leader \
+  --teleop.port=/dev/omx_leader \
+  --teleop.id=omx_leader_arm
+```
+
+During teleoperation, motions of the leader arm are mirrored in real time by the follower arm. OMX is already preconfigured, teleoperation can begin immediately without any calibration steps.
+
+### Teleoperate with camera
+
+You can also enable camera input during teleoperation by providing a camera configuration for the follower arm.
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+  --robot.type=omx_follower \
+  --robot.port=/dev/omx_follower \
+  --robot.id=omx_follower_arm \
+  --robot.cameras="{front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: '/dev/video0', width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+  --teleop.type=omx_leader \
+  --teleop.port=/dev/omx_leader \
+  --teleop.id=omx_leader_arm \
+  --display_data=true
+```
+
+When the camera is enabled, the camera stream is displayed in real time and synchronized with the robot state. This setup is useful for visual monitoring and can be reused later for demonstration recording and imitation learning.
+
+</hfoption>
+</hfoptions>
+
+Congrats 🎉, your robot is all set to learn a task on its own.
+
+> If you have any questions or need help, please reach out on [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/robotis).

docs/source/openarm.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+# OpenArm
+
+[OpenArm](https://openarm.dev) is an open-source 7DOF humanoid arm designed for physical AI research and deployment.
+
+To get your OpenArm, assembled or DIY, and join the global community, browse verified and certified manufacturers worldwide at [openarm.dev](https://openarm.dev).
+
+## What's Unique?
+
+- **Human-Scale Design**: OpenArm is designed with human-like proportions, scaled for a person around 160-165cm tall. This provides an optimal balance between practical reach and manageable inertia for safe, responsive operation.
+
+- **Safety-First Architecture**: Built with QDD backdrivable motors and high compliance, OpenArm prioritizes safe human-robot interaction while maintaining practical payload capabilities (6.0kg peak / 4.1kg nominal) for real-world tasks.
+
+- **Built for Durability**: Critical structural components use aluminum and stainless steel construction, ensuring robust performance for repetitive data collection and continuous research use.
+
+- **Fully Accessible & Buildable**: Every component, from CNC parts and 3D-printed casings to electrical wiring is designed to be purchasable and buildable by individual researchers and labs, with complete fabrication data provided.
+
+- **Practical & Affordable**: At $6,500 USD for a complete bimanual system, OpenArm delivers research-grade capabilities at a fraction of traditional humanoid robot costs.
+
+## Platform Requirements
+
+<Tip warning={true}>
+  **Linux Only**: OpenArm currently only works on Linux. The CAN bus USB adapter
+  does not have macOS drivers and has not been tested on Windows.
+</Tip>
+
+## Safety Guide
+
+Before operating OpenArm, please read the [official safety guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/getting-started/safety-guide). Key points:
+
+- **Secure installation**: Fasten the arm to a flat, stable surface with screws or clamps
+- **Safe distance**: Keep body parts and objects outside the range of motion during operation
+- **Protective equipment**: Always wear safety goggles; use additional PPE as needed
+- **Payload limits**: Do not exceed specified payload limits (6.0kg peak / 4.1kg nominal per arm)
+- **Emergency stop**: Know the location and operation of the emergency stop device
+- **Regular inspection**: Check for loose screws, damaged mechanical limits, unusual noises, and wiring damage
+
+## Hardware Setup
+
+Follow the official [OpenArm hardware documentation](https://docs.openarm.dev) for:
+
+- Bill of materials and sourcing
+- 3D printing instructions
+- Mechanical assembly
+- Electrical wiring
+
+The hardware repositories are available at [github.com/enactic/openarm](https://github.com/enactic/openarm).
+
+## CAN Bus Setup
+
+OpenArm uses CAN bus communication with Damiao motors. Once you have the CAN bus USB adapter plugged into your Linux PC, follow the [Damiao Motors and CAN Bus guide](./damiao) to configure the interface.
+
+Quick setup:
+
+```bash
+# Setup CAN interfaces
+lerobot-setup-can --mode=setup --interfaces=can0,can1
+
+# Test motor communication
+lerobot-setup-can --mode=test --interfaces=can0,can1
+```
+
+## Install LeRobot 🤗
+
+Follow our [Installation Guide](./installation), then install the Damiao motor support:
+
+```bash
+pip install -e ".[damiao]"
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+### Follower Arm (Robot)
+
+<hfoptions id="follower">
+<hfoption id="Command">
+
+```bash
+lerobot-calibrate \
+    --robot.type=openarm_follower \
+    --robot.port=can0 \
+    --robot.side=right \
+    --robot.id=my_openarm_follower
+```
+
+</hfoption>
+<hfoption id="API example">
+
+```python
+from lerobot.robots.openarm_follower import OpenArmFollower, OpenArmFollowerConfig
+
+config = OpenArmFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    side="right",  # or "left" for left arm
+    id="my_openarm_follower",
+)
+
+follower = OpenArmFollower(config)
+follower.connect()
+
+# Read current state
+obs = follower.get_observation()
+print(obs)
+
+# Send action (position in degrees)
+action = {
+    "joint_1.pos": 0.0,
+    "joint_2.pos": 0.0,
+    "joint_3.pos": 0.0,
+    "joint_4.pos": 45.0,
+    "joint_5.pos": 0.0,
+    "joint_6.pos": 0.0,
+    "joint_7.pos": 0.0,
+    "gripper.pos": 0.0,
+}
+follower.send_action(action)
+
+follower.disconnect()
+```
+
+</hfoption>
+</hfoptions>
+
+### Leader Arm (Teleoperator)
+
+The leader arm is used for teleoperation - manually moving it to control the follower arm.
+
+<hfoptions id="leader">
+<hfoption id="Command">
+
+```bash
+lerobot-calibrate \
+    --teleop.type=openarm_leader \
+    --teleop.port=can1 \
+    --teleop.id=my_openarm_leader
+```
+
+</hfoption>
+<hfoption id="API example">
+
+```python
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarm_leader import OpenArmLeader, OpenArmLeaderConfig
+
+config = OpenArmLeaderConfig(
+    port="can1",
+    id="my_openarm_leader",
+    manual_control=True,  # Disable torque for manual movement
+)
+
+leader = OpenArmLeader(config)
+leader.connect()
+
+# Read current position (as action to send to follower)
+action = leader.get_action()
+print(action)
+
+leader.disconnect()
+```
+
+</hfoption>
+</hfoptions>
+
+### Teleoperation
+
+To teleoperate OpenArm with leader-follower control:
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+    --robot.type=openarm_follower \
+    --robot.port=can0 \
+    --robot.side=right \
+    --robot.id=my_follower \
+    --teleop.type=openarm_leader \
+    --teleop.port=can1 \
+    --teleop.id=my_leader
+```
+
+### Bimanual Teleoperation
+
+To teleoperate a bimanual OpenArm setup with two leader and two follower arms:
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+    --robot.type=bi_openarm_follower \
+    --robot.left_arm_config.port=can0 \
+    --robot.left_arm_config.side=left \
+    --robot.right_arm_config.port=can1 \
+    --robot.right_arm_config.side=right \
+    --robot.id=my_bimanual_follower \
+    --teleop.type=bi_openarm_leader \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=can2 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=can3 \
+    --teleop.id=my_bimanual_leader
+```
+
+### Recording Data
+
+To record a dataset during teleoperation:
+
+```bash
+lerobot-record \
+    --robot.type=openarm_follower \
+    --robot.port=can0 \
+    --robot.side=right \
+    --robot.id=my_follower \
+    --teleop.type=openarm_leader \
+    --teleop.port=can1 \
+    --teleop.id=my_leader \
+    --repo-id=my_hf_username/my_openarm_dataset \
+    --fps=30 \
+    --num-episodes=10
+```
+
+## Configuration Options
+
+### Follower Configuration
+
+| Parameter             | Default   | Description                                                |
+| --------------------- | --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `port`                | -         | CAN interface (e.g., `can0`)                               |
+| `side`                | `None`    | Arm side: `"left"`, `"right"`, or `None` for custom limits |
+| `use_can_fd`          | `True`    | Enable CAN FD for higher data rates                        |
+| `can_bitrate`         | `1000000` | Nominal bitrate (1 Mbps)                                   |
+| `can_data_bitrate`    | `5000000` | CAN FD data bitrate (5 Mbps)                               |
+| `max_relative_target` | `None`    | Safety limit for relative target positions                 |
+| `position_kp`         | Per-joint | Position control proportional gains                        |
+| `position_kd`         | Per-joint | Position control derivative gains                          |
+
+### Leader Configuration
+
+| Parameter          | Default   | Description                         |
+| ------------------ | --------- | ----------------------------------- |
+| `port`             | -         | CAN interface (e.g., `can1`)        |
+| `manual_control`   | `True`    | Disable torque for manual movement  |
+| `use_can_fd`       | `True`    | Enable CAN FD for higher data rates |
+| `can_bitrate`      | `1000000` | Nominal bitrate (1 Mbps)            |
+| `can_data_bitrate` | `5000000` | CAN FD data bitrate (5 Mbps)        |
+
+## Motor Configuration
+
+OpenArm uses Damiao motors with the following default configuration:
+
+| Joint                       | Motor Type | Send ID | Recv ID |
+| --------------------------- | ---------- | ------- | ------- |
+| joint_1 (Shoulder pan)      | DM8009     | 0x01    | 0x11    |
+| joint_2 (Shoulder lift)     | DM8009     | 0x02    | 0x12    |
+| joint_3 (Shoulder rotation) | DM4340     | 0x03    | 0x13    |
+| joint_4 (Elbow flex)        | DM4340     | 0x04    | 0x14    |
+| joint_5 (Wrist roll)        | DM4310     | 0x05    | 0x15    |
+| joint_6 (Wrist pitch)       | DM4310     | 0x06    | 0x16    |
+| joint_7 (Wrist rotation)    | DM4310     | 0x07    | 0x17    |
+| gripper                     | DM4310     | 0x08    | 0x18    |
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### No Response from Motors
+
+1. Check power supply connections
+2. Verify CAN wiring (CAN-H, CAN-L, GND)
+3. Run diagnostics: `lerobot-setup-can --mode=test --interfaces=can0`
+4. See the [Damiao troubleshooting guide](./damiao#troubleshooting) for more details
+
+### CAN Interface Not Found
+
+Ensure the CAN interface is configured:
+
+```bash
+ip link show can0
+```
+
+## Resources
+
+- [OpenArm Website](https://openarm.dev)
+- [OpenArm Documentation](https://docs.openarm.dev)
+- [OpenArm GitHub](https://github.com/enactic/openarm)
+- [Safety Guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/getting-started/safety-guide)
+- [Damiao Motors and CAN Bus](./damiao)

docs/source/openarms.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,328 @@
+# OpenArms Robot
+
+OpenArms is a 7 DOF robotic arm with a gripper, designed by [Enactic, Inc.](https://www.enactic.com/) It uses Damiao motors controlled via CAN bus communication and MIT control mode for smooth, precise motion.
+
+## Hardware Overview
+
+- **7 DOF per arm** (14 DOF total for dual arm setup)
+- **1 gripper per arm** (2 grippers total)
+- **Damiao motors** with 4 different types:
+  - **DM8009** (DM-J8009P-2EC) for shoulders (J1, J2) - high torque
+  - **DM4340** for shoulder rotation and elbow (J3, J4)
+  - **DM4310** (DM-J4310-2EC V1.1) for wrist (J5, J6, J7) and gripper (J8)
+- **24V power supply** required
+- **CAN interface device**:
+  - **Linux**: Any SocketCAN-compatible adapter
+  - **macOS**: CANable, PEAK PCAN-USB, or Kvaser USBcan
+- Proper CAN wiring (CANH, CANL, 120Ω termination)
+
+
+## Motor Configuration
+
+Each arm has the following motor configuration based on the [OpenArm setup guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/):
+
+| Joint | Motor | Motor Type | Sender CAN ID | Receiver ID | Description |
+|-------|-------|------------|---------------|-------------|-------------|
+| J1 | joint_1 | DM8009 | 0x01 | 0x11 | Shoulder pan |
+| J2 | joint_2 | DM8009 | 0x02 | 0x12 | Shoulder lift |
+| J3 | joint_3 | DM4340 | 0x03 | 0x13 | Shoulder rotation |
+| J4 | joint_4 | DM4340 | 0x04 | 0x14 | Elbow flex |
+| J5 | joint_5 | DM4310 | 0x05 | 0x15 | Wrist roll |
+| J6 | joint_6 | DM4310 | 0x06 | 0x16 | Wrist pitch |
+| J7 | joint_7 | DM4310 | 0x07 | 0x17 | Wrist rotation |
+| J8 | gripper | DM4310 | 0x08 | 0x18 | Gripper |
+
+For dual arm setups, the left arm uses IDs 0x09-0x10 for joints 1-8 with the same motor types.
+
+## Quick Start 
+
+```bash
+# Install system dependencies
+sudo apt install can-utils iproute2
+
+# Install LeRobot with OpenArms support
+pip install -e ".[openarms]"
+```
+
+## Setup Guide
+
+### Step 1: Motor ID Configuration
+
+**IMPORTANT**: Before using the robot, motors must be configured with the correct CAN IDs.
+
+Refer to the [OpenArm Motor ID Configuration Guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/motor-id) for detailed instructions using the Damiao Debugging Tools on Windows.
+
+Key points:
+- Each motor needs a unique **Sender CAN ID** (0x01-0x08)
+- Each motor needs a unique **Receiver/Master ID** (0x11-0x18)
+- Use the Damiao Debugging Tools to set these IDs
+
+### Step 2: Setup CAN Interface
+
+Configure your CAN interface as described in the [OpenArm CAN Setup Guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/can-setup):
+
+#### Linux (SocketCAN)
+
+```bash
+# Find your CAN interface
+ip link show
+
+# Configure can0, 1, 2, 3
+sudo ip link set can0 down
+sudo ip link set can0 type can bitrate 1000000
+sudo ip link set can0 up
+
+sudo ip link set can1 down
+sudo ip link set can1 type can bitrate 1000000
+sudo ip link set can1 up
+
+sudo ip link set can2 down
+sudo ip link set can2 type can bitrate 1000000
+sudo ip link set can2 up
+
+sudo ip link set can3 down
+sudo ip link set can3 type can bitrate 1000000
+sudo ip link set can3 up
+
+# Verify configuration
+ip link show can0
+```
+
+or run:
+
+`examples/openarms/setup_can.sh`
+
+### Testing canbus and motor connection
+
+Please run this script to check if all motors can be found and to find your can-fd speed: `python examples/openarms/debug_can_communication.py`
+
+## Usage
+
+### Basic Setup
+
+
+```python
+from lerobot.robots.openarms import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+
+# Configure for dual arm setup
+config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    can_interface="socketcan",  # Or "auto" for auto-detection
+    id="openarms_dual",
+    is_dual_arm=True,
+)
+
+robot = OpenArmsFollower(config)
+robot.connect()
+```
+
+### Calibration
+
+On first use, you'll need to calibrate the robot:
+
+```python
+robot.calibrate()
+```
+
+The calibration process will:
+1. Disable torque on all motors
+2. Ask you to position arms in **hanging position with grippers closed**
+3. Set this as the zero position
+4. Ask you to move each joint through its full range
+5. Record min/max positions for each joint
+6. Save calibration to file
+
+### Reading Observations
+
+The robot provides comprehensive state information:
+
+```python
+observation = robot.get_observation()
+
+# Observation includes for each motor:
+# - {motor_name}.pos: Position in degrees
+# - {motor_name}.vel: Velocity in degrees/second  
+# - {motor_name}.torque: Motor torque
+# - {camera_name}: Camera images (if configured)
+
+print(f"Right arm joint 1 position: {observation['right_joint_1.pos']:.1f}°")
+print(f"Right arm joint 1 velocity: {observation['right_joint_1.vel']:.1f}°/s")
+print(f"Right arm joint 1 torque: {observation['right_joint_1.torque']:.3f} N·m")
+```
+
+### Sending Actions
+
+```python
+# Send target positions (in degrees)
+action = {
+    "right_joint_1.pos": 45.0,
+    "right_joint_2.pos": -30.0,
+    # ... all joints
+    "right_gripper.pos": 45.0,  # Half-closed
+}
+
+actual_action = robot.send_action(action)
+```
+
+### Gripper Control
+
+```python
+# Open gripper
+robot.open_gripper(arm="right")
+
+# Close gripper  
+robot.close_gripper(arm="right")
+```
+
+## Safety Features
+
+### 1. Maximum Relative Target
+
+Limits how far a joint can move in a single command to prevent sudden movements:
+
+```python
+config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    # Limit all joints to 10 degrees per command
+    max_relative_target=10.0,
+    
+    # Or set per-motor limits
+    max_relative_target={
+        "right_joint_1": 15.0,  # Slower moving joint
+        "right_joint_2": 10.0,
+        "right_gripper": 5.0,   # Very slow gripper
+    }
+)
+```
+
+**How it works**: If current position is 50° and you command 80°, with `max_relative_target=10.0`, the robot will only move to 60° in that step.
+
+### 2. Torque Limits
+
+Control maximum torque output, especially important for grippers and teleoperation:
+
+```python
+config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    # Gripper torque limit (fraction of motor's max torque)
+    gripper_torque_limit=0.5,  # 50% of max torque
+)
+```
+
+Lower torque limits prevent damage when gripping delicate objects.
+
+### 3. MIT Control Gains
+
+Control responsiveness and stability via PID-like gains:
+
+```python
+config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    position_kp=10.0,  # Position gain (higher = more responsive)
+    position_kd=0.5,   # Velocity damping (higher = more damped)
+)
+```
+
+**Guidelines**:
+- **For following (robot)**: Higher gains for responsiveness
+  - `position_kp=10.0`, `position_kd=0.5`
+- **For teleoperation (leader)**: Lower gains or disable torque for manual movement
+  - `manual_control=True` (torque disabled)
+
+### 4. Velocity Limits
+
+Velocity limits are enforced by the Damiao motors based on motor type. For DM4310:
+- Max velocity: 30 rad/s ≈ 1718°/s
+
+The motors will automatically limit velocity to safe values.
+
+## Teleoperation
+
+### Leader Arm Setup
+
+The leader arm is moved manually (torque disabled) to generate commands:
+
+```python
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms import OpenArmsLeader
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.config_openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeaderConfig
+
+config = OpenArmsLeaderConfig(
+    port="can1",  # Separate CAN interface for leader
+    id="openarms_leader",
+    manual_control=True,  # Torque disabled for manual movement
+    is_dual_arm=True,
+)
+
+leader = OpenArmsLeader(config)
+leader.connect()
+
+# Read current position as action
+action = leader.get_action()
+# action contains positions for all joints in degrees
+```
+
+### Safety Considerations for Teleoperation
+
+1. **Use separate CAN interfaces** for leader and follower to avoid conflicts
+2. **Enable max_relative_target** on follower to smooth abrupt movements
+3. **Lower torque limits** on follower to prevent damage from tracking errors
+4. **Test with one arm** before enabling dual arm teleoperation
+5. **Have emergency stop** ready (power switch or CAN disable)
+
+```python
+# Recommended follower config for teleoperation
+follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port="can0",
+    max_relative_target=5.0,  # Small steps for smooth following
+    gripper_torque_limit=0.3, # Low torque for safety
+    position_kp=5.0,  # Lower gains for gentler following
+    position_kd=0.3,
+)
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Motor Shaking/Unstable
+
+- **Lower control gains**: Reduce `position_kp` and `position_kd`
+- **Check calibration**: Re-run calibration procedure
+- **Verify power**: Insufficient current can cause instability
+- **Check mechanical**: Loose connections, binding, or damaged components
+
+### CAN Bus Errors
+
+```bash
+# Check for errors
+ip -s link show can0
+
+# Reset CAN interface
+sudo ip link set can0 down
+sudo ip link set can0 up
+```
+
+### Control Mode
+
+OpenArms uses **MIT control mode** which allows simultaneous control of:
+- Position (degrees)
+- Velocity (degrees/second)
+- Torque (N·m)
+- Position gain (Kp)
+- Velocity damping (Kd)
+
+### Communication
+
+- **Protocol**: CAN 2.0 at 1 Mbps (or CAN-FD at 5 Mbps)
+- **Frame format**: Standard 11-bit IDs
+- **Update rate**: Typically 50-100 Hz depending on motor count
+- **Latency**: ~10-20ms per motor command
+
+## References
+
+- [OpenArm Official Documentation](https://docs.openarm.dev/)
+- [OpenArm Setup Guide](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/)
+- [Motor ID Configuration](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/motor-id)
+- [CAN Interface Setup](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/can-setup)
+- [Motor Communication Test](https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/configure-test)
+- [Damiao Motor Documentation](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/damiao_series/)
+- [Enactic GitHub](https://github.com/enactic/openarm_can)

docs/source/rac.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,291 @@
+# RaC: Recovery and Correction Training
+
+RaC (Recovery and Correction) is a human-in-the-loop data collection and training paradigm that improves robot policy performance on long-horizon tasks by explicitly teaching recovery and correction behaviors.
+
+**Key References:**
+- [RaC: Robot Learning for Long-Horizon Tasks by Scaling Recovery and Correction](https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.07953) (Hu et al., 2025)
+- [HG-DAgger: Interactive Imitation Learning with Human Experts](https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.02890) (Kelly et al., 2019)
+- [π∗0.6: a VLA That Learns From Experience](https://pi.website/blog/pistar06) (Physical Intelligence, 2025)
+- [SARM: Stage-Aware Reward Modeling](https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.25358) (Chen et al., 2025)
+
+---
+
+## Why RaC? The Problem with Standard Data Collection
+
+### Standard Behavioral Cloning Data Collection Limitations
+
+Standard behavior cloning trains policies on successful demonstrations. This approach can be sensitive to distribution shift and compounding errors. Because during deployment small errors can cascade and push the robot into states never seen during training.
+This is where RaC and methods like Dagger and HG-DAgger come in.
+
+### Prior Human-in-the-Loop Methods
+
+**DAgger** (Dataset Aggregation) addresses distribution shift by:
+- Running the novice policy to collect states
+- Querying expert for correct actions at those states
+- Aggregating new labels into training set
+
+**HG-DAgger** (Human-Gated DAgger) improves on DAgger by:
+- Giving human full control authority during interventions
+- Human takes over when unsafe, provides correction, returns control
+- Better action labels because human has uninterrupted control
+
+### RaC
+
+RaC explicitly collects **recovery + correction** data:
+
+```
+BC/DAgger:   policy → mistake → human corrects → continue
+RaC:         policy → mistake → human RECOVERS (teleop back) → CORRECTS → END
+```
+
+The critical insight is **Rule 1 (Recover then Correct)**:
+- Every intervention starts with human teleoperating back to an in-distribution state
+- Then human provides correction to complete the current subtask
+- Both segments are recorded as training data
+- This teaches the policy: "when things go wrong, go back and retry"
+
+**Rule 2 (Terminate after Intervention)**:
+- Episode ends after correction completes
+- Avoids mixed policy/human data on later subtasks
+- Keeps data distribution clean
+
+---
+
+## Comparison Table
+
+| Method | Data Type | Recovery Behavior | Correction Behavior |
+|--------|-----------|-------------------|---------------------|
+| BC | Success only | ✗ | ✗ |
+| DAgger | Success + corrections | ✗ | ✓ |
+| HG-DAgger | Success + corrections | Sometimes | ✓ |
+| RaC | Success + recovery + correction | ✓ Explicit | ✓ |
+
+---
+
+## The RaC Pipeline
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│                         RaC Training Pipeline                           │
+├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│                                                                         │
+│  1. PRE-TRAINING (Standard BC)                                          │
+│     └─> Train initial policy on clean demonstrations                    │
+│                                                                         │
+│  2. RAC DATA COLLECTION (Human-in-the-loop)                             │
+│     ├─> Policy runs autonomously                                        │
+│     ├─> Human monitors and intervenes when failure imminent             │
+│     │   ├─> RECOVERY: Human teleoperates robot back to good state       │
+│     │   └─> CORRECTION: Human completes the current subtask             │
+│     └─> Episode terminates after correction (Rule 2)                    │
+│                                                                         │
+│  3. REWARD LABELING (Optional: SARM)                                    │
+│     └─> Compute progress rewards for advantage-weighted training        │
+│                                                                         │
+│  4. FINE-TUNING                                                         │
+│     └─> Train on combined demos + RaC data (optionally with RA-BC)      │
+│                                                                         │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+---
+
+## Step-by-Step Guide
+
+### Step 1: Pre-train a Base Policy
+
+First, train a policy on your demonstration dataset:
+
+```bash
+python src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/demo-dataset \
+    --policy.type=pi0 \
+    --output_dir=outputs/pretrain \
+    --batch_size=32 \
+    --steps=50000
+```
+
+### Step 2: Collect RaC Data
+
+Run the RaC data collection script with your pre-trained policy:
+
+```bash
+python examples/rac/rac_data_collection.py \
+    --robot.type=so100_follower \
+    --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431541 \
+    --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+    --teleop.type=so100_leader \
+    --teleop.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551 \
+    --policy.path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/rac-dataset \
+    --dataset.single_task="Pick up the cube and place it in the bowl" \
+    --dataset.num_episodes=50
+```
+
+**Controls (Keyboard + Foot Pedal):**
+
+| Key / Pedal | Action |
+|-------------|--------|
+| **SPACE** / Right pedal | Pause policy (teleop mirrors robot, no recording) |
+| **c** / Left pedal | Take control (start correction, recording resumes) |
+| **→** / Right pedal | End episode (save) - when in correction mode |
+| **←** | Re-record episode |
+| **ESC** | Stop session and push to hub |
+| Any key/pedal during reset | Start next episode |
+
+**The RaC Protocol:**
+
+1. Watch the policy run autonomously (teleop is idle/free)
+2. When you see imminent failure, press **SPACE** or **right pedal** to pause
+   - Policy stops
+   - Teleoperator moves to match robot position (torque enabled)
+   - No frames recorded during pause
+3. Press **c** or **left pedal** to take control
+   - Teleoperator torque disabled, free to move
+   - **RECOVERY**: Teleoperate back to a good state
+   - **CORRECTION**: Complete the subtask
+   - All movements are recorded
+4. Press **→** or **right pedal** to save and end episode
+5. **RESET**: Teleop moves to robot position, you can move robot to starting position
+6. Press any key/pedal to start next episode
+
+The recovery and correction segments teach the policy how to recover from errors.
+
+**Foot Pedal Setup (Linux):**
+
+If using a USB foot pedal (PCsensor FootSwitch), ensure access:
+```bash
+sudo setfacl -m u:$USER:rw /dev/input/by-id/usb-PCsensor_FootSwitch-event-kbd
+```
+
+### Step 3: (Optional) Compute SARM Rewards
+
+For advantage-weighted training (RA-BC / Pi0.6-style), compute SARM progress values:
+
+```bash
+python src/lerobot/policies/sarm/compute_rabc_weights.py \
+    --dataset-repo-id your-username/rac-dataset \
+    --reward-model-path your-username/sarm-model \
+    --head-mode sparse \
+    --push-to-hub
+```
+
+### Step 4: Fine-tune Policy
+
+Fine-tune on the RaC data:
+
+```bash
+# Without RA-BC (standard fine-tuning)
+python src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/rac-dataset \
+    --policy.type=pi0 \
+    --policy.pretrained_path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+    --output_dir=outputs/rac_finetune \
+    --steps=20000
+
+# With RA-BC (advantage-weighted, Pi0.6-style)
+python src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/rac-dataset \
+    --policy.type=pi0 \
+    --policy.pretrained_path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+    --output_dir=outputs/rac_finetune_rabc \
+    --use_rabc=true \
+    --rabc_kappa=0.01 \
+    --steps=20000
+```
+
+---
+
+## Connection to Pi0.6 / RECAP
+
+Pi0.6's RECAP method shares similar principles:
+- Collect autonomous rollouts + expert interventions
+- Use value function to compute **advantages**: A(s,a) = V(s') - V(s)
+- **Advantage conditioning**: Weight training based on expected improvement
+
+In LeRobot, we can use **SARM** as the value function:
+- SARM progress φ(s) ∈ [0,1] measures task completion
+- Progress delta = φ(s') - φ(s) approximates advantage
+- RA-BC uses these to weight training samples (higher weight for good corrections)
+
+---
+
+## Tips for Effective RaC Collection
+
+### When to Intervene
+
+Intervene when you see:
+- Robot about to make an irreversible mistake
+- Robot hesitating or showing uncertain behavior
+- Robot deviating from expected trajectory
+
+### Recovery: Teleoperating Back to Good State
+
+During recovery, teleoperate the robot back to a state where:
+- The robot is in a familiar, in-distribution configuration
+- The current subtask can still be completed
+- The recovery trajectory itself is informative training data
+
+### Quality of Corrections
+
+During correction:
+- Provide **confident, clean** trajectories
+- Complete the current subtask fully
+- Don't overcorrect or add unnecessary movements
+
+---
+
+## Iterative Improvement
+
+RaC can be applied iteratively:
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  Policy v0 (demos)                                                      │
+│       ↓                                                                 │
+│  RaC Collection (target current failure modes) → Policy v1              │
+│       ↓                                                                 │
+│  RaC Collection (target new failure modes) → Policy v2                  │
+│       ↓                                                                 │
+│  ... (repeat until satisfactory performance)                            │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+Each iteration:
+1. Deploy current policy
+2. Collect RaC interventions on failure cases
+3. Fine-tune on accumulated data
+
+---
+
+## References
+
+```bibtex
+@article{hu2025rac,
+  title={RaC: Robot Learning for Long-Horizon Tasks by Scaling Recovery and Correction},
+  author={Hu, Zheyuan and Wu, Robyn and Enock, Naveen and Li, Jasmine and Kadakia, Riya and Erickson, Zackory and Kumar, Aviral},
+  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.07953},
+  year={2025}
+}
+
+@article{kelly2019hgdagger,
+  title={HG-DAgger: Interactive Imitation Learning with Human Experts},
+  author={Kelly, Michael and Sidrane, Chelsea and Driggs-Campbell, Katherine and Kochenderfer, Mykel J},
+  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:1810.02890},
+  year={2019}
+}
+
+@article{pi2025recap,
+  title={π∗0.6: a VLA That Learns From Experience},
+  author={Physical Intelligence},
+  year={2025}
+}
+
+@article{chen2025sarm,
+  title={SARM: Stage-Aware Reward Modeling for Long Horizon Robot Manipulation},
+  author={Chen, Qianzhong and Yu, Justin and Schwager, Mac and Abbeel, Pieter and Shentu, Yide and Wu, Philipp},
+  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.25358},
+  year={2025}
+}
+```
+

docs/source/so101.mdx

@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 # SO-101
 
+<div style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px;">
+  <img
+    src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/SO101_Follower.webp"
+    alt="SO-101"
+    width="60%"
+  />
+  <img
+    src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/SO101_Leader.webp"
+    alt="SO-101"
+    width="60%"
+  />
+</div>
+
 In the steps below, we explain how to assemble our flagship robot, the SO-101.
 
 ## Source the parts

docs/source/training_time_rtc.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Training-Time RTC
+
+Training-Time RTC teaches the model to handle inference delay during training.
+It feeds the **ground-truth action prefix** to the model and trains only on the remaining postfix actions.
+This keeps chunk transitions smooth without doing any inference-time inpainting.
+
+Based on: [Training-Time Action Conditioning for Efficient Real-Time Chunking](https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.05964).
+
+LeRobot supports this for `pi0`, `pi05` and `smolvla` without changing model parameters.
+
+---
+
+## How It Works
+
+### At Training Time
+
+- Sample a delay `d` per batch element.
+- Keep the first `d` action steps as **ground truth** (no noise).
+- Add noise only to the postfix actions.
+- Set the flow-matching timestep to **1.0** for prefix tokens and normal timesteps for postfix tokens.
+- Mask the loss to only train on the postfix.
+
+### At Inference Time
+
+When `rtc_training_config.enabled=true`, the model uses training-time RTC inference:
+
+- Replace prefix positions in `x_t` with previous chunk's leftover actions.
+- Set timestep to **1.0** for prefix positions.
+
+---
+
+## Quick Start (CLI)
+
+```bash
+lerobot-train \
+  --policy.type=pi0 \
+  --dataset.repo_id=your/dataset \
+  --policy.rtc_training_config.enabled=true \
+  --policy.rtc_training_config.min_delay=0 \
+  --policy.rtc_training_config.max_delay=6 \
+  --policy.rtc_training_config.delay_distribution=UNIFORM
+```
+
+---
+
+## Inference with Training-Time RTC
+
+After training with `rtc_training_config`, use the same config at inference. The model will automatically use training-time RTC inference:
+
+```python
+policy = PI0Policy.from_pretrained("path/to/trained/model")
+# rtc_training_config is loaded from the saved config
+
+actions = policy.predict_action_chunk(
+    batch,
+    inference_delay=5,  # estimated delay in timesteps
+    prev_chunk_left_over=previous_actions,  # from previous chunk
+)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Key Parameters
+
+`RTCTrainingConfig` is available on the policy config (`pi0`, `pi05`, `smolvla`, `xvla`):
+
+- **`enabled`**: Toggle training-time RTC (both training and inference).
+- **`min_delay` / `max_delay`**: Delay range (inclusive).
+- **`delay_distribution`**:
+  - `UNIFORM`: uniform in `[min_delay, max_delay]`
+  - `EXP`: exponentially decayed distribution over delays
+- **`exp_decay`**: Exponential decay factor for `EXP` sampling.
+
+---
+
+## Notes and Recommendations
+
+- Start with `min_delay=0` and `max_delay` around your expected worst-case inference delay.
+- Use `EXP` if you want more supervision on smaller delays.
+
+---
+
+## Related Docs
+
+- [Real-Time Chunking (Inference-Time RTC)](./rtc)
+- [Pi0](./pi0), [Pi0.5](./pi05), [SmolVLA](./smolvla)

docs/source/unitree_g1.mdx

@@ -188,7 +188,105 @@ Press `Ctrl+C` to stop the policy.
 
 ## Running in Simulation Mode (MuJoCo)
 
-You can now test policies before unleashing them on the physical robot using MuJoCo. To do so simply set `is_simulation=True` in config.
+You can test policies before deploying on the physical robot using MuJoCo simulation. Set `is_simulation=True` in config or pass `--robot.is_simulation=true` via CLI.
+
+### Calibrate Exoskeleton Teleoperator
+
+```bash
+lerobot-calibrate \
+    --teleop.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+    --teleop.id=exo
+```
+
+### Teleoperate in Simulation
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+    --robot.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --robot.is_simulation=true \
+    --teleop.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+    --teleop.id=exo \
+    --fps=100
+```
+
+### Record Dataset in Simulation
+
+```bash
+python -m lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record \
+    --robot.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --robot.is_simulation=true \
+    --robot.cameras='{"global_view": {"type": "zmq", "server_address": "localhost", "port": 5555, "camera_name": "head_camera", "width": 640, "height": 480, "fps": 30}}' \
+    --teleop.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+    --teleop.id=exo \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/dataset-name \
+    --dataset.single_task="Test" \
+    --dataset.num_episodes=2 \
+    --dataset.episode_time_s=5 \
+    --dataset.reset_time_s=5 \
+    --dataset.push_to_hub=true
+```
+
+Example simulation dataset: [nepyope/teleop_test_sim](https://huggingface.co/datasets/nepyope/teleop_test_sim)
+
+---
+
+## Running on Real Robot
+
+Once the robot server is running on the G1 (see Part 3), you can teleoperate and record on the real robot.
+
+### Start the Camera Server
+
+On the robot, start the ZMQ image server:
+
+```bash
+python src/lerobot/cameras/zmq/image_server.py
+```
+
+Keep this running in a separate terminal for camera streaming during recording.
+
+### Teleoperate Real Robot
+
+```bash
+lerobot-teleoperate \
+    --robot.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --robot.is_simulation=false \
+    --teleop.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+    --teleop.id=exo \
+    --fps=100
+```
+
+### Record Dataset on Real Robot
+
+```bash
+python -m lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record \
+    --robot.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --robot.is_simulation=false \
+    --robot.cameras='{"global_view": {"type": "zmq", "server_address": "172.18.129.215", "port": 5555, "camera_name": "head_camera", "width": 640, "height": 480, "fps": 30}}' \
+    --teleop.type=unitree_g1 \
+    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
+    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+    --teleop.id=exo \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/dataset-name \
+    --dataset.single_task="Test" \
+    --dataset.num_episodes=2 \
+    --dataset.episode_time_s=5 \
+    --dataset.reset_time_s=5 \
+    --dataset.push_to_hub=true
+```
+
+**Note**: Update `server_address` to match your robot's camera server IP.
+
+Example real robot dataset: [nepyope/teleop_test_real](https://huggingface.co/datasets/nepyope/teleop_test_real)
+
+---
 
 ## Additional Resources
 

docs/source/using_dataset_tools.mdx

@@ -95,26 +95,26 @@ Convert an image-based dataset to video format, creating a new LeRobotDataset wh
 # Local-only: Save to a custom output directory (no hub push)
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --operation.output_dir /path/to/output/pusht_video
 
 # Save with new repo_id (local storage)
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
     --new_repo_id lerobot/pusht_video \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video
 
 # Convert and push to Hugging Face Hub
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
     --new_repo_id lerobot/pusht_video \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --push_to_hub true
 
 # Convert with custom video codec and quality settings
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --operation.output_dir outputs/pusht_video \
     --operation.vcodec libsvtav1 \
     --operation.pix_fmt yuv420p \
@@ -124,16 +124,23 @@ lerobot-edit-dataset \
 # Convert only specific episodes
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --operation.output_dir outputs/pusht_video \
     --operation.episode_indices "[0, 1, 2, 5, 10]"
 
 # Convert with multiple workers for parallel processing
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
-    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --operation.output_dir outputs/pusht_video \
     --operation.num_workers 8
+
+# For memory-constrained systems, users can now specify limits:
+lerobot-edit-dataset \
+    --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
+    --operation.type convert_to_video \
+    --operation.max_episodes_per_batch 50 \
+    --operation.max_frames_per_batch 10000
 ```
 
 **Parameters:**

examples/backward_compatibility/replay.py

@@ -81,24 +81,25 @@ def replay(cfg: ReplayConfig):
     actions = dataset.hf_dataset.select_columns(ACTION)
     robot.connect()
 
-    log_say("Replaying episode", cfg.play_sounds, blocking=True)
-    for idx in range(dataset.num_frames):
-        start_episode_t = time.perf_counter()
+    try:
+        log_say("Replaying episode", cfg.play_sounds, blocking=True)
+        for idx in range(dataset.num_frames):
+            start_episode_t = time.perf_counter()
 
-        action_array = actions[idx][ACTION]
-        action = {}
-        for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"]):
-            key = f"{name.removeprefix('main_')}.pos"
-            action[key] = action_array[i].item()
+            action_array = actions[idx][ACTION]
+            action = {}
+            for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"]):
+                key = f"{name.removeprefix('main_')}.pos"
+                action[key] = action_array[i].item()
 
-        action["shoulder_lift.pos"] = -(action["shoulder_lift.pos"] - 90)
-        action["elbow_flex.pos"] -= 90
-        robot.send_action(action)
+            action["shoulder_lift.pos"] = -(action["shoulder_lift.pos"] - 90)
+            action["elbow_flex.pos"] -= 90
+            robot.send_action(action)
 
-        dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_episode_t
-        precise_sleep(max(1 / dataset.fps - dt_s, 0.0))
-
-    robot.disconnect()
+            dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_episode_t
+            precise_sleep(max(1 / dataset.fps - dt_s, 0.0))
+    finally:
+        robot.disconnect()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/lekiwi/evaluate.py

@@ -78,40 +78,24 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="lekiwi_evaluate")
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-    recorded_episodes = 0
-    while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
-        log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {recorded_episodes} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+        print("Starting evaluate loop...")
+        recorded_episodes = 0
+        while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {recorded_episodes} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=robot,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            policy=policy,
-            preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
-            postprocessor=postprocessor,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
-            robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
-            robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and (
-            (recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
-        ):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
@@ -120,24 +104,42 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-record episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                (recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        recorded_episodes += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-record episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            recorded_episodes += 1
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
+
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/lekiwi/record.py

@@ -74,40 +74,23 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="lekiwi_record")
 
-    if not robot.is_connected or not leader_arm.is_connected or not keyboard.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected or not leader_arm.is_connected or not keyboard.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting record loop...")
-    recorded_episodes = 0
-    while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
-        log_say(f"Recording episode {recorded_episodes}")
+        print("Starting record loop...")
+        recorded_episodes = 0
+        while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Recording episode {recorded_episodes}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=robot,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            teleop=[leader_arm, keyboard],
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
-            robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
-            robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and (
-            (recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
-        ):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
+                dataset=dataset,
                 teleop=[leader_arm, keyboard],
-                control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
                 teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
@@ -115,26 +98,44 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-record episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                (recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    teleop=[leader_arm, keyboard],
+                    control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        recorded_episodes += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-record episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    leader_arm.disconnect()
-    keyboard.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            recorded_episodes += 1
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        leader_arm.disconnect()
+        keyboard.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/lekiwi/replay.py

@@ -42,25 +42,27 @@ def main():
     # Connect to the robot
     robot.connect()
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting replay loop...")
-    log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
-    for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
-        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        print("Starting replay loop...")
+        log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
+        for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
+            t0 = time.perf_counter()
 
-        # Get recorded action from dataset
-        action = {
-            name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i]) for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
-        }
+            # Get recorded action from dataset
+            action = {
+                name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i])
+                for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
+            }
 
-        # Send action to robot
-        _ = robot.send_action(action)
+            # Send action to robot
+            _ = robot.send_action(action)
 
-        precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
-
-    robot.disconnect()
+            precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
+    finally:
+        robot.disconnect()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/openarms/debug_can_communication.py

@@ -0,0 +1,416 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Comprehensive debug script for OpenArms CAN FD communication.
+Tests all 4 CAN interfaces with CAN FD support.
+"""
+
+import can
+import time
+import sys
+import subprocess
+
+def check_can_interface(port):
+    """Check if CAN interface is UP and configured."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(['ip', 'link', 'show', port], 
+                              capture_output=True, text=True)
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            return False, "Interface not found", None
+        
+        output = result.stdout
+        if 'UP' not in output:
+            return False, "Interface is DOWN", None
+        
+        # Check if CAN FD is enabled
+        is_fd = 'fd on' in output.lower() or 'canfd' in output.lower()
+        
+        return True, "Interface is UP", is_fd
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        return None, "Cannot check (ip command not found)", None
+
+
+def test_motor_on_interface(bus, motor_id, timeout=2.0, use_fd=False):
+    """
+    Test a single motor and return all responses.
+    
+    Returns:
+        list of (arbitration_id, data) tuples for all responses received
+    """
+    # Send enable command
+    enable_msg = can.Message(
+        arbitration_id=motor_id,
+        data=[0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFC],
+        is_extended_id=False,
+        is_fd=use_fd
+    )
+    
+    try:
+        bus.send(enable_msg)
+    except Exception as e:
+        return None, f"Send error: {e}"
+    
+    # Listen for responses
+    responses = []
+    start_time = time.time()
+    
+    while time.time() - start_time < timeout:
+        msg = bus.recv(timeout=0.1)
+        if msg:
+            responses.append((msg.arbitration_id, msg.data, msg.is_fd if hasattr(msg, 'is_fd') else False))
+    
+    # Send disable command
+    disable_msg = can.Message(
+        arbitration_id=motor_id,
+        data=[0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFD],
+        is_extended_id=False,
+        is_fd=use_fd
+    )
+    try:
+        bus.send(disable_msg)
+    except:
+        pass
+    
+    return responses, None
+
+
+def test_interface(port, interface_type="socketcan", use_can_fd=True):
+    """Test all 8 motors on a single CAN interface."""
+    
+    results = {
+        'interface': port,
+        'status': None,
+        'is_fd': use_can_fd,
+        'motors': {}
+    }
+    
+    # Check interface status
+    status_ok, status_msg, interface_has_fd = check_can_interface(port)
+    
+    if interface_has_fd is not None:
+        results['interface_fd_enabled'] = interface_has_fd
+        if use_can_fd and not interface_has_fd:
+            status_msg += " (CAN FD NOT enabled on interface!)"
+        elif interface_has_fd:
+            status_msg += " (CAN FD enabled)"
+    
+    results['status'] = status_msg
+    
+    if status_ok is False:
+        return results
+    
+    # Try to connect
+    try:
+        if use_can_fd:
+            print(f"  Connecting to {port} with CAN FD (1 Mbps / 5 Mbps)...")
+            bus = can.interface.Bus(
+                channel=port,
+                interface=interface_type,
+                bitrate=1000000,
+                data_bitrate=5000000,
+                fd=True
+            )
+        else:
+            print(f"  Connecting to {port} with CAN 2.0 (1 Mbps)...")
+            bus = can.interface.Bus(
+                channel=port,
+                interface=interface_type,
+                bitrate=1000000
+            )
+    except Exception as e:
+        results['status'] = f"Connection failed: {e}"
+        return results
+    
+    try:
+        # Clear any pending messages
+        while bus.recv(timeout=0.01):
+            pass
+        
+        # Test each motor (0x01 to 0x08)
+        for motor_id in range(0x01, 0x09):
+            responses, error = test_motor_on_interface(bus, motor_id, timeout=1.0, use_fd=use_can_fd)
+            
+            if error:
+                results['motors'][motor_id] = {'error': error}
+            elif responses:
+                results['motors'][motor_id] = {
+                    'found': True,
+                    'responses': responses
+                }
+            else:
+                results['motors'][motor_id] = {
+                    'found': False,
+                    'responses': []
+                }
+            
+            time.sleep(0.05)  # Small delay between motors
+        
+    finally:
+        bus.shutdown()
+    
+    return results
+
+
+def print_results(all_results):
+    """Print formatted results for all interfaces."""
+    
+    print("SUMMARY - Motors Found on Each Interface")
+    
+    motor_names = {
+        0x01: "joint_1 (Shoulder pan)",
+        0x02: "joint_2 (Shoulder lift)",
+        0x03: "joint_3 (Shoulder rotation)",
+        0x04: "joint_4 (Elbow flex)",
+        0x05: "joint_5 (Wrist roll)",
+        0x06: "joint_6 (Wrist pitch)",
+        0x07: "joint_7 (Wrist rotation)",
+        0x08: "gripper",
+    }
+    
+    total_found = 0
+    
+    for result in all_results:
+        interface = result['interface']
+        status = result['status']
+        
+        print(f"{interface}: {status}")
+        if result.get('is_fd'):
+            print(f"  Mode: CAN FD")
+        else:
+            print(f"  Mode: CAN 2.0")
+        
+        if 'Connection failed' in status or 'DOWN' in status:
+            print(f"  ⚠ Cannot test {interface}")
+            continue
+        
+        motors_found = 0
+        
+        for motor_id in range(0x01, 0x09):
+            motor_data = result['motors'].get(motor_id, {})
+            motor_name = motor_names.get(motor_id, "Unknown")
+            
+            if motor_data.get('error'):
+                print(f"  Motor 0x{motor_id:02X} ({motor_name}): ✗ {motor_data['error']}")
+            elif motor_data.get('found'):
+                motors_found += 1
+                total_found += 1
+                responses = motor_data['responses']
+                print(f"  Motor 0x{motor_id:02X} ({motor_name}): ✓ FOUND")
+                
+                for resp_id, data, is_fd in responses:
+                    data_hex = data.hex()
+                    fd_flag = " [FD]" if is_fd else " [2.0]"
+                    print(f"    → Response from 0x{resp_id:02X}{fd_flag}: {data_hex}")
+            else:
+                print(f"  Motor 0x{motor_id:02X} ({motor_name}): ✗ No response")
+        
+        print(f"\n  Summary: {motors_found}/8 motors found on {interface}")
+    
+    # Overall summary
+    print("OVERALL SUMMARY")
+    print(f"Total motors found across all interfaces: {total_found}")
+    
+    # Analyze configuration
+    print("DIAGNOSIS")
+    
+    for result in all_results:
+        interface = result['interface']
+        motors_found = sum(1 for m in result['motors'].values() if m.get('found'))
+        
+        if motors_found == 0:
+            print(f"\n⚠ {interface}: NO MOTORS FOUND")
+            print("  Possible issues:")
+            print("    1. CAN FD mode mismatch (interface vs motor configuration)")
+            print("    2. Missing 120Ω termination resistors at BOTH cable ends")
+            print("    3. Motor timeout parameter set incorrectly (should NOT be 0)")
+            print("    4. CANH/CANL wiring issue")
+            print("    5. Cable too long (>40m for CAN FD at 5Mbps)")
+            
+            # Check FD mismatch
+            if result.get('is_fd') and not result.get('interface_fd_enabled'):
+                print("    ⚠️ CRITICAL: Trying CAN FD but interface NOT configured for FD!")
+                print(f"       Fix: sudo ip link set {interface} type can bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 5000000 fd on")
+                
+        elif motors_found < 8:
+            print(f"\n⚠ {interface}: Only {motors_found}/8 motors responding")
+            print("  Check power and connections for missing motors")
+        else:
+            print(f"\n✓ {interface}: All 8 motors responding correctly!")
+    
+    # Check for unexpected response IDs
+    print("RESPONSE ID ANALYSIS")
+    
+    for result in all_results:
+        interface = result['interface']
+        unexpected = []
+        
+        for motor_id, motor_data in result['motors'].items():
+            if motor_data.get('found'):
+                expected_id = motor_id + 0x10
+                actual_ids = [resp[0] for resp in motor_data['responses']]
+                
+                if expected_id not in actual_ids:
+                    unexpected.append((motor_id, actual_ids))
+        
+        if unexpected:
+            print(f"\n⚠ {interface}: Unexpected response IDs detected")
+            for motor_id, actual_ids in unexpected:
+                expected_id = motor_id + 0x10
+                print(f"  Motor 0x{motor_id:02X}: Expected 0x{expected_id:02X}, "
+                      f"got {[f'0x{id:02X}' for id in actual_ids]}")
+            print("  → Motor Master IDs need reconfiguration")
+        else:
+            motors_found = sum(1 for m in result['motors'].values() if m.get('found'))
+            if motors_found > 0:
+                print(f"\n✓ {interface}: All responding motors use correct IDs")
+
+
+def test_communication_speed(interface, motor_id, num_iterations=100):
+    """
+    Test communication speed with a motor.
+    
+    Returns:
+        tuple: (hz, avg_latency_ms) or (None, None) if test failed
+    """
+    try:
+        # Connect to interface
+        bus = can.interface.Bus(
+            channel=interface,
+            interface="socketcan",
+            bitrate=1000000,
+            data_bitrate=5000000,
+            fd=True
+        )
+        
+        # Send refresh commands and measure round-trip time
+        latencies = []
+        successful = 0
+        
+        for _ in range(num_iterations):
+            start = time.perf_counter()
+            
+            # Send enable command (lightweight operation)
+            enable_msg = can.Message(
+                arbitration_id=motor_id,
+                data=[0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFC],
+                is_extended_id=False,
+                is_fd=True
+            )
+            bus.send(enable_msg)
+            
+            # Wait for response
+            msg = bus.recv(timeout=0.1)
+            
+            if msg:
+                latency = (time.perf_counter() - start) * 1000  # Convert to ms
+                latencies.append(latency)
+                successful += 1
+        
+        bus.shutdown()
+        
+        if successful > 0:
+            avg_latency = sum(latencies) / len(latencies)
+            hz = 1000.0 / avg_latency if avg_latency > 0 else 0
+            return hz, avg_latency
+        
+        return None, None
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"    Speed test error: {e}")
+        return None, None
+
+
+def main():
+    """Main function to test all CAN interfaces with CAN FD."""
+    
+    print("\nThis will test all 4 CAN interfaces (can0-can3) with CAN FD")
+    print("Testing motors 0x01-0x08 on each interface")
+    print()
+    print("Make sure:")
+    print("  ✓ Motors are powered (24V)")
+    print("  ✓ CAN interfaces configured with FD mode:")
+    print("    ./examples/openarms/setup_can.sh")
+    print("  ✓ Motor 'timeout' parameter NOT set to 0 (use Damiao tools)")
+    print("  ✓ CAN wiring includes 120Ω termination at BOTH ends")
+    print()
+    
+    input("Press ENTER to start testing...")
+    
+    # Test all 4 interfaces with CAN FD
+    all_results = []
+    
+    for i in range(4):
+        interface = f"can{i}"
+        print(f"Testing {interface}...")
+        
+        result = test_interface(interface, use_can_fd=True)
+        all_results.append(result)
+        
+        # Quick status
+        if 'Connection failed' in result['status'] or 'DOWN' in result['status']:
+            print(f"  ⚠ {interface}: {result['status']}")
+        else:
+            motors_found = sum(1 for m in result['motors'].values() if m.get('found'))
+            print(f"  {interface}: {motors_found}/8 motors found")
+        
+        time.sleep(0.2)
+    
+    # Print detailed results
+    print_results(all_results)
+    
+    print("Testing Complete!")
+    
+    all_found = sum(sum(1 for m in r['motors'].values() if m.get('found')) for r in all_results)
+    
+    if all_found == 0:
+        print("\n⚠️ CRITICAL: No motors found on any interface!")
+        print("\nTop issues to check:")
+        print("  1. Motor 'timeout' parameter (use Damiao tools to set > 0)")
+        print("  2. CAN FD not enabled (run ./examples/openarms/setup_can.sh)")
+        print("  3. Missing termination resistors")
+        print("\nTry:")
+        print("  a) Check motor parameters with Damiao Debugging Tools")
+        print("  b) Verify CAN FD is enabled: ip -d link show can0 | grep fd")
+        print("  c) Run setup script: ./examples/openarms/setup_can.sh")
+    else:
+        # Run speed test on interfaces with motors
+        print("COMMUNICATION SPEED TEST")
+        print("\nTesting maximum communication frequency...")
+        
+        for result in all_results:
+            interface = result['interface']
+            
+            # Find first responding motor
+            responding_motor = None
+            for motor_id, motor_data in result['motors'].items():
+                if motor_data.get('found'):
+                    responding_motor = motor_id
+                    break
+            
+            if responding_motor:
+                print(f"\n{interface}: Testing with motor 0x{responding_motor:02X}...")
+                hz, latency = test_communication_speed(interface, responding_motor, num_iterations=100)
+                
+                if hz:
+                    print(f"  ✓ Max frequency: {hz:.1f} Hz")
+                    print(f"  ✓ Avg latency: {latency:.2f} ms")
+                    print(f"  ✓ Commands per second: ~{int(hz)}")
+                else:
+                    print(f"  ✗ Speed test failed")
+            else:
+                print(f"\n{interface}: No motors found, skipping speed test")
+
+        print()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    try:
+        main()
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nTesting interrupted by user.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"\nUnexpected error: {e}")
+        import traceback
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        sys.exit(1)
+

examples/openarms/evaluate.py

@@ -0,0 +1,360 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""
+OpenArms Policy Evaluation
+
+Evaluates a trained policy on the OpenArms robot by running inference and recording
+the evaluation episodes to a dataset. Supports optional leader arm for manual resets.
+
+Example usage:
+    python examples/openarms/evaluate.py
+"""
+
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
+from lerobot.configs.policies import PreTrainedConfig
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.pipeline_features import aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import combine_feature_dicts
+from lerobot.policies.factory import make_policy, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.processor import make_default_processors
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record import record_loop
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.config_openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeaderConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeader
+from lerobot.utils.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
+from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
+
+
+HF_MODEL_ID = "lerobot-data-collection/level1_rac2_100k"  # TODO: Replace with your trained model
+HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID = "lerobot-data-collection/three-folds-pi0_eval_raccc3"  # TODO: Replace with your eval dataset name
+TASK_DESCRIPTION = "Fold the T-shirt properly" # TODO: Replace with your task, this should match!!
+
+NUM_EPISODES = 1
+FPS = 30
+EPISODE_TIME_SEC = 1000
+RESET_TIME_SEC = 60
+
+# Robot CAN interfaces
+FOLLOWER_LEFT_PORT = "can0"
+FOLLOWER_RIGHT_PORT = "can1"
+
+# If enabled, you can manually reset the environment between evaluation episodes
+USE_LEADER_FOR_RESETS = False  # Set to False if you don't want to use leader
+LEADER_LEFT_PORT = "can2"
+LEADER_RIGHT_PORT = "can3"
+
+# Camera configuration
+CAMERA_CONFIG = {
+    "left_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video0", width=1280, height=720, fps=FPS),
+    "right_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video5", width=1280, height=720, fps=FPS),
+    "base": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video2", width=640, height=480, fps=FPS),
+}
+
+def main():
+    """Main evaluation function."""
+    print("OpenArms Policy Evaluation")
+    print(f"\nModel: {HF_MODEL_ID}")
+    print(f"Evaluation Dataset: {HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID}")
+    print(f"Task: {TASK_DESCRIPTION}")
+    print(f"Episodes: {NUM_EPISODES}")
+    print(f"Episode Duration: {EPISODE_TIME_SEC}s")
+    print(f"Reset Duration: {RESET_TIME_SEC}s")
+    print(f"Use Leader for Resets: {USE_LEADER_FOR_RESETS}")
+    
+    follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left=FOLLOWER_LEFT_PORT,
+        port_right=FOLLOWER_RIGHT_PORT,
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=10.0,
+        cameras=CAMERA_CONFIG,
+    )
+    
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+    follower.connect(calibrate=False)
+    
+    if not follower.is_connected:
+        raise RuntimeError("Follower robot failed to connect!")
+
+    
+    leader = None
+    if USE_LEADER_FOR_RESETS:
+        leader_config = OpenArmsLeaderConfig(
+            port_left=LEADER_LEFT_PORT,
+            port_right=LEADER_RIGHT_PORT,
+            can_interface="socketcan",
+            id="openarms_leader",
+            manual_control=False,  # Enable torque control for gravity compensation
+        )
+        
+        leader = OpenArmsLeader(leader_config)
+        leader.connect(calibrate=False)
+        
+        if not leader.is_connected:
+            raise RuntimeError("Leader robot failed to connect!")
+        
+        # Enable gravity compensation
+        if leader.pin_robot is not None:
+            leader.bus_right.enable_torque()
+            leader.bus_left.enable_torque()
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+            print(f"Leader connected with gravity compensation ({LEADER_LEFT_PORT}, {LEADER_RIGHT_PORT})")
+        else:
+            print(f"Leader connected but gravity compensation unavailable (no URDF)")
+
+    # Build default processors for action and observation
+    teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = make_default_processors()
+    
+    # Build dataset features from robot features and processors
+    # For actions, only include positions (no velocity or torque)
+    action_features_hw = {}
+    for key, value in follower.action_features.items():
+        if key.endswith(".pos"):
+            action_features_hw[key] = value
+    
+    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=teleop_action_processor,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=action_features_hw),
+            use_videos=True,
+        ),
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=robot_observation_processor,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=follower.observation_features),
+            use_videos=True,
+        ),
+    )
+    
+    # Check if dataset already exists
+    dataset_path = Path.home() / ".cache" / "huggingface" / "lerobot" / HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID
+    if dataset_path.exists():
+        print(f"Evaluation dataset already exists at: {dataset_path}")
+        print("This will append new episodes to the existing dataset.")
+        choice = input("  Continue? (y/n): ").strip().lower()
+        if choice != 'y':
+            print("  Aborting evaluation.")
+            follower.disconnect()
+            if leader:
+                leader.disconnect()
+            return
+    
+    # Create dataset
+    dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+        repo_id=HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID,
+        fps=FPS,
+        features=dataset_features,
+        robot_type=follower.name,
+        use_videos=True,
+        image_writer_processes=0,
+        image_writer_threads=12, 
+    )
+    
+    # Load policy config from pretrained model and create policy using factory
+    policy_config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(HF_MODEL_ID)
+    policy_config.pretrained_path = HF_MODEL_ID
+    policy = make_policy(policy_config, ds_meta=dataset.meta)
+    
+    preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+        policy_cfg=policy.config,
+        pretrained_path=HF_MODEL_ID,
+        dataset_stats=dataset.meta.stats,
+        preprocessor_overrides={
+            "device_processor": {"device": str(policy.config.device)}
+        },
+    )
+
+    print(f"\nRunning evaluation...")
+    # Initialize keyboard listener and visualization
+    listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
+    init_rerun(session_name="openarms_evaluation")
+    episode_idx = 0
+    
+    try:
+        while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Evaluating episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+            print(f"\nRunning inference for episode {episode_idx + 1}...")
+            
+            # Run inference with policy
+            record_loop(
+                robot=follower,
+                events=events,
+                fps=FPS,
+                teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                display_data=True,
+            )
+            
+            # Handle re-recording
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-recording episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
+            
+            # Save episode
+            if dataset.episode_buffer is not None and dataset.episode_buffer.get("size", 0) > 0:
+                print(f"Saving episode {episode_idx + 1} ({dataset.episode_buffer['size']} frames)...")
+                dataset.save_episode()
+                episode_idx += 1
+            
+            # Reset environment between episodes (if not last episode)
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES:
+                if USE_LEADER_FOR_RESETS and leader:
+                    log_say("Reset the environment using leader arms")
+                    print(f"\nManual reset period ({RESET_TIME_SEC}s)...")
+                    
+                    # Use leader for manual reset with gravity compensation
+                    import numpy as np
+                    
+                    dt = 1 / FPS
+                    reset_start_time = time.perf_counter()
+                    
+                    while time.perf_counter() - reset_start_time < RESET_TIME_SEC:
+                        if events["exit_early"] or events["stop_recording"]:
+                            break
+                        
+                        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+                        
+                        # Get leader state
+                        leader_action = leader.get_action()
+                        
+                        # Extract positions and velocities
+                        leader_positions_deg = {}
+                        leader_velocities_deg_per_sec = {}
+                        
+                        for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+                            pos_key = f"right_{motor}.pos"
+                            vel_key = f"right_{motor}.vel"
+                            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                                leader_positions_deg[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+                            if vel_key in leader_action:
+                                leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+                        
+                        for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+                            pos_key = f"left_{motor}.pos"
+                            vel_key = f"left_{motor}.vel"
+                            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                                leader_positions_deg[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+                            if vel_key in leader_action:
+                                leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+                        
+                        # Calculate gravity and friction torques
+                        leader_positions_rad = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_positions_deg.items()}
+                        leader_gravity_torques_nm = leader._gravity_from_q(leader_positions_rad)
+                        
+                        leader_velocities_rad_per_sec = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_velocities_deg_per_sec.items()}
+                        leader_friction_torques_nm = leader._friction_from_velocity(
+                            leader_velocities_rad_per_sec,
+                            friction_scale=1.0
+                        )
+                        
+                        # Combine torques
+                        leader_total_torques_nm = {}
+                        for motor_name in leader_gravity_torques_nm:
+                            gravity = leader_gravity_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+                            friction = leader_friction_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+                            leader_total_torques_nm[motor_name] = gravity + friction
+                        
+                        # Apply compensation
+                        for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+                            full_name = f"right_{motor}"
+                            position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                            torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                            kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+                            
+                            leader.bus_right._mit_control(
+                                motor=motor, kp=0.0, kd=kd,
+                                position_degrees=position,
+                                velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                                torque=torque,
+                            )
+                        
+                        for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+                            full_name = f"left_{motor}"
+                            position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                            torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                            kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+                            
+                            leader.bus_left._mit_control(
+                                motor=motor, kp=0.0, kd=kd,
+                                position_degrees=position,
+                                velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                                torque=torque,
+                            )
+                        
+                        # Send leader positions to follower
+                        follower_action = {}
+                        for joint in leader_positions_deg.keys():
+                            pos_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+                            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                                follower_action[pos_key] = leader_action[pos_key]
+                        
+                        if follower_action:
+                            follower.send_action(follower_action)
+                        
+                        # Maintain loop rate
+                        loop_duration = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+                        sleep_time = dt - loop_duration
+                        if sleep_time > 0:
+                            time.sleep(sleep_time)
+                    
+                    print("Reset complete")
+                else:
+                    log_say("Waiting for manual reset")
+                    print(f"Manually reset the environment and press ENTER to continue")
+                    input("Press ENTER when ready...")
+        
+        print(f"Evaluation complete! {episode_idx} episodes recorded")
+        log_say("Evaluation complete", blocking=True)
+    
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nEvaluation interrupted by user")
+    
+    finally:
+        if leader:
+            leader.bus_right.disable_torque()
+            leader.bus_left.disable_torque()
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+            leader.disconnect()
+
+        follower.disconnect()
+        
+        if listener is not None:
+            listener.stop()
+        
+        dataset.finalize()
+        print("\nUploading to Hugging Face Hub...")
+        dataset.push_to_hub(private=True)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/openarms/evaluate_with_rtc.py

@@ -0,0 +1,703 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""
+OpenArms Policy Evaluation with Real-Time Chunking (RTC)
+
+Evaluates a trained policy on the OpenArms robot using RTC for smooth, continuous motion.
+RTC enables large flow-matching policies (Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA) to produce reactive motion
+despite high inference latency by asynchronously generating action chunks.
+
+Features:
+- Thread-based asynchronous action generation and execution
+- RTC for smooth transitions between action chunks
+- Dataset recording for evaluation episodes
+
+Example usage:
+    python examples/openarms/evaluate_with_rtc.py
+
+    # With custom RTC parameters
+    python examples/openarms/evaluate_with_rtc.py \
+        --rtc.execution_horizon=12 \
+        --rtc.max_guidance_weight=10.0
+"""
+
+import logging
+import math
+import sys
+import time
+import traceback
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
+
+import torch
+from torch import Tensor
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
+from lerobot.configs import parser
+from lerobot.configs.policies import PreTrainedConfig
+from lerobot.configs.types import RTCAttentionSchedule
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.pipeline_features import aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts, hw_to_dataset_features
+from lerobot.policies.factory import get_policy_class, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.action_queue import ActionQueue
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.configuration_rtc import RTCConfig
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.latency_tracker import LatencyTracker
+from lerobot.processor import make_default_processors
+from lerobot.rl.process import ProcessSignalHandler
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.utils.hub import HubMixin
+from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging, log_say
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Default Configuration Constants
+# ============================================================================
+
+DEFAULT_HF_MODEL_ID = "lerobot-data-collection/level1_rac3_100k"
+DEFAULT_HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID = "lerobot-data-collection/test"
+DEFAULT_TASK_DESCRIPTION = "Fold the T-shirt properly"
+
+DEFAULT_NUM_EPISODES = 1
+DEFAULT_FPS = 30
+DEFAULT_EPISODE_TIME_SEC = 1000
+DEFAULT_RESET_TIME_SEC = 60
+
+DEFAULT_FOLLOWER_LEFT_PORT = "can0"
+DEFAULT_FOLLOWER_RIGHT_PORT = "can1"
+
+DEFAULT_CAMERA_CONFIG = {
+    "left_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video0", width=1280, height=720, fps=DEFAULT_FPS),
+    "right_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video4", width=1280, height=720, fps=DEFAULT_FPS),
+    "base": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video2", width=640, height=480, fps=DEFAULT_FPS),
+}
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Thread-Safe Robot Wrapper
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+class RobotWrapper:
+    """Thread-safe wrapper for robot operations."""
+
+    def __init__(self, robot: OpenArmsFollower):
+        self.robot = robot
+        self.lock = Lock()
+
+    def get_observation(self) -> dict[str, Tensor]:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.get_observation()
+
+    def send_action(self, action: dict) -> None:
+        with self.lock:
+            self.robot.send_action(action)
+
+    @property
+    def observation_features(self) -> dict:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.observation_features
+
+    @property
+    def action_features(self) -> dict:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.action_features
+
+    @property
+    def name(self) -> str:
+        return self.robot.name
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Configuration
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+@dataclass
+class OpenArmsRTCEvalConfig(HubMixin):
+    """Configuration for OpenArms evaluation with RTC."""
+
+    policy: PreTrainedConfig | None = None
+
+    rtc: RTCConfig = field(
+        default_factory=lambda: RTCConfig(
+            enabled=True,
+            execution_horizon=20,
+            max_guidance_weight=5.0,
+            prefix_attention_schedule=RTCAttentionSchedule.LINEAR,
+        )
+    )
+
+    model_id: str = DEFAULT_HF_MODEL_ID
+    eval_dataset_id: str = DEFAULT_HF_EVAL_DATASET_ID
+    task: str = DEFAULT_TASK_DESCRIPTION
+
+    num_episodes: int = DEFAULT_NUM_EPISODES
+    fps: float = DEFAULT_FPS
+    episode_time_sec: float = DEFAULT_EPISODE_TIME_SEC
+    reset_time_sec: float = DEFAULT_RESET_TIME_SEC
+
+    follower_left_port: str = DEFAULT_FOLLOWER_LEFT_PORT
+    follower_right_port: str = DEFAULT_FOLLOWER_RIGHT_PORT
+
+    device: str = "cuda"
+
+    # Should be higher than inference_delay + execution_horizon
+    action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions: int = 30
+
+    record_dataset: bool = True
+    push_to_hub: bool = True
+
+    interpolation: bool = True
+
+    use_torch_compile: bool = False
+    torch_compile_backend: str = "inductor"
+    torch_compile_mode: str = "default"
+    torch_compile_disable_cudagraphs: bool = True
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
+        if policy_path:
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = policy_path
+            self.model_id = policy_path
+        elif self.model_id:
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(self.model_id)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = self.model_id
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_path_fields__(cls) -> list[str]:
+        return ["policy"]
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Action Generation Thread
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+def get_actions_thread(
+    policy,
+    robot: RobotWrapper,
+    robot_observation_processor,
+    action_queue: ActionQueue,
+    shutdown_event: Event,
+    cfg: OpenArmsRTCEvalConfig,
+    episode_active: Event,
+):
+    """Thread function to asynchronously generate action chunks from the policy."""
+    try:
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Starting action generation thread")
+
+        latency_tracker = LatencyTracker()
+        time_per_chunk = 1.0 / cfg.fps
+
+        hw_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.observation_features, "observation")
+        policy_device = policy.config.device
+
+        logger.info(f"[GET_ACTIONS] Loading preprocessor/postprocessor from {cfg.policy.pretrained_path}")
+
+        preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+            policy_cfg=cfg.policy,
+            pretrained_path=cfg.policy.pretrained_path,
+            dataset_stats=None,
+            preprocessor_overrides={
+                "device_processor": {"device": cfg.device},
+            },
+        )
+
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Preprocessor/postprocessor loaded successfully")
+
+        get_actions_threshold = cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions
+        if not cfg.rtc.enabled:
+            get_actions_threshold = 0
+
+        while not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            if not episode_active.is_set():
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+
+            if action_queue.qsize() <= get_actions_threshold:
+                current_time = time.perf_counter()
+                action_index_before_inference = action_queue.get_action_index()
+                prev_actions = action_queue.get_left_over()
+
+                inference_latency = latency_tracker.max()
+                inference_delay = math.ceil(inference_latency / time_per_chunk) if inference_latency else 0
+
+                obs = robot.get_observation()
+                obs_processed = robot_observation_processor(obs)
+
+                obs_with_policy_features = build_dataset_frame(
+                    hw_features, obs_processed, prefix="observation"
+                )
+
+                for name in obs_with_policy_features:
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = torch.from_numpy(obs_with_policy_features[name])
+                    if "image" in name:
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = (
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name].type(torch.float32) / 255
+                        )
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = (
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name].permute(2, 0, 1).contiguous()
+                        )
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].unsqueeze(0)
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].to(policy_device)
+
+                obs_with_policy_features["task"] = [cfg.task]
+                obs_with_policy_features["robot_type"] = robot.name
+
+                preprocessed_obs = preprocessor(obs_with_policy_features)
+
+                actions = policy.predict_action_chunk(
+                    preprocessed_obs,
+                    inference_delay=inference_delay,
+                    prev_chunk_left_over=prev_actions,
+                )
+
+                original_actions = actions.squeeze(0).clone()
+                postprocessed_actions = postprocessor(actions).squeeze(0)
+
+                new_latency = time.perf_counter() - current_time
+                new_delay = math.ceil(new_latency / time_per_chunk)
+                latency_tracker.add(new_latency)
+
+                if cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions < cfg.rtc.execution_horizon + new_delay:
+                    logger.warning(
+                        "[GET_ACTIONS] action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions too small. "
+                        "Should be higher than inference delay + execution horizon."
+                    )
+
+                action_queue.merge(
+                    original_actions, postprocessed_actions, new_delay, action_index_before_inference
+                )
+
+                logger.debug(
+                    f"[GET_ACTIONS] Generated chunk, latency={new_latency:.3f}s, "
+                    f"delay={new_delay}, queue_size={action_queue.qsize()}"
+                )
+            else:
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Action generation thread shutting down")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"[GET_ACTIONS] Fatal exception: {e}")
+        logger.error(traceback.format_exc())
+        shutdown_event.set()
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Action Execution Thread
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+def actor_thread(
+    robot: RobotWrapper,
+    robot_action_processor,
+    action_queue: ActionQueue,
+    shutdown_event: Event,
+    cfg: OpenArmsRTCEvalConfig,
+    episode_active: Event,
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset | None,
+    dataset_lock: Lock,
+    teleop_action_processor,
+    robot_observation_processor,
+):
+    """Thread function to execute actions on the robot."""
+    try:
+        action_keys = [k for k in robot.action_features.keys() if k.endswith(".pos")]
+
+        if cfg.interpolation:
+            interp_factor = 2
+            robot_interval = 1.0 / (cfg.fps * interp_factor)
+            logger.info(f"[ACTOR] Interpolation ON: policy={cfg.fps}Hz -> robot={cfg.fps * interp_factor}Hz (2x)")
+        else:
+            interp_factor = 1
+            robot_interval = 1.0 / cfg.fps
+            logger.info(f"[ACTOR] Interpolation OFF: policy={cfg.fps}Hz, robot={cfg.fps}Hz")
+
+        prev_action: Tensor | None = None
+        interpolated_actions: list[Tensor] = []
+        interp_idx = 0
+
+        robot_send_count = 0
+        policy_consume_count = 0
+        last_hz_print = time.perf_counter()
+        last_dataset_time = 0.0
+
+        while not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            if not episode_active.is_set():
+                prev_action = None
+                interpolated_actions = []
+                interp_idx = 0
+                robot_send_count = 0
+                policy_consume_count = 0
+                last_hz_print = time.perf_counter()
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+
+            start_time = time.perf_counter()
+
+            if interp_idx >= len(interpolated_actions):
+                new_action = action_queue.get()
+                if new_action is not None:
+                    current_action = new_action.cpu()
+                    policy_consume_count += 1
+
+                    if cfg.interpolation and prev_action is not None:
+                        mid = prev_action + 0.5 * (current_action - prev_action)
+                        interpolated_actions = [mid, current_action]
+                    else:
+                        interpolated_actions = [current_action]
+
+                    prev_action = current_action
+                    interp_idx = 0
+
+            if interp_idx < len(interpolated_actions):
+                action_to_send = interpolated_actions[interp_idx]
+                interp_idx += 1
+
+                action_dict = {}
+                for i, key in enumerate(action_keys):
+                    if i < len(action_to_send):
+                        action_dict[key] = action_to_send[i].item()
+
+                action_processed = robot_action_processor((action_dict, None))
+                robot.send_action(action_processed)
+                robot_send_count += 1
+
+                if cfg.record_dataset and dataset is not None:
+                    now = time.perf_counter()
+                    if now - last_dataset_time >= (1.0 / cfg.fps):
+                        last_dataset_time = now
+                        with dataset_lock:
+                            obs = robot.get_observation()
+                            obs_processed = robot_observation_processor(obs)
+                            action_for_dataset = teleop_action_processor((action_dict, None))
+                            frame = {}
+                            for key, value in obs_processed.items():
+                                frame[f"observation.{key}"] = value
+                            for key, value in action_for_dataset.items():
+                                frame[f"action.{key}"] = value
+                            frame["task"] = cfg.task
+                            dataset.add_frame(frame)
+
+            now = time.perf_counter()
+            if now - last_hz_print >= 5.0:
+                elapsed = now - last_hz_print
+                actual_robot_hz = robot_send_count / elapsed if elapsed > 0 else 0
+                actual_policy_hz = policy_consume_count / elapsed if elapsed > 0 else 0
+                logger.info(f"[ACTOR] Actual Hz - Robot: {actual_robot_hz:.1f}, Policy: {actual_policy_hz:.1f}")
+                robot_send_count = 0
+                policy_consume_count = 0
+                last_hz_print = now
+
+            dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_time
+            sleep_time = max(0, robot_interval - dt_s - 0.001)
+            if sleep_time > 0:
+                time.sleep(sleep_time)
+
+        logger.info("[ACTOR] Shutting down")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"[ACTOR] Fatal exception: {e}")
+        logger.error(traceback.format_exc())
+        shutdown_event.set()
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Main Evaluation Function
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+def _apply_torch_compile(policy, cfg: OpenArmsRTCEvalConfig):
+    """Apply torch.compile to the policy's predict_action_chunk method."""
+    if policy.name in ["pi05", "pi0"]:
+        return policy
+
+    try:
+        if not hasattr(torch, "compile"):
+            logger.warning(
+                f"torch.compile not available. Requires PyTorch 2.0+. "
+                f"Current version: {torch.__version__}. Skipping compilation."
+            )
+            return policy
+
+        logger.info("Applying torch.compile to predict_action_chunk...")
+
+        compile_kwargs = {
+            "backend": cfg.torch_compile_backend,
+            "mode": cfg.torch_compile_mode,
+        }
+
+        if cfg.torch_compile_disable_cudagraphs:
+            compile_kwargs["options"] = {"triton.cudagraphs": False}
+
+        original_method = policy.predict_action_chunk
+        compiled_method = torch.compile(original_method, **compile_kwargs)
+        policy.predict_action_chunk = compiled_method
+        logger.info("Successfully compiled predict_action_chunk")
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to apply torch.compile: {e}")
+        logger.warning("Continuing without torch.compile")
+
+    return policy
+
+
+@parser.wrap()
+def main(cfg: OpenArmsRTCEvalConfig):
+    """Main evaluation function with RTC."""
+    init_logging()
+
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print("OpenArms Policy Evaluation with RTC")
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print(f"\nModel: {cfg.model_id}")
+    print(f"Evaluation Dataset: {cfg.eval_dataset_id}")
+    print(f"Task: {cfg.task}")
+    print(f"Episodes: {cfg.num_episodes}")
+    print(f"Episode Duration: {cfg.episode_time_sec}s")
+    print(f"RTC Enabled: {cfg.rtc.enabled}")
+    print(f"RTC Execution Horizon: {cfg.rtc.execution_horizon}")
+    print(f"RTC Max Guidance Weight: {cfg.rtc.max_guidance_weight}")
+    print(f"Policy Hz: {cfg.fps}")
+    print(f"Robot Hz: {cfg.fps * 2 if cfg.interpolation else cfg.fps}")
+    print(f"Interpolation: {cfg.interpolation}")
+    print(f"Device: {cfg.device}")
+    print("=" * 60)
+
+    signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True, display_pid=False)
+    shutdown_event = signal_handler.shutdown_event
+    episode_active = Event()
+
+    # Initialize Robot
+    follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left=cfg.follower_left_port,
+        port_right=cfg.follower_right_port,
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=10.0,
+        cameras=DEFAULT_CAMERA_CONFIG,
+    )
+
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+    follower.connect(calibrate=False)
+
+    if not follower.is_connected:
+        raise RuntimeError("Follower robot failed to connect!")
+
+    robot = RobotWrapper(follower)
+    logger.info("Follower robot connected")
+
+    # Build Processors and Dataset Features
+    teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = make_default_processors()
+
+    action_features_hw = {}
+    for key, value in follower.action_features.items():
+        if key.endswith(".pos"):
+            action_features_hw[key] = value
+
+    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=teleop_action_processor,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=action_features_hw),
+            use_videos=True,
+        ),
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=robot_observation_processor,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=follower.observation_features),
+            use_videos=True,
+        ),
+    )
+
+    # Create or Load Dataset
+    dataset = None
+    dataset_lock = Lock()
+
+    if cfg.record_dataset:
+        dataset_path = Path.home() / ".cache" / "huggingface" / "lerobot" / cfg.eval_dataset_id
+        if dataset_path.exists():
+            logger.info(f"Evaluation dataset exists at: {dataset_path}")
+            logger.info("New episodes will be appended.")
+            choice = input("Continue? (y/n): ").strip().lower()
+            if choice != "y":
+                logger.info("Aborting evaluation.")
+                follower.disconnect()
+                return
+
+        dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+            repo_id=cfg.eval_dataset_id,
+            fps=int(cfg.fps),
+            features=dataset_features,
+            robot_type=follower.name,
+            use_videos=True,
+            image_writer_processes=0,
+            image_writer_threads=12,
+        )
+        logger.info(f"Dataset created: {cfg.eval_dataset_id}")
+
+    # Load Policy
+    logger.info(f"Loading policy from: {cfg.model_id}")
+
+    policy_class = get_policy_class(cfg.policy.type)
+    config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path)
+
+    if cfg.policy.type in ["pi05", "pi0"]:
+        config.compile_model = cfg.use_torch_compile
+
+    policy = policy_class.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path, config=config)
+
+    policy.config.rtc_config = cfg.rtc
+    policy.init_rtc_processor()
+
+    assert policy.name in ["smolvla", "pi05", "pi0"], "Only smolvla, pi05, and pi0 are supported for RTC"
+
+    policy = policy.to(cfg.device)
+    policy.eval()
+
+    if cfg.use_torch_compile:
+        policy = _apply_torch_compile(policy, cfg)
+
+    logger.info(f"Policy loaded: {policy.name}")
+
+    # Create Action Queue and Start Threads
+    action_queue = ActionQueue(cfg.rtc)
+
+    get_actions_t = Thread(
+        target=get_actions_thread,
+        args=(
+            policy,
+            robot,
+            robot_observation_processor,
+            action_queue,
+            shutdown_event,
+            cfg,
+            episode_active,
+        ),
+        daemon=True,
+        name="GetActions",
+    )
+    get_actions_t.start()
+    logger.info("Started action generation thread")
+
+    actor_t = Thread(
+        target=actor_thread,
+        args=(
+            robot,
+            robot_action_processor,
+            action_queue,
+            shutdown_event,
+            cfg,
+            episode_active,
+            dataset,
+            dataset_lock,
+            teleop_action_processor,
+            robot_observation_processor,
+        ),
+        daemon=True,
+        name="Actor",
+    )
+    actor_t.start()
+    logger.info("Started actor thread")
+
+    # Run Evaluation Episodes
+    episode_idx = 0
+
+    try:
+        while episode_idx < cfg.num_episodes and not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            log_say(f"Evaluating episode {episode_idx + 1} of {cfg.num_episodes}")
+            logger.info(f"\n{'='*40}")
+            logger.info(f"Episode {episode_idx + 1} / {cfg.num_episodes}")
+            logger.info(f"{'='*40}")
+
+            action_queue = ActionQueue(cfg.rtc)
+            episode_active.set()
+            episode_start_time = time.time()
+
+            while (time.time() - episode_start_time) < cfg.episode_time_sec:
+                if shutdown_event.is_set():
+                    break
+
+                elapsed = time.time() - episode_start_time
+                if int(elapsed) % 10 == 0 and int(elapsed) > 0:
+                    logger.info(
+                        f"[MAIN] Episode progress: {elapsed:.0f}/{cfg.episode_time_sec}s, "
+                        f"queue_size={action_queue.qsize()}"
+                    )
+
+                time.sleep(0.5)
+
+            episode_active.clear()
+            logger.info(f"Episode {episode_idx + 1} completed")
+
+            if cfg.record_dataset and dataset is not None:
+                with dataset_lock:
+                    if dataset.episode_buffer is not None and dataset.episode_buffer.get("size", 0) > 0:
+                        logger.info(
+                            f"Saving episode {episode_idx + 1} "
+                            f"({dataset.episode_buffer['size']} frames)"
+                        )
+                        dataset.save_episode()
+
+            episode_idx += 1
+
+            # Manual reset between episodes
+            if not shutdown_event.is_set() and episode_idx < cfg.num_episodes:
+                log_say("Waiting for manual reset")
+                logger.info("Manually reset the environment and press ENTER to continue")
+                input("Press ENTER when ready...")
+
+        logger.info(f"Evaluation complete! {episode_idx} episodes recorded")
+        log_say("Evaluation complete", blocking=True)
+
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        logger.info("\n\nEvaluation interrupted by user")
+
+    finally:
+        shutdown_event.set()
+        episode_active.clear()
+
+        if get_actions_t.is_alive():
+            logger.info("Waiting for action generation thread to finish...")
+            get_actions_t.join(timeout=5.0)
+
+        if actor_t.is_alive():
+            logger.info("Waiting for actor thread to finish...")
+            actor_t.join(timeout=5.0)
+
+        follower.disconnect()
+        logger.info("Follower disconnected")
+
+        if cfg.record_dataset and dataset is not None:
+            dataset.finalize()
+            if cfg.push_to_hub:
+                logger.info("Uploading to Hugging Face Hub...")
+                dataset.push_to_hub(private=True)
+
+        logger.info("Cleanup completed")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/openarms/friction_compensation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+import time
+import numpy as np
+
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+
+
+# Friction model parameters from OpenArms config/follower.yaml
+# τ_fric(ω) = Fo + Fv·ω + Fc·tanh(k·ω)
+# For 8 motors: [joint_1, joint_2, joint_3, joint_4, joint_5, joint_6, joint_7, gripper]
+FRICTION_PARAMS = {
+    "Fc": [0.306, 0.306, 0.40, 0.166, 0.050, 0.093, 0.172, 0.0512],  # Coulomb friction [Nm]
+    "k": [28.417, 28.417, 29.065, 130.038, 151.771, 242.287, 7.888, 4.000],  # tanh steepness
+    "Fv": [0.063, 0.0630, 0.604, 0.813, 0.029, 0.072, 0.084, 0.084],  # Viscous friction [Nm·s/rad]
+    "Fo": [0.088, 0.088, 0.008, -0.058, 0.005, 0.009, -0.059, -0.050],  # Offset torque [Nm]
+}
+
+# Constants from OpenArms C++ implementation
+AMP_TMP = 1.0
+COEF_TMP = 0.1
+
+FRICTION_SCALE = 1.0  # OpenArms C++ uses 0.3 factor in unilateral mode
+DAMPING_KD = [0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 0.1]  # Damping gains for stability
+
+def compute_friction_torque(velocity_rad_per_sec: float, motor_index: int) -> float:
+    """
+    Compute friction torque for a single motor using the tanh friction model.
+    
+    Args:
+        velocity_rad_per_sec: Angular velocity in rad/s
+        motor_index: Index of the motor (0-7)
+        
+    Returns:
+        Friction torque in N·m (scaled for stability)
+    """
+    
+    Fc = FRICTION_PARAMS["Fc"][motor_index]
+    k = FRICTION_PARAMS["k"][motor_index]
+    Fv = FRICTION_PARAMS["Fv"][motor_index]
+    Fo = FRICTION_PARAMS["Fo"][motor_index]
+    
+    # Friction model: τ_fric = amp * Fc * tanh(coef * k * ω) + Fv * ω + Fo
+    friction_torque = (
+        AMP_TMP * Fc * np.tanh(COEF_TMP * k * velocity_rad_per_sec) +
+        Fv * velocity_rad_per_sec +
+        Fo
+    )
+    
+    # Scale down friction compensation for stability at lower control rates
+    # (OpenArms C++ uses 0.3 factor in unilateral mode)!!
+    friction_torque *= FRICTION_SCALE
+    
+    return friction_torque
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left="can0",
+        port_right="can1",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=5.0,
+    )
+    
+    print("Initializing robot...")
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(config)
+    follower.connect(calibrate=True)
+    
+    print(f"Applying friction compensation")
+    print("  1. Support the arm before starting")
+    print("  2. The arm will be held in place by friction compensation")
+    print("  3. You should be able to move it with gentle force")
+    print("\nPress ENTER when ready to start...")
+    input()
+    
+    print(f"✓ Motors enabled")
+    print("\nStarting friction compensation loop...")
+    print("Press Ctrl+C to stop\n")
+    
+    loop_times = []
+    last_print_time = time.perf_counter()
+    
+    # Motor name to index mapping
+    motor_name_to_index = {
+        "joint_1": 0,
+        "joint_2": 1,
+        "joint_3": 2,
+        "joint_4": 3,
+        "joint_5": 4,
+        "joint_6": 5,
+        "joint_7": 6,
+        "gripper": 7,
+    }
+    
+    try:
+        while True:
+            loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+            
+            # Get current joint positions and velocities from robot
+            obs = follower.get_observation()
+            
+            # Extract velocities in degrees per second
+            velocities_deg_per_sec = {}
+            positions_deg = {}
+            
+            for motor in follower.bus_right.motors:
+                vel_key = f"right_{motor}.vel"
+                pos_key = f"right_{motor}.pos"
+                if vel_key in obs:
+                    velocities_deg_per_sec[f"right_{motor}"] = obs[vel_key]
+                if pos_key in obs:
+                    positions_deg[f"right_{motor}"] = obs[pos_key]
+            
+            for motor in follower.bus_left.motors:
+                vel_key = f"left_{motor}.vel"
+                pos_key = f"left_{motor}.pos"
+                if vel_key in obs:
+                    velocities_deg_per_sec[f"left_{motor}"] = obs[vel_key]
+                if pos_key in obs:
+                    positions_deg[f"left_{motor}"] = obs[pos_key]
+            
+            # Convert velocities to rad/s and compute friction torques
+            friction_torques_nm = {}
+            for motor_full_name, velocity_deg_per_sec in velocities_deg_per_sec.items():
+                # Extract motor name without arm prefix
+                if motor_full_name.startswith("right_"):
+                    motor_name = motor_full_name.removeprefix("right_")
+                elif motor_full_name.startswith("left_"):
+                    motor_name = motor_full_name.removeprefix("left_")
+                else:
+                    continue
+                
+                # Get motor index for friction parameters
+                motor_index = motor_name_to_index.get(motor_name, 0)
+                
+                # Convert velocity to rad/s
+                velocity_rad_per_sec = np.deg2rad(velocity_deg_per_sec)
+                
+                # Compute friction torque
+                friction_torque = compute_friction_torque(velocity_rad_per_sec, motor_index)
+                friction_torques_nm[motor_full_name] = friction_torque
+            
+            # Apply friction compensation to right arm (all joints INCLUDING gripper)
+            for motor in follower.bus_right.motors:
+                full_name = f"right_{motor}"
+                position = positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = friction_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Get motor index for damping gain
+                motor_index = motor_name_to_index.get(motor, 0)
+                kd = DAMPING_KD[motor_index]
+                
+                # Send MIT control command with friction compensation + damping
+                follower.bus_right._mit_control(
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,  # No position control
+                    kd=kd,   # Add damping for stability
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque
+                )
+
+            # Apply friction compensation to left arm (all joints INCLUDING gripper)
+            for motor in follower.bus_left.motors:
+                full_name = f"left_{motor}"
+                position = positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = friction_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Get motor index for damping gain
+                motor_index = motor_name_to_index.get(motor, 0)
+                kd = DAMPING_KD[motor_index]
+                
+                # Send MIT control command with friction compensation + damping
+                follower.bus_left._mit_control(
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,  # No position control
+                    kd=kd,   # Add damping for stability
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque
+                )
+            
+            # Measure loop time
+            loop_end = time.perf_counter()
+            loop_time = loop_end - loop_start
+            loop_times.append(loop_time)
+            
+            # Print status every 2 seconds
+            if loop_end - last_print_time >= 2.0:
+                if loop_times:
+                    avg_time = sum(loop_times) / len(loop_times)
+                    current_hz = 1.0 / avg_time if avg_time > 0 else 0
+                    
+                    print(f"{current_hz:.1f} Hz")
+
+                    loop_times = []
+                    last_print_time = loop_end
+            
+            time.sleep(0.001)
+            
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nStopping friction compensation...")
+    
+    finally:
+        print("\nDisabling all motors and disconnecting...")
+        follower.bus_right.disable_torque()
+        follower.bus_left.disable_torque()
+        time.sleep(0.1)
+        follower.disconnect()
+        print("✓ Safe shutdown complete")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/openarms/gravity_compensation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+import time
+import numpy as np
+import pinocchio as pin
+from os.path import join, dirname, exists, expanduser
+
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left="can0",
+        port_right="can1",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=5.0,
+    )
+    
+    
+    print("Initializing robot...")
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(config)
+    follower.connect(calibrate=True)
+    
+    # Load URDF for Pinocchio dynamics
+    urdf_path = "/home/croissant/Documents/openarm_description/openarm_bimanual_pybullet.urdf"
+    
+    pin_robot = pin.RobotWrapper.BuildFromURDF(urdf_path, dirname(urdf_path))
+    pin_robot.data = pin_robot.model.createData()
+    print(f"✓ Loaded Pinocchio model with {pin_robot.nq} DoFs")
+    
+    follower.pin_robot = pin_robot
+    
+    print(f"Applying gravity compensation")
+    print("  1. Support the arm before starting")
+    print("  2. The arm will be held in place by gravity compensation")
+    print("  3. You should be able to move it with gentle force")
+    print("\nPress ENTER when ready to start...")
+    input()
+    
+    print(f"✓ Motors enabled")
+    print("\nStarting gravity compensation loop...")
+    print("Press Ctrl+C to stop\n")
+    
+    loop_times = []
+    last_print_time = time.perf_counter()
+    
+    try:
+        while True:
+            loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+            
+            # Get current joint positions from robot
+            obs = follower.get_observation()
+            
+            # Extract positions in degrees
+            positions_deg = {}
+            for motor in follower.bus_right.motors:
+                key = f"right_{motor}.pos"
+                if key in obs:
+                    positions_deg[f"right_{motor}"] = obs[key]
+            
+            for motor in follower.bus_left.motors:
+                key = f"left_{motor}.pos"
+                if key in obs:
+                    positions_deg[f"left_{motor}"] = obs[key]
+            
+            # Convert to radians and calculate gravity torques
+            # Use the built-in method from OpenArmsFollower
+            positions_rad = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in positions_deg.items()}
+            torques_nm = follower._gravity_from_q(positions_rad)
+            
+            # Apply gravity compensation to right arm (all joints except gripper)
+            for motor in follower.bus_right.motors:
+                if motor == "gripper":
+                    continue  # Skip gripper
+                    
+                full_name = f"right_{motor}"
+                position = positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Send MIT control command with gravity compensation torque
+                follower.bus_right._mit_control(
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,  # No position control
+                    kd=0.0,  # No velocity damping
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque
+                )
+
+            # Apply gravity compensation to left arm (all joints except gripper)
+            for motor in follower.bus_left.motors:
+                if motor == "gripper":
+                    continue  # Skip gripper
+                    
+                full_name = f"left_{motor}"
+                position = positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Send MIT control command with gravity compensation torque
+                follower.bus_left._mit_control(
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,  # No position control
+                    kd=0.0,  # No velocity damping
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque
+                )
+            
+            # Measure loop time
+            loop_end = time.perf_counter()
+            loop_time = loop_end - loop_start
+            loop_times.append(loop_time)
+            
+            # Print status every 2 seconds
+            if loop_end - last_print_time >= 2.0:
+                if loop_times:
+                    avg_time = sum(loop_times) / len(loop_times)
+                    current_hz = 1.0 / avg_time if avg_time > 0 else 0
+                    
+                    print(f"{current_hz:.1f} Hz ({avg_time*1000:.1f} ms)")
+
+                    loop_times = []
+                    last_print_time = loop_end
+            
+            time.sleep(0.005)
+            
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nStopping gravity compensation...")
+    
+    finally:
+        print("\nDisabling all motors and disconnecting...")
+        follower.bus_right.disable_torque()
+        follower.bus_left.disable_torque()
+        time.sleep(0.1)
+        follower.disconnect()
+        print("✓ Safe shutdown complete")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/openarms/record_with_compensation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,395 @@
+"""
+OpenArms Dataset Recording with Gravity + Friction Compensation
+
+Records a dataset using OpenArms follower robot with leader teleoperator.
+Leader arms have gravity and friction compensation for weightless, easy movement.
+Includes 3 cameras: left wrist, right wrist, and base camera.
+
+Uses the same compensation approach as teleop_with_compensation.py
+"""
+
+import shutil
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import build_dataset_frame, hw_to_dataset_features
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.config_openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeaderConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeader
+from lerobot.utils.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
+from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+
+# Recording parameters
+NUM_EPISODES = 1
+FPS = 30
+EPISODE_TIME_SEC = 600
+RESET_TIME_SEC = 120
+TASK_DESCRIPTION = "OpenArms task description"
+
+# Friction compensation scale factor (1.0 = full, 0.3 = 30% for stability)
+FRICTION_SCALE = 1.0
+
+def record_loop_with_compensation(
+    robot,
+    leader,
+    events,
+    fps,
+    dataset,
+    dataset_features,
+    control_time_s,
+    single_task,
+    display_data=True,
+):
+    """
+    Custom record loop that applies gravity + friction compensation to leader.
+    Based on record_loop but with integrated compensation.
+    """
+    dt = 1 / fps
+    episode_start_time = time.perf_counter()
+    
+    # All joints (both arms)
+    all_joints = []
+    for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+        all_joints.append(f"right_{motor}")
+    for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+        all_joints.append(f"left_{motor}")
+    
+    while True:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+        elapsed = loop_start - episode_start_time
+        
+        # Check if we should exit
+        if elapsed >= control_time_s or events["exit_early"] or events["stop_recording"]:
+            break
+        
+        # Get leader state
+        leader_action = leader.get_action()
+        
+        # Extract positions and velocities in degrees
+        leader_positions_deg = {}
+        leader_velocities_deg_per_sec = {}
+        
+        for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+            pos_key = f"right_{motor}.pos"
+            vel_key = f"right_{motor}.vel"
+            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                leader_positions_deg[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+            if vel_key in leader_action:
+                leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+        
+        for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+            pos_key = f"left_{motor}.pos"
+            vel_key = f"left_{motor}.vel"
+            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                leader_positions_deg[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+            if vel_key in leader_action:
+                leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+        
+        # Calculate gravity torques for leader using built-in method
+        leader_positions_rad = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_positions_deg.items()}
+        leader_gravity_torques_nm = leader._gravity_from_q(leader_positions_rad)
+        
+        # Calculate friction torques for leader using built-in method
+        leader_velocities_rad_per_sec = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_velocities_deg_per_sec.items()}
+        leader_friction_torques_nm = leader._friction_from_velocity(
+            leader_velocities_rad_per_sec,
+            friction_scale=FRICTION_SCALE
+        )
+        
+        # Combine gravity + friction torques
+        leader_total_torques_nm = {}
+        for motor_name in leader_gravity_torques_nm:
+            gravity = leader_gravity_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+            friction = leader_friction_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+            leader_total_torques_nm[motor_name] = gravity + friction
+        
+        # Apply gravity + friction compensation to leader RIGHT arm (all joints including gripper)
+        for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+            full_name = f"right_{motor}"
+            position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+            torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+            
+            # Get damping gain for stability
+            kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+            
+            leader.bus_right._mit_control(
+                motor=motor,
+                kp=0.0,
+                kd=kd,  # Add damping for stability
+                position_degrees=position,
+                velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                torque=torque,
+            )
+        
+        # Apply gravity + friction compensation to leader LEFT arm (all joints including gripper)
+        for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+            full_name = f"left_{motor}"
+            position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+            torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+            
+            # Get damping gain for stability
+            kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+            
+            leader.bus_left._mit_control(
+                motor=motor,
+                kp=0.0,
+                kd=kd,  # Add damping for stability
+                position_degrees=position,
+                velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                torque=torque,
+            )
+        
+        # Send leader positions to follower (both arms)
+        follower_action = {}
+        for joint in all_joints:
+            pos_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                follower_action[pos_key] = leader_action[pos_key]
+        
+        # Send action to robot
+        if follower_action:
+            robot.send_action(follower_action)
+        
+        # Get observation from robot (includes camera images)
+        observation = robot.get_observation()
+        
+        # Add to dataset if we have a dataset
+        if dataset is not None:
+            # Build properly formatted observation frame
+            obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset_features, observation, prefix="observation")
+            
+            # Build properly formatted action frame (keep .pos suffix - it matches the feature names)
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset_features, follower_action, prefix="action")
+            
+            # Combine into single frame
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame}
+            
+            # Add metadata (task is required, timestamp will be auto-calculated by add_frame)
+            frame["task"] = single_task
+            
+            dataset.add_frame(frame)
+        
+        # Display data if requested
+        if display_data:
+            log_rerun_data(observation=observation, action=follower_action)
+        
+        # Maintain loop rate
+        loop_duration = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        sleep_time = dt - loop_duration
+        if sleep_time > 0:
+            time.sleep(sleep_time)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Main recording loop with gravity compensation."""
+    
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print("OpenArms Dataset Recording with Compensation")
+    print("=" * 70)
+    
+    # Create camera configurations (3 cameras: left wrist, right wrist, base)
+    # Using actual device paths found by lerobot-find-cameras opencv
+    camera_config = {
+        "left_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video0", width=640, height=480, fps=FPS),
+        "right_wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video1", width=640, height=480, fps=FPS),
+        "base": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path="/dev/video7", width=640, height=480, fps=FPS),
+    }
+    
+    # Configure follower robot with cameras
+    follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left="can2",
+        port_right="can3",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=10.0,
+        cameras=camera_config,
+    )
+    
+    # Configure leader teleoperator (no cameras needed)
+    leader_config = OpenArmsLeaderConfig(
+        port_left="can0",
+        port_right="can1",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_leader",
+        manual_control=False,  # Enable torque control for gravity compensation
+    )
+    
+    # Initialize robot and teleoperator
+    print("\nInitializing devices...")
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+    leader = OpenArmsLeader(leader_config)
+    
+    # Connect devices
+    print("Connecting and calibrating...")
+    follower.connect(calibrate=True)
+    leader.connect(calibrate=True)
+    
+    # Verify URDF is loaded for gravity compensation
+    if leader.pin_robot is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("URDF model not loaded on leader. Gravity compensation not available.")
+    
+    # Configure the dataset features
+    # For actions, we only want to record positions (not velocity or torque)
+    action_features_hw = {}
+    for key, value in follower.action_features.items():
+        if key.endswith(".pos"):
+            action_features_hw[key] = value
+    
+    action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(action_features_hw, "action")
+    obs_features = hw_to_dataset_features(follower.observation_features, "observation")
+    dataset_features = {**action_features, **obs_features}
+    
+    # Create the dataset
+    print("\nCreating dataset...")
+    repo_id = "<hf_username>/<dataset_repo_id>"  # TODO: Replace with your Hugging Face repo
+    
+    # Check if dataset already exists and prompt user
+    dataset_path = Path.home() / ".cache" / "huggingface" / "lerobot" / repo_id
+    while dataset_path.exists():
+        print(f"\nDataset already exists at: {dataset_path}")
+        print("\nOptions:")
+        print("  1. Overwrite existing dataset")
+        print("  2. Use a different name")
+        print("  3. Abort")
+        
+        choice = input("\nEnter your choice (1/2/3): ").strip()
+        
+        if choice == '1':
+            print(f"Removing existing dataset...")
+            shutil.rmtree(dataset_path)
+            print("✓ Existing dataset removed")
+            break
+        elif choice == '2':
+            print("\nCurrent repo_id:", repo_id)
+            new_repo_id = input("Enter new repo_id (format: <username>/<dataset_name>): ").strip()
+            if new_repo_id and '/' in new_repo_id:
+                repo_id = new_repo_id
+                dataset_path = Path.home() / ".cache" / "huggingface" / "lerobot" / repo_id
+                print(f"✓ Using new repo_id: {repo_id}")
+                # Loop will continue if this new path also exists
+            else:
+                print("Invalid repo_id format. Please use format: <username>/<dataset_name>")
+        elif choice == '3':
+            print("Aborting. Please remove the existing dataset manually or restart with a different repo_id.")
+            follower.disconnect()
+            leader.disconnect()
+            return
+        else:
+            print("Invalid choice. Please enter 1, 2, or 3.")
+    
+    dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+        repo_id=repo_id,
+        fps=FPS,
+        features=dataset_features,
+        robot_type=follower.name,
+        use_videos=True,
+        image_writer_threads=4,
+    )
+    
+    # Initialize keyboard listener and visualization
+    _, events = init_keyboard_listener()
+    init_rerun(session_name="openarms_recording")
+    
+    # Enable motors on both leader arms for gravity compensation
+    leader.bus_right.enable_torque()
+    leader.bus_left.enable_torque()
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+    
+    print("\n" + "=" * 70)
+    print(f"Recording {NUM_EPISODES} episodes")
+    print(f"Task: {TASK_DESCRIPTION}")
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print("\nLeader BOTH arms: Gravity + Friction comp | Follower BOTH arms: Teleop")
+    print("\nKeyboard controls:")
+    print("  - Press 'q' to stop recording")
+    print("  - Press 'r' to re-record current episode")
+    print("=" * 70)
+    
+    episode_idx = 0
+    
+    try:
+        while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+            
+            # Record episode with compensation active
+            record_loop_with_compensation(
+                robot=follower,
+                leader=leader,
+                events=events,
+                fps=FPS,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                dataset_features=dataset_features,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                display_data=True,
+            )
+            
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop_with_compensation(
+                    robot=follower,
+                    leader=leader,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    dataset=None,  # Don't save reset period
+                    dataset_features=dataset_features,
+                    control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                )
+            
+            # Handle re-recording
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-recording episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
+            
+            # Only save episode if frames were recorded
+            if dataset.episode_buffer is not None and dataset.episode_buffer["size"] > 0:
+                dataset.save_episode()
+                episode_idx += 1
+            else:
+                log_say("No frames recorded, skipping episode save")
+                # Clear the empty buffer
+                dataset.episode_buffer = None
+    
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nStopping recording...")
+    
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        try:
+            leader.bus_right.disable_torque()
+            leader.bus_left.disable_torque()
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+            leader.disconnect()
+            follower.disconnect()
+            print("✓ Shutdown complete")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Shutdown error: {e}")
+        
+        # Upload dataset
+        print("\nUploading dataset to Hugging Face Hub...")
+        try:
+            dataset.push_to_hub()
+            print("✓ Dataset uploaded successfully")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Warning: Failed to upload dataset: {e}")
+            print("You can manually upload later using: dataset.push_to_hub()")
+        
+        print("✓ Recording complete!")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/openarms/replay.py

@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""
+OpenArms Dataset Replay Example
+
+Replays position actions from a recorded dataset on an OpenArms follower robot.
+Only position commands (ending with .pos) are replayed, not velocity or torque.
+
+Example usage:
+    python examples/openarms/replay.py
+"""
+
+import time
+
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import busy_wait
+from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
+
+# Configuration
+EPISODE_IDX = 0
+DATASET_REPO_ID = "lerobot-data-collection/replay-this-2025-11-02-17-58"  # TODO: Replace with your dataset
+DATASET_ROOT = None  # Use default cache location, or specify custom path
+
+# Robot configuration - adjust these to match your setup
+ROBOT_CONFIG = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port_left="can2",      # CAN interface for left arm
+    port_right="can3",     # CAN interface for right arm
+    can_interface="socketcan", 
+    id="openarms_follower",
+    disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+    max_relative_target=10.0,  # Safety limit: max degrees to move per step
+)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Main replay function."""
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print("OpenArms Dataset Replay")
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print(f"\nDataset: {DATASET_REPO_ID}")
+    print(f"Episode: {EPISODE_IDX}")
+    print(f"Robot: {ROBOT_CONFIG.id}")
+    print(f"  Left arm: {ROBOT_CONFIG.port_left}")
+    print(f"  Right arm: {ROBOT_CONFIG.port_right}")
+    print("\n" + "=" * 70)
+    
+    # Initialize the robot
+    print("\n[1/3] Initializing robot...")
+    robot = OpenArmsFollower(ROBOT_CONFIG)
+    
+    # Load the dataset
+    print(f"\n[2/3] Loading dataset '{DATASET_REPO_ID}'...")
+    dataset = LeRobotDataset(
+        DATASET_REPO_ID,
+        root=DATASET_ROOT,
+        episodes=[EPISODE_IDX]
+    )
+    
+    # Filter dataset to only include frames from the specified episode
+    # (required for dataset V3.0 where episodes are chunked)
+    episode_frames = dataset.hf_dataset.filter(
+        lambda x: x["episode_index"] == EPISODE_IDX
+    )
+    
+    if len(episode_frames) == 0:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"No frames found for episode {EPISODE_IDX} in dataset {DATASET_REPO_ID}"
+        )
+    
+    print(f"  Found {len(episode_frames)} frames in episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
+    
+    # Extract action features from dataset
+    action_features = dataset.features.get(ACTION, {})
+    action_names = action_features.get("names", [])
+    
+    # Filter to only position actions (ending with .pos)
+    position_action_names = [name for name in action_names if name.endswith(".pos")]
+    
+    if not position_action_names:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"No position actions found in dataset. Action names: {action_names}"
+        )
+    
+    print(f"  Found {len(position_action_names)} position actions to replay")
+    print(f"  Actions: {', '.join(position_action_names[:5])}{'...' if len(position_action_names) > 5 else ''}")
+    
+    # Select only action columns from dataset
+    actions = episode_frames.select_columns(ACTION)
+    
+    # Connect to the robot
+    print(f"\n[3/3] Connecting to robot...")
+    robot.connect(calibrate=False)  # Skip calibration for replay
+    
+    if not robot.is_connected:
+        raise RuntimeError("Robot failed to connect!")
+    
+    print("\n" + "=" * 70)
+    print("Ready to replay!")
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print("\nThe robot will replay the recorded positions.")
+    print("Press Ctrl+C to stop at any time.\n")
+    
+    input("Press ENTER to start replaying...")
+    
+    # Replay loop
+    log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}", blocking=True)
+    
+    try:
+        for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
+            loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+            
+            # Extract action array from dataset
+            action_array = actions[idx][ACTION]
+            
+            # Build action dictionary, but only include position actions
+            action = {}
+            for i, name in enumerate(action_names):
+                # Only include position actions (ending with .pos)
+                if name.endswith(".pos"):
+                    action[name] = float(action_array[i])
+            
+            # Send action to robot
+            robot.send_action(action)
+            
+            # Maintain replay rate (use dataset fps)
+            loop_duration = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+            dt_s = 1.0 / dataset.fps - loop_duration
+            busy_wait(dt_s)
+            
+            # Progress indicator every 100 frames
+            if (idx + 1) % 100 == 0:
+                progress = (idx + 1) / len(episode_frames) * 100
+                print(f"Progress: {idx + 1}/{len(episode_frames)} frames ({progress:.1f}%)")
+        
+        print(f"\n✓ Successfully replayed {len(episode_frames)} frames")
+        log_say("Replay complete", blocking=True)
+        
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nReplay interrupted by user")
+    finally:
+        # Disconnect robot
+        print("\nDisconnecting robot...")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        print("✓ Replay complete!")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/openarms/setup_can.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Setup all OpenArms CAN interfaces with CAN FD
+
+set -e
+
+echo "=========================================="
+echo "OpenArms CAN FD Interface Setup"
+echo "=========================================="
+echo ""
+echo "Mode: CAN FD"
+echo "  - Nominal bitrate: 1 Mbps"
+echo "  - Data bitrate: 5 Mbps"
+echo ""
+echo "Configuring interfaces can0, can1, can2, can3..."
+echo ""
+
+# Configure each CAN interface with CAN FD
+for i in 0 1 2 3; do
+    interface="can$i"
+    
+    # Check if interface exists
+    if ! ip link show "$interface" &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "⚠ $interface: Not found, skipping"
+        continue
+    fi
+    
+    # Bring down interface
+    sudo ip link set "$interface" down 2>/dev/null
+    
+    # Configure CAN FD mode
+    sudo ip link set "$interface" type can \
+        bitrate 1000000 \
+        dbitrate 5000000 \
+        fd on
+    
+    # Bring up interface
+    sudo ip link set "$interface" up
+    
+    # Verify configuration
+    if ip link show "$interface" | grep -q "UP"; then
+        echo "✓ $interface: Configured and UP"
+    else
+        echo "✗ $interface: Failed to bring UP"
+    fi
+done
+
+echo ""
+echo "=========================================="
+echo "Verification"
+echo "=========================================="
+echo ""
+
+# Show detailed status for each interface
+for i in 0 1 2 3; do
+    interface="can$i"
+    if ip link show "$interface" &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "$interface:"
+        # Show key parameters
+        ip -d link show "$interface" | grep -E "can|state|bitrate|dbitrate" | head -3
+        echo ""
+    fi
+done
+
+echo "=========================================="
+echo "Setup Complete!"
+echo "=========================================="
+echo ""
+echo "All interfaces configured for CAN FD mode"
+echo ""
+echo "Next steps:"
+echo "  1. Test motors: python debug_can_communication.py"
+echo "  2. Run teleoperation: python examples/openarms/teleop.py"
+echo ""

examples/openarms/teleop.py

@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+"""
+OpenArms Teleoperation Example - Full Dual Arms
+
+This script demonstrates teleoperation of OpenArms follower robot using an OpenArms leader arm.
+It first calibrates both devices, then enters a teleoperation loop for both arms.
+"""
+
+import time
+
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeader
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.config_openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeaderConfig
+
+
+follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port_left="can2",   # CAN interface for follower left arm
+    port_right="can3",  # CAN interface for follower right arm
+    can_interface="socketcan",  # Linux SocketCAN
+    id="openarms_follower",
+    disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+    max_relative_target=5.0,  # Safety limit
+)
+
+
+leader_config = OpenArmsLeaderConfig(
+    port_left="can0",   # CAN interface for leader left arm
+    port_right="can1",  # CAN interface for leader right arm
+    can_interface="socketcan",  # Linux SocketCAN
+    id="openarms_leader",
+    manual_control=True,  # Enable manual control (torque disabled)
+)
+
+print("=" * 60)
+print("OpenArms Teleoperation - Full Dual Arms")
+print("=" * 60)
+
+# Initialize devices
+print("\n[1/4] Initializing devices...")
+follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+leader = OpenArmsLeader(leader_config)
+
+# Connect and calibrate follower
+print("\n[2/4] Connecting and calibrating follower robot...")
+print("Note: If you have existing calibration, just press ENTER to use it.")
+follower.connect(calibrate=True)
+
+# Connect and calibrate leader
+print("\n[3/4] Connecting and calibrating leader arm...")
+print("Note: The leader arm will have torque disabled for manual control.")
+leader.connect(calibrate=True)
+
+# Wait for user to be ready
+print("\n[4/4] Ready for teleoperation!")
+print("\nBoth arms will be controlled (16 motors total):")
+print("  RIGHT ARM: joints 1-7 + gripper")
+print("  LEFT ARM: joints 1-7 + gripper")
+
+print("\nPress ENTER to start teleoperation...")
+input()
+
+print("\nTeleoperation started! Move both leader arms.")
+print("Press Ctrl+C to stop.\n")
+
+# All joints for both arms (16 motors total)
+all_joints = [
+    # Right arm
+    "right_joint_1",
+    "right_joint_2",
+    "right_joint_3",
+    "right_joint_4",
+    "right_joint_5",
+    "right_joint_6",
+    "right_joint_7",
+    "right_gripper",
+    # Left arm
+    "left_joint_1",
+    "left_joint_2",
+    "left_joint_3",
+    "left_joint_4",
+    "left_joint_5",
+    "left_joint_6",
+    "left_joint_7",
+    "left_gripper",
+]
+
+# Performance monitoring
+loop_times = []
+start_time = time.perf_counter()
+last_print_time = start_time
+
+try:
+    while True:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+        
+        # Get action from leader
+        leader_action = leader.get_action()
+        
+        # Filter to only position data for all joints (both arms)
+        joint_action = {}
+        for joint in all_joints:
+            pos_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+            if pos_key in leader_action:
+                joint_action[pos_key] = leader_action[pos_key]
+        
+        # Send action to follower (both arms)
+        if joint_action:
+            follower.send_action(joint_action)
+        
+        # Measure loop time
+        loop_end = time.perf_counter()
+        loop_time = loop_end - loop_start
+        loop_times.append(loop_time)
+        
+        # Print stats every 2 seconds
+        if loop_end - last_print_time >= 2.0:
+            if loop_times:
+                avg_time = sum(loop_times) / len(loop_times)
+                current_hz = 1.0 / avg_time if avg_time > 0 else 0
+                min_time = min(loop_times)
+                max_time = max(loop_times)
+                max_hz = 1.0 / min_time if min_time > 0 else 0
+                min_hz = 1.0 / max_time if max_time > 0 else 0
+                
+                print(f"[Hz Stats] Avg: {current_hz:.1f} Hz | "
+                      f"Range: {min_hz:.1f}-{max_hz:.1f} Hz | "
+                      f"Avg loop time: {avg_time*1000:.1f} ms")
+                
+                # Reset for next measurement window
+                loop_times = []
+                last_print_time = loop_end
+            
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    print("\n\nStopping teleoperation...")
+finally:
+    # Disconnect devices
+    print("Disconnecting devices...")
+    try:
+        follower.disconnect()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error disconnecting follower: {e}")
+    
+    try:
+        leader.disconnect()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error disconnecting leader: {e}")
+    
+    print("Done!")

examples/openarms/teleop_openarms_mini.py

@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+"""
+OpenArms Mini Teleoperation Example
+
+This script demonstrates teleoperation of an OpenArms follower robot using 
+an OpenArms Mini leader (Feetech-based) with dual arms (16 motors total).
+
+The OpenArms Mini has:
+- Right arm: 8 motors (joint_1 to joint_7 + gripper)
+- Left arm: 8 motors (joint_1 to joint_7 + gripper)
+
+Note on gripper normalization:
+- OpenArms Mini gripper: 0-100 scale (0=closed, 100=open)
+- OpenArms follower gripper: degrees (0=closed, -65=open)
+- This script automatically converts between the two ranges
+"""
+
+import time
+import os
+import sys
+
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms_mini.openarms_mini import OpenArmsMini
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms_mini.config_openarms_mini import OpenArmsMiniConfig
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import busy_wait
+
+# Target control frequency
+TARGET_FPS = 30
+
+# Configure the OpenArms follower (Damiao motors on CAN bus)
+follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+    port_left="can0",   # CAN interface for follower left arm
+    port_right="can1",  # CAN interface for follower right arm
+    can_interface="socketcan",  # Linux SocketCAN
+    id="openarms_follower",
+    disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+    max_relative_target=10.0,  # Safety limit (degrees per step)
+)
+
+# Configure the OpenArms Mini leader (Feetech motors on serial)
+leader_config = OpenArmsMiniConfig(
+    port_right="/dev/ttyACM0",  # Serial port for right arm
+    port_left="/dev/ttyACM1",   # Serial port for left arm
+    id="openarms_mini",
+    use_degrees=True,
+)
+
+print("OpenArms Mini → OpenArms Follower Teleoperation")
+
+# Initialize devices
+follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+leader = OpenArmsMini(leader_config)
+
+# Connect and calibrate follower
+print("Note: If you have existing calibration, just press ENTER to use it.")
+follower.connect(calibrate=True)
+
+# Connect and calibrate leader
+print("Note: The leader arms will have torque disabled for manual control.")
+leader.connect(calibrate=True)
+
+print("\nPress ENTER to start teleoperation...")
+input()
+
+print("Press Ctrl+C to stop.\n")
+
+# All joints for both arms (16 motors total)
+all_joints = [
+    # Right arm
+    "right_joint_1",
+    "right_joint_2",
+    "right_joint_3",
+    "right_joint_4",
+    "right_joint_5",
+    "right_joint_6",
+    "right_joint_7",
+    "right_gripper",
+    # Left arm
+    "left_joint_1",
+    "left_joint_2",
+    "left_joint_3",
+    "left_joint_4",
+    "left_joint_5",
+    "left_joint_6",
+    "left_joint_7",
+    "left_gripper",
+]
+
+# Performance monitoring
+loop_times = []
+avg_loop_time = 0.0
+min_loop_time = float('inf')
+max_loop_time = 0.0
+stats_update_interval = 1.0  # Update stats every 1 second
+last_stats_update = time.perf_counter()
+
+
+SWAPPED_JOINTS = {
+    "right_joint_6": "right_joint_7",
+    "right_joint_7": "right_joint_6",
+    "left_joint_6": "left_joint_7",
+    "left_joint_7": "left_joint_6",
+}
+
+try:
+    while True:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        # Get actions and observations
+        leader_action = leader.get_action()
+        follower_obs = follower.get_observation()
+
+        joint_action = {}
+        for joint in all_joints:
+            leader_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+
+            # Determine which follower joint this leader joint controls
+            follower_joint = SWAPPED_JOINTS.get(joint, joint)
+            follower_key = f"{follower_joint}.pos"
+
+            # Get leader position (default 0 if missing)
+            pos = leader_action.get(leader_key, 0.0)
+
+            # Convert gripper values: Mini uses 0-100, OpenArms uses 0 to -65 degrees
+            if "gripper" in joint:
+                # Map 0-100 (Mini) to 0 to -65 (OpenArms)
+                # 0 (closed) -> 0°, 100 (open) -> -65°
+                pos = (pos / 100.0) * -65.0
+
+            # Store in action dict for follower
+            joint_action[follower_key] = pos
+
+        follower.send_action(joint_action)
+
+        # Loop timing
+        loop_end = time.perf_counter()
+        loop_time = loop_end - loop_start
+        loop_times.append(loop_time)
+
+        # Update stats periodically
+        current_time = time.perf_counter()
+        if current_time - last_stats_update >= stats_update_interval:
+            if loop_times:
+                avg_loop_time = sum(loop_times) / len(loop_times)
+                min_loop_time = min(loop_times)
+                max_loop_time = max(loop_times)
+                loop_times = []
+                last_stats_update = current_time
+
+        # Display everything
+        sys.stdout.write("\033[H\033[J")  # Clear screen
+        
+        # Show timing stats at the top
+        if avg_loop_time > 0:
+            avg_hz = 1.0 / avg_loop_time
+            min_hz = 1.0 / max_loop_time if max_loop_time > 0 else 0
+            max_hz = 1.0 / min_loop_time if min_loop_time > 0 and min_loop_time < float('inf') else 0
+            print(f"[Performance] Target: {TARGET_FPS} Hz | Avg: {avg_hz:.1f} Hz | Range: {min_hz:.1f}-{max_hz:.1f} Hz | Loop: {avg_loop_time*1000:.1f} ms\n")
+        else:
+            print(f"[Performance] Target: {TARGET_FPS} Hz | Measuring...\n")
+
+        # Show joint positions
+        print(f"{'Joint':<20} {'Leader':>15} {'Follower':>15}")
+        print(f"{'':20} {'(0-100/deg)':>15} {'(deg)':>15}")
+        print("-" * 52)
+
+        for joint in all_joints:
+            leader_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+            follower_joint = SWAPPED_JOINTS.get(joint, joint)
+            follower_key = f"{follower_joint}.pos"
+
+            leader_pos = leader_action.get(leader_key, 0.0)
+            follower_pos = follower_obs.get(follower_key, 0.0)
+
+            print(f"{joint:<20} {leader_pos:>15.2f} {follower_pos:>15.2f}")
+
+        # Smart sleep to maintain target FPS
+        dt_s = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        busy_wait(max(0, 1.0 / TARGET_FPS - dt_s))
+            
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    print("\n\nStopping teleoperation...")
+finally:
+    # Disconnect devices
+    print("Disconnecting devices...")
+    try:
+        follower.disconnect()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error disconnecting follower: {e}")
+    
+    try:
+        leader.disconnect()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error disconnecting leader: {e}")
+    
+    print("Done!")
+

examples/openarms/teleop_with_compensation.py

@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+"""
+OpenArms Teleoperation with Gravity + Friction Compensation
+
+Leader arms (both LEFT and RIGHT): Gravity + Friction compensation (weightless, easy to move)
+Follower arms (both LEFT and RIGHT): Mirror leader movements
+
+Uses the URDF file from the lerobot repository.
+"""
+
+import time
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollower
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.config_openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeaderConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms.openarms_leader import OpenArmsLeader
+
+# Friction compensation scale factor (1.0 = full, 0.3 = 30% for stability)
+FRICTION_SCALE = 1.0
+
+def main():
+    """Main teleoperation loop with gravity compensation"""
+
+    print("=" * 70)
+    print("OpenArms Teleoperation with Gravity Compensation")
+    print("=" * 70)
+
+    # Configuration
+    follower_config = OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left="can2",
+        port_right="can3",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_follower",
+        disable_torque_on_disconnect=True,
+        max_relative_target=10.0,
+    )
+
+    leader_config = OpenArmsLeaderConfig(
+        port_left="can0",
+        port_right="can1",
+        can_interface="socketcan",
+        id="openarms_leader",
+        manual_control=False,  # Enable torque control for gravity compensation
+    )
+
+    # Initialize and connect
+    print("\nInitializing devices...")
+    follower = OpenArmsFollower(follower_config)
+    leader = OpenArmsLeader(leader_config)
+
+    follower.connect()
+    leader.connect()
+
+    # URDF is automatically loaded in the leader constructor
+    if leader.pin_robot is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("URDF model not loaded on leader. Gravity compensation not available.")
+
+    print("\nLeader BOTH arms: Gravity + Friction comp | Follower BOTH arms: Teleop")
+    print("Press ENTER to start...")
+    input()
+
+    # Enable motors on both leader arms for gravity compensation
+    leader.bus_right.enable_torque()
+    leader.bus_left.enable_torque()
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+
+    print("Press Ctrl+C to stop\n")
+
+    # Main control loop
+    loop_times = []
+    last_print_time = time.perf_counter()
+
+    # All joints (both arms)
+    all_joints = []
+    for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+        all_joints.append(f"right_{motor}")
+    for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+        all_joints.append(f"left_{motor}")
+
+    try:
+        while True:
+            loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+            # Get leader state
+            leader_action = leader.get_action()
+
+            # Extract positions and velocities in degrees
+            leader_positions_deg = {}
+            leader_velocities_deg_per_sec = {}
+            
+            for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+                pos_key = f"right_{motor}.pos"
+                vel_key = f"right_{motor}.vel"
+                if pos_key in leader_action:
+                    leader_positions_deg[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+                if vel_key in leader_action:
+                    leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"right_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+
+            for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+                pos_key = f"left_{motor}.pos"
+                vel_key = f"left_{motor}.vel"
+                if pos_key in leader_action:
+                    leader_positions_deg[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[pos_key]
+                if vel_key in leader_action:
+                    leader_velocities_deg_per_sec[f"left_{motor}"] = leader_action[vel_key]
+
+            # Calculate gravity torques for leader using built-in method
+            leader_positions_rad = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_positions_deg.items()}
+            leader_gravity_torques_nm = leader._gravity_from_q(leader_positions_rad)
+            
+            # Calculate friction torques for leader using built-in method
+            leader_velocities_rad_per_sec = {k: np.deg2rad(v) for k, v in leader_velocities_deg_per_sec.items()}
+            leader_friction_torques_nm = leader._friction_from_velocity(
+                leader_velocities_rad_per_sec,
+                friction_scale=FRICTION_SCALE
+            )
+            
+            # Combine gravity + friction torques 
+            leader_total_torques_nm = {}
+            for motor_name in leader_gravity_torques_nm:
+                gravity = leader_gravity_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+                friction = leader_friction_torques_nm.get(motor_name, 0.0)
+                leader_total_torques_nm[motor_name] = gravity + friction
+
+            # Apply gravity + friction compensation to leader RIGHT arm (all joints including gripper)
+            for motor in leader.bus_right.motors:
+                full_name = f"right_{motor}"
+                position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Get damping gain for stability
+                kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+
+                leader.bus_right._mit_control(
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,
+                    kd=kd,  # Add damping for stability
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque,
+                )
+
+            # Apply gravity + friction compensation to leader LEFT arm (all joints including gripper)
+            for motor in leader.bus_left.motors:
+                full_name = f"left_{motor}"
+                position = leader_positions_deg.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                torque = leader_total_torques_nm.get(full_name, 0.0)
+                
+                # Get damping gain for stability
+                kd = leader.get_damping_kd(motor)
+
+                leader.bus_left._mit_control(                    
+                    motor=motor,
+                    kp=0.0,
+                    kd=kd,  # Add damping for stability
+                    position_degrees=position,
+                    velocity_deg_per_sec=0.0,
+                    torque=torque,
+                )
+
+            # Send leader positions to follower (both arms)
+            follower_action = {}
+            for joint in all_joints:
+                pos_key = f"{joint}.pos"
+                if pos_key in leader_action:
+                    follower_action[pos_key] = leader_action[pos_key]
+
+            if follower_action:
+                follower.send_action(follower_action)
+
+            # Performance monitoring
+            loop_end = time.perf_counter()
+            loop_time = loop_end - loop_start
+            loop_times.append(loop_time)
+
+            if loop_end - last_print_time >= 2.0:
+                if loop_times:
+                    avg_time = sum(loop_times) / len(loop_times)
+                    current_hz = 1.0 / avg_time if avg_time > 0 else 0
+
+                    print(f"{current_hz:.1f} Hz ({avg_time*1000:.1f} ms)")
+
+                    loop_times = []
+                    last_print_time = loop_end
+
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("\n\nStopping...")
+    finally:
+        try:
+            leader.bus_right.disable_torque()
+            leader.bus_left.disable_torque()
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+            leader.disconnect()
+            follower.disconnect()
+            print("✓ Shutdown complete")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Shutdown error: {e}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/openarms/unify_task.py

@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""
+Unify all tasks in a dataset to a single task (modifies in-place).
+
+This script:
+1. Loads a dataset
+2. Sets all task_index to 0 and task description to "fold"
+3. Updates tasks.parquet and task_index in data files (in-place, no copying)
+
+Usage:
+    python examples/openarms/unify_task.py --repo-id lerobot-data-collection/level1_rac1
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pandas as pd
+from tqdm import tqdm
+
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDatasetMetadata
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
+    DATA_DIR,
+    write_info,
+    write_tasks,
+)
+from lerobot.utils.constants import HF_LEROBOT_HOME
+
+
+# Single unified task
+UNIFIED_TASK = "fold"
+
+
+def unify_dataset_tasks(
+    repo_id: str,
+    root: Path | None = None,
+    push_to_hub: bool = False,
+) -> None:
+    """Unify all tasks in a dataset to a single task (modifies in-place).
+
+    Args:
+        repo_id: Dataset repository ID.
+        root: Optional root path for dataset.
+        push_to_hub: Whether to push the result to HuggingFace Hub.
+    """
+    input_root = root if root else HF_LEROBOT_HOME / repo_id
+    input_repo_id = repo_id
+
+    logging.info(f"Loading metadata from {repo_id}")
+
+    # Load source metadata
+    src_meta = LeRobotDatasetMetadata(repo_id, root=input_root)
+
+    logging.info(f"Source dataset: {src_meta.total_episodes} episodes, {src_meta.total_frames} frames")
+    logging.info(f"Original tasks: {len(src_meta.tasks)}")
+
+    # Modify in-place (input_root == output_root supported)
+    data_dir = input_root / DATA_DIR
+
+    # Process data files - set all task_index to 0
+    logging.info("Processing data files (in-place)...")
+    for parquet_file in tqdm(sorted(data_dir.rglob("*.parquet")), desc="Processing data"):
+        df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_file)
+        df["task_index"] = 0  # All tasks unified to index 0
+        df.to_parquet(parquet_file)
+
+    # Process episodes metadata - set all tasks to unified task
+    logging.info("Processing episodes metadata (in-place)...")
+    episodes_dir = input_root / "meta" / "episodes"
+    if episodes_dir.exists():
+        for parquet_file in tqdm(sorted(episodes_dir.rglob("*.parquet")), desc="Processing episodes"):
+            df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_file)
+            df["tasks"] = [[UNIFIED_TASK]] * len(df)  # All episodes get the unified task
+            df.to_parquet(parquet_file)
+    else:
+        logging.warning(f"No episodes directory found at {episodes_dir}, skipping")
+
+    # Update tasks.parquet with single task
+    logging.info(f"Creating single task: {UNIFIED_TASK}")
+    new_tasks = pd.DataFrame({"task_index": [0]}, index=[UNIFIED_TASK])
+    write_tasks(new_tasks, input_root)
+
+    # Update info.json
+    new_info = src_meta.info.copy()
+    new_info["total_tasks"] = 1
+    write_info(new_info, input_root)
+
+    logging.info(f"Dataset modified in-place at {input_root}")
+    logging.info(f"Task: {UNIFIED_TASK}")
+
+    if push_to_hub:
+        from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+
+        logging.info(f"Pushing {input_repo_id} to hub")
+        dataset = LeRobotDataset(input_repo_id, root=input_root)
+        dataset.push_to_hub(private=True)
+        logging.info("Push complete!")
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Unify all tasks in a dataset to a single task 'fold' (modifies in-place)."
+    )
+
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--repo-id",
+        type=str,
+        required=True,
+        help="Dataset repository ID",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--root",
+        type=Path,
+        default=None,
+        help="Optional root path (defaults to HF_LEROBOT_HOME/repo_id)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--push-to-hub",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Push result to HuggingFace Hub",
+    )
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s")
+
+    unify_dataset_tasks(
+        repo_id=args.repo_id,
+        root=args.root,
+        push_to_hub=args.push_to_hub,
+    )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/openarms_web_interface/App.css

@@ -0,0 +1,745 @@
+body {
+  margin: 0;
+  padding: 0;
+  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;
+  background: #f5f5f5;
+}
+
+main {
+  min-height: 100vh;
+  padding: 2rem;
+}
+
+header {
+  text-align: center;
+  margin-bottom: 2rem;
+}
+
+h1 {
+  font-size: 2rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: #333;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
+h2 {
+  font-size: 1.25rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: #333;
+  margin: 0 0 1rem 0;
+}
+
+h3 {
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: #666;
+  margin: 0 0 0.5rem 0;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.5px;
+}
+
+.container {
+  max-width: 1920px;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: minmax(500px, 600px) 1fr;
+  gap: 2rem;
+  align-items: start;
+}
+
+/* Left column container */
+.left-column {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+/* Right column container */
+.right-column {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+/* Responsive: Stack on smaller screens */
+@media (max-width: 1200px) {
+  .container {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+  }
+}
+
+.panel {
+  background: white;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 1.5rem;
+  box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
+}
+
+.config-panel {
+  border: 2px solid #e5e7eb;
+}
+
+.config-header {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  align-items: center;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  user-select: none;
+  padding: 0.5rem 0;
+}
+
+.config-header:hover {
+  opacity: 0.7;
+}
+
+.toggle-icon {
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  color: #6b7280;
+  transition: transform 0.2s;
+}
+
+.config-content {
+  margin-top: 1rem;
+  padding-top: 1rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
+}
+
+.robot-setup {
+  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.robot-status {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  gap: 1rem;
+}
+
+.robot-status.ready {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #d1fae5 0%, #a7f3d0 100%);
+  color: #065f46;
+  border: 1px solid #10b981;
+}
+
+.robot-status.not-ready {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fef3c7 0%, #fde68a 100%);
+  color: #92400e;
+  border: 1px solid #f59e0b;
+}
+
+.btn-setup {
+  background: #10b981;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.btn-setup:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #059669;
+}
+
+.btn-setup:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+.btn-zero {
+  background: #8b5cf6;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.btn-zero:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #7c3aed;
+}
+
+.btn-zero:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+.zero-position-section {
+  margin-top: 1rem;
+  padding-top: 1rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
+}
+
+.btn-zero-large {
+  width: 100%;
+  background: #8b5cf6;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.875rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: all 0.2s;
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(139, 92, 246, 0.2);
+}
+
+.btn-zero-large:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #7c3aed;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(139, 92, 246, 0.3);
+  transform: translateY(-1px);
+}
+
+.btn-zero-large:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+  box-shadow: none;
+  transform: none;
+}
+
+.delete-episode-section {
+  margin-top: 1rem;
+  padding-top: 1rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
+}
+
+.btn-delete {
+  width: 100%;
+  background: #ef4444;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.875rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: all 0.2s;
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.2);
+}
+
+.btn-delete:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #dc2626;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.3);
+  transform: translateY(-1px);
+}
+
+.btn-delete:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+  box-shadow: none;
+  transform: none;
+}
+
+.delete-info {
+  margin-top: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  color: #666;
+  text-align: center;
+  font-style: italic;
+}
+
+.btn-disconnect {
+  background: #ef4444;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.btn-disconnect:hover {
+  background: #dc2626;
+}
+
+.btn-refresh {
+  background: #3b82f6;
+  color: white;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0.4rem 0.8rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+
+.btn-refresh:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #2563eb;
+}
+
+.btn-refresh:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+.control-panel {
+  border: 2px solid #10b981;
+}
+
+.status-banner {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 1rem;
+  padding: 1rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+}
+
+.status-banner.initializing {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #dbeafe 0%, #bfdbfe 100%);
+  color: #1e40af;
+  border-left: 4px solid #3b82f6;
+}
+
+.status-banner.encoding {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fef3c7 0%, #fde68a 100%);
+  color: #92400e;
+  border-left: 4px solid #f59e0b;
+}
+
+.status-banner.uploading {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #e0e7ff 0%, #c7d2fe 100%);
+  color: #3730a3;
+  border-left: 4px solid #6366f1;
+}
+
+.status-banner.success {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #d1fae5 0%, #a7f3d0 100%);
+  color: #065f46;
+  border-left: 4px solid #10b981;
+}
+
+.status-banner.warning {
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fee2e2 0%, #fecaca 100%);
+  color: #991b1b;
+  border-left: 4px solid #ef4444;
+}
+
+.spinner {
+  width: 20px;
+  height: 20px;
+  border: 3px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
+  border-top-color: currentColor;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  animation: spin 0.8s linear infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes spin {
+  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+
+.control-horizontal {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.control-left {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1rem;
+}
+
+.control-right {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.input-group {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
+
+input[type="text"] {
+  flex: 1;
+  padding: 0.75rem;
+  border: 1px solid #ddd;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+}
+
+input[type="text"]:disabled {
+  background: #f5f5f5;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+input[type="text"]:focus {
+  outline: none;
+  border-color: #10b981;
+}
+
+button {
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: all 0.2s;
+}
+
+.btn-set-task {
+  background: #3b82f6;
+  color: white;
+  min-width: 120px;
+}
+
+.btn-set-task:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #2563eb;
+}
+
+.btn-set-task:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+.btn-start {
+  background: #10b981;
+  color: white;
+}
+
+.btn-start:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: #059669;
+}
+
+.btn-start:disabled {
+  background: #d1d5db;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+.btn-stop {
+  background: #ef4444;
+  color: white;
+}
+
+.btn-stop:hover {
+  background: #dc2626;
+}
+
+.btn-reset {
+  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
+  background: #6b7280;
+  color: white;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+}
+
+.btn-reset:hover {
+  background: #4b5563;
+}
+
+.status {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  margin-bottom: 1rem;
+}
+
+.status.recording {
+  background: #fee2e2;
+  color: #991b1b;
+}
+
+.status.recording.recording-active {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1rem;
+  background: #dc2626;
+  color: white;
+  padding: 1.5rem;
+  border: 4px solid #991b1b;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(220, 38, 38, 0.4);
+  font-weight: 700;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+}
+
+.status.recording.recording-active .indicator {
+  width: 20px;
+  height: 20px;
+  background: #fef2f2;
+  animation: pulse-strong 1s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse-strong {
+  0%, 100% { 
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: scale(1);
+  }
+  50% { 
+    opacity: 0.7;
+    transform: scale(1.1);
+  }
+}
+
+.status.recording.recording-active .time-display {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 1.5rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: white;
+}
+
+.fps-display {
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  opacity: 0.95;
+}
+
+.fps-warning {
+  color: #fef2f2;
+  animation: pulse-warning 1s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse-warning {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
+  50% { opacity: 0.5; }
+}
+
+.status.recording.recording-active .btn-stop {
+  align-self: stretch;
+}
+
+.ramp-up-countdown {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  margin-bottom: 1rem;
+}
+
+.countdown-box {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  padding: 2rem 3rem;
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fef3c7 0%, #fde68a 100%);
+  border: 4px solid #f59e0b;
+  border-radius: 16px;
+  box-shadow: 0 6px 20px rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.4);
+  min-width: 280px;
+  animation: pulse-warm 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse-warm {
+  0%, 100% {
+    box-shadow: 0 6px 20px rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.4);
+  }
+  50% {
+    box-shadow: 0 6px 25px rgba(245, 158, 11, 0.6);
+  }
+}
+
+.countdown-label {
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  color: #92400e;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 1.5px;
+  font-weight: 800;
+  margin-bottom: 1rem;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.countdown-value {
+  font-size: 4.5rem;
+  font-weight: 900;
+  color: #d97706;
+  font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
+  line-height: 1;
+  text-shadow: 2px 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
+  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.countdown-subtitle {
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  color: #78350f;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-style: italic;
+  text-align: center;
+  margin-top: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.status.idle {
+  background: #f3f4f6;
+  color: #374151;
+}
+
+.indicator {
+  width: 12px;
+  height: 12px;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background: #ef4444;
+  animation: pulse 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
+  50% { opacity: 0.5; }
+}
+
+.counter {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  padding: 1.5rem;
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f9fafb 0%, #f3f4f6 100%);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  border: 2px solid #e5e7eb;
+  min-width: 200px;
+}
+
+.counter-label {
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  color: #6b7280;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.5px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.counter-value {
+  font-size: 3rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: #10b981;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+
+.time-display {
+  font-size: 1.5rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
+}
+
+.error-box {
+  padding: 1rem;
+  background: #fee2e2;
+  color: #991b1b;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  border-left: 4px solid #ef4444;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+}
+
+.config-section {
+  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.config-section:last-child {
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
+
+.config-grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(200px, 1fr));
+  gap: 1rem;
+}
+
+label {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  color: #374151;
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+
+select {
+  padding: 0.5rem;
+  border: 1px solid #ddd;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.875rem;
+  background: white;
+}
+
+select:disabled {
+  background: #f5f5f5;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
+/* Camera Layout */
+.camera-layout {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.camera-base {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+.camera-wrist-container {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
+  gap: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.camera-wrist {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+.camera {
+  border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.camera h3 {
+  padding: 0.75rem;
+  background: #f9fafb;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
+.camera img {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: auto;
+  display: block;
+  background: #000;
+  min-height: 300px;
+  object-fit: cover;
+}
+
+.camera-placeholder {
+  text-align: center;
+  padding: 4rem 2rem;
+  background: #f9fafb;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  border: 2px dashed #d1d5db;
+}
+
+.camera-placeholder p {
+  margin: 0.5rem 0;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  color: #6b7280;
+}
+
+.camera-placeholder p:first-child {
+  font-size: 1.25rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  color: #374151;
+}
+
+.hint {
+  margin-top: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  color: #6b7280;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+

examples/openarms_web_interface/App.jsx

@@ -0,0 +1,857 @@
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
+import './App.css';
+
+const API_BASE = 'http://localhost:8000/api';
+
+function App() {
+  // State
+  const [task, setTask] = useState('');
+  const [isRecording, setIsRecording] = useState(false);
+  const [isInitializing, setIsInitializing] = useState(false);
+  const [isEncoding, setIsEncoding] = useState(false);
+  const [isUploading, setIsUploading] = useState(false);
+  const [robotsReady, setRobotsReady] = useState(false);
+  const [elapsedTime, setElapsedTime] = useState(0);
+  const [currentFps, setCurrentFps] = useState(0);
+  const [loopFps, setLoopFps] = useState(0);
+  const [episodeCount, setEpisodeCount] = useState(0);
+  const [error, setError] = useState(null);
+  const [statusMessage, setStatusMessage] = useState('Ready');
+  const [uploadStatus, setUploadStatus] = useState(null);
+  const [rampUpRemaining, setRampUpRemaining] = useState(0);
+  const [movingToZero, setMovingToZero] = useState(false);
+  const [configExpanded, setConfigExpanded] = useState(false);
+  const [latestRepoId, setLatestRepoId] = useState(null);
+
+  // Configuration
+  const [config, setConfig] = useState({
+    leader_type: 'openarms',  // 'openarms' or 'openarms_mini'
+    leader_left: 'can0',
+    leader_right: 'can1',
+    follower_left: 'can2',
+    follower_right: 'can3',
+    left_wrist: '/dev/video0',
+    right_wrist: '/dev/video1',
+    base: '/dev/video4'
+  });
+
+  // Available options
+  const [availableCameras, setAvailableCameras] = useState([]);
+  const [availableUsbPorts, setAvailableUsbPorts] = useState([]);
+  const canInterfaces = ['can0', 'can1', 'can2', 'can3'];
+
+  const statusIntervalRef = useRef(null);
+  const hasInitializedRef = useRef(false);
+
+  const loadConfig = () => {
+    try {
+      const saved = localStorage.getItem('openarms_config');
+      if (saved) {
+        const loadedConfig = JSON.parse(saved);
+        setConfig(prev => ({ ...prev, ...loadedConfig }));
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Load config error:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const saveConfig = (newConfig) => {
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem('openarms_config', JSON.stringify(newConfig || config));
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Save config error:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Fetch status periodically
+  const fetchStatus = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/status`);
+      const data = await response.json();
+
+      setIsRecording(data.is_recording);
+      setIsInitializing(data.is_initializing);
+      setIsEncoding(data.is_encoding);
+      setIsUploading(data.is_uploading);
+      setRobotsReady(data.robots_ready);
+      setElapsedTime(data.elapsed_time);
+      setCurrentFps(data.current_fps || 0);
+      setLoopFps(data.loop_fps || 0);
+      setEpisodeCount(data.episode_count);
+      setError(data.error);
+      setStatusMessage(data.status_message || 'Ready');
+      setUploadStatus(data.upload_status);
+      setRampUpRemaining(data.ramp_up_remaining || 0);
+      setMovingToZero(data.moving_to_zero || false);
+      
+      // Track the latest repo_id from the backend
+      if (data.latest_repo_id) {
+        setLatestRepoId(data.latest_repo_id);
+      }
+
+      if (data.config) {
+        // Only merge server config if we don't have a saved config (first load)
+        if (!localStorage.getItem('openarms_config')) {
+          setConfig(prev => {
+            const merged = { ...data.config, ...prev };
+            localStorage.setItem('openarms_config', JSON.stringify(merged));
+            return merged;
+          });
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to fetch status:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const setupRobots = async () => {
+    // Show warning to verify camera positions
+    const confirmed = window.confirm(
+      '⚠️ IMPORTANT: Before connecting robots, please verify:\n\n' +
+      '📹 Check that cameras are correctly positioned:\n' +
+      '   • LEFT wrist camera is actually on the LEFT arm\n' +
+      '   • RIGHT wrist camera is actually on the RIGHT arm\n' +
+      '   • BASE camera is actually the BASE/overhead camera\n\n' +
+      'Incorrect camera positioning will result in invalid training data!\n\n' +
+      'Click OK to continue with robot setup, or Cancel to review configuration.'
+    );
+    
+    if (!confirmed) {
+      return; // User cancelled, don't proceed
+    }
+    
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/robots/setup`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify(config)
+      });
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to setup robots');
+      }
+
+      await response.json();
+      saveConfig(config);
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(`Robot setup failed: ${e.message}`);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Disconnect robots
+  const disconnectRobots = async () => {
+    try {
+      await fetch(`${API_BASE}/robots/disconnect`, { method: 'POST' });
+      setRobotsReady(false);
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to disconnect robots:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Discover cameras
+  const discoverCameras = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/cameras/discover`);
+      const data = await response.json();
+      const cameras = data.cameras || [];
+      setAvailableCameras(cameras);
+
+      // Get list of valid camera IDs
+      const validCameraIds = cameras.map(cam => String(cam.id));
+
+      // Auto-fix config if current values are invalid or not set
+      const updated = { ...config };
+      let changed = false;
+
+      // Auto-fix invalid camera config
+      if (!config.left_wrist || !validCameraIds.includes(config.left_wrist)) {
+        if (cameras.length >= 1) {
+          updated.left_wrist = String(cameras[0].id);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (!config.right_wrist || !validCameraIds.includes(config.right_wrist)) {
+        if (cameras.length >= 2) {
+          updated.right_wrist = String(cameras[1].id);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (!config.base || !validCameraIds.includes(config.base)) {
+        if (cameras.length >= 3) {
+          updated.base = String(cameras[2].id);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (changed) {
+        setConfig(updated);
+        saveConfig(updated);
+      }
+
+      if (cameras.length === 0) {
+        setError('No cameras detected! Please connect cameras and refresh.');
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to discover cameras:', e);
+      setError(`Camera discovery failed: ${e.message}`);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Discover USB ports
+  const discoverUsbPorts = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/usb/discover`);
+      const data = await response.json();
+      const ports = data.ports || [];
+      setAvailableUsbPorts(ports);
+
+      // Auto-fix config if OpenArms Mini is selected and ports are invalid
+      if (config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini') {
+        const updated = { ...config };
+        let changed = false;
+
+        if (ports.length >= 1 && !ports.includes(config.leader_left)) {
+          updated.leader_left = ports[0];
+          changed = true;
+        }
+
+        if (ports.length >= 2 && !ports.includes(config.leader_right)) {
+          updated.leader_right = ports[1];
+          changed = true;
+        }
+
+        if (changed) {
+          setConfig(updated);
+          saveConfig(updated);
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (ports.length === 0) {
+        console.warn('No USB ports detected for OpenArms Mini');
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to discover USB ports:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Set task only (for pedal use)
+  const setTaskOnly = async () => {
+    if (!task.trim()) {
+      setError('Please enter a task description');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setError(null);
+
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/recording/set-task`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ task, ...config })
+      });
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to set task');
+      }
+
+      const result = await response.json();
+      setStatusMessage(result.message || `Task set: ${task}`);
+      saveConfig(config);
+      
+      // Clear success message after 3 seconds
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        if (!isRecording && !isInitializing) {
+          setStatusMessage('Ready');
+        }
+      }, 3000);
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(e.message);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Start recording
+  const startRecording = async () => {
+    if (!task.trim()) {
+      setError('Please enter a task description');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setError(null);
+
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/recording/start`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ task, ...config })
+      });
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to start recording');
+      }
+
+      await response.json();
+      saveConfig(config);
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(e.message);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Stop recording
+  const stopRecording = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/recording/stop`, {
+        method: 'POST'
+      });
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to stop recording');
+      }
+
+      const data = await response.json();
+      setError(null);
+      // Update latest repo_id after recording
+      if (data.dataset_name) {
+        setLatestRepoId(`lerobot-data-collection/${data.dataset_name}`);
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(e.message);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const deleteLatestEpisode = async () => {
+    if (!latestRepoId) {
+      setError('No episode to delete');
+      return;
+    }
+    
+    const confirmed = window.confirm(
+      `WARNING: This will permanently delete the repository:\n\n${latestRepoId}\n\nThis action cannot be undone. Continue?`
+    );
+    
+    if (!confirmed) {
+      return;
+    }
+    
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/recording/delete-latest`, { method: 'POST' });
+      
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to delete episode');
+      }
+
+      const data = await response.json();
+      setLatestRepoId(null);
+      setEpisodeCount(Math.max(0, episodeCount - 1));
+      setStatusMessage(`Deleted: ${data.deleted_repo}`);
+      
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        if (!isRecording && !isInitializing) {
+          setStatusMessage('Ready');
+        }
+      }, 3000);
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(`Delete failed: ${e.message}`);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Reset counter
+  const resetCounter = async () => {
+    try {
+      await fetch(`${API_BASE}/counter/reset`, { method: 'POST' });
+      setEpisodeCount(0);
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Failed to reset counter:', e);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Move robot to zero position
+  const moveToZero = async () => {
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/robots/move-to-zero`, { method: 'POST' });
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        throw new Error(data.detail || 'Failed to move to zero position');
+      }
+      await response.json();
+    } catch (e) {
+      setError(`Move to zero failed: ${e.message}`);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Format time as MM:SS
+  const formatTime = (seconds) => {
+    const mins = Math.floor(seconds / 60);
+    const secs = Math.floor(seconds % 60);
+    return `${mins.toString().padStart(2, '0')}:${secs.toString().padStart(2, '0')}`;
+  };
+
+  // Update config and save
+  const updateConfig = (key, value) => {
+    const updated = { ...config, [key]: value };
+    setConfig(updated);
+    saveConfig(updated);
+  };
+
+  // Initialize on mount only
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Prevent double-initialization in development
+    if (hasInitializedRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+    hasInitializedRef.current = true;
+
+    loadConfig();
+    discoverCameras();
+    discoverUsbPorts();
+    fetchStatus();
+    statusIntervalRef.current = setInterval(fetchStatus, 1000);
+
+    return () => {
+      if (statusIntervalRef.current) {
+        clearInterval(statusIntervalRef.current);
+      }
+    };
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []); // Run only once on mount
+
+  // Discover USB ports when leader type changes to Mini
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini') {
+      discoverUsbPorts();
+    }
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [config.leader_type]);
+
+  return (
+    <main>
+      <header>
+        <h1>OpenArms Recording</h1>
+      </header>
+
+      <div className="container">
+        {/* Left Column: Configuration and Recording Control */}
+        <div className="left-column">
+          {/* Configuration Panel */}
+          <section className="panel config-panel">
+          <div
+            className="config-header"
+            onClick={() => setConfigExpanded(!configExpanded)}
+            role="button"
+            tabIndex={0}
+            onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === 'Enter' && setConfigExpanded(!configExpanded)}
+          >
+            <h2>⚙️ Configuration</h2>
+            <span className="toggle-icon">{configExpanded ? '▼' : '▶'}</span>
+          </div>
+
+          {configExpanded && (
+            <div className="config-content">
+              {/* Robot Setup */}
+              <div className="config-section">
+                <h3>🤖 Robot Setup</h3>
+                <div className="robot-setup">
+                  {robotsReady ? (
+                    <div className="robot-status ready">
+                      <span>✅ Robots Ready - Recording will start instantly</span>
+                      <button onClick={disconnectRobots} className="btn-disconnect">
+                        Disconnect Robots
+                      </button>
+                    </div>
+                  ) : (
+                    <div className="robot-status not-ready">
+                      <span>⚠️ Robots not initialized - Recording will take ~10 seconds</span>
+                      <button
+                        onClick={setupRobots}
+                        disabled={isRecording || isInitializing}
+                        className="btn-setup"
+                      >
+                        🚀 Setup Robots
+                      </button>
+                    </div>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Leader Type Selection */}
+              <div className="config-section">
+                <h3>🎮 Leader Type</h3>
+                <div className="config-grid">
+                  <label style={{gridColumn: '1 / -1'}}>
+                    Leader Arm Type
+                    <select
+                      value={config.leader_type}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('leader_type', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      <option value="openarms">OpenArms (CAN Bus - Damiao Motors)</option>
+                      <option value="openarms_mini">OpenArms Mini (USB - Feetech Motors)</option>
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Leader Interfaces (CAN or USB based on type) */}
+              <div className="config-section">
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', marginBottom: '0.5rem' }}>
+                  <h3>
+                    {config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini' 
+                      ? `Leader Ports (USB/Serial) ${availableUsbPorts.length > 0 ? `(${availableUsbPorts.length} detected)` : ''}` 
+                      : 'Leader Interfaces (CAN)'}
+                  </h3>
+                  {config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini' && (
+                    <button
+                      onClick={discoverUsbPorts}
+                      className="btn-refresh"
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      🔄 Refresh
+                    </button>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+                
+                <div className="config-grid">
+                  <label>
+                    Leader Left
+                    <select
+                      value={config.leader_left}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('leader_left', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini' ? (
+                        availableUsbPorts.length > 0 ? (
+                          availableUsbPorts.map((port) => (
+                            <option key={port} value={port}>{port}</option>
+                          ))
+                        ) : (
+                          <option value="">No USB ports detected</option>
+                        )
+                      ) : (
+                        canInterfaces.map((iface) => (
+                          <option key={iface} value={iface}>{iface}</option>
+                        ))
+                      )}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+
+                  <label>
+                    Leader Right
+                    <select
+                      value={config.leader_right}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('leader_right', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {config.leader_type === 'openarms_mini' ? (
+                        availableUsbPorts.length > 0 ? (
+                          availableUsbPorts.map((port) => (
+                            <option key={port} value={port}>{port}</option>
+                          ))
+                        ) : (
+                          <option value="">No USB ports detected</option>
+                        )
+                      ) : (
+                        canInterfaces.map((iface) => (
+                          <option key={iface} value={iface}>{iface}</option>
+                        ))
+                      )}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Follower CAN Interfaces */}
+              <div className="config-section">
+                <h3>Follower Interfaces (CAN)</h3>
+                
+                <div className="config-grid">
+                  <label>
+                    Follower Left
+                    <select
+                      value={config.follower_left}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('follower_left', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {canInterfaces.map((iface) => (
+                        <option key={iface} value={iface}>{iface}</option>
+                      ))}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+
+                  <label>
+                    Follower Right
+                    <select
+                      value={config.follower_right}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('follower_right', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {canInterfaces.map((iface) => (
+                        <option key={iface} value={iface}>{iface}</option>
+                      ))}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Camera Configuration */}
+              <div className="config-section">
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', marginBottom: '0.5rem' }}>
+                  <h3>Cameras {availableCameras.length > 0 && `(${availableCameras.length} detected)`}</h3>
+                  <button
+                    onClick={discoverCameras}
+                    className="btn-refresh"
+                    disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                  >
+                    🔄 Refresh
+                  </button>
+                </div>
+                <div className="config-grid">
+                  <label>
+                    Left Wrist
+                    <select
+                      value={config.left_wrist}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('left_wrist', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {availableCameras.map((cam) => (
+                        <option key={cam.id} value={String(cam.id)}>
+                          {cam.name || `Camera @ ${cam.id}`}
+                        </option>
+                      ))}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+
+                  <label>
+                    Right Wrist
+                    <select
+                      value={config.right_wrist}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('right_wrist', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {availableCameras.map((cam) => (
+                        <option key={cam.id} value={String(cam.id)}>
+                          {cam.name || `Camera @ ${cam.id}`}
+                        </option>
+                      ))}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+
+                  <label>
+                    Base Camera
+                    <select
+                      value={config.base}
+                      onChange={(e) => updateConfig('base', e.target.value)}
+                      disabled={isRecording || robotsReady}
+                    >
+                      {availableCameras.map((cam) => (
+                        <option key={cam.id} value={String(cam.id)}>
+                          {cam.name || `Camera @ ${cam.id}`}
+                        </option>
+                      ))}
+                    </select>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </section>
+
+        {/* Control Panel */}
+        <section className="panel control-panel">
+          <h2>🎬 Recording Control</h2>
+
+          {/* Status Banner - Always show important statuses */}
+          {isInitializing && (
+            <div className="status-banner initializing">
+              <div className="spinner"></div>
+              <span>{statusMessage}</span>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {isEncoding && (
+            <div className="status-banner encoding">
+              <div className="spinner"></div>
+              <span>📹 {statusMessage}</span>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {isUploading && (
+            <div className="status-banner uploading">
+              <div className="spinner"></div>
+              <span>☁️ {statusMessage}</span>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {uploadStatus && !isRecording && !isEncoding && !isUploading && (
+            <div className={`status-banner ${uploadStatus.startsWith('✓') ? 'success' : 'warning'}`}>
+              <span>{uploadStatus}</span>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          <div className="control-horizontal">
+            {/* Task Input and Status */}
+            <div className="control-left">
+              <div className="input-group">
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  value={task}
+                  onChange={(e) => setTask(e.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="Task description (e.g., 'pick and place')"
+                  disabled={isRecording || isInitializing || isEncoding || isUploading}
+                  onKeyPress={(e) => {
+                    if (e.key === 'Enter' && robotsReady) {
+                      setTaskOnly();
+                    }
+                  }}
+                />
+                <button
+                  onClick={setTaskOnly}
+                  disabled={isRecording || isInitializing || isEncoding || isUploading || !robotsReady}
+                  className="btn-set-task"
+                  title={!robotsReady ? 'Please setup robots first' : 'Store task for pedal use (Enter key)'}
+                >
+                  💾 Set Task
+                </button>
+                <button
+                  onClick={startRecording}
+                  disabled={isRecording || isInitializing || isEncoding || isUploading || !robotsReady}
+                  className="btn-start"
+                  title={!robotsReady ? 'Please setup robots first' : ''}
+                >
+                  {isInitializing
+                    ? '⏳ Initializing...'
+                    : isRecording
+                    ? '⏺ Recording...'
+                    : robotsReady
+                    ? '⏺ Start Recording'
+                    : '⏺ Setup Robots First'}
+                </button>
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Ramp-up Countdown */}
+              {isRecording && rampUpRemaining > 0 && (
+                <div className="ramp-up-countdown">
+                  <div className="countdown-box">
+                    <div className="countdown-label">⚡ WARMING UP - PID RAMP-UP</div>
+                    <div className="countdown-value">{rampUpRemaining.toFixed(1)}s</div>
+                    <div className="countdown-subtitle">Recording will start automatically...</div>
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              )}
+
+              {/* Recording Status - Only show after ramp-up */}
+              {isRecording && rampUpRemaining <= 0 && (
+                <div className="status recording recording-active">
+                  <div className="indicator"></div>
+                  <div className="time-display">
+                    <span>{formatTime(elapsedTime)}</span>
+                    <span className="fps-display">
+                      Loop: {loopFps.toFixed(1)} Hz
+                      {loopFps > 0 && loopFps < 29 && <span className="fps-warning"> ⚠️</span>}
+                    </span>
+                    <span className="fps-display">Recording: {currentFps.toFixed(1)} FPS</span>
+                  </div>
+                  <button onClick={stopRecording} className="btn-stop">
+                    ⏹ Stop
+                  </button>
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Episode Counter */}
+            <div className="control-right">
+              <div className="counter">
+                <div className="counter-label">Episodes Recorded</div>
+                <div className="counter-value">{episodeCount}</div>
+                <button onClick={resetCounter} className="btn-reset">
+                  Reset
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Delete Latest Episode Button */}
+          {!isRecording && !isInitializing && latestRepoId && (
+            <div className="delete-episode-section">
+              <button 
+                onClick={deleteLatestEpisode}
+                className="btn-delete"
+                title="Delete the latest recorded episode from HuggingFace Hub"
+              >
+                Delete Latest Episode
+              </button>
+              <div className="delete-info">Will delete: {latestRepoId}</div>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {/* Move to Zero Button */}
+          {robotsReady && !isRecording && !isInitializing && (
+            <div className="zero-position-section">
+              <button 
+                onClick={moveToZero} 
+                disabled={movingToZero}
+                className="btn-zero-large"
+                title="Move both leader and follower robots to zero position (2s)"
+              >
+                {movingToZero ? '⏳ Moving to Zero Position...' : '🎯 Move to Zero Position (Leader + Follower)'}
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {/* Error Display */}
+          {error && (
+            <div className="error-box">
+              ⚠️ {error}
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </section>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Right Column: Camera Feeds */}
+        <div className="right-column">
+          <section className="panel cameras">
+          <h2>📹 Camera Views</h2>
+          {robotsReady || isRecording || isInitializing ? (
+            <div className="camera-layout">
+              {/* Base camera - full width */}
+              <div className="camera camera-base">
+                <h3>Base Camera</h3>
+                <img src={`${API_BASE}/camera/stream/base`} alt="Base Camera" />
+              </div>
+
+              {/* Wrist cameras - side by side */}
+              <div className="camera-wrist-container">
+                <div className="camera camera-wrist">
+                  <h3>Left Wrist</h3>
+                  <img src={`${API_BASE}/camera/stream/left_wrist`} alt="Left Wrist Camera" />
+                </div>
+
+                <div className="camera camera-wrist">
+                  <h3>Right Wrist</h3>
+                  <img src={`${API_BASE}/camera/stream/right_wrist`} alt="Right Wrist Camera" />
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <div className="camera-placeholder">
+              <p>📷 Camera feeds will appear when robots are set up</p>
+              <p className="hint">Click "Setup Robots" above to preview camera feeds</p>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </section>
+        </div>
+
+      </div>
+    </main>
+  );
+}
+
+export default App;
+

examples/openarms_web_interface/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# OpenArms Web Recording Interface
+
+A web interface for recording OpenArms datasets.
+
+## Installation
+
+```bash
+cd examples/openarms_web_interface
+npm install
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+**Start everything with one command:**
+
+```bash
+./launch.sh
+```
+
+This will:
+- Start the FastAPI backend on port 8000
+- Start the React frontend on port 5173
+- Show live logs from both services
+
+Then open your browser to: **http://localhost:5173**
+
+**Stop with:** `Ctrl+C`
+
+---
+
+## Workflow
+
+1. **Configure CAN interfaces** and **camera paths** in the dropdowns
+2. Click **"Setup Robots"** to initialize (once at start)
+3. Enter a **task description**
+4. Click **"Start Recording"** to begin an episode
+5. Click **"Stop Recording"** when done
+6. Dataset is automatically encoded and uploaded to HuggingFace Hub as **private**
+7. Repeat steps 3-6 for more episodes (no need to re-setup robots!)
+
+---

examples/openarms_web_interface/index.html

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
+    <title>OpenArms Recording Interface</title>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <div id="root"></div>
+    <script type="module" src="/main.jsx"></script>
+  </body>
+</html>

examples/openarms_web_interface/launch.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# OpenArms Web Interface Launcher
+# Starts Rerun viewer, FastAPI backend, and React frontend
+
+set -e
+
+# Colors for output
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# Get script directory
+SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+
+echo -e "${BLUE}╔════════════════════════════════════════╗${NC}"
+echo -e "${BLUE}║   OpenArms Web Recording Interface    ║${NC}"
+echo -e "${BLUE}╚════════════════════════════════════════╝${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Function to cleanup on exit
+cleanup() {
+    echo ""
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Shutting down services...${NC}"
+    
+    # Kill all child processes
+    pkill -P $$ 2>/dev/null || true
+    
+    # Kill specific services by port
+    lsof -ti:8000 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null || true  # Backend
+    lsof -ti:5173 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null || true  # Frontend
+    lsof -ti:9876 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null || true  # Rerun (if spawned)
+    
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Services stopped${NC}"
+    exit 0
+}
+
+# Register cleanup on script exit
+trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM
+
+# Check if required commands exist
+command -v rerun >/dev/null 2>&1 || { 
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Error: 'rerun' not found. Please install: pip install rerun-sdk${NC}"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+command -v python >/dev/null 2>&1 || { 
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Error: 'python' not found${NC}"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+command -v npm >/dev/null 2>&1 || { 
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Error: 'npm' not found${NC}"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# Check if node_modules exists
+if [ ! -d "node_modules" ]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ node_modules not found. Running npm install...${NC}"
+    npm install
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Dependencies installed${NC}"
+    echo ""
+fi
+
+echo -e "${GREEN}Starting services...${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# 1. Start FastAPI backend (Rerun will start when recording begins)
+echo -e "${BLUE}[1/2]${NC} Starting FastAPI backend on port 8000..."
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+
+# Use Python from current environment (if lerobot env is active, it will use that)
+# Otherwise, check if we need to use conda run
+if [[ "$CONDA_DEFAULT_ENV" == "lerobot" ]]; then
+    # Already in lerobot environment
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Using active lerobot environment${NC}"
+    PYTHON_CMD="python"
+elif command -v conda >/dev/null 2>&1 && conda env list | grep -q "^lerobot "; then
+    # lerobot env exists but not active - use conda run
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Using conda run with lerobot environment...${NC}"
+    PYTHON_CMD="conda run -n lerobot --no-capture-output python"
+else
+    # Fall back to system python
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ Warning: lerobot environment not found, using system python${NC}"
+    PYTHON_CMD="python"
+fi
+
+$PYTHON_CMD web_record_server.py > /tmp/openarms_backend.log 2>&1 &
+BACKEND_PID=$!
+sleep 3
+
+if ps -p $BACKEND_PID > /dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Backend started${NC} (PID: $BACKEND_PID)"
+    echo -e "      URL: ${BLUE}http://localhost:8000${NC}"
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Failed to start backend${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Check logs: tail -f /tmp/openarms_backend.log${NC}"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo ""
+
+# 2. Start React frontend
+echo -e "${BLUE}[2/2]${NC} Starting React frontend on port 5173..."
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+npm run dev > /tmp/openarms_frontend.log 2>&1 &
+FRONTEND_PID=$!
+sleep 3
+
+if ps -p $FRONTEND_PID > /dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Frontend started${NC} (PID: $FRONTEND_PID)"
+    echo -e "      URL: ${BLUE}http://localhost:5173${NC}"
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Failed to start frontend${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Check logs: tail -f /tmp/openarms_frontend.log${NC}"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo ""
+
+# Display status
+echo -e "${GREEN}╔════════════════════════════════════════╗${NC}"
+echo -e "${GREEN}║     All services running! 🚀           ║${NC}"
+echo -e "${GREEN}╚════════════════════════════════════════╝${NC}"
+echo ""
+echo -e "🔧 ${BLUE}Backend:${NC}  http://localhost:8000"
+echo -e "🌐 ${BLUE}Frontend:${NC} http://localhost:5173"
+echo -e "📊 ${BLUE}Rerun:${NC}    Will spawn automatically when recording starts"
+echo ""
+echo -e "${YELLOW}Open your browser to:${NC} ${BLUE}http://localhost:5173${NC}"
+echo ""
+echo -e "${YELLOW}Logs:${NC}"
+echo -e "  • Backend:  tail -f /tmp/openarms_backend.log"
+echo -e "  • Frontend: tail -f /tmp/openarms_frontend.log"
+echo ""
+echo -e "${RED}Press Ctrl+C to stop all services${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Keep script running and wait for any service to exit
+wait
+

examples/openarms_web_interface/main.jsx

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client'
+import App from './App.jsx'
+
+createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(
+  <App />
+)
+

examples/openarms_web_interface/package.json

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+  "name": "openarms-web-interface",
+  "private": true,
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "type": "module",
+  "scripts": {
+    "dev": "vite",
+    "build": "vite build",
+    "preview": "vite preview"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "react": "^18.3.1",
+    "react-dom": "^18.3.1"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/react": "^18.3.12",
+    "@types/react-dom": "^18.3.1",
+    "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^4.3.4",
+    "vite": "^6.0.1"
+  }
+}

examples/openarms_web_interface/vite.config.js

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
+import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react'
+
+// https://vite.dev/config/
+export default defineConfig({
+  plugins: [react()],
+  server: {
+    port: 5173,
+    strictPort: false,
+    host: true,
+    open: false
+  },
+  build: {
+    outDir: 'dist',
+    sourcemap: true
+  }
+})

examples/phone_to_so100/evaluate.py

@@ -142,38 +142,24 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="phone_so100_evaluate")
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-    episode_idx = 0
-    for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
-        log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+        print("Starting evaluate loop...")
+        episode_idx = 0
+        for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
+            log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=robot,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            policy=policy,
-            preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
-            postprocessor=postprocessor,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
-            robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-            robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and ((episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
@@ -182,24 +168,41 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-record episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        episode_idx += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-record episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/phone_to_so100/record.py

@@ -149,38 +149,23 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="phone_so100_record")
 
-    if not robot.is_connected or not phone.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected or not phone.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting record loop. Move your phone to teleoperate the robot...")
-    episode_idx = 0
-    while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
-        log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+        print("Starting record loop. Move your phone to teleoperate the robot...")
+        episode_idx = 0
+        while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=robot,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            teleop=phone,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
-            robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-            robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
                 teleop=phone,
-                control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
                 teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
@@ -188,25 +173,43 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-recording episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    teleop=phone,
+                    control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        episode_idx += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-recording episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    phone.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        phone.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/phone_to_so100/replay.py

@@ -73,32 +73,34 @@ def main():
     # Connect to the robot
     robot.connect()
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting replay loop...")
-    log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
-    for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
-        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        print("Starting replay loop...")
+        log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
+        for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
+            t0 = time.perf_counter()
 
-        # Get recorded action from dataset
-        ee_action = {
-            name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i]) for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
-        }
+            # Get recorded action from dataset
+            ee_action = {
+                name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i])
+                for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
+            }
 
-        # Get robot observation
-        robot_obs = robot.get_observation()
+            # Get robot observation
+            robot_obs = robot.get_observation()
 
-        # Dataset EE -> robot joints
-        joint_action = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((ee_action, robot_obs))
+            # Dataset EE -> robot joints
+            joint_action = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((ee_action, robot_obs))
 
-        # Send action to robot
-        _ = robot.send_action(joint_action)
+            # Send action to robot
+            _ = robot.send_action(joint_action)
 
-        precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
-
-    # Clean up
-    robot.disconnect()
+            precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        robot.disconnect()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/rac/cmd.sh

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ python examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms_rtc.py     --robot.type=openarms_follower     --robot.port_right=can1     --robot.port_left=can0      --robot.cameras="{left_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video0", width: 1280, height: 720, fps: 30}, right_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video4", width: 1280, height: 720, fps: 30}, base: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video2", width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}"      --teleop.type=openarms_mini     --teleop.port_right=/dev/ttyACM0     --teleop.port_left=/dev/ttyACM1         --policy.path=lerobot-data-collection/level1_rac3_100k        --dataset.repo_id=lerobot-data-collection/level1_rac3_rtc_s5_2  --dataset.single_task="Fold the T-shirt properly"   --dataset.num_episodes=5

examples/rac/rac_data_collection.py

@@ -0,0 +1,638 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""
+RaC (Recovery and Correction) Data Collection with Policy Rollout + Human Intervention.
+
+This implements the RaC paradigm from "RaC: Robot Learning for Long-Horizon Tasks
+by Scaling Recovery and Correction" (Hu et al., 2025) for LeRobot.
+
+RaC improves upon standard data collection (BC) and prior human-in-the-loop methods
+(DAgger, HG-DAgger) by explicitly collecting recovery and correction behaviors:
+
+The workflow:
+1. Policy runs autonomously
+2. Press SPACE to pause - robot holds position
+3. Press 'c' to take control - human provides RECOVERY + CORRECTION
+4. Press → to end episode (save and continue to next)
+5. Reset, then do next rollout
+
+Key RaC Rules:
+- Rule 1 (Recover then Correct): Every intervention = recovery + correction (both human)
+- Rule 2 (Terminate after Intervention): Episode ends after correction
+
+The recovery segment (teleoperating back to good state) is recorded as training data -
+this teaches the policy how to recover from errors.
+
+Keyboard Controls:
+    SPACE  - Pause policy (robot holds position, no recording)
+    c      - Take control (start correction, recording resumes)
+    →      - End episode (save and continue to next)
+    ←      - Re-record episode
+    ESC    - Stop recording and push dataset to hub
+
+Usage:
+    python examples/rac/rac_data_collection.py \
+        --robot.type=so100_follower \
+        --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431541 \
+        --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+        --teleop.type=so100_leader \
+        --teleop.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551 \
+        --policy.path=outputs/train/my_policy/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+        --dataset.repo_id=my_user/rac_dataset \
+        --dataset.single_task="Pick up the cube"
+"""
+
+import logging
+import time
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from pprint import pformat
+from typing import Any
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.cameras.realsense.configuration_realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.configs import parser
+from lerobot.configs.policies import PreTrainedConfig
+from lerobot.datasets.image_writer import safe_stop_image_writer
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.pipeline_features import aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts
+from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import VideoEncodingManager
+from lerobot.policies.factory import make_policy, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies.pretrained import PreTrainedPolicy
+from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
+from lerobot.processor import (
+    IdentityProcessor,
+    PolicyAction,
+    PolicyProcessorPipeline,
+    RobotAction,
+    RobotObservation,
+    RobotProcessorPipeline,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.converters import (
+    observation_to_transition,
+    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+    transition_to_observation,
+    transition_to_robot_action,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.rename_processor import rename_stats
+from lerobot.robots import Robot, RobotConfig, make_robot_from_config
+from lerobot.teleoperators import Teleoperator, TeleoperatorConfig, make_teleoperator_from_config
+from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
+from lerobot.utils.control_utils import is_headless, predict_action
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.utils import get_safe_torch_device, init_logging, log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCDatasetConfig:
+    repo_id: str
+    single_task: str
+    root: str | Path | None = None
+    fps: int = 30
+    episode_time_s: float = 120
+    reset_time_s: float = 30
+    num_episodes: int = 50
+    video: bool = True
+    push_to_hub: bool = True
+    private: bool = False
+    tags: list[str] | None = None
+    num_image_writer_processes: int = 0
+    num_image_writer_threads_per_camera: int = 4
+    video_encoding_batch_size: int = 1
+    rename_map: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCConfig:
+    robot: RobotConfig
+    dataset: RaCDatasetConfig
+    policy: PreTrainedConfig
+    teleop: TeleoperatorConfig
+    display_data: bool = True
+    play_sounds: bool = True
+    resume: bool = False
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
+        if policy_path:
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = policy_path
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_path_fields__(cls) -> list[str]:
+        return ["policy"]
+
+
+def init_rac_keyboard_listener():
+    """Initialize keyboard listener with RaC-specific controls."""
+    events = {
+        "exit_early": False,
+        "rerecord_episode": False,
+        "stop_recording": False,
+        "policy_paused": False,      # SPACE pressed - policy paused, teleop tracking robot
+        "correction_active": False,  # 'c' pressed - human controlling, recording correction
+        "in_reset": False,           # True during reset period
+        "start_next_episode": False, # Signal to start next episode
+    }
+
+    if is_headless():
+        logging.warning("Headless environment - keyboard controls unavailable")
+        return None, events
+
+    from pynput import keyboard
+
+    def on_press(key):
+        try:
+            if events["in_reset"]:
+                # During reset: any action key starts next episode
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space or key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+            else:
+                # During episode
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space:
+                    if not events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ⏸ PAUSED - Policy stopped, teleop moving to robot position")
+                        print("      Press 'c' or START to take control")
+                        events["policy_paused"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ▶ START pressed - taking control")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("[RaC] → End episode")
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.left:
+                    print("[RaC] ← Re-record episode")
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Key error: {e}")
+
+    listener = keyboard.Listener(on_press=on_press)
+    listener.start()
+    
+    start_pedal_listener(events)
+    
+    return listener, events
+
+
+def start_pedal_listener(events: dict):
+    """Start foot pedal listener thread if evdev is available."""
+    import threading
+    
+    try:
+        from evdev import InputDevice, ecodes
+    except ImportError:
+        logging.info("[Pedal] evdev not installed - pedal support disabled")
+        return
+    
+    PEDAL_DEVICE = "/dev/input/by-id/usb-PCsensor_FootSwitch-event-kbd"
+    KEY_LEFT = "KEY_A"   # Left pedal
+    KEY_RIGHT = "KEY_C"  # Right pedal
+    
+    def pedal_reader():
+        try:
+            dev = InputDevice(PEDAL_DEVICE)
+            print(f"[Pedal] Connected: {dev.name}")
+            print(f"[Pedal] Right=pause/next, Left=take control/start")
+            
+            for ev in dev.read_loop():
+                if ev.type != ecodes.EV_KEY:
+                    continue
+                
+                from evdev import categorize
+                key = categorize(ev)
+                code = key.keycode
+                if isinstance(code, (list, tuple)):
+                    code = code[0]
+                
+                # Only trigger on key down
+                if key.keystate != 1:
+                    continue
+                
+                if events["in_reset"]:
+                    # During reset: either pedal starts next episode
+                    if code in [KEY_LEFT, KEY_RIGHT]:
+                        print("\n[Pedal] Starting next episode...")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                else:
+                    # During episode
+                    if code == KEY_RIGHT:
+                        # Right pedal: SPACE (pause) when running, → (next) when in correction
+                        if events["correction_active"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] → End episode")
+                            events["exit_early"] = True
+                        elif not events["policy_paused"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] ⏸ PAUSED - Policy stopped, teleop moving to robot")
+                            print("        Press left pedal to take control")
+                            events["policy_paused"] = True
+                    
+                    elif code == KEY_LEFT:
+                        # Left pedal: START (take control) when paused
+                        if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] ▶ START pressed - taking control")
+                            events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                        
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            logging.info(f"[Pedal] Device not found: {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except PermissionError:
+            logging.warning(f"[Pedal] Permission denied. Run: sudo setfacl -m u:$USER:rw {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.debug(f"[Pedal] Error: {e}")
+    
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=pedal_reader, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+
+
+def make_identity_processors():
+    """Create identity processors for RaC recording."""
+    teleop_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessor()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    robot_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessor()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    obs_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessor()],
+        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_observation,
+    )
+    return teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc
+
+
+def move_robot_to_zero(robot: Robot, duration_s: float = 2.0, fps: int = 50):
+    """Smoothly move all robot joints to zero position."""
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    current_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+    target_pos = {k: 0.0 for k in current_pos}
+    
+    print(f"[RaC] Moving robot to zero position ({duration_s}s)...")
+    steps = int(duration_s * fps)
+    for step in range(steps + 1):
+        t = step / steps
+        interp_pos = {k: current_pos[k] * (1 - t) + target_pos[k] * t for k in current_pos}
+        robot.send_action(interp_pos)
+        time.sleep(1 / fps)
+    print("[RaC] Robot at zero position.")
+
+@safe_stop_image_writer
+def rac_rollout_loop(
+    robot: Robot,
+    teleop: Teleoperator,
+    policy: PreTrainedPolicy,
+    preprocessor: PolicyProcessorPipeline[dict[str, Any], dict[str, Any]],
+    postprocessor: PolicyProcessorPipeline[PolicyAction, PolicyAction],
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    events: dict,
+    fps: int,
+    control_time_s: float,
+    single_task: str,
+    display_data: bool = True,
+) -> dict:
+    """
+    RaC rollout loop with two-stage intervention:
+    
+    1. Policy runs autonomously (recording)
+    2. SPACE: Policy pauses (NOT recording) - robot holds position
+    3. 'c': Human takes control (recording correction)
+    4. →: End episode
+    """
+    policy.reset()
+    preprocessor.reset()
+    postprocessor.reset()
+
+    device = get_safe_torch_device(policy.config.device)
+    frame_buffer = []
+
+    stats = {
+        "total_frames": 0,
+        "autonomous_frames": 0,
+        "paused_frames": 0,
+        "correction_frames": 0,
+    }
+
+    last_robot_action = None
+    was_paused = False
+    was_correction_active = False
+    waiting_for_takeover = False
+    timestamp = 0
+    start_t = time.perf_counter()
+
+    while timestamp < control_time_s:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        if events["exit_early"]:
+            events["exit_early"] = False
+            events["policy_paused"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = False
+            break
+
+        # Detect transition to paused state
+        if events["policy_paused"] and not was_paused:
+            obs = robot.get_observation()
+            robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+            print("[RaC] Moving teleop to robot position (2s smooth transition)...")
+            teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+            print("[RaC] Teleop aligned. Press START to take control.")
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            waiting_for_takeover = True
+            was_paused = True
+
+        # Wait for start button before enabling correction mode
+        if waiting_for_takeover and events["start_next_episode"]:
+            print("[RaC] Start pressed - enabling teleop control...")
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = True
+            waiting_for_takeover = False
+            was_correction_active = True
+
+        obs = robot.get_observation()
+        obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs, prefix=OBS_STR)
+
+        if events["correction_active"]:
+            # Human controlling - record correction data
+            robot_action = teleop.get_action()
+            robot.send_action(robot_action)
+            stats["correction_frames"] += 1
+            
+            # Record this frame
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+            frame_buffer.append(frame)
+            stats["total_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif waiting_for_takeover:
+            # Waiting for START - policy stopped, no recording, robot holds position
+            if last_robot_action is not None:
+                robot.send_action(last_robot_action)
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif events["policy_paused"]:
+            # Paused and user acknowledged - hold last position, don't record
+            if last_robot_action is not None:
+                robot.send_action(last_robot_action)
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            robot_action = last_robot_action
+            
+        else:
+            # Normal policy execution - record
+            action_values = predict_action(
+                observation=obs_frame,
+                policy=policy,
+                device=device,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                use_amp=policy.config.use_amp,
+                task=single_task,
+                robot_type=robot.robot_type,
+            )
+            robot_action: RobotAction = make_robot_action(action_values, dataset.features)
+            robot.send_action(robot_action)
+            last_robot_action = robot_action
+            stats["autonomous_frames"] += 1
+            
+            # Record this frame
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+            frame_buffer.append(frame)
+            stats["total_frames"] += 1
+
+        if display_data and robot_action is not None:
+            log_rerun_data(observation=obs, action=robot_action)
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - dt)
+        timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_t
+
+    for frame in frame_buffer:
+        dataset.add_frame(frame)
+
+    return stats
+
+
+def reset_loop(
+    robot: Robot,
+    teleop: Teleoperator,
+    events: dict,
+    fps: int,
+):
+    """Reset period where human repositions environment. Two-stage: enable teleop, then start episode."""
+    print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+    print("  [RaC] RESET - Moving teleop to robot position...")
+    print("=" * 65)
+    
+    # Enter reset mode
+    events["in_reset"] = True
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    
+    # Move teleop to match robot position to avoid sudden jumps
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+    teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+    
+    # Stage 1: Wait for user to press start to enable teleoperation
+    print("  Teleop aligned. Press any key/pedal to enable teleoperation")
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        precise_sleep(0.05)
+    
+    if events["stop_recording"]:
+        return
+    
+    # Stage 2: Enable teleop and let user move robot to starting position
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+    print("  Teleop enabled - move robot to starting position")
+    print("  Press any key/pedal to start next episode")
+
+    # Wait for user to signal ready for next episode
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        action = teleop.get_action()
+        robot.send_action(action)
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - dt)
+    
+    # Exit reset mode and clear flags for next episode
+    events["in_reset"] = False
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    events["exit_early"] = False
+    events["policy_paused"] = False
+    events["correction_active"] = False
+
+
+@parser.wrap()
+def rac_collect(cfg: RaCConfig) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Main RaC data collection function."""
+    init_logging()
+    logging.info(pformat(cfg.__dict__))
+
+    if cfg.display_data:
+        init_rerun(session_name="rac_collection")
+
+    robot = make_robot_from_config(cfg.robot)
+    teleop = make_teleoperator_from_config(cfg.teleop)
+
+    teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc = make_identity_processors()
+
+    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=teleop_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=robot.action_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=obs_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=robot.observation_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+    )
+
+    dataset = None
+    listener = None
+
+    try:
+        if cfg.resume:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+            )
+            if hasattr(robot, "cameras") and robot.cameras:
+                dataset.start_image_writer(
+                    num_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                    num_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera * len(robot.cameras),
+                )
+        else:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                cfg.dataset.fps,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                robot_type=robot.name,
+                features=dataset_features,
+                use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+                image_writer_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                image_writer_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera
+                * len(robot.cameras if hasattr(robot, "cameras") else []),
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+            )
+
+        policy = make_policy(cfg.policy, ds_meta=dataset.meta)
+        preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+            policy_cfg=cfg.policy,
+            pretrained_path=cfg.policy.pretrained_path,
+            dataset_stats=rename_stats(dataset.meta.stats, cfg.dataset.rename_map),
+            preprocessor_overrides={
+                "device_processor": {"device": cfg.policy.device},
+                "rename_observations_processor": {"rename_map": cfg.dataset.rename_map},
+            },
+        )
+
+        robot.connect()
+        teleop.connect()
+        listener, events = init_rac_keyboard_listener()
+
+        print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+        print("  RaC (Recovery and Correction) Data Collection")
+        print("=" * 65)
+        print("  Policy runs autonomously until you intervene.")
+        print()
+        print("  Controls:")
+        print("    SPACE  - Pause policy (robot holds position, no recording)")
+        print("    c      - Take control (start correction, recording)")
+        print("    →      - End episode (save)")
+        print("    ←      - Re-record episode")
+        print("    ESC    - Stop session and push to hub")
+        print("=" * 65 + "\n")
+
+        with VideoEncodingManager(dataset):
+            recorded = 0
+            while recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                log_say(f"RaC episode {dataset.num_episodes}", cfg.play_sounds)
+                
+                move_robot_to_zero(robot, duration_s=2.0, fps=cfg.dataset.fps)
+
+                stats = rac_rollout_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    teleop=teleop,
+                    policy=policy,
+                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                    dataset=dataset,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=cfg.dataset.fps,
+                    control_time_s=cfg.dataset.episode_time_s,
+                    single_task=cfg.dataset.single_task,
+                    display_data=cfg.display_data,
+                )
+
+                logging.info(f"Episode stats: {stats}")
+
+                if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                    log_say("Re-recording", cfg.play_sounds)
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                    events["exit_early"] = False
+                    dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                    continue
+
+                dataset.save_episode()
+                recorded += 1
+
+                # Reset between episodes
+                if recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                    reset_loop(
+                        robot=robot,
+                        teleop=teleop,
+                        events=events,
+                        fps=cfg.dataset.fps,
+                    )
+
+    finally:
+        log_say("Stop recording", cfg.play_sounds, blocking=True)
+
+        if dataset:
+            dataset.finalize()
+
+        if robot.is_connected:
+            robot.disconnect()
+        if teleop.is_connected:
+            teleop.disconnect()
+
+        if not is_headless() and listener:
+            listener.stop()
+
+        if cfg.dataset.push_to_hub:
+            dataset.push_to_hub(tags=cfg.dataset.tags, private=cfg.dataset.private)
+
+    return dataset
+
+
+def main():
+    from lerobot.utils.import_utils import register_third_party_plugins
+
+    register_third_party_plugins()
+    rac_collect()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms.py

@@ -0,0 +1,659 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""
+RaC (Recovery and Correction) Data Collection for OpenArms Robot.
+
+This implements the RaC paradigm from "RaC: Robot Learning for Long-Horizon Tasks
+by Scaling Recovery and Correction" (Hu et al., 2025) for LeRobot with OpenArms.
+
+RaC improves upon standard data collection (BC) and prior human-in-the-loop methods
+(DAgger, HG-DAgger) by explicitly collecting recovery and correction behaviors:
+
+The workflow:
+1. Policy runs autonomously (teleop is idle/free)
+2. Press SPACE to pause - teleop moves to match robot position
+3. Press 'c' to take control - teleop is free, human provides RECOVERY + CORRECTION
+4. Press → to end episode (save and continue to next)
+5. Reset, then do next rollout
+
+Key RaC Rules:
+- Rule 1 (Recover then Correct): Every intervention = recovery + correction (both human)
+- Rule 2 (Terminate after Intervention): Episode ends after correction
+
+The recovery segment (teleoperating back to good state) is recorded as training data -
+this teaches the policy how to recover from errors.
+
+Keyboard Controls:
+    SPACE  - Pause policy (teleop mirrors robot, no recording)
+    c      - Take control (teleop free, recording correction)
+    →      - End episode (save and continue to next)
+    ←      - Re-record episode
+    ESC    - Stop recording and push dataset to hub
+
+Usage:
+    python examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms.py \
+        --robot.type=openarms_follower \
+        --robot.port_right=can0 \
+        --robot.port_left=can1 \
+        --robot.cameras="{ left_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, right_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 2, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+        --teleop.type=openarms_mini \
+        --teleop.port_right=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
+        --teleop.port_left=/dev/ttyUSB1 \
+        --policy.path=outputs/train/my_policy/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+        --dataset.repo_id=my_user/rac_openarms_dataset \
+        --dataset.single_task="Pick up the cube"
+"""
+
+import logging
+import time
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from pprint import pformat
+from typing import Any
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.cameras.realsense.configuration_realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.configs import parser
+from lerobot.configs.policies import PreTrainedConfig
+from lerobot.datasets.image_writer import safe_stop_image_writer
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.pipeline_features import aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts
+from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import VideoEncodingManager
+from lerobot.policies.factory import make_policy, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies.pretrained import PreTrainedPolicy
+from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
+from lerobot.processor import (
+    IdentityProcessorStep,
+    PolicyAction,
+    PolicyProcessorPipeline,
+    RobotAction,
+    RobotObservation,
+    RobotProcessorPipeline,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.converters import (
+    observation_to_transition,
+    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+    transition_to_observation,
+    transition_to_robot_action,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.rename_processor import rename_stats
+from lerobot.robots import Robot, RobotConfig, make_robot_from_config
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.teleoperators import Teleoperator, TeleoperatorConfig, make_teleoperator_from_config
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms_mini.config_openarms_mini import OpenArmsMiniConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
+from lerobot.utils.control_utils import is_headless, predict_action
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.utils import get_safe_torch_device, init_logging, log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCDatasetConfig:
+    repo_id: str
+    single_task: str
+    root: str | Path | None = None
+    fps: int = 30
+    episode_time_s: float = 120
+    reset_time_s: float = 30
+    num_episodes: int = 50
+    video: bool = True
+    push_to_hub: bool = True
+    private: bool = False
+    tags: list[str] | None = None
+    num_image_writer_processes: int = 0
+    num_image_writer_threads_per_camera: int = 4
+    video_encoding_batch_size: int = 1
+    rename_map: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCConfig:
+    robot: RobotConfig
+    dataset: RaCDatasetConfig
+    teleop: TeleoperatorConfig
+    policy: PreTrainedConfig | None = None
+    display_data: bool = True
+    play_sounds: bool = True
+    resume: bool = False
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
+        if policy_path:
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = policy_path
+        if self.policy is None:
+            raise ValueError("policy.path is required")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_path_fields__(cls) -> list[str]:  
+        return ["policy"]
+
+
+def init_rac_keyboard_listener():
+    """Initialize keyboard listener with RaC-specific controls."""
+    events = {
+        "exit_early": False,
+        "rerecord_episode": False,
+        "stop_recording": False,
+        "policy_paused": False,      # SPACE pressed - policy paused, teleop tracking robot
+        "correction_active": False,  # 'c' pressed - human controlling, recording correction
+        "in_reset": False,           # True during reset period
+        "start_next_episode": False, # Signal to start next episode
+    }
+
+    if is_headless():
+        logging.warning("Headless environment - keyboard controls unavailable")
+        return None, events
+
+    from pynput import keyboard
+
+    def on_press(key):
+        try:
+            if events["in_reset"]:
+                # During reset: any action key starts next episode
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space or key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+            else:
+                # During episode
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space:
+                    if not events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ⏸ PAUSED - Policy stopped, teleop moving to robot position")
+                        print("      Press 'c' or START to take control")
+                        events["policy_paused"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ▶ START pressed - taking control")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("[RaC] → End episode")
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.left:
+                    print("[RaC] ← Re-record episode")
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Key error: {e}")
+
+    listener = keyboard.Listener(on_press=on_press)
+    listener.start()
+    
+    start_pedal_listener(events)
+    
+    return listener, events
+
+
+def start_pedal_listener(events: dict):
+    """Start foot pedal listener thread if evdev is available."""
+    import threading
+    
+    try:
+        from evdev import InputDevice, ecodes
+    except ImportError:
+        logging.info("[Pedal] evdev not installed - pedal support disabled")
+        return
+    
+    PEDAL_DEVICE = "/dev/input/by-id/usb-PCsensor_FootSwitch-event-kbd"
+    KEY_LEFT = "KEY_A"   # Left pedal
+    KEY_RIGHT = "KEY_C"  # Right pedal
+    
+    def pedal_reader():
+        try:
+            dev = InputDevice(PEDAL_DEVICE)
+            print(f"[Pedal] Connected: {dev.name}")
+            print(f"[Pedal] Right=pause/next, Left=take control/start")
+            
+            for ev in dev.read_loop():
+                if ev.type != ecodes.EV_KEY:
+                    continue
+                
+                from evdev import categorize
+                key = categorize(ev)
+                code = key.keycode
+                if isinstance(code, (list, tuple)):
+                    code = code[0]
+                
+                # Only trigger on key down
+                if key.keystate != 1:
+                    continue
+                
+                if events["in_reset"]:
+                    # During reset: either pedal starts next episode
+                    if code in [KEY_LEFT, KEY_RIGHT]:
+                        print("\n[Pedal] Starting next episode...")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                else:
+                    # During episode
+                    if code == KEY_RIGHT:
+                        # Right pedal: SPACE (pause) when running, → (next) when in correction
+                        if events["correction_active"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] → End episode")
+                            events["exit_early"] = True
+                        elif not events["policy_paused"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] ⏸ PAUSED - Policy stopped, teleop moving to robot")
+                            print("        Press left pedal to take control")
+                            events["policy_paused"] = True
+                    
+                    elif code == KEY_LEFT:
+                        # Left pedal: START (take control) when paused
+                        if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                            print("\n[Pedal] ▶ START pressed - taking control")
+                            events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                        
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            logging.info(f"[Pedal] Device not found: {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except PermissionError:
+            logging.warning(f"[Pedal] Permission denied. Run: sudo setfacl -m u:$USER:rw {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.debug(f"[Pedal] Error: {e}")
+    
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=pedal_reader, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+
+
+def make_identity_processors():
+    """Create identity processors for RaC recording."""
+    teleop_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    robot_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    obs_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_observation,
+    )
+    return teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc
+
+
+def move_robot_to_zero(robot: Robot, duration_s: float = 2.0, fps: int = 50):
+    """Smoothly move all robot joints to zero position."""
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    current_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+    target_pos = {k: 0.0 for k in current_pos}
+    
+    print(f"[RaC] Moving robot to zero position ({duration_s}s)...")
+    steps = int(duration_s * fps)
+    for step in range(steps + 1):
+        t = step / steps
+        interp_pos = {k: current_pos[k] * (1 - t) + target_pos[k] * t for k in current_pos}
+        robot.send_action(interp_pos)
+        time.sleep(1 / fps)
+    print("[RaC] Robot at zero position.")
+
+
+@safe_stop_image_writer
+def rac_rollout_loop(
+    robot: Robot,
+    teleop: Teleoperator,
+    policy: PreTrainedPolicy,
+    preprocessor: PolicyProcessorPipeline[dict[str, Any], dict[str, Any]],
+    postprocessor: PolicyProcessorPipeline[PolicyAction, PolicyAction],
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    events: dict,
+    fps: int,
+    control_time_s: float,
+    single_task: str,
+    display_data: bool = True,
+) -> dict:
+    """
+    RaC rollout loop with two-stage intervention:
+    
+    1. Policy runs autonomously (recording) - teleop free/idle
+    2. SPACE: Policy pauses, teleop mirrors robot position (NOT recording)
+    3. 'c': Human takes control, teleop torque disabled (recording correction)
+    4. →: End episode
+    
+    This allows smooth handoff - teleop tracks robot only when paused.
+    """
+    policy.reset()
+    preprocessor.reset()
+    postprocessor.reset()
+
+    device = get_safe_torch_device(policy.config.device)
+    frame_buffer = []
+
+    stats = {
+        "total_frames": 0,
+        "autonomous_frames": 0,
+        "paused_frames": 0,
+        "correction_frames": 0,
+    }
+
+    # Start with teleop torque disabled - only enable when paused to track robot
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+    was_paused = False
+    was_correction_active = False
+    waiting_for_takeover = False
+
+    timestamp = 0
+    start_t = time.perf_counter()
+
+    while timestamp < control_time_s:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        if events["exit_early"]:
+            events["exit_early"] = False
+            events["policy_paused"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = False
+            break
+
+        # Detect transition to paused state - smooth move teleop to robot position
+        if events["policy_paused"] and not was_paused:
+            obs = robot.get_observation()
+            obs_filtered = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k in robot.observation_features}
+            robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs_filtered.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+            print("[RaC] Moving teleop to robot position (2s smooth transition)...")
+            teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+            print("[RaC] Teleop aligned. Press START to take control.")
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            waiting_for_takeover = True
+            was_paused = True
+
+        # Wait for start button before enabling correction mode
+        if waiting_for_takeover and events["start_next_episode"]:
+            print("[RaC] Start pressed - enabling teleop control...")
+            teleop.disable_torque()
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = True
+            waiting_for_takeover = False
+            was_correction_active = True
+
+        obs = robot.get_observation()
+        obs_filtered = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k in robot.observation_features}
+        obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs_filtered, prefix=OBS_STR)
+
+        if events["correction_active"]:
+            # Human controlling - record correction data
+            robot_action = teleop.get_action()
+            # Convert gripper from teleop range (0-100) to robot degrees (-65 to 0)
+            for key in robot_action:
+                if "gripper" in key:
+                    robot_action[key] = -0.65 * robot_action[key]
+            robot.send_action(robot_action)
+            stats["correction_frames"] += 1
+            
+            # Record this frame
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+            frame_buffer.append(frame)
+            stats["total_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif waiting_for_takeover:
+            # Waiting for START - policy stopped, no recording, robot holds position
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif events["policy_paused"]:
+            # Paused and user acknowledged - teleop tracks robot position, don't record
+            robot_action = {k: v for k, v in obs_filtered.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+            teleop.send_feedback(robot_action)
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            
+        else:
+            # Normal policy execution - record (teleop is free/idle)
+            action_values = predict_action(
+                observation=obs_frame,
+                policy=policy,
+                device=device,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                use_amp=policy.config.use_amp,
+                task=single_task,
+                robot_type=robot.robot_type,
+            )
+            robot_action: RobotAction = make_robot_action(action_values, dataset.features)
+            robot.send_action(robot_action)
+            stats["autonomous_frames"] += 1
+            
+            # Record this frame
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+            frame_buffer.append(frame)
+            stats["total_frames"] += 1
+
+        if display_data:
+            log_rerun_data(observation=obs_filtered, action=robot_action)
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - dt)
+        timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_t
+
+    # Ensure teleoperator torque is disabled at end
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+
+    for frame in frame_buffer:
+        dataset.add_frame(frame)
+
+    return stats
+
+
+def reset_loop(
+    robot: Robot,
+    teleop: Teleoperator,
+    events: dict,
+    fps: int,
+):
+    """Reset period where human repositions environment. Two-stage: enable teleop, then start episode."""
+    print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+    print("  [RaC] RESET - Moving teleop to robot position...")
+    print("=" * 65)
+    
+    # Enter reset mode
+    events["in_reset"] = True
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    
+    # First move teleop to match robot position to avoid sudden jumps
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos") and k in robot.observation_features}
+    teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+    
+    # Stage 1: Wait for user to press start to enable teleoperation
+    print("  Teleop aligned. Press any key/pedal to enable teleoperation")
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        precise_sleep(0.05)
+    
+    if events["stop_recording"]:
+        return
+    
+    # Stage 2: Enable teleop and let user move robot to starting position
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+    print("  Teleop enabled - move robot to starting position")
+    print("  Press any key/pedal to start next episode")
+
+    # Wait for user to signal ready for next episode
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        action = teleop.get_action()
+        # Convert gripper from teleop range (0-100) to robot degrees (-65 to 0)
+        for key in action:
+            if "gripper" in key:
+                action[key] = -0.65 * action[key]
+        robot.send_action(action)
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - dt)
+    
+    # Exit reset mode and clear flags for next episode
+    events["in_reset"] = False
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    events["exit_early"] = False
+    events["policy_paused"] = False
+    events["correction_active"] = False
+
+
+@parser.wrap()
+def rac_collect(cfg: RaCConfig) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Main RaC data collection function."""
+    init_logging()
+    logging.info(pformat(cfg.__dict__))
+
+    if cfg.display_data:
+        init_rerun(session_name="rac_collection_openarms")
+
+    robot = make_robot_from_config(cfg.robot)
+    teleop = make_teleoperator_from_config(cfg.teleop)
+
+    teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc = make_identity_processors()
+
+    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=teleop_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=robot.action_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=obs_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=robot.observation_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+    )
+
+    dataset = None
+    listener = None
+
+    try:
+        if cfg.resume:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+            )
+            if hasattr(robot, "cameras") and robot.cameras:
+                dataset.start_image_writer(
+                    num_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                    num_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera * len(robot.cameras),
+                )
+        else:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                cfg.dataset.fps,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                robot_type=robot.name,
+                features=dataset_features,
+                use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+                image_writer_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                image_writer_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera
+                * len(robot.cameras if hasattr(robot, "cameras") else []),
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+            )
+
+        policy = make_policy(cfg.policy, ds_meta=dataset.meta)
+        preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+            policy_cfg=cfg.policy,
+            pretrained_path=cfg.policy.pretrained_path,
+            dataset_stats=rename_stats(dataset.meta.stats, cfg.dataset.rename_map),
+            preprocessor_overrides={
+                "device_processor": {"device": cfg.policy.device},
+                "rename_observations_processor": {"rename_map": cfg.dataset.rename_map},
+            },
+        )
+
+        robot.connect()
+        teleop.connect()
+        listener, events = init_rac_keyboard_listener()
+
+        print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+        print("  RaC (Recovery and Correction) Data Collection - OpenArms")
+        print("=" * 65)
+        print("  Policy runs autonomously until you intervene.")
+        print()
+        print("  Controls:")
+        print("    SPACE  - Pause policy (teleop tracks robot, no recording)")
+        print("    c      - Take control (start correction, recording)")
+        print("    →      - End episode (save)")
+        print("    ←      - Re-record episode")
+        print("    ESC    - Stop session and push to hub")
+        print("=" * 65 + "\n")
+
+        with VideoEncodingManager(dataset):
+            recorded = 0
+            while recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                log_say(f"RaC episode {dataset.num_episodes}", cfg.play_sounds)
+                
+                move_robot_to_zero(robot, duration_s=2.0, fps=cfg.dataset.fps)
+
+                stats = rac_rollout_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    teleop=teleop,
+                    policy=policy,
+                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                    dataset=dataset,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=cfg.dataset.fps,
+                    control_time_s=cfg.dataset.episode_time_s,
+                    single_task=cfg.dataset.single_task,
+                    display_data=cfg.display_data,
+                )
+
+                logging.info(f"Episode stats: {stats}")
+
+                if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                    log_say("Re-recording", cfg.play_sounds)
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                    events["exit_early"] = False
+                    dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                    continue
+
+                dataset.save_episode()
+                recorded += 1
+
+                # Reset between episodes
+                if recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                    reset_loop(
+                        robot=robot,
+                        teleop=teleop,
+                        events=events,
+                        fps=cfg.dataset.fps,
+                    )
+
+    finally:
+        log_say("Stop recording", cfg.play_sounds, blocking=True)
+
+        if dataset:
+            dataset.finalize()
+
+        if robot.is_connected:
+            robot.disconnect()
+        if teleop.is_connected:
+            teleop.disconnect()
+
+        if not is_headless() and listener:
+            listener.stop()
+
+        if cfg.dataset.push_to_hub:
+            dataset.push_to_hub(tags=cfg.dataset.tags, private=cfg.dataset.private)
+
+    return dataset
+
+
+def main():
+    from lerobot.utils.import_utils import register_third_party_plugins
+
+    register_third_party_plugins()
+    rac_collect()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+

examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms_rtc.py

@@ -0,0 +1,902 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""
+RaC (Recovery and Correction) Data Collection for OpenArms Robot with RTC.
+
+This combines RaC data collection with Real-Time Chunking (RTC) for smooth policy execution.
+RTC enables large flow-matching policies (Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA) to produce reactive motion
+despite high inference latency by asynchronously generating action chunks.
+
+The workflow:
+1. Policy runs autonomously with RTC (teleop is idle/free)
+2. Press SPACE to pause - teleop moves to match robot position
+3. Press 'c' to take control - teleop is free, human provides RECOVERY + CORRECTION
+4. Press → to end episode (save and continue to next)
+5. Reset, then do next rollout
+
+Usage:
+    python examples/rac/rac_data_collection_openarms_rtc.py \
+        --robot.port_right=can0 \
+        --robot.port_left=can1 \
+        --teleop.port_right=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
+        --teleop.port_left=/dev/ttyUSB1 \
+        --policy.path=outputs/train/my_policy/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
+        --dataset.repo_id=my_user/rac_openarms_dataset \
+        --dataset.single_task="Pick up the cube"
+"""
+
+import logging
+import math
+import time
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from pprint import pformat
+from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
+from typing import Any
+
+import torch
+from torch import Tensor
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.cameras.realsense.configuration_realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.configs import parser
+from lerobot.configs.policies import PreTrainedConfig
+from lerobot.configs.types import RTCAttentionSchedule
+from lerobot.datasets.image_writer import safe_stop_image_writer
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.pipeline_features import aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts, hw_to_dataset_features
+from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import VideoEncodingManager
+from lerobot.policies.factory import get_policy_class, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies.pretrained import PreTrainedPolicy
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.action_queue import ActionQueue
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.configuration_rtc import RTCConfig
+from lerobot.policies.rtc.latency_tracker import LatencyTracker
+from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
+from lerobot.processor import (
+    IdentityProcessorStep,
+    PolicyAction,
+    PolicyProcessorPipeline,
+    RobotAction,
+    RobotObservation,
+    RobotProcessorPipeline,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.converters import (
+    observation_to_transition,
+    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+    transition_to_observation,
+    transition_to_robot_action,
+)
+from lerobot.processor.rename_processor import rename_stats
+from lerobot.robots import Robot, RobotConfig, make_robot_from_config
+from lerobot.robots.openarms.config_openarms_follower import OpenArmsFollowerConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.teleoperators import Teleoperator, TeleoperatorConfig, make_teleoperator_from_config
+from lerobot.teleoperators.openarms_mini.config_openarms_mini import OpenArmsMiniConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
+from lerobot.utils.control_utils import is_headless, predict_action
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.utils import get_safe_torch_device, init_logging, log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Configuration
+# ============================================================================
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCRTCDatasetConfig:
+    repo_id: str = "lerobot/rac_openarms_rtc"
+    single_task: str = "default task"
+    root: str | Path | None = None
+    fps: int = 30
+    episode_time_s: float = 500
+    reset_time_s: float = 30
+    num_episodes: int = 50
+    video: bool = True
+    push_to_hub: bool = True
+    private: bool = False
+    tags: list[str] | None = None
+    num_image_writer_processes: int = 0
+    num_image_writer_threads_per_camera: int = 4
+    video_encoding_batch_size: int = 1
+    streaming_encoding: bool = True
+    rename_map: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RaCRTCConfig:
+    robot: RobotConfig = field(default_factory=lambda: OpenArmsFollowerConfig(
+        port_left="can0",
+        port_right="can1",
+    ))
+    teleop: TeleoperatorConfig = field(default_factory=lambda: OpenArmsMiniConfig(
+        port_left="/dev/ttyUSB1",
+        port_right="/dev/ttyUSB0",
+    ))
+    dataset: RaCRTCDatasetConfig = field(default_factory=RaCRTCDatasetConfig)
+    policy: PreTrainedConfig | None = None
+    
+    rtc: RTCConfig = field(default_factory=lambda: RTCConfig(
+        enabled=True, 
+        execution_horizon=20,
+        max_guidance_weight=5.0,
+        prefix_attention_schedule=RTCAttentionSchedule.LINEAR,
+    ))
+    
+    interpolation: bool = True
+    display_data: bool = True
+    play_sounds: bool = True
+    resume: bool = False
+    device: str = "cuda"
+    action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions: int = 30
+    
+    # Torch compile is disabled by default for real-time inference
+    # First inference with compile takes minutes to compile kernels
+    use_torch_compile: bool = False
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
+        if policy_path:
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = policy_path
+        if self.policy is None:
+            raise ValueError("policy.path is required")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_path_fields__(cls) -> list[str]:
+        return ["policy"]
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Thread-Safe Robot Wrapper (from evaluate_with_rtc.py)
+# ============================================================================
+
+class RobotWrapper:
+    """Thread-safe wrapper for robot operations."""
+
+    def __init__(self, robot: Robot):
+        self.robot = robot
+        self.lock = Lock()
+
+    def get_observation(self) -> dict[str, Tensor]:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.get_observation()
+
+    def send_action(self, action: dict) -> None:
+        with self.lock:
+            self.robot.send_action(action)
+
+    @property
+    def observation_features(self) -> dict:
+        return self.robot.observation_features
+
+    @property
+    def action_features(self) -> dict:
+        return self.robot.action_features
+
+    @property
+    def name(self) -> str:
+        return self.robot.name
+    
+    @property
+    def robot_type(self) -> str:
+        return self.robot.robot_type
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Keyboard/Pedal Listeners
+# ============================================================================
+
+def init_rac_keyboard_listener():
+    """Initialize keyboard listener with RaC-specific controls."""
+    events = {
+        "exit_early": False,
+        "rerecord_episode": False,
+        "stop_recording": False,
+        "policy_paused": False,
+        "correction_active": False,
+        "in_reset": False,
+        "start_next_episode": False,
+    }
+
+    if is_headless():
+        logging.warning("Headless environment - keyboard controls unavailable")
+        return None, events
+
+    from pynput import keyboard
+
+    def on_press(key):
+        try:
+            if events["in_reset"]:
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space or key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    print("\n[RaC] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+            else:
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space:
+                    if not events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ⏸ PAUSED - Policy stopped, teleop moving to robot position")
+                        print("      Press 'c' or START to take control")
+                        events["policy_paused"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, 'char') and key.char == 'c':
+                    if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        print("\n[RaC] ▶ START pressed - taking control")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    print("[RaC] → End episode")
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.left:
+                    print("[RaC] ← Re-record episode")
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    print("[RaC] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Key error: {e}")
+
+    listener = keyboard.Listener(on_press=on_press)
+    listener.start()
+    
+    start_pedal_listener(events)
+    
+    return listener, events
+
+
+def start_pedal_listener(events: dict):
+    """Start foot pedal listener thread if evdev is available."""
+    import threading
+    
+    try:
+        from evdev import InputDevice, ecodes  # noqa: F401
+    except ImportError:
+        logging.info("[Pedal] evdev not installed - pedal support disabled")
+        return
+    
+    PEDAL_DEVICE = "/dev/input/by-id/usb-PCsensor_FootSwitch-event-kbd"
+    KEY_LEFT = "KEY_A"
+    KEY_RIGHT = "KEY_C"
+    
+    def pedal_reader():
+        try:
+            dev = InputDevice(PEDAL_DEVICE)
+            print(f"[Pedal] Connected: {dev.name}")
+            
+            for ev in dev.read_loop():
+                if ev.type != ecodes.EV_KEY:
+                    continue
+                
+                from evdev import categorize  # noqa: F401
+                key = categorize(ev)
+                code = key.keycode
+                if isinstance(code, (list, tuple)):
+                    code = code[0]
+                
+                if key.keystate != 1:
+                    continue
+                
+                if events["in_reset"]:
+                    if code in [KEY_LEFT, KEY_RIGHT]:
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                else:
+                    if code == KEY_RIGHT:
+                        if events["correction_active"]:
+                            events["exit_early"] = True
+                        elif not events["policy_paused"]:
+                            events["policy_paused"] = True
+                    elif code == KEY_LEFT:
+                        if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                            events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                        
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            logging.info(f"[Pedal] Device not found: {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except PermissionError:
+            logging.warning(f"[Pedal] Permission denied for {PEDAL_DEVICE}")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.debug(f"[Pedal] Error: {e}")
+    
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=pedal_reader, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+
+
+def make_identity_processors():
+    """Create identity processors for RaC recording."""
+    teleop_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    robot_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    obs_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_observation,
+    )
+    return teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# RTC Inference Thread (from evaluate_with_rtc.py)
+# ============================================================================
+
+def rtc_inference_thread(
+    policy,
+    obs_holder: dict,
+    hw_features: dict,
+    preprocessor,
+    postprocessor,
+    queue_holder: dict,
+    shutdown_event: Event,
+    policy_active: Event,
+    cfg: RaCRTCConfig,
+):
+    """Background thread that generates action chunks using RTC."""
+    try:
+        logger.info("[RTC] ========== INFERENCE THREAD STARTED ==========")
+        logger.info(f"[RTC] policy={policy.name}, hw_features has {len(hw_features)} keys")
+        
+        latency_tracker = LatencyTracker()
+        time_per_chunk = 1.0 / cfg.dataset.fps
+        policy_device = policy.config.device
+        
+        get_actions_threshold = cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions
+        if not cfg.rtc.enabled:
+            get_actions_threshold = 0
+        
+        inference_count = 0
+        wait_logged = False
+        
+        while not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            if not policy_active.is_set():
+                if not wait_logged:
+                    logger.info("[RTC] Waiting for policy_active...")
+                    wait_logged = True
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+            
+            wait_logged = False
+            
+            action_queue = queue_holder["queue"]
+            if action_queue is None:
+                logger.warning("[RTC] queue_holder['queue'] is None!")
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+            
+            obs_filtered = obs_holder.get("obs")
+            if obs_filtered is None:
+                logger.warning("[RTC] obs_holder['obs'] is None!")
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+            
+            qsize = action_queue.qsize()
+            if qsize <= get_actions_threshold:
+                try:
+                    if inference_count == 0:
+                        logger.info(f"[RTC] Starting first inference, obs keys={len(obs_filtered)}, qsize={qsize}")
+                    
+                    current_time = time.perf_counter()
+                    action_index_before_inference = action_queue.get_action_index()
+                    prev_actions = action_queue.get_left_over()
+                    
+                    inference_latency = latency_tracker.max()
+                    inference_delay = math.ceil(inference_latency / time_per_chunk) if inference_latency else 0
+                    
+                    obs_with_policy_features = build_dataset_frame(hw_features, obs_filtered, prefix="observation")
+                    
+                    for name in obs_with_policy_features:
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = torch.from_numpy(obs_with_policy_features[name])
+                        if "image" in name:
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].float() / 255
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].permute(2, 0, 1).contiguous()
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].unsqueeze(0).to(policy_device)
+                    
+                    obs_with_policy_features["task"] = [cfg.dataset.single_task]
+                    obs_with_policy_features["robot_type"] = obs_holder.get("robot_type", "openarms_follower")
+                    
+                    preprocessed_obs = preprocessor(obs_with_policy_features)
+                    
+                    actions = policy.predict_action_chunk(
+                        preprocessed_obs,
+                        inference_delay=inference_delay,
+                        prev_chunk_left_over=prev_actions,
+                    )
+                    
+                    original_actions = actions.squeeze(0).clone()
+                    postprocessed_actions = postprocessor(actions).squeeze(0)
+                    
+                    new_latency = time.perf_counter() - current_time
+                    new_delay = math.ceil(new_latency / time_per_chunk)
+                    latency_tracker.add(new_latency)
+                    
+                    action_queue.merge(original_actions, postprocessed_actions, new_delay, action_index_before_inference)
+                    
+                    inference_count += 1
+                    logger.info(f"[RTC] Inference #{inference_count}, latency={new_latency:.2f}s, queue={action_queue.qsize()}")
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.error(f"[RTC] Inference error: {e}")
+                    import traceback
+                    traceback.print_exc()
+                    time.sleep(1.0)
+            else:
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+        
+        logger.info("[RTC] Inference thread shutting down")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"[RTC] THREAD CRASHED: {e}")
+        import traceback
+        traceback.print_exc()
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Main Rollout Loop
+# ============================================================================
+
+@safe_stop_image_writer
+def rac_rtc_rollout_loop(
+    robot: RobotWrapper,
+    teleop: Teleoperator,
+    policy: PreTrainedPolicy,
+    preprocessor,
+    postprocessor,
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    events: dict,
+    cfg: RaCRTCConfig,
+    queue_holder: dict,
+    obs_holder: dict,  # Main loop writes obs here for RTC thread to read
+    policy_active: Event,
+    hw_features: dict,
+) -> dict:
+    """RaC rollout loop with RTC for smooth policy execution."""
+    fps = cfg.dataset.fps
+    single_task = cfg.dataset.single_task
+    control_time_s = cfg.dataset.episode_time_s
+    device = get_safe_torch_device(cfg.device)
+    
+    # Reset policy state
+    policy.reset()
+    preprocessor.reset()
+    postprocessor.reset()
+    
+    streaming = dataset._streaming_encoder is not None
+    frame_buffer = [] if not streaming else None
+    stats = {
+        "total_frames": 0,
+        "autonomous_frames": 0,
+        "paused_frames": 0,
+        "correction_frames": 0,
+    }
+
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+    was_paused = False
+    waiting_for_takeover = False
+    
+    # Action keys for converting tensor to dict
+    action_keys = [k for k in robot.action_features.keys() if k.endswith(".pos")]
+    
+    # Interpolation state
+    prev_action: Tensor | None = None
+    interpolated_actions: list[Tensor] = []
+    interp_idx = 0
+    
+    if cfg.interpolation:
+        control_interval = 1.0 / (fps * 2)  # 2x rate
+    else:
+        control_interval = 1.0 / fps
+    
+    robot_action = {}
+    timestamp = 0
+    start_t = time.perf_counter()
+
+    while timestamp < control_time_s:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+
+        if events["exit_early"]:
+            events["exit_early"] = False
+            events["policy_paused"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = False
+            break
+
+        # State transition: entering paused state
+        if events["policy_paused"] and not was_paused:
+            policy_active.clear()  # Stop RTC inference
+            obs = robot.get_observation()
+            obs_filtered = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k in robot.observation_features}
+            robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs_filtered.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+            print("[RaC] Moving teleop to robot position...")
+            teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+            print("[RaC] Teleop aligned. Press 'c' to take control.")
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            waiting_for_takeover = True
+            was_paused = True
+            # Reset interpolation
+            prev_action = None
+            interpolated_actions = []
+            interp_idx = 0
+
+        # Wait for takeover
+        if waiting_for_takeover and events["start_next_episode"]:
+            print("[RaC] Taking control...")
+            teleop.disable_torque()
+            events["start_next_episode"] = False
+            events["correction_active"] = True
+            waiting_for_takeover = False
+
+        # Get observation (ONLY the main loop reads from robot!)
+        obs = robot.get_observation()
+        obs_filtered = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k in robot.observation_features}
+        obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs_filtered, prefix=OBS_STR)
+        
+        # Share observation with RTC thread (thread reads, main loop writes)
+        obs_holder["obs"] = obs_filtered
+
+        if events["correction_active"]:
+            # Human controlling
+            robot_action = teleop.get_action()
+            for key in robot_action:
+                if "gripper" in key:
+                    robot_action[key] = -0.65 * robot_action[key]
+            robot.send_action(robot_action)
+            stats["correction_frames"] += 1
+            
+            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+            frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+            if streaming:
+                dataset.add_frame(frame)
+            else:
+                frame_buffer.append(frame)
+            stats["total_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif waiting_for_takeover:
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            
+        elif events["policy_paused"]:
+            robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs_filtered.items() if k.endswith(".pos")}
+            teleop.send_feedback(robot_pos)
+            stats["paused_frames"] += 1
+            
+        else:
+            # Policy execution with RTC
+            if not policy_active.is_set():
+                policy_active.set()
+                logger.info("[ROLLOUT] Policy activated, waiting for first actions...")
+            
+            action_queue = queue_holder["queue"]
+            
+            # Get action from queue (with interpolation)
+            if interp_idx >= len(interpolated_actions):
+                new_action = action_queue.get() if action_queue else None
+                
+                # Log queue status periodically
+                if stats["autonomous_frames"] == 0 and new_action is None:
+                    qsize = action_queue.qsize() if action_queue else -1
+                    if timestamp < 0.5 or int(timestamp * 10) % 10 == 0:
+                        logger.info(f"[ROLLOUT] Waiting for actions... queue_size={qsize}, obs_set={obs_holder.get('obs') is not None}")
+                
+                if new_action is not None:
+                    current_action = new_action.cpu()
+                    
+                    if cfg.interpolation and prev_action is not None:
+                        mid = prev_action + 0.5 * (current_action - prev_action)
+                        interpolated_actions = [mid, current_action]
+                    else:
+                        interpolated_actions = [current_action]
+                    
+                    prev_action = current_action
+                    interp_idx = 0
+                    
+                    if stats["autonomous_frames"] == 0:
+                        logger.info(f"[ROLLOUT] Got first action! Starting robot motion.")
+            
+            if interp_idx < len(interpolated_actions):
+                action_to_send = interpolated_actions[interp_idx]
+                interp_idx += 1
+                
+                robot_action = {}
+                for i, key in enumerate(action_keys):
+                    if i < len(action_to_send):
+                        robot_action[key] = action_to_send[i].item()
+                
+                robot.send_action(robot_action)
+                stats["autonomous_frames"] += 1
+                
+                # Record at original fps
+                action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, robot_action, prefix=ACTION)
+                frame = {**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": single_task}
+                if streaming:
+                    dataset.add_frame(frame)
+                else:
+                    frame_buffer.append(frame)
+                stats["total_frames"] += 1
+
+        if cfg.display_data:
+            log_rerun_data(observation=obs_filtered, action=robot_action)
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        sleep_time = control_interval - dt
+        if sleep_time > 0:
+            precise_sleep(sleep_time)
+        timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_t
+
+    policy_active.clear()
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+
+    if not streaming:
+        for frame in frame_buffer:
+            dataset.add_frame(frame)
+
+    return stats
+
+
+def reset_loop(robot: RobotWrapper, teleop: Teleoperator, events: dict, fps: int):
+    """Reset period where human repositions environment."""
+    print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+    print("  [RaC] RESET")
+    print("=" * 65)
+    
+    events["in_reset"] = True
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos") and k in robot.observation_features}
+    teleop.smooth_move_to(robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+    
+    print("  Press any key/pedal to enable teleoperation")
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        precise_sleep(0.05)
+    
+    if events["stop_recording"]:
+        return
+    
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    teleop.disable_torque()
+    print("  Teleop enabled - press any key/pedal to start episode")
+
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+        action = teleop.get_action()
+        for key in action:
+            if "gripper" in key:
+                action[key] = -0.65 * action[key]
+        robot.send_action(action)
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - loop_start
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - dt)
+    
+    events["in_reset"] = False
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    events["exit_early"] = False
+    events["policy_paused"] = False
+    events["correction_active"] = False
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# Main Entry Point
+# ============================================================================
+
+@parser.wrap()
+def rac_rtc_collect(cfg: RaCRTCConfig) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Main RaC data collection function with RTC."""
+    init_logging()
+    logging.info(pformat(cfg.__dict__))
+
+    if cfg.display_data:
+        init_rerun(session_name="rac_rtc_collection_openarms")
+
+    robot_raw = make_robot_from_config(cfg.robot)
+    teleop = make_teleoperator_from_config(cfg.teleop)
+    
+    teleop_proc, robot_proc, obs_proc = make_identity_processors()
+
+    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=teleop_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=robot_raw.action_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
+            pipeline=obs_proc,
+            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=robot_raw.observation_features),
+            use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+        ),
+    )
+
+    dataset = None
+    listener = None
+    shutdown_event = Event()
+    policy_active = Event()
+    rtc_thread = None
+
+    try:
+        if cfg.resume:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+            )
+            if cfg.dataset.streaming_encoding:
+                dataset.start_streaming_encoder()
+            if hasattr(robot_raw, "cameras") and robot_raw.cameras:
+                dataset.start_image_writer(
+                    num_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                    num_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera * len(robot_raw.cameras),
+                )
+        else:
+            dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
+                cfg.dataset.fps,
+                root=cfg.dataset.root,
+                robot_type=robot_raw.name,
+                features=dataset_features,
+                use_videos=cfg.dataset.video,
+                image_writer_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes,
+                image_writer_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera
+                * len(robot_raw.cameras if hasattr(robot_raw, "cameras") else []),
+                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
+                streaming_encoding=cfg.dataset.streaming_encoding,
+            )
+
+        # Load policy
+        logger.info(f"Loading policy from: {cfg.policy.pretrained_path}")
+        policy_class = get_policy_class(cfg.policy.type)
+        
+        # Override compile_model for real-time inference (first compile takes minutes)
+        policy_config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path)
+        if cfg.policy.type in ["pi05", "pi0"]:
+            policy_config.compile_model = cfg.use_torch_compile
+            logger.info(f"Set compile_model={cfg.use_torch_compile} for real-time inference")
+        
+        policy = policy_class.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path, config=policy_config)
+        policy.config.rtc_config = cfg.rtc
+        policy.init_rtc_processor()
+        policy = policy.to(cfg.device)
+        policy.eval()
+        logger.info(f"Policy loaded: {policy.name}")
+
+        # Setup preprocessor/postprocessor
+        hw_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot_raw.observation_features, "observation")
+        preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+            policy_cfg=cfg.policy,
+            pretrained_path=cfg.policy.pretrained_path,
+            dataset_stats=rename_stats(dataset.meta.stats, cfg.dataset.rename_map),
+            preprocessor_overrides={
+                "device_processor": {"device": cfg.device},
+                "rename_observations_processor": {"rename_map": cfg.dataset.rename_map},
+            },
+        )
+
+        # Connect robot and wrap for thread safety
+        robot_raw.connect()
+        robot = RobotWrapper(robot_raw)
+        
+        teleop.connect()
+        listener, events = init_rac_keyboard_listener()
+
+        # Shared state holders (main loop writes, RTC thread reads)
+        queue_holder = {"queue": ActionQueue(cfg.rtc)}
+        obs_holder = {"obs": None, "robot_type": robot.robot_type}  # Main loop updates obs
+
+        # Start RTC inference thread
+        # NOTE: Thread does NOT access robot directly - reads from obs_holder
+        rtc_thread = Thread(
+            target=rtc_inference_thread,
+            args=(
+                policy,
+                obs_holder,  # Thread reads obs from here (set by main loop)
+                hw_features,
+                preprocessor,
+                postprocessor,
+                queue_holder,
+                shutdown_event,
+                policy_active,
+                cfg,
+            ),
+            daemon=True,
+            name="RTCInference",
+        )
+        rtc_thread.start()
+        logger.info("Started RTC inference thread")
+
+        print("\n" + "=" * 65)
+        print("  RaC Data Collection with RTC")
+        print("=" * 65)
+        print(f"  Policy: {cfg.policy.pretrained_path}")
+        print(f"  Task: {cfg.dataset.single_task}")
+        print(f"  FPS: {cfg.dataset.fps}")
+        print(f"  Interpolation: {cfg.interpolation}")
+        print()
+        print("  Controls:")
+        print("    SPACE  - Pause policy")
+        print("    c      - Take control")
+        print("    →      - End episode")
+        print("    ESC    - Stop and push to hub")
+        print("=" * 65 + "\n")
+
+        with VideoEncodingManager(dataset):
+            recorded = 0
+            while recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                log_say(f"RaC episode {dataset.num_episodes}", cfg.play_sounds)
+                
+                # Fresh action queue per episode (update holder so thread sees it)
+                queue_holder["queue"] = ActionQueue(cfg.rtc)
+                
+                logger.info(f"Episode {recorded + 1} / {cfg.dataset.num_episodes}")
+
+                stats = rac_rtc_rollout_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    teleop=teleop,
+                    policy=policy,
+                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
+                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                    dataset=dataset,
+                    events=events,
+                    cfg=cfg,
+                    queue_holder=queue_holder,
+                    obs_holder=obs_holder,
+                    policy_active=policy_active,
+                    hw_features=hw_features,
+                )
+
+                logging.info(f"Episode stats: {stats}")
+
+                if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                    log_say("Re-recording", cfg.play_sounds)
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                    events["exit_early"] = False
+                    dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                    continue
+
+                t_save_start = time.perf_counter()
+                dataset.save_episode()
+                logging.info(f"[RaC] save_episode total: {time.perf_counter() - t_save_start:.2f}s")
+                recorded += 1
+
+                if recorded < cfg.dataset.num_episodes and not events["stop_recording"]:
+                    reset_loop(robot, teleop, events, cfg.dataset.fps)
+
+    finally:
+        log_say("Stop recording", cfg.play_sounds, blocking=True)
+        
+        shutdown_event.set()
+        policy_active.clear()
+        
+        if rtc_thread and rtc_thread.is_alive():
+            rtc_thread.join(timeout=2.0)
+
+        if dataset:
+            dataset.finalize()
+
+        if robot_raw.is_connected:
+            robot_raw.disconnect()
+        if teleop.is_connected:
+            teleop.disconnect()
+
+        if not is_headless() and listener:
+            listener.stop()
+
+        if cfg.dataset.push_to_hub:
+            dataset.push_to_hub(tags=cfg.dataset.tags, private=cfg.dataset.private)
+
+    return dataset
+
+
+def main():
+    from lerobot.utils.import_utils import register_third_party_plugins
+    register_third_party_plugins()
+    rac_rtc_collect()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/evaluate.py

@@ -142,38 +142,24 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="so100_so100_evaluate")
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-    episode_idx = 0
-    for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
-        log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+        print("Starting evaluate loop...")
+        episode_idx = 0
+        for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
+            log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=robot,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            policy=policy,
-            preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
-            postprocessor=postprocessor,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
-            robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-            robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and ((episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
@@ -182,24 +168,41 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-record episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        episode_idx += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-record episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        robot.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/record.py

@@ -146,38 +146,23 @@ def main():
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
     init_rerun(session_name="recording_phone")
 
-    if not leader.is_connected or not follower.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not leader.is_connected or not follower.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting record loop...")
-    episode_idx = 0
-    while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
-        log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+        print("Starting record loop...")
+        episode_idx = 0
+        while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+            log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-        # Main record loop
-        record_loop(
-            robot=follower,
-            events=events,
-            fps=FPS,
-            teleop=leader,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
-            single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-            display_data=True,
-            teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
-            robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
-            robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
-        )
-
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
+            # Main record loop
             record_loop(
                 robot=follower,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
                 teleop=leader,
-                control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
                 teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
@@ -185,25 +170,44 @@ def main():
                 robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
             )
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-recording episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+            # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+            if not events["stop_recording"] and (
+                episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]
+            ):
+                log_say("Reset the environment")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=follower,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    teleop=leader,
+                    control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
+                    robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
+                    robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
+                )
 
-        # Save episode
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        episode_idx += 1
+            if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+                log_say("Re-recording episode")
+                events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+                events["exit_early"] = False
+                dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+                continue
 
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    leader.disconnect()
-    follower.disconnect()
-    listener.stop()
+            # Save episode
+            dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
 
-    dataset.finalize()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        log_say("Stop recording")
+        leader.disconnect()
+        follower.disconnect()
+        listener.stop()
+
+        dataset.finalize()
+        dataset.push_to_hub()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/replay.py

@@ -74,32 +74,35 @@ def main():
     # Connect to the robot
     robot.connect()
 
-    if not robot.is_connected:
-        raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
+    try:
+        if not robot.is_connected:
+            raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
-    print("Starting replay loop...")
-    log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
-    for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
-        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        print("Starting replay loop...")
+        log_say(f"Replaying episode {EPISODE_IDX}")
+        for idx in range(len(episode_frames)):
+            t0 = time.perf_counter()
 
-        # Get recorded action from dataset
-        ee_action = {
-            name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i]) for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
-        }
+            # Get recorded action from dataset
+            ee_action = {
+                name: float(actions[idx][ACTION][i])
+                for i, name in enumerate(dataset.features[ACTION]["names"])
+            }
 
-        # Get robot observation
-        robot_obs = robot.get_observation()
+            # Get robot observation
+            robot_obs = robot.get_observation()
 
-        # Dataset EE -> robot joints
-        joint_action = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((ee_action, robot_obs))
+            # Dataset EE -> robot joints
+            joint_action = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((ee_action, robot_obs))
 
-        # Send action to robot
-        _ = robot.send_action(joint_action)
+            # Send action to robot
+            _ = robot.send_action(joint_action)
 
-        precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
+            precise_sleep(max(1.0 / dataset.fps - (time.perf_counter() - t0), 0.0))
 
-    # Clean up
-    robot.disconnect()
+    finally:
+        # Clean up
+        robot.disconnect()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

examples/tutorial/async-inf/robot_client.py

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def main():
         robot=robot_cfg,
         server_address=server_address,
         policy_device="mps",
+        client_device="cpu",
         policy_type="act",
         pretrained_name_or_path="<user>/robot_learning_tutorial_act",
         chunk_size_threshold=0.5,  # g

loop_datasets.py

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from huggingface_hub import HfApi, list_datasets
+
+api = HfApi()
+datasets = list_datasets(author="lerobot-data-collection")
+print('"[', end="")
+i=0
+for dataset in datasets:
+    if "three-folds-dataset" in dataset.id:
+        print("'" + dataset.id + "',", end="")
+print(']"',)

pyproject.toml

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ discord = "https://discord.gg/s3KuuzsPFb"
 
 [project]
 name = "lerobot"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 description = "🤗 LeRobot: State-of-the-art Machine Learning for Real-World Robotics in Pytorch"
 dynamic = ["readme"]
 license = { text = "Apache-2.0" }
@@ -102,14 +102,20 @@ grpcio-dep = ["grpcio==1.73.1", "protobuf>=6.31.1,<6.32.0"]
 # Motors
 feetech = ["feetech-servo-sdk>=1.0.0,<2.0.0"]
 dynamixel = ["dynamixel-sdk>=3.7.31,<3.9.0"]
+damiao = ["python-can>=4.2.0,<5.0.0"]
 
 # Robots
+openarms = ["lerobot[damiao]"]
 gamepad = ["lerobot[pygame-dep]", "hidapi>=0.14.0,<0.15.0"]
 hopejr = ["lerobot[feetech]", "lerobot[pygame-dep]"]
 lekiwi = ["lerobot[feetech]", "pyzmq>=26.2.1,<28.0.0"]
 unitree_g1 = [
     "pyzmq>=26.2.1,<28.0.0",
-    "onnxruntime>=1.16.0,<2.0.0"
+    "onnxruntime>=1.16.0,<2.0.0",
+    "pin>=3.0.0,<4.0.0",
+    "meshcat>=0.3.0,<0.4.0",
+    "matplotlib>=3.9.0,<4.0.0",
+    "casadi>=3.6.0,<4.0.0",
 ]
 reachy2 = ["reachy2_sdk>=1.0.15,<1.1.0"]
 kinematics = ["lerobot[placo-dep]"]
@@ -203,6 +209,7 @@ lerobot-info="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_info:main"
 lerobot-find-joint-limits="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_find_joint_limits:main"
 lerobot-imgtransform-viz="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_imgtransform_viz:main"
 lerobot-edit-dataset="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_edit_dataset:main"
+lerobot-setup-can="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_setup_can:main"
 
 # ---------------- Tool Configurations ----------------
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
@@ -278,6 +285,7 @@ default.extend-ignore-identifiers-re = [
     "thw",
     "inpt",
     "ROBOTIS",
+    "OT_VALUE"
 ]
 
 # TODO: Uncomment when ready to use
@@ -352,9 +360,9 @@ ignore_errors = false
 module = "lerobot.cameras.*"
 ignore_errors = false
 
-# [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
-# module = "lerobot.motors.*"
-# ignore_errors = false
+[[tool.mypy.overrides]]
+module = "lerobot.motors.*"
+ignore_errors = false
 
 # [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
 # module = "lerobot.robots.*"

src/lerobot/async_inference/configs.py

@@ -126,6 +126,12 @@ class RobotClientConfig:
 
     # Device configuration
     policy_device: str = field(default="cpu", metadata={"help": "Device for policy inference"})
+    client_device: str = field(
+        default="cpu",
+        metadata={
+            "help": "Device to move actions to after receiving from server (e.g., for downstream planners)"
+        },
+    )
 
     # Control behavior configuration
     chunk_size_threshold: float = field(default=0.5, metadata={"help": "Threshold for chunk size control"})
@@ -161,6 +167,9 @@ class RobotClientConfig:
         if not self.policy_device:
             raise ValueError("policy_device cannot be empty")
 
+        if not self.client_device:
+            raise ValueError("client_device cannot be empty")
+
         if self.chunk_size_threshold < 0 or self.chunk_size_threshold > 1:
             raise ValueError(f"chunk_size_threshold must be between 0 and 1, got {self.chunk_size_threshold}")
 
@@ -184,6 +193,7 @@ class RobotClientConfig:
             "policy_type": self.policy_type,
             "pretrained_name_or_path": self.pretrained_name_or_path,
             "policy_device": self.policy_device,
+            "client_device": self.client_device,
             "chunk_size_threshold": self.chunk_size_threshold,
             "fps": self.fps,
             "actions_per_chunk": self.actions_per_chunk,

src/lerobot/async_inference/constants.py

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ DEFAULT_INFERENCE_LATENCY = 1 / DEFAULT_FPS
 DEFAULT_OBS_QUEUE_TIMEOUT = 2
 
 # All action chunking policies
-SUPPORTED_POLICIES = ["act", "smolvla", "diffusion", "tdmpc", "vqbet", "pi0", "pi05"]
+SUPPORTED_POLICIES = ["act", "smolvla", "diffusion", "tdmpc", "vqbet", "pi0", "pi05", "groot"]
 
 # TODO: Add all other robots
 SUPPORTED_ROBOTS = ["so100_follower", "so101_follower", "bi_so_follower", "omx_follower"]

src/lerobot/async_inference/helpers.py

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import os
 import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
 
 import torch
 
@@ -39,8 +40,8 @@ from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging
 
 Action = torch.Tensor
 
-# observation as received from the robot
-RawObservation = dict[str, torch.Tensor]
+# observation as received from the robot (can be numpy arrays, floats, etc.)
+RawObservation = dict[str, Any]
 
 # observation as those recorded in LeRobot dataset (keys are different)
 LeRobotObservation = dict[str, torch.Tensor]

src/lerobot/async_inference/policy_server.py

@@ -381,6 +381,8 @@ class PolicyServer(services_pb2_grpc.AsyncInferenceServicer):
         action_tensor = torch.stack(processed_actions, dim=1).squeeze(0)
         self.logger.debug(f"Postprocessed action shape: {action_tensor.shape}")
 
+        action_tensor = action_tensor.detach().cpu()
+
         """5. Convert to TimedAction list"""
         action_chunk = self._time_action_chunk(
             observation_t.get_timestamp(), list(action_tensor), observation_t.get_timestep()

src/lerobot/async_inference/robot_client.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ python src/lerobot/async_inference/robot_client.py \
     --policy_type=act \
     --pretrained_name_or_path=user/model \
     --policy_device=mps \
+    --client_device=cpu \
     --actions_per_chunk=50 \
     --chunk_size_threshold=0.5 \
     --aggregate_fn_name=weighted_average \
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ from collections.abc import Callable
 from dataclasses import asdict
 from pprint import pformat
 from queue import Queue
+from typing import Any
 
 import draccus
 import grpc
@@ -47,7 +49,6 @@ import torch
 
 from lerobot.cameras.opencv.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
 from lerobot.cameras.realsense.configuration_realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
-from lerobot.processor import RobotAction
 from lerobot.robots import (  # noqa: F401
     Robot,
     RobotConfig,
@@ -285,6 +286,21 @@ class RobotClient:
                 timed_actions = pickle.loads(actions_chunk.data)  # nosec
                 deserialize_time = time.perf_counter() - deserialize_start
 
+                # Log device type of received actions
+                if len(timed_actions) > 0:
+                    received_device = timed_actions[0].get_action().device.type
+                    self.logger.debug(f"Received actions on device: {received_device}")
+
+                # Move actions to client_device (e.g., for downstream planners that need GPU)
+                client_device = self.config.client_device
+                if client_device != "cpu":
+                    for timed_action in timed_actions:
+                        if timed_action.get_action().device.type != client_device:
+                            timed_action.action = timed_action.get_action().to(client_device)
+                    self.logger.debug(f"Converted actions to device: {client_device}")
+                else:
+                    self.logger.debug(f"Actions kept on device: {client_device}")
+
                 self.action_chunk_size = max(self.action_chunk_size, len(timed_actions))
 
                 # Calculate network latency if we have matching observations
@@ -351,7 +367,7 @@ class RobotClient:
         action = {key: action_tensor[i].item() for i, key in enumerate(self.robot.action_features)}
         return action
 
-    def control_loop_action(self, verbose: bool = False) -> RobotAction:
+    def control_loop_action(self, verbose: bool = False) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Reading and performing actions in local queue"""
 
         # Lock only for queue operations

src/lerobot/cameras/__init__.py

@@ -13,5 +13,5 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from .camera import Camera
-from .configs import CameraConfig, ColorMode, Cv2Rotation
+from .configs import CameraConfig, ColorMode, Cv2Backends, Cv2Rotation
 from .utils import make_cameras_from_configs

src/lerobot/cameras/camera.py

@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import abc
+import warnings
 from typing import Any
 
 from numpy.typing import NDArray  # type: ignore  # TODO: add type stubs for numpy.typing
 
-from .configs import CameraConfig, ColorMode
+from .configs import CameraConfig
 
 
 class Camera(abc.ABC):
@@ -30,20 +31,12 @@ class Camera(abc.ABC):
 
     Manages basic camera properties (FPS, resolution) and core operations:
     - Connection/disconnection
-    - Frame capture (sync/async)
+    - Frame capture (sync/async/latest)
 
     Attributes:
         fps (int | None): Configured frames per second
         width (int | None): Frame width in pixels
         height (int | None): Frame height in pixels
-
-    Example:
-        class MyCamera(Camera):
-            def __init__(self, config): ...
-            @property
-            def is_connected(self) -> bool: ...
-            def connect(self, warmup=True): ...
-            # Plus other required methods
     """
 
     def __init__(self, config: CameraConfig):
@@ -56,6 +49,32 @@ class Camera(abc.ABC):
         self.width: int | None = config.width
         self.height: int | None = config.height
 
+    def __enter__(self):
+        """
+        Context manager entry.
+        Automatically connects to the camera.
+        """
+        self.connect()
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback) -> None:
+        """
+        Context manager exit.
+        Automatically disconnects, ensuring resources are released even on error.
+        """
+        self.disconnect()
+
+    def __del__(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Destructor safety net.
+        Attempts to disconnect if the object is garbage collected without cleanup.
+        """
+        try:
+            if self.is_connected:
+                self.disconnect()
+        except Exception:  # nosec B110
+            pass
+
     @property
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def is_connected(self) -> bool:
@@ -89,12 +108,10 @@ class Camera(abc.ABC):
         pass
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
-        """Capture and return a single frame from the camera.
+    def read(self) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Capture and return a single frame from the camera synchronously.
 
-        Args:
-            color_mode: Desired color mode for the output frame. If None,
-                        uses the camera's default color mode.
+        This is a blocking call that will wait for the hardware and its SDK.
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: Captured frame as a numpy array.
@@ -103,17 +120,64 @@ class Camera(abc.ABC):
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = ...) -> NDArray[Any]:
-        """Asynchronously capture and return a single frame from the camera.
+        """Return the most recent new frame.
+
+        This method retrieves the latest frame captured by the background thread.
+        If a new frame is already available in the buffer (captured since the last call),
+        it returns it immediately.
+
+        It blocks up to `timeout_ms` only if the buffer is empty or if the latest frame
+        was already consumed by a previous `async_read` call.
+
+        Essentially, this method return the latest unconsumed frame, waiting if necessary
+        for a new one to arrive within the specified timeout.
+
+        Usage:
+            - Ideal for control loops where you want to ensure every processed frame
+            is fresh, effectively synchronizing your loop to the camera's FPS.
+            - Causes of a timeout usually include: very low camera FPS, heavy processing load,
+            or if the camera is disconnected.
 
         Args:
-            timeout_ms: Maximum time to wait for a frame in milliseconds.
-                        Defaults to implementation-specific timeout.
+            timeout_ms: Maximum time to wait for a new frame in milliseconds.
+                        Defaults to 200ms (0.2s).
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: Captured frame as a numpy array.
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If no new frame arrives within `timeout_ms`.
         """
         pass
 
+    def read_latest(self, max_age_ms: int = 1000) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Return the most recent frame captured immediately (Peeking).
+
+        This method is non-blocking and returns whatever is currently in the
+        memory buffer. The frame may be stale,
+        meaning it could have been captured a while ago (hanging camera scenario e.g.).
+
+        Usage:
+            Ideal for scenarios requiring zero latency or decoupled frequencies & when
+            we want a guaranteed frame, such as UI visualization, logging, or
+            non-critical monitoring.
+
+        Returns:
+            NDArray[Any]: The frame image (numpy array).
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If the latest frame is older than `max_age_ms`.
+            NotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera is connected but has not captured any frames yet.
+        """
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"{self.__class__.__name__}.read_latest() is not implemented. "
+            "Please override read_latest(); it will be required in future releases.",
+            FutureWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
+        return self.async_read()
+
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """Disconnect from the camera and release resources."""

src/lerobot/cameras/configs.py

@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ class ColorMode(str, Enum):
     RGB = "rgb"
     BGR = "bgr"
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _missing_(cls, value: object) -> None:
+        raise ValueError(f"`color_mode` is expected to be in {list(cls)}, but {value} is provided.")
+
 
 class Cv2Rotation(int, Enum):
     NO_ROTATION = 0
@@ -32,6 +36,25 @@ class Cv2Rotation(int, Enum):
     ROTATE_180 = 180
     ROTATE_270 = -90
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _missing_(cls, value: object) -> None:
+        raise ValueError(f"`rotation` is expected to be in {list(cls)}, but {value} is provided.")
+
+
+# Subset from https://docs.opencv.org/3.4/d4/d15/group__videoio__flags__base.html
+class Cv2Backends(int, Enum):
+    ANY = 0
+    V4L2 = 200
+    DSHOW = 700
+    PVAPI = 800
+    ANDROID = 1000
+    AVFOUNDATION = 1200
+    MSMF = 1400
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _missing_(cls, value: object) -> None:
+        raise ValueError(f"`backend` is expected to be in {list(cls)}, but {value} is provided.")
+
 
 @dataclass(kw_only=True)
 class CameraConfig(draccus.ChoiceRegistry, abc.ABC):  # type: ignore  # TODO: add type stubs for draccus

src/lerobot/cameras/opencv/camera_opencv.py

@@ -32,10 +32,11 @@ if platform.system() == "Windows" and "OPENCV_VIDEOIO_MSMF_ENABLE_HW_TRANSFORMS"
     os.environ["OPENCV_VIDEOIO_MSMF_ENABLE_HW_TRANSFORMS"] = "0"
 import cv2  # type: ignore  # TODO: add type stubs for OpenCV
 
-from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceAlreadyConnectedError, DeviceNotConnectedError
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_already_connected, check_if_not_connected
+from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceNotConnectedError
 
 from ..camera import Camera
-from ..utils import get_cv2_backend, get_cv2_rotation
+from ..utils import get_cv2_rotation
 from .configuration_opencv import ColorMode, OpenCVCameraConfig
 
 # NOTE(Steven): The maximum opencv device index depends on your operating system. For instance,
@@ -70,34 +71,24 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
     Example:
         ```python
         from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCamera
-        from lerobot.cameras.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig, ColorMode, Cv2Rotation
+        from lerobot.cameras.configuration_opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
 
         # Basic usage with camera index 0
         config = OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0)
         camera = OpenCVCamera(config)
         camera.connect()
 
-        # Read 1 frame synchronously
+        # Read 1 frame synchronously (blocking)
         color_image = camera.read()
-        print(color_image.shape)
 
-        # Read 1 frame asynchronously
+        # Read 1 frame asynchronously (waits for new frame with a timeout)
         async_image = camera.async_read()
 
+        # Get the latest frame immediately (no wait, returns timestamp)
+        latest_image, timestamp = camera.read_latest()
+
         # When done, properly disconnect the camera using
         camera.disconnect()
-
-        # Example with custom settings
-        custom_config = OpenCVCameraConfig(
-            index_or_path='/dev/video0', # Or use an index
-            fps=30,
-            width=1280,
-            height=720,
-            color_mode=ColorMode.RGB,
-            rotation=Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_90
-        )
-        custom_camera = OpenCVCamera(custom_config)
-        # ... connect, read, disconnect ...
         ```
     """
 
@@ -123,10 +114,11 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         self.stop_event: Event | None = None
         self.frame_lock: Lock = Lock()
         self.latest_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_timestamp: float | None = None
         self.new_frame_event: Event = Event()
 
         self.rotation: int | None = get_cv2_rotation(config.rotation)
-        self.backend: int = get_cv2_backend()
+        self.backend: int = config.backend
 
         if self.height and self.width:
             self.capture_width, self.capture_height = self.width, self.height
@@ -141,20 +133,23 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         """Checks if the camera is currently connected and opened."""
         return isinstance(self.videocapture, cv2.VideoCapture) and self.videocapture.isOpened()
 
+    @check_if_already_connected
     def connect(self, warmup: bool = True) -> None:
         """
         Connects to the OpenCV camera specified in the configuration.
 
         Initializes the OpenCV VideoCapture object, sets desired camera properties
-        (FPS, width, height), and performs initial checks.
+        (FPS, width, height), starts the background reading thread and performs initial checks.
+
+        Args:
+            warmup (bool): If True, waits at connect() time until at least one valid frame
+                           has been captured by the background thread. Defaults to True.
 
         Raises:
             DeviceAlreadyConnectedError: If the camera is already connected.
-            ConnectionError: If the specified camera index/path is not found or the camera is found but fails to open.
-            RuntimeError: If the camera opens but fails to apply requested FPS/resolution settings.
+            ConnectionError: If the specified camera index/path is not found or fails to open.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera opens but fails to apply requested settings.
         """
-        if self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(f"{self} is already connected.")
 
         # Use 1 thread for OpenCV operations to avoid potential conflicts or
         # blocking in multi-threaded applications, especially during data collection.
@@ -170,15 +165,20 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             )
 
         self._configure_capture_settings()
+        self._start_read_thread()
 
-        if warmup:
+        if warmup and self.warmup_s > 0:
             start_time = time.time()
             while time.time() - start_time < self.warmup_s:
-                self.read()
+                self.async_read(timeout_ms=self.warmup_s * 1000)
                 time.sleep(0.1)
+            with self.frame_lock:
+                if self.latest_frame is None:
+                    raise ConnectionError(f"{self} failed to capture frames during warmup.")
 
         logger.info(f"{self} connected.")
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def _configure_capture_settings(self) -> None:
         """
         Applies the specified FOURCC, FPS, width, and height settings to the connected camera.
@@ -196,11 +196,8 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         Raises:
             RuntimeError: If the camera fails to set any of the specified properties
                           to the requested value.
-            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected when attempting
-                                     to configure settings.
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"Cannot configure settings for {self} as it is not connected.")
 
         # Set FOURCC first (if specified) as it can affect available FPS/resolution options
         if self.config.fourcc is not None:
@@ -339,6 +336,18 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
 
         return found_cameras_info
 
+    def _read_from_hardware(self) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        if self.videocapture is None:
+            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} videocapture is not initialized")
+
+        ret, frame = self.videocapture.read()
+
+        if not ret:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read failed (status={ret}).")
+
+        return frame
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads a single frame synchronously from the camera.
@@ -346,11 +355,6 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         This is a blocking call. It waits for the next available frame from the
         camera hardware via OpenCV.
 
-        Args:
-            color_mode (Optional[ColorMode]): If specified, overrides the default
-                color mode (`self.color_mode`) for this read operation (e.g.,
-                request RGB even if default is BGR).
-
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The captured frame as a NumPy array in the format
                        (height, width, channels), using the specified or default
@@ -362,34 +366,31 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
                           received frame dimensions don't match expectations before rotation.
             ValueError: If an invalid `color_mode` is requested.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
 
         start_time = time.perf_counter()
 
-        if self.videocapture is None:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} videocapture is not initialized")
+        if color_mode is not None:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() color_mode parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
 
-        ret, frame = self.videocapture.read()
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
-        if not ret or frame is None:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read failed (status={ret}).")
-
-        processed_frame = self._postprocess_image(frame, color_mode)
+        self.new_frame_event.clear()
+        frame = self.async_read(timeout_ms=10000)
 
         read_duration_ms = (time.perf_counter() - start_time) * 1e3
         logger.debug(f"{self} read took: {read_duration_ms:.1f}ms")
 
-        return processed_frame
+        return frame
 
-    def _postprocess_image(self, image: NDArray[Any], color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
+    def _postprocess_image(self, image: NDArray[Any]) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Applies color conversion, dimension validation, and rotation to a raw frame.
 
         Args:
             image (np.ndarray): The raw image frame (expected BGR format from OpenCV).
-            color_mode (Optional[ColorMode]): The target color mode (RGB or BGR). If None,
-                                             uses the instance's default `self.color_mode`.
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The processed image frame.
@@ -399,11 +400,10 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             RuntimeError: If the raw frame dimensions do not match the configured
                           `width` and `height`.
         """
-        requested_color_mode = self.color_mode if color_mode is None else color_mode
 
-        if requested_color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
+        if self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Invalid color mode '{requested_color_mode}'. Expected {ColorMode.RGB} or {ColorMode.BGR}."
+                f"Invalid color mode '{self.color_mode}'. Expected {ColorMode.RGB} or {ColorMode.BGR}."
             )
 
         h, w, c = image.shape
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             raise RuntimeError(f"{self} frame channels={c} do not match expected 3 channels (RGB/BGR).")
 
         processed_image = image
-        if requested_color_mode == ColorMode.RGB:
+        if self.color_mode == ColorMode.RGB:
             processed_image = cv2.cvtColor(image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB)
 
         if self.rotation in [cv2.ROTATE_90_CLOCKWISE, cv2.ROTATE_90_COUNTERCLOCKWISE, cv2.ROTATE_180]:
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
 
         On each iteration:
         1. Reads a color frame
-        2. Stores result in latest_frame (thread-safe)
+        2. Stores result in latest_frame and updates timestamp (thread-safe)
         3. Sets new_frame_event to notify listeners
 
         Stops on DeviceNotConnectedError, logs other errors and continues.
@@ -439,30 +439,37 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         if self.stop_event is None:
             raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: stop_event is not initialized before starting read loop.")
 
+        failure_count = 0
         while not self.stop_event.is_set():
             try:
-                color_image = self.read()
+                raw_frame = self._read_from_hardware()
+                processed_frame = self._postprocess_image(raw_frame)
+                capture_time = time.perf_counter()
 
                 with self.frame_lock:
-                    self.latest_frame = color_image
+                    self.latest_frame = processed_frame
+                    self.latest_timestamp = capture_time
                 self.new_frame_event.set()
+                failure_count = 0
 
             except DeviceNotConnectedError:
                 break
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.warning(f"Error reading frame in background thread for {self}: {e}")
+                if failure_count <= 10:
+                    failure_count += 1
+                    logger.warning(f"Error reading frame in background thread for {self}: {e}")
+                else:
+                    raise RuntimeError(f"{self} exceeded maximum consecutive read failures.") from e
 
     def _start_read_thread(self) -> None:
         """Starts or restarts the background read thread if it's not running."""
-        if self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive():
-            self.thread.join(timeout=0.1)
-        if self.stop_event is not None:
-            self.stop_event.set()
+        self._stop_read_thread()
 
         self.stop_event = Event()
         self.thread = Thread(target=self._read_loop, args=(), name=f"{self}_read_loop")
         self.thread.daemon = True
         self.thread.start()
+        time.sleep(0.1)
 
     def _stop_read_thread(self) -> None:
         """Signals the background read thread to stop and waits for it to join."""
@@ -475,6 +482,12 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         self.thread = None
         self.stop_event = None
 
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads the latest available frame asynchronously.
@@ -482,6 +495,7 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         This method retrieves the most recent frame captured by the background
         read thread. It does not block waiting for the camera hardware directly,
         but may wait up to timeout_ms for the background thread to provide a frame.
+        It is “best effort” under high FPS.
 
         Args:
             timeout_ms (float): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame
@@ -496,17 +510,14 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             TimeoutError: If no frame becomes available within the specified timeout.
             RuntimeError: If an unexpected error occurs.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
 
         if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
-            self._start_read_thread()
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
         if not self.new_frame_event.wait(timeout=timeout_ms / 1000.0):
-            thread_alive = self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive()
             raise TimeoutError(
                 f"Timed out waiting for frame from camera {self} after {timeout_ms} ms. "
-                f"Read thread alive: {thread_alive}."
+                f"Read thread alive: {self.thread.is_alive()}."
             )
 
         with self.frame_lock:
@@ -518,6 +529,41 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
 
         return frame
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read_latest(self, max_age_ms: int = 1000) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Return the most recent frame captured immediately (Peeking).
+
+        This method is non-blocking and returns whatever is currently in the
+        memory buffer. The frame may be stale,
+        meaning it could have been captured a while ago (hanging camera scenario e.g.).
+
+        Returns:
+            NDArray[Any]: The frame image (numpy array).
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If the latest frame is older than `max_age_ms`.
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera is connected but has not captured any frames yet.
+        """
+
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            frame = self.latest_frame
+            timestamp = self.latest_timestamp
+
+        if frame is None or timestamp is None:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} has not captured any frames yet.")
+
+        age_ms = (time.perf_counter() - timestamp) * 1e3
+        if age_ms > max_age_ms:
+            raise TimeoutError(
+                f"{self} latest frame is too old: {age_ms:.1f} ms (max allowed: {max_age_ms} ms)."
+            )
+
+        return frame
+
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """
         Disconnects from the camera and cleans up resources.
@@ -538,4 +584,9 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             self.videocapture.release()
             self.videocapture = None
 
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
         logger.info(f"{self} disconnected.")

src/lerobot/cameras/opencv/configuration_opencv.py

@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from ..configs import CameraConfig, ColorMode, Cv2Rotation
+from ..configs import CameraConfig, ColorMode, Cv2Backends, Cv2Rotation
 
-__all__ = ["OpenCVCameraConfig", "ColorMode", "Cv2Rotation"]
+__all__ = ["OpenCVCameraConfig", "ColorMode", "Cv2Rotation", "Cv2Backends"]
 
 
 @CameraConfig.register_subclass("opencv")
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class OpenCVCameraConfig(CameraConfig):
         rotation: Image rotation setting (0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°). Defaults to no rotation.
         warmup_s: Time reading frames before returning from connect (in seconds)
         fourcc: FOURCC code for video format (e.g., "MJPG", "YUYV", "I420"). Defaults to None (auto-detect).
+        backend: OpenCV backend identifier (https://docs.opencv.org/3.4/d4/d15/group__videoio__flags__base.html). Defaults to ANY.
 
     Note:
         - Only 3-channel color output (RGB/BGR) is currently supported.
@@ -62,22 +63,12 @@ class OpenCVCameraConfig(CameraConfig):
     rotation: Cv2Rotation = Cv2Rotation.NO_ROTATION
     warmup_s: int = 1
     fourcc: str | None = None
+    backend: Cv2Backends = Cv2Backends.ANY
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
-        if self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`color_mode` is expected to be {ColorMode.RGB.value} or {ColorMode.BGR.value}, but {self.color_mode} is provided."
-            )
-
-        if self.rotation not in (
-            Cv2Rotation.NO_ROTATION,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_90,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_180,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_270,
-        ):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`rotation` is expected to be in {(Cv2Rotation.NO_ROTATION, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_90, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_180, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_270)}, but {self.rotation} is provided."
-            )
+        self.color_mode = ColorMode(self.color_mode)
+        self.rotation = Cv2Rotation(self.rotation)
+        self.backend = Cv2Backends(self.backend)
 
         if self.fourcc is not None and (not isinstance(self.fourcc, str) or len(self.fourcc) != 4):
             raise ValueError(

src/lerobot/cameras/reachy2_camera/configuration_reachy2_camera.py

@@ -74,7 +74,4 @@ class Reachy2CameraConfig(CameraConfig):
                 f"`image_type` is expected to be 'left' or 'right' for teleop camera, and 'rgb' or 'depth' for depth camera, but {self.image_type} is provided."
             )
 
-        if self.color_mode not in ["rgb", "bgr"]:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`color_mode` is expected to be 'rgb' or 'bgr', but {self.color_mode} is provided."
-            )
+        self.color_mode = ColorMode(self.color_mode)

src/lerobot/cameras/reachy2_camera/reachy2_camera.py

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ if platform.system() == "Windows" and "OPENCV_VIDEOIO_MSMF_ENABLE_HW_TRANSFORMS"
 import cv2  # type: ignore  # TODO: add type stubs for OpenCV
 import numpy as np  # type: ignore  # TODO: add type stubs for numpy
 
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_not_connected
 from lerobot.utils.import_utils import _reachy2_sdk_available
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING or _reachy2_sdk_available:
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
         self.config = config
 
         self.color_mode = config.color_mode
+        self.latest_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_timestamp: float | None = None
 
         self.cam_manager: CameraManager | None = None
 
@@ -121,16 +124,12 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError("Camera detection is not implemented for Reachy2 cameras.")
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads a single frame synchronously from the camera.
 
-        This is a blocking call.
-
-        Args:
-            color_mode (Optional[ColorMode]): If specified, overrides the default
-                color mode (`self.color_mode`) for this read operation (e.g.,
-                request RGB even if default is BGR).
+        This method retrieves the most recent frame available in Reachy 2's low-level software.
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The captured frame as a NumPy array in the format
@@ -139,12 +138,14 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
         """
         start_time = time.perf_counter()
 
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
-
         if self.cam_manager is None:
             raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
 
+        if color_mode is not None:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() color_mode parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
+
         frame: NDArray[Any] = np.empty((0, 0, 3), dtype=np.uint8)
 
         if self.config.name == "teleop" and hasattr(self.cam_manager, "teleop"):
@@ -165,25 +166,27 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
             raise ValueError(f"Invalid camera name '{self.config.name}'. Expected 'teleop' or 'depth'.")
 
         if frame is None:
-            return np.empty((0, 0, 3), dtype=np.uint8)
+            raise RuntimeError(f"Internal error: No frame available for {self}.")
 
-        if self.config.color_mode == "rgb":
+        if self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Invalid color mode '{self.color_mode}'. Expected {ColorMode.RGB} or {ColorMode.BGR}."
+            )
+        if self.color_mode == ColorMode.RGB:
             frame = cv2.cvtColor(frame, cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB)
 
+        self.latest_frame = frame
+        self.latest_timestamp = time.perf_counter()
+
         read_duration_ms = (time.perf_counter() - start_time) * 1e3
         logger.debug(f"{self} read took: {read_duration_ms:.1f}ms")
 
         return frame
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
-        Reads the latest available frame.
-
-        This method retrieves the most recent frame available in Reachy 2's low-level software.
-
-        Args:
-            timeout_ms (float): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame
-                to become available. Defaults to 200ms (0.2 seconds).
+        Same as read()
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The latest captured frame as a NumPy array in the format
@@ -194,16 +197,40 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
             TimeoutError: If no frame becomes available within the specified timeout.
             RuntimeError: If an unexpected error occurs.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
 
-        frame = self.read()
+        return self.read()
 
-        if frame is None:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"Internal error: No frame available for {self}.")
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read_latest(self, max_age_ms: int = 1000) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Return the most recent frame captured immediately (Peeking).
 
-        return frame
+        This method is non-blocking and returns whatever is currently in the
+        memory buffer. The frame may be stale,
+        meaning it could have been captured a while ago (hanging camera scenario e.g.).
 
+        Returns:
+            tuple[NDArray, float]:
+                - The frame image (numpy array).
+                - The timestamp (time.perf_counter) when this frame was captured.
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If the latest frame is older than `max_age_ms`.
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera is connected but has not captured any frames yet.
+        """
+
+        if self.latest_frame is None or self.latest_timestamp is None:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} has not captured any frames yet.")
+
+        age_ms = (time.perf_counter() - self.latest_timestamp) * 1e3
+        if age_ms > max_age_ms:
+            raise TimeoutError(
+                f"{self} latest frame is too old: {age_ms:.1f} ms (max allowed: {max_age_ms} ms)."
+            )
+
+        return self.latest_frame
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """
         Stops the background read thread (if running).
@@ -211,8 +238,6 @@ class Reachy2Camera(Camera):
         Raises:
             DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is already disconnected.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} not connected.")
 
         if self.cam_manager is not None:
             self.cam_manager.disconnect()

src/lerobot/cameras/realsense/camera_realsense.py

@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ try:
 except Exception as e:
     logging.info(f"Could not import realsense: {e}")
 
-from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceAlreadyConnectedError, DeviceNotConnectedError
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_already_connected, check_if_not_connected
+from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceNotConnectedError
 
 from ..camera import Camera
 from ..configs import ColorMode
@@ -72,15 +73,14 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         camera = RealSenseCamera(config)
         camera.connect()
 
-        # Read 1 frame synchronously
+        # Read 1 frame synchronously (blocking)
         color_image = camera.read()
-        print(color_image.shape)
 
-        # Read 1 frame asynchronously
+        # Read 1 frame asynchronously (waits for new frame with a timeout)
         async_image = camera.async_read()
 
-        # When done, properly disconnect the camera using
-        camera.disconnect()
+        # Get the latest frame immediately (no wait, returns timestamp)
+        latest_image, timestamp = camera.read_latest()
 
         # Example with depth capture and custom settings
         custom_config = RealSenseCameraConfig(
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         self.thread: Thread | None = None
         self.stop_event: Event | None = None
         self.frame_lock: Lock = Lock()
-        self.latest_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_color_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_depth_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_timestamp: float | None = None
         self.new_frame_event: Event = Event()
 
         self.rotation: int | None = get_cv2_rotation(config.rotation)
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         """Checks if the camera pipeline is started and streams are active."""
         return self.rs_pipeline is not None and self.rs_profile is not None
 
+    @check_if_already_connected
     def connect(self, warmup: bool = True) -> None:
         """
         Connects to the RealSense camera specified in the configuration.
@@ -158,14 +161,16 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         Initializes the RealSense pipeline, configures the required streams (color
         and optionally depth), starts the pipeline, and validates the actual stream settings.
 
+        Args:
+            warmup (bool): If True, waits at connect() time until at least one valid frame
+                           has been captured by the background thread. Defaults to True.
+
         Raises:
             DeviceAlreadyConnectedError: If the camera is already connected.
             ValueError: If the configuration is invalid (e.g., missing serial/name, name not unique).
             ConnectionError: If the camera is found but fails to start the pipeline or no RealSense devices are detected at all.
             RuntimeError: If the pipeline starts but fails to apply requested settings.
         """
-        if self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(f"{self} is already connected.")
 
         self.rs_pipeline = rs.pipeline()
         rs_config = rs.config()
@@ -181,15 +186,18 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             ) from e
 
         self._configure_capture_settings()
+        self._start_read_thread()
 
-        if warmup:
-            time.sleep(
-                1
-            )  # NOTE(Steven): RS cameras need a bit of time to warm up before the first read. If we don't wait, the first read from the warmup will raise.
-            start_time = time.time()
-            while time.time() - start_time < self.warmup_s:
-                self.read()
-                time.sleep(0.1)
+        # NOTE(Steven/Caroline): Enforcing at least one second of warmup as RS cameras need a bit of time before the first read. If we don't wait, the first read from the warmup will raise.
+        self.warmup_s = max(self.warmup_s, 1)
+
+        start_time = time.time()
+        while time.time() - start_time < self.warmup_s:
+            self.async_read(timeout_ms=self.warmup_s * 1000)
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            if self.latest_color_frame is None or self.use_depth and self.latest_depth_frame is None:
+                raise ConnectionError(f"{self} failed to capture frames during warmup.")
 
         logger.info(f"{self} connected.")
 
@@ -282,6 +290,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             if self.use_depth:
                 rs_config.enable_stream(rs.stream.depth)
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def _configure_capture_settings(self) -> None:
         """Sets fps, width, and height from device stream if not already configured.
 
@@ -291,8 +300,6 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         Raises:
             DeviceNotConnectedError: If device is not connected.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"Cannot validate settings for {self} as it is not connected.")
 
         if self.rs_profile is None:
             raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: rs_profile must be initialized before use.")
@@ -312,6 +319,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
                 self.width, self.height = actual_width, actual_height
                 self.capture_width, self.capture_height = actual_width, actual_height
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def read_depth(self, timeout_ms: int = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads a single frame (depth) synchronously from the camera.
@@ -319,9 +327,6 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         This is a blocking call. It waits for a coherent set of frames (depth)
         from the camera hardware via the RealSense pipeline.
 
-        Args:
-            timeout_ms (int): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame. Defaults to 200ms.
-
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The depth map as a NumPy array (height, width)
                   of type `np.uint16` (raw depth values in millimeters) and rotation.
@@ -330,44 +335,50 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
             RuntimeError: If reading frames from the pipeline fails or frames are invalid.
         """
+        if timeout_ms:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() timeout_ms parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
 
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
         if not self.use_depth:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"Failed to capture depth frame '.read_depth()'. Depth stream is not enabled for {self}."
             )
 
-        start_time = time.perf_counter()
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
+        self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
+        _ = self.async_read(timeout_ms=10000)
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            depth_map = self.latest_depth_frame
+
+        if depth_map is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("No depth frame available. Ensure camera is streaming.")
+
+        return depth_map
+
+    def _read_from_hardware(self):
         if self.rs_pipeline is None:
             raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: rs_pipeline must be initialized before use.")
 
-        ret, frame = self.rs_pipeline.try_wait_for_frames(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
+        ret, frame = self.rs_pipeline.try_wait_for_frames(timeout_ms=10000)
 
         if not ret or frame is None:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read_depth failed (status={ret}).")
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read failed (status={ret}).")
 
-        depth_frame = frame.get_depth_frame()
-        depth_map = np.asanyarray(depth_frame.get_data())
+        return frame
 
-        depth_map_processed = self._postprocess_image(depth_map, depth_frame=True)
-
-        read_duration_ms = (time.perf_counter() - start_time) * 1e3
-        logger.debug(f"{self} read took: {read_duration_ms:.1f}ms")
-
-        return depth_map_processed
-
-    def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None, timeout_ms: int = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None, timeout_ms: int = 0) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads a single frame (color) synchronously from the camera.
 
         This is a blocking call. It waits for a coherent set of frames (color)
         from the camera hardware via the RealSense pipeline.
 
-        Args:
-            timeout_ms (int): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame. Defaults to 200ms.
-
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The captured color frame as a NumPy array
               (height, width, channels), processed according to `color_mode` and rotation.
@@ -378,39 +389,36 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             ValueError: If an invalid `color_mode` is requested.
         """
 
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
-
         start_time = time.perf_counter()
 
-        if self.rs_pipeline is None:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: rs_pipeline must be initialized before use.")
+        if color_mode is not None:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() color_mode parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
 
-        ret, frame = self.rs_pipeline.try_wait_for_frames(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
+        if timeout_ms:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() timeout_ms parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
 
-        if not ret or frame is None:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read failed (status={ret}).")
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
-        color_frame = frame.get_color_frame()
-        color_image_raw = np.asanyarray(color_frame.get_data())
+        self.new_frame_event.clear()
 
-        color_image_processed = self._postprocess_image(color_image_raw, color_mode)
+        frame = self.async_read(timeout_ms=10000)
 
         read_duration_ms = (time.perf_counter() - start_time) * 1e3
         logger.debug(f"{self} read took: {read_duration_ms:.1f}ms")
 
-        return color_image_processed
+        return frame
 
-    def _postprocess_image(
-        self, image: NDArray[Any], color_mode: ColorMode | None = None, depth_frame: bool = False
-    ) -> NDArray[Any]:
+    def _postprocess_image(self, image: NDArray[Any], depth_frame: bool = False) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Applies color conversion, dimension validation, and rotation to a raw color frame.
 
         Args:
             image (np.ndarray): The raw image frame (expected RGB format from RealSense).
-            color_mode (Optional[ColorMode]): The target color mode (RGB or BGR). If None,
-                                             uses the instance's default `self.color_mode`.
 
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The processed image frame according to `self.color_mode` and `self.rotation`.
@@ -421,9 +429,9 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
                           `width` and `height`.
         """
 
-        if color_mode and color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
+        if self.color_mode and self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Invalid requested color mode '{color_mode}'. Expected {ColorMode.RGB} or {ColorMode.BGR}."
+                f"Invalid requested color mode '{self.color_mode}'. Expected {ColorMode.RGB} or {ColorMode.BGR}."
             )
 
         if depth_frame:
@@ -454,7 +462,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
 
         On each iteration:
         1. Reads a color frame with 500ms timeout
-        2. Stores result in latest_frame (thread-safe)
+        2. Stores result in latest_frame and updates timestamp (thread-safe)
         3. Sets new_frame_event to notify listeners
 
         Stops on DeviceNotConnectedError, logs other errors and continues.
@@ -462,25 +470,41 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         if self.stop_event is None:
             raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: stop_event is not initialized before starting read loop.")
 
+        failure_count = 0
         while not self.stop_event.is_set():
             try:
-                color_image = self.read(timeout_ms=500)
+                frame = self._read_from_hardware()
+                color_frame_raw = frame.get_color_frame()
+                color_frame = np.asanyarray(color_frame_raw.get_data())
+                processed_color_frame = self._postprocess_image(color_frame)
+
+                if self.use_depth:
+                    depth_frame_raw = frame.get_depth_frame()
+                    depth_frame = np.asanyarray(depth_frame_raw.get_data())
+                    processed_depth_frame = self._postprocess_image(depth_frame, depth_frame=True)
+
+                capture_time = time.perf_counter()
 
                 with self.frame_lock:
-                    self.latest_frame = color_image
+                    self.latest_color_frame = processed_color_frame
+                    if self.use_depth:
+                        self.latest_depth_frame = processed_depth_frame
+                    self.latest_timestamp = capture_time
                 self.new_frame_event.set()
+                failure_count = 0
 
             except DeviceNotConnectedError:
                 break
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.warning(f"Error reading frame in background thread for {self}: {e}")
+                if failure_count <= 10:
+                    failure_count += 1
+                    logger.warning(f"Error reading frame in background thread for {self}: {e}")
+                else:
+                    raise RuntimeError(f"{self} exceeded maximum consecutive read failures.") from e
 
     def _start_read_thread(self) -> None:
         """Starts or restarts the background read thread if it's not running."""
-        if self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive():
-            self.thread.join(timeout=0.1)
-        if self.stop_event is not None:
-            self.stop_event.set()
+        self._stop_read_thread()
 
         self.stop_event = Event()
         self.thread = Thread(target=self._read_loop, args=(), name=f"{self}_read_loop")
@@ -498,7 +522,14 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         self.thread = None
         self.stop_event = None
 
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_color_frame = None
+            self.latest_depth_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
     # NOTE(Steven): Missing implementation for depth for now
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
         Reads the latest available frame data (color) asynchronously.
@@ -506,6 +537,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         This method retrieves the most recent color frame captured by the background
         read thread. It does not block waiting for the camera hardware directly,
         but may wait up to timeout_ms for the background thread to provide a frame.
+        It is “best effort” under high FPS.
 
         Args:
             timeout_ms (float): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame
@@ -520,21 +552,18 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             TimeoutError: If no frame data becomes available within the specified timeout.
             RuntimeError: If the background thread died unexpectedly or another error occurs.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
 
         if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
-            self._start_read_thread()
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
         if not self.new_frame_event.wait(timeout=timeout_ms / 1000.0):
-            thread_alive = self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive()
             raise TimeoutError(
                 f"Timed out waiting for frame from camera {self} after {timeout_ms} ms. "
-                f"Read thread alive: {thread_alive}."
+                f"Read thread alive: {self.thread.is_alive()}."
             )
 
         with self.frame_lock:
-            frame = self.latest_frame
+            frame = self.latest_color_frame
             self.new_frame_event.clear()
 
         if frame is None:
@@ -542,6 +571,42 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
 
         return frame
 
+    # NOTE(Steven): Missing implementation for depth for now
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read_latest(self, max_age_ms: int = 1000) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Return the most recent (color) frame captured immediately (Peeking).
+
+        This method is non-blocking and returns whatever is currently in the
+        memory buffer. The frame may be stale,
+        meaning it could have been captured a while ago (hanging camera scenario e.g.).
+
+        Returns:
+            NDArray[Any]: The frame image (numpy array).
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If the latest frame is older than `max_age_ms`.
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera is connected but has not captured any frames yet.
+        """
+
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            frame = self.latest_color_frame
+            timestamp = self.latest_timestamp
+
+        if frame is None or timestamp is None:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} has not captured any frames yet.")
+
+        age_ms = (time.perf_counter() - timestamp) * 1e3
+        if age_ms > max_age_ms:
+            raise TimeoutError(
+                f"{self} latest frame is too old: {age_ms:.1f} ms (max allowed: {max_age_ms} ms)."
+            )
+
+        return frame
+
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """
         Disconnects from the camera, stops the pipeline, and cleans up resources.
@@ -565,4 +630,10 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
             self.rs_pipeline = None
             self.rs_profile = None
 
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_color_frame = None
+            self.latest_depth_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
         logger.info(f"{self} disconnected.")

src/lerobot/cameras/realsense/configuration_realsense.py

@@ -60,20 +60,8 @@ class RealSenseCameraConfig(CameraConfig):
     warmup_s: int = 1
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
-        if self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`color_mode` is expected to be {ColorMode.RGB.value} or {ColorMode.BGR.value}, but {self.color_mode} is provided."
-            )
-
-        if self.rotation not in (
-            Cv2Rotation.NO_ROTATION,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_90,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_180,
-            Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_270,
-        ):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`rotation` is expected to be in {(Cv2Rotation.NO_ROTATION, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_90, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_180, Cv2Rotation.ROTATE_270)}, but {self.rotation} is provided."
-            )
+        self.color_mode = ColorMode(self.color_mode)
+        self.rotation = Cv2Rotation(self.rotation)
 
         values = (self.fps, self.width, self.height)
         if any(v is not None for v in values) and any(v is None for v in values):

src/lerobot/cameras/utils.py

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import platform
 from typing import cast
 
 from lerobot.utils.import_utils import make_device_from_device_class
@@ -68,14 +67,3 @@ def get_cv2_rotation(rotation: Cv2Rotation) -> int | None:
         return int(cv2.ROTATE_90_COUNTERCLOCKWISE)
     else:
         return None
-
-
-def get_cv2_backend() -> int:
-    import cv2
-
-    if platform.system() == "Windows":
-        return int(cv2.CAP_MSMF)  # Use MSMF for Windows instead of AVFOUNDATION
-    # elif platform.system() == "Darwin":  # macOS
-    #     return cv2.CAP_AVFOUNDATION
-    else:  # Linux and others
-        return int(cv2.CAP_ANY)

src/lerobot/cameras/zmq/camera_zmq.py

@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ import cv2
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.typing import NDArray
 
-from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceAlreadyConnectedError, DeviceNotConnectedError
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_already_connected, check_if_not_connected
+from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceNotConnectedError
 
 from ..camera import Camera
 from ..configs import ColorMode
@@ -45,6 +46,12 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class ZMQCamera(Camera):
     """
+    Manages camera interactions via ZeroMQ for receiving frames from a remote server.
+
+    This class connects to a ZMQ Publisher, subscribes to frame topics, and decodes
+    incoming JSON messages containing Base64 encoded images. It supports both
+    synchronous and asynchronous frame reading patterns.
+
     Example usage:
         ```python
         from lerobot.cameras.zmq import ZMQCamera, ZMQCameraConfig
@@ -52,7 +59,16 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
         config = ZMQCameraConfig(server_address="192.168.123.164", port=5555, camera_name="head_camera")
         camera = ZMQCamera(config)
         camera.connect()
-        frame = camera.read()
+
+        # Read 1 frame synchronously (blocking)
+        color_image = camera.read()
+
+        # Read 1 frame asynchronously (waits for new frame with a timeout)
+        async_image = camera.async_read()
+
+        # Get the latest frame immediately (no wait, returns timestamp)
+        latest_image, timestamp = camera.read_latest()
+
         camera.disconnect()
         ```
     """
@@ -68,14 +84,17 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
         self.color_mode = config.color_mode
         self.timeout_ms = config.timeout_ms
 
+        # ZMQ Context and Socket
         self.context: zmq.Context | None = None
         self.socket: zmq.Socket | None = None
         self._connected = False
 
+        # Threading resources
         self.thread: Thread | None = None
         self.stop_event: Event | None = None
         self.frame_lock: Lock = Lock()
         self.latest_frame: NDArray[Any] | None = None
+        self.latest_timestamp: float | None = None
         self.new_frame_event: Event = Event()
 
     def __str__(self) -> str:
@@ -83,12 +102,17 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
 
     @property
     def is_connected(self) -> bool:
+        """Checks if the ZMQ socket is initialized and connected."""
         return self._connected and self.context is not None and self.socket is not None
 
+    @check_if_already_connected
     def connect(self, warmup: bool = True) -> None:
-        """Connect to ZMQ camera server."""
-        if self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(f"{self} is already connected.")
+        """Connect to ZMQ camera server.
+
+        Args:
+            warmup (bool): If True, waits for the camera to provide at least one
+                           valid frame before returning. Defaults to True.
+        """
 
         logger.info(f"Connecting to {self}...")
 
@@ -103,17 +127,28 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
             self.socket.connect(f"tcp://{self.server_address}:{self.port}")
             self._connected = True
 
-            # Auto-detect resolution
+            # Auto-detect resolution if not provided
             if self.width is None or self.height is None:
-                h, w = self.read().shape[:2]
+                # Read directly from hardware because the thread isn't running yet
+                temp_frame = self._read_from_hardware()
+                h, w = temp_frame.shape[:2]
                 self.height = h
                 self.width = w
-                logger.info(f"{self} resolution: {w}x{h}")
+                logger.info(f"{self} resolution detected: {w}x{h}")
 
+            self._start_read_thread()
             logger.info(f"{self} connected.")
 
             if warmup:
-                time.sleep(0.1)
+                # Ensure we have captured at least one frame via the thread
+                start_time = time.time()
+                while time.time() - start_time < (self.config.warmup_s):  # Wait a bit more than timeout
+                    self.async_read(timeout_ms=self.config.warmup_s * 1000)
+                    time.sleep(0.1)
+
+                with self.frame_lock:
+                    if self.latest_frame is None:
+                        raise ConnectionError(f"{self} failed to capture frames during warmup.")
 
         except Exception as e:
             self._cleanup()
@@ -131,15 +166,14 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
 
     @staticmethod
     def find_cameras() -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
-        """ZMQ cameras require manual configuration (server address/port)."""
-        return []
-
-    def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
         """
-        Read a single frame from the ZMQ camera.
+        Detection not implemented for ZMQ cameras. These cameras require manual configuration (server address/port).
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError("Camera detection is not implemented for ZMQ cameras.")
 
-        Returns:
-            np.ndarray: Decoded frame (height, width, 3)
+    def _read_from_hardware(self) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """
+        Reads a single frame directly from the ZMQ socket.
         """
         if not self.is_connected or self.socket is None:
             raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
@@ -147,6 +181,7 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
         try:
             message = self.socket.recv_string()
         except Exception as e:
+            # Check for ZMQ timeout (EAGAIN/Again) without requiring global zmq import
             if type(e).__name__ == "Again":
                 raise TimeoutError(f"{self} timeout after {self.timeout_ms}ms") from e
             raise
@@ -176,42 +211,114 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
 
         return frame
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read(self, color_mode: ColorMode | None = None) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """
+        Reads a single frame synchronously from the camera.
+
+        This is a blocking call. It waits for the next available frame from the
+        camera background thread.
+
+        Returns:
+            np.ndarray: Decoded frame (height, width, 3)
+        """
+        start_time = time.perf_counter()
+
+        if color_mode is not None:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"{self} read() color_mode parameter is deprecated and will be removed in future versions."
+            )
+
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
+
+        self.new_frame_event.clear()
+        frame = self.async_read(timeout_ms=10000)
+
+        read_duration_ms = (time.perf_counter() - start_time) * 1e3
+        logger.debug(f"{self} read took: {read_duration_ms:.1f}ms")
+
+        return frame
+
     def _read_loop(self) -> None:
-        while self.stop_event and not self.stop_event.is_set():
+        """
+        Internal loop run by the background thread for asynchronous reading.
+        """
+        if self.stop_event is None:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self}: stop_event is not initialized.")
+
+        failure_count = 0
+        while not self.stop_event.is_set():
             try:
-                frame = self.read()
+                frame = self._read_from_hardware()
+                capture_time = time.perf_counter()
+
                 with self.frame_lock:
                     self.latest_frame = frame
+                    self.latest_timestamp = capture_time
                 self.new_frame_event.set()
+                failure_count = 0
+
             except DeviceNotConnectedError:
                 break
-            except TimeoutError:
-                pass
-            except Exception as e:
-                logger.warning(f"Read error: {e}")
+            except (TimeoutError, Exception) as e:
+                if failure_count <= 10:
+                    failure_count += 1
+                    logger.warning(f"Read error: {e}")
+                else:
+                    raise RuntimeError(f"{self} exceeded maximum consecutive read failures.") from e
 
     def _start_read_thread(self) -> None:
-        if self.thread and self.thread.is_alive():
-            return
+        if self.stop_event is not None:
+            self.stop_event.set()
+        if self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive():
+            self.thread.join(timeout=2.0)
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
         self.stop_event = Event()
-        self.thread = Thread(target=self._read_loop, daemon=True)
+        self.thread = Thread(target=self._read_loop, daemon=True, name=f"{self}_read_loop")
         self.thread.start()
+        time.sleep(0.1)
 
     def _stop_read_thread(self) -> None:
-        if self.stop_event:
+        if self.stop_event is not None:
             self.stop_event.set()
-        if self.thread and self.thread.is_alive():
+
+        if self.thread is not None and self.thread.is_alive():
             self.thread.join(timeout=2.0)
+
         self.thread = None
         self.stop_event = None
 
-    def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = 10000) -> NDArray[Any]:
-        """Read latest frame asynchronously (non-blocking)."""
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} is not connected.")
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
 
-        if not self.thread or not self.thread.is_alive():
-            self._start_read_thread()
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def async_read(self, timeout_ms: float = 200) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """
+        Reads the latest available frame asynchronously.
+
+        Args:
+            timeout_ms (float): Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a frame
+                to become available. Defaults to 200ms.
+
+        Returns:
+            np.ndarray: The latest captured frame.
+
+        Raises:
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            TimeoutError: If no frame data becomes available within the specified timeout.
+            RuntimeError: If the background thread is not running.
+        """
+
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
 
         if not self.new_frame_event.wait(timeout=timeout_ms / 1000.0):
             raise TimeoutError(f"{self} async_read timeout after {timeout_ms}ms")
@@ -225,11 +332,54 @@ class ZMQCamera(Camera):
 
         return frame
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read_latest(self, max_age_ms: int = 1000) -> NDArray[Any]:
+        """Return the most recent frame captured immediately (Peeking).
+
+        This method is non-blocking and returns whatever is currently in the
+        memory buffer. The frame may be stale,
+        meaning it could have been captured a while ago (hanging camera scenario e.g.).
+
+        Returns:
+            NDArray[Any]: The frame image (numpy array).
+
+        Raises:
+            TimeoutError: If the latest frame is older than `max_age_ms`.
+            DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
+            RuntimeError: If the camera is connected but has not captured any frames yet.
+        """
+
+        if self.thread is None or not self.thread.is_alive():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} read thread is not running.")
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            frame = self.latest_frame
+            timestamp = self.latest_timestamp
+
+        if frame is None or timestamp is None:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"{self} has not captured any frames yet.")
+
+        age_ms = (time.perf_counter() - timestamp) * 1e3
+        if age_ms > max_age_ms:
+            raise TimeoutError(
+                f"{self} latest frame is too old: {age_ms:.1f} ms (max allowed: {max_age_ms} ms)."
+            )
+
+        return frame
+
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """Disconnect from ZMQ camera."""
-        if not self.is_connected and not self.thread:
+        if not self.is_connected and self.thread is None:
             raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} not connected.")
 
-        self._stop_read_thread()
+        if self.thread is not None:
+            self._stop_read_thread()
+
         self._cleanup()
+
+        with self.frame_lock:
+            self.latest_frame = None
+            self.latest_timestamp = None
+            self.new_frame_event.clear()
+
         logger.info(f"{self} disconnected.")

src/lerobot/cameras/zmq/configuration_zmq.py

@@ -29,12 +29,10 @@ class ZMQCameraConfig(CameraConfig):
     camera_name: str = "zmq_camera"
     color_mode: ColorMode = ColorMode.RGB
     timeout_ms: int = 5000
+    warmup_s: int = 1
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
-        if self.color_mode not in (ColorMode.RGB, ColorMode.BGR):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"`color_mode` is expected to be {ColorMode.RGB.value} or {ColorMode.BGR.value}, but {self.color_mode} is provided."
-            )
+        self.color_mode = ColorMode(self.color_mode)
 
         if self.timeout_ms <= 0:
             raise ValueError(f"`timeout_ms` must be positive, but {self.timeout_ms} is provided.")

src/lerobot/configs/policies.py

@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ class PreTrainedConfig(draccus.ChoiceRegistry, HubMixin, abc.ABC):  # type: igno
     Args:
         n_obs_steps: Number of environment steps worth of observations to pass to the policy (takes the
             current step and additional steps going back).
-        input_shapes: A dictionary defining the shapes of the input data for the policy.
-        output_shapes: A dictionary defining the shapes of the output data for the policy.
-        input_normalization_modes: A dictionary with key representing the modality and the value specifies the
-            normalization mode to apply.
-        output_normalization_modes: Similar dictionary as `input_normalization_modes`, but to unnormalize to
-            the original scale.
+        input_features: A dictionary defining the PolicyFeature of the input data for the policy. The key represents
+            the input data name, and the value is PolicyFeature, which consists of FeatureType and shape attributes.
+        output_features: A dictionary defining the PolicyFeature of the output data for the policy. The key represents
+            the output data name, and the value is PolicyFeature, which consists of FeatureType and shape attributes.
+        normalization_mapping: A dictionary that maps from a str value of FeatureType (e.g., "STATE", "VISUAL") to
+            a corresponding NormalizationMode (e.g., NormalizationMode.MIN_MAX)
     """
 
     n_obs_steps: int = 1

src/lerobot/configs/types.py

@@ -50,3 +50,8 @@ class RTCAttentionSchedule(str, Enum):
     ONES = "ONES"
     LINEAR = "LINEAR"
     EXP = "EXP"
+
+
+class RTCTrainingDelayDistribution(str, Enum):
+    UNIFORM = "UNIFORM"
+    EXP = "EXP"

src/lerobot/datasets/aggregate.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import logging
 import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import datasets
 import pandas as pd
 import tqdm
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     DEFAULT_VIDEO_FILE_SIZE_IN_MB,
     DEFAULT_VIDEO_PATH,
     get_file_size_in_mb,
+    get_hf_features_from_features,
     get_parquet_file_size_in_mb,
     to_parquet_with_hf_images,
     update_chunk_file_indices,
@@ -114,6 +116,9 @@ def update_meta_data(
     Adjusts all indices and timestamps to account for previously aggregated
     data and videos in the destination dataset.
 
+    For data file indices, uses the 'src_to_dst' mapping from aggregate_data()
+    to correctly map source file indices to their destination locations.
+
     Args:
         df: DataFrame containing the metadata to be updated.
         dst_meta: Destination dataset metadata.
@@ -127,8 +132,50 @@ def update_meta_data(
 
     df["meta/episodes/chunk_index"] = df["meta/episodes/chunk_index"] + meta_idx["chunk"]
     df["meta/episodes/file_index"] = df["meta/episodes/file_index"] + meta_idx["file"]
-    df["data/chunk_index"] = df["data/chunk_index"] + data_idx["chunk"]
-    df["data/file_index"] = df["data/file_index"] + data_idx["file"]
+
+    # Update data file indices using source-to-destination mapping
+    # This is critical for handling datasets that are already results of a merge
+    data_src_to_dst = data_idx.get("src_to_dst", {})
+    if data_src_to_dst:
+        # Store original indices for lookup
+        df["_orig_data_chunk"] = df["data/chunk_index"].copy()
+        df["_orig_data_file"] = df["data/file_index"].copy()
+
+        # Vectorized mapping from (src_chunk, src_file) to (dst_chunk, dst_file)
+        # This is much faster than per-row iteration for large metadata tables
+        mapping_index = pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+            list(data_src_to_dst.keys()),
+            names=["chunk_index", "file_index"],
+        )
+        mapping_values = list(data_src_to_dst.values())
+        mapping_df = pd.DataFrame(
+            mapping_values,
+            index=mapping_index,
+            columns=["dst_chunk", "dst_file"],
+        )
+
+        # Construct a MultiIndex for each row based on original data indices
+        row_index = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
+            [df["_orig_data_chunk"], df["_orig_data_file"]],
+            names=["chunk_index", "file_index"],
+        )
+
+        # Align mapping to rows; missing keys fall back to the default destination
+        reindexed = mapping_df.reindex(row_index)
+        reindexed[["dst_chunk", "dst_file"]] = reindexed[["dst_chunk", "dst_file"]].fillna(
+            {"dst_chunk": data_idx["chunk"], "dst_file": data_idx["file"]}
+        )
+
+        # Assign mapped destination indices back to the DataFrame
+        df["data/chunk_index"] = reindexed["dst_chunk"].to_numpy()
+        df["data/file_index"] = reindexed["dst_file"].to_numpy()
+
+        # Clean up temporary columns
+        df = df.drop(columns=["_orig_data_chunk", "_orig_data_file"])
+    else:
+        # Fallback to simple offset (backward compatibility for single-file sources)
+        df["data/chunk_index"] = df["data/chunk_index"] + data_idx["chunk"]
+        df["data/file_index"] = df["data/file_index"] + data_idx["file"]
     for key, video_idx in videos_idx.items():
         # Store original video file indices before updating
         orig_chunk_col = f"videos/{key}/chunk_index"
@@ -144,8 +191,7 @@ def update_meta_data(
         if src_to_dst:
             # Map each episode to its correct destination file and apply offset
             for idx in df.index:
-                # Convert to Python int to avoid numpy type mismatch in dict lookup
-                src_key = (int(df.at[idx, "_orig_chunk"]), int(df.at[idx, "_orig_file"]))
+                src_key = (df.at[idx, "_orig_chunk"], df.at[idx, "_orig_file"])
 
                 # Get destination chunk/file for this source file
                 dst_chunk, dst_file = src_to_dst.get(src_key, (video_idx["chunk"], video_idx["file"]))
@@ -161,8 +207,7 @@ def update_meta_data(
             df[orig_chunk_col] = video_idx["chunk"]
             df[orig_file_col] = video_idx["file"]
             for idx in df.index:
-                # Convert to Python int to avoid numpy type mismatch in dict lookup
-                src_key = (int(df.at[idx, "_orig_chunk"]), int(df.at[idx, "_orig_file"]))
+                src_key = (df.at[idx, "_orig_chunk"], df.at[idx, "_orig_file"])
                 offset = src_to_offset.get(src_key, 0)
                 df.at[idx, f"videos/{key}/from_timestamp"] += offset
                 df.at[idx, f"videos/{key}/to_timestamp"] += offset
@@ -260,6 +305,10 @@ def aggregate_datasets(
 
         meta_idx = aggregate_metadata(src_meta, dst_meta, meta_idx, data_idx, videos_idx)
 
+        # Clear the src_to_dst mapping after processing each source dataset
+        # to avoid interference between different source datasets
+        data_idx.pop("src_to_dst", None)
+
         dst_meta.info["total_episodes"] += src_meta.total_episodes
         dst_meta.info["total_frames"] += src_meta.total_frames
 
@@ -310,10 +359,6 @@ def aggregate_videos(src_meta, dst_meta, videos_idx, video_files_size_in_mb, chu
         dst_file_durations = video_idx["dst_file_durations"]
 
         for src_chunk_idx, src_file_idx in unique_chunk_file_pairs:
-            # Convert to Python int to ensure consistent dict keys
-            src_chunk_idx = int(src_chunk_idx)
-            src_file_idx = int(src_file_idx)
-
             src_path = src_meta.root / DEFAULT_VIDEO_PATH.format(
                 video_key=key,
                 chunk_index=src_chunk_idx,
@@ -386,10 +431,16 @@ def aggregate_data(src_meta, dst_meta, data_idx, data_files_size_in_mb, chunk_si
     Reads source data files, updates indices to match the aggregated dataset,
     and writes them to the destination with proper file rotation.
 
+    Tracks a `src_to_dst` mapping from source (chunk, file) to destination (chunk, file)
+    which is critical for correctly updating episode metadata when source datasets
+    have multiple data files (e.g., from a previous merge operation).
+
     Args:
         src_meta: Source dataset metadata.
         dst_meta: Destination dataset metadata.
         data_idx: Dictionary tracking data chunk and file indices.
+        data_files_size_in_mb: Maximum size for data files in MB.
+        chunk_size: Maximum number of files per chunk.
 
     Returns:
         dict: Updated data_idx with current chunk and file indices.
@@ -402,25 +453,47 @@ def aggregate_data(src_meta, dst_meta, data_idx, data_files_size_in_mb, chunk_si
     }
 
     unique_chunk_file_ids = sorted(unique_chunk_file_ids)
+    contains_images = len(dst_meta.image_keys) > 0
+
+    # retrieve features schema for proper image typing in parquet
+    hf_features = get_hf_features_from_features(dst_meta.features) if contains_images else None
+
+    # Track source to destination file mapping for metadata update
+    # This is critical for handling datasets that are already results of a merge
+    src_to_dst: dict[tuple[int, int], tuple[int, int]] = {}
 
     for src_chunk_idx, src_file_idx in unique_chunk_file_ids:
         src_path = src_meta.root / DEFAULT_DATA_PATH.format(
             chunk_index=src_chunk_idx, file_index=src_file_idx
         )
-        df = pd.read_parquet(src_path)
+        if contains_images:
+            # Use HuggingFace datasets to read source data to preserve image format
+            src_ds = datasets.Dataset.from_parquet(str(src_path))
+            df = src_ds.to_pandas()
+        else:
+            df = pd.read_parquet(src_path)
         df = update_data_df(df, src_meta, dst_meta)
 
-        data_idx = append_or_create_parquet_file(
+        # Write data and get the actual destination file it was written to
+        # This avoids duplicating the rotation logic here
+        data_idx, (dst_chunk, dst_file) = append_or_create_parquet_file(
             df,
             src_path,
             data_idx,
             data_files_size_in_mb,
             chunk_size,
             DEFAULT_DATA_PATH,
-            contains_images=len(dst_meta.image_keys) > 0,
+            contains_images=contains_images,
             aggr_root=dst_meta.root,
+            hf_features=hf_features,
         )
 
+        # Record the mapping from source to actual destination
+        src_to_dst[(src_chunk_idx, src_file_idx)] = (dst_chunk, dst_file)
+
+    # Add the mapping to data_idx for use in metadata update
+    data_idx["src_to_dst"] = src_to_dst
+
     return data_idx
 
 
@@ -461,7 +534,7 @@ def aggregate_metadata(src_meta, dst_meta, meta_idx, data_idx, videos_idx):
             videos_idx,
         )
 
-        meta_idx = append_or_create_parquet_file(
+        meta_idx, _ = append_or_create_parquet_file(
             df,
             src_path,
             meta_idx,
@@ -488,7 +561,8 @@ def append_or_create_parquet_file(
     default_path: str,
     contains_images: bool = False,
     aggr_root: Path = None,
-):
+    hf_features: datasets.Features | None = None,
+) -> tuple[dict[str, int], tuple[int, int]]:
     """Appends data to an existing parquet file or creates a new one based on size constraints.
 
     Manages file rotation when size limits are exceeded to prevent individual files
@@ -503,40 +577,49 @@ def append_or_create_parquet_file(
         default_path: Format string for generating file paths.
         contains_images: Whether the data contains images requiring special handling.
         aggr_root: Root path for the aggregated dataset.
+        hf_features: Optional HuggingFace Features schema for proper image typing.
 
     Returns:
-        dict: Updated index dictionary with current chunk and file indices.
+        tuple: (updated_idx, (dst_chunk, dst_file)) where updated_idx is the index dict
+               and (dst_chunk, dst_file) is the actual destination file the data was written to.
     """
-    dst_path = aggr_root / default_path.format(chunk_index=idx["chunk"], file_index=idx["file"])
+    dst_chunk, dst_file = idx["chunk"], idx["file"]
+    dst_path = aggr_root / default_path.format(chunk_index=dst_chunk, file_index=dst_file)
 
     if not dst_path.exists():
         dst_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         if contains_images:
-            to_parquet_with_hf_images(df, dst_path)
+            to_parquet_with_hf_images(df, dst_path, features=hf_features)
         else:
             df.to_parquet(dst_path)
-        return idx
+        return idx, (dst_chunk, dst_file)
 
     src_size = get_parquet_file_size_in_mb(src_path)
     dst_size = get_parquet_file_size_in_mb(dst_path)
 
     if dst_size + src_size >= max_mb:
         idx["chunk"], idx["file"] = update_chunk_file_indices(idx["chunk"], idx["file"], chunk_size)
-        new_path = aggr_root / default_path.format(chunk_index=idx["chunk"], file_index=idx["file"])
+        dst_chunk, dst_file = idx["chunk"], idx["file"]
+        new_path = aggr_root / default_path.format(chunk_index=dst_chunk, file_index=dst_file)
         new_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         final_df = df
         target_path = new_path
     else:
-        existing_df = pd.read_parquet(dst_path)
+        if contains_images:
+            # Use HuggingFace datasets to read existing data to preserve image format
+            existing_ds = datasets.Dataset.from_parquet(str(dst_path))
+            existing_df = existing_ds.to_pandas()
+        else:
+            existing_df = pd.read_parquet(dst_path)
         final_df = pd.concat([existing_df, df], ignore_index=True)
         target_path = dst_path
 
     if contains_images:
-        to_parquet_with_hf_images(final_df, target_path)
+        to_parquet_with_hf_images(final_df, target_path, features=hf_features)
     else:
         final_df.to_parquet(target_path)
 
-    return idx
+    return idx, (dst_chunk, dst_file)
 
 
 def finalize_aggregation(aggr_meta, all_metadata):

src/lerobot/datasets/compute_stats.py

@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import logging
+import time
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+
 import numpy as np
 
 from lerobot.datasets.utils import load_image_as_numpy
@@ -227,19 +231,20 @@ def auto_downsample_height_width(img: np.ndarray, target_size: int = 150, max_si
     return img[:, ::downsample_factor, ::downsample_factor]
 
 
+def _load_single_image(path: str) -> np.ndarray:
+    img = load_image_as_numpy(path, dtype=np.uint8, channel_first=True)
+    return auto_downsample_height_width(img)
+
+
 def sample_images(image_paths: list[str]) -> np.ndarray:
     sampled_indices = sample_indices(len(image_paths))
+    paths = [image_paths[idx] for idx in sampled_indices]
 
-    images = None
-    for i, idx in enumerate(sampled_indices):
-        path = image_paths[idx]
-        # we load as uint8 to reduce memory usage
-        img = load_image_as_numpy(path, dtype=np.uint8, channel_first=True)
-        img = auto_downsample_height_width(img)
-
-        if images is None:
-            images = np.empty((len(sampled_indices), *img.shape), dtype=np.uint8)
+    with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=min(8, len(paths))) as pool:
+        loaded = list(pool.map(_load_single_image, paths))
 
+    images = np.empty((len(loaded), *loaded[0].shape), dtype=np.uint8)
+    for i, img in enumerate(loaded):
         images[i] = img
 
     return images
@@ -504,27 +509,46 @@ def compute_episode_stats(
         quantile_list = DEFAULT_QUANTILES
 
     ep_stats = {}
-    for key, data in episode_data.items():
-        if features[key]["dtype"] == "string":
-            continue
 
+    def _compute_single_feature_stats(key, data):
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
         if features[key]["dtype"] in ["image", "video"]:
             ep_ft_array = sample_images(data)
             axes_to_reduce = (0, 2, 3)
-            keepdims = True
+            kd = True
         else:
             ep_ft_array = data
             axes_to_reduce = 0
-            keepdims = data.ndim == 1
+            kd = data.ndim == 1
 
-        ep_stats[key] = get_feature_stats(
-            ep_ft_array, axis=axes_to_reduce, keepdims=keepdims, quantile_list=quantile_list
-        )
+        stats = get_feature_stats(ep_ft_array, axis=axes_to_reduce, keepdims=kd, quantile_list=quantile_list)
 
         if features[key]["dtype"] in ["image", "video"]:
-            ep_stats[key] = {
-                k: v if k == "count" else np.squeeze(v / 255.0, axis=0) for k, v in ep_stats[key].items()
-            }
+            stats = {k: v if k == "count" else np.squeeze(v / 255.0, axis=0) for k, v in stats.items()}
+
+        dt = time.perf_counter() - t0
+        if dt > 0.1:
+            logging.info(f"[compute_episode_stats] {key} ({features[key]['dtype']}): {dt:.2f}s")
+        return key, stats
+
+    # Split into image/video features (heavy I/O) and numeric features (fast)
+    image_keys = [(k, d) for k, d in episode_data.items()
+                  if k in features and features[k]["dtype"] in ["image", "video"]]
+    numeric_keys = [(k, d) for k, d in episode_data.items()
+                    if k in features and features[k]["dtype"] not in ["image", "video", "string"]]
+
+    # Run image features in parallel (I/O bound)
+    if image_keys:
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=len(image_keys)) as pool:
+            futures = [pool.submit(_compute_single_feature_stats, k, d) for k, d in image_keys]
+            for f in futures:
+                key, stats = f.result()
+                ep_stats[key] = stats
+
+    # Numeric features are fast — run sequentially
+    for k, d in numeric_keys:
+        _, stats = _compute_single_feature_stats(k, d)
+        ep_stats[k] = stats
 
     return ep_stats
 

src/lerobot/datasets/dataset_tools.py

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ This module provides utilities for:
 import logging
 import shutil
 from collections.abc import Callable
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import datasets
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ import torch
 from tqdm import tqdm
 
 from lerobot.datasets.aggregate import aggregate_datasets
-from lerobot.datasets.compute_stats import aggregate_stats
+from lerobot.datasets.compute_stats import aggregate_stats, compute_episode_stats, get_feature_stats
 from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset, LeRobotDatasetMetadata
 from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     DATA_DIR,
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@ from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     write_stats,
     write_tasks,
 )
-from lerobot.utils.constants import HF_LEROBOT_HOME
+from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import encode_video_frames, get_video_info
+from lerobot.utils.constants import HF_LEROBOT_HOME, OBS_IMAGE
 
 
 def _load_episode_with_stats(src_dataset: LeRobotDataset, episode_idx: int) -> dict:
@@ -1083,3 +1085,803 @@ def _copy_episodes_metadata_and_stats(
     else:
         if src_dataset.meta.stats:
             write_stats(src_dataset.meta.stats, dst_meta.root)
+
+
+def _save_episode_images_for_video(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    imgs_dir: Path,
+    img_key: str,
+    episode_index: int,
+    num_workers: int = 4,
+) -> None:
+    """Save images from a specific episode and camera to disk for video encoding.
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: The LeRobot dataset to extract images from
+        imgs_dir: Directory to save images to
+        img_key: The image key (camera) to extract
+        episode_index: Index of the episode to save
+        num_workers: Number of threads for parallel image saving
+    """
+    # Create directory
+    imgs_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    # Get dataset without torch format for PIL image access
+    hf_dataset = dataset.hf_dataset.with_format(None)
+
+    # Select only this camera's images
+    imgs_dataset = hf_dataset.select_columns(img_key)
+
+    # Get episode start and end indices
+    from_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_from_index"][episode_index]
+    to_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_to_index"][episode_index]
+
+    # Get all items for this episode
+    episode_dataset = imgs_dataset.select(range(from_idx, to_idx))
+
+    # Define function to save a single image
+    def save_single_image(i_item_tuple):
+        i, item = i_item_tuple
+        img = item[img_key]
+        # Use frame-XXXXXX.png format to match encode_video_frames expectations
+        img.save(str(imgs_dir / f"frame-{i:06d}.png"), quality=100)
+        return i
+
+    # Save images with proper naming convention for encode_video_frames (frame-XXXXXX.png)
+    items = list(enumerate(episode_dataset))
+
+    with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=num_workers) as executor:
+        futures = [executor.submit(save_single_image, item) for item in items]
+        for future in as_completed(futures):
+            future.result()  # This will raise any exceptions that occurred
+
+
+def _save_batch_episodes_images(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    imgs_dir: Path,
+    img_key: str,
+    episode_indices: list[int],
+    num_workers: int = 4,
+) -> list[float]:
+    """Save images from multiple episodes to disk for batch video encoding.
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: The LeRobot dataset to extract images from
+        imgs_dir: Directory to save images to
+        img_key: The image key (camera) to extract
+        episode_indices: List of episode indices to save
+        num_workers: Number of threads for parallel image saving
+
+    Returns:
+        List of episode durations in seconds
+    """
+    imgs_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    hf_dataset = dataset.hf_dataset.with_format(None)
+    imgs_dataset = hf_dataset.select_columns(img_key)
+
+    # Define function to save a single image with global frame index
+    # Defined once outside the loop to avoid repeated closure creation
+    def save_single_image(i_item_tuple, base_frame_idx, img_key_param):
+        i, item = i_item_tuple
+        img = item[img_key_param]
+        # Use global frame index for naming
+        img.save(str(imgs_dir / f"frame-{base_frame_idx + i:06d}.png"), quality=100)
+        return i
+
+    episode_durations = []
+    frame_idx = 0
+
+    for ep_idx in episode_indices:
+        # Get episode range
+        from_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_from_index"][ep_idx]
+        to_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_to_index"][ep_idx]
+        episode_length = to_idx - from_idx
+        episode_durations.append(episode_length / dataset.fps)
+
+        # Get episode images
+        episode_dataset = imgs_dataset.select(range(from_idx, to_idx))
+
+        # Save images
+        items = list(enumerate(episode_dataset))
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=num_workers) as executor:
+            futures = [executor.submit(save_single_image, item, frame_idx, img_key) for item in items]
+            for future in as_completed(futures):
+                future.result()
+
+        frame_idx += episode_length
+
+    return episode_durations
+
+
+def _iter_episode_batches(
+    episode_indices: list[int],
+    episode_lengths: dict[int, int],
+    size_per_frame_mb: float,
+    video_file_size_limit: float,
+    max_episodes: int | None,
+    max_frames: int | None,
+):
+    """Generator that yields batches of episode indices for video encoding.
+
+    Groups episodes into batches that respect size and memory constraints:
+    - Stays under video file size limit
+    - Respects maximum episodes per batch (if specified)
+    - Respects maximum frames per batch (if specified)
+
+    Args:
+        episode_indices: List of episode indices to batch
+        episode_lengths: Dictionary mapping episode index to episode length
+        size_per_frame_mb: Estimated size per frame in MB
+        video_file_size_limit: Maximum video file size in MB
+        max_episodes: Maximum number of episodes per batch (None = no limit)
+        max_frames: Maximum number of frames per batch (None = no limit)
+
+    Yields:
+        List of episode indices for each batch
+    """
+    batch_episodes = []
+    estimated_size = 0.0
+    total_frames = 0
+
+    for ep_idx in episode_indices:
+        ep_length = episode_lengths[ep_idx]
+        ep_estimated_size = ep_length * size_per_frame_mb
+
+        # we check if adding this episode would exceed any constraint
+        would_exceed_size = estimated_size > 0 and estimated_size + ep_estimated_size >= video_file_size_limit
+        would_exceed_episodes = max_episodes is not None and len(batch_episodes) >= max_episodes
+        would_exceed_frames = max_frames is not None and total_frames + ep_length > max_frames
+
+        if batch_episodes and (would_exceed_size or would_exceed_episodes or would_exceed_frames):
+            # yield current batch before adding this episode
+            yield batch_episodes
+            # start a new batch with current episode
+            batch_episodes = [ep_idx]
+            estimated_size = ep_estimated_size
+            total_frames = ep_length
+        else:
+            # add to current batch
+            batch_episodes.append(ep_idx)
+            estimated_size += ep_estimated_size
+            total_frames += ep_length
+
+    # yield final batch if not empty
+    if batch_episodes:
+        yield batch_episodes
+
+
+def _estimate_frame_size_via_calibration(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    img_key: str,
+    episode_indices: list[int],
+    temp_dir: Path,
+    fps: int,
+    vcodec: str,
+    pix_fmt: str,
+    g: int,
+    crf: int,
+    fast_decode: int,
+    num_calibration_frames: int = 30,
+) -> float:
+    """Estimate MB per frame by encoding a small calibration sample.
+
+    Encodes a representative sample of frames using the exact codec parameters
+    to measure actual compression ratio, which is more accurate than heuristics.
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: Source dataset with images.
+        img_key: Image key to calibrate (e.g., "observation.images.top").
+        episode_indices: List of episode indices being processed.
+        temp_dir: Temporary directory for calibration files.
+        fps: Frames per second for video encoding.
+        vcodec: Video codec (libsvtav1, h264, hevc).
+        pix_fmt: Pixel format (yuv420p, etc.).
+        g: GOP size (group of pictures).
+        crf: Constant Rate Factor (quality).
+        fast_decode: Fast decode tuning parameter.
+        num_calibration_frames: Number of frames to use for calibration (default: 30).
+
+    Returns:
+        Estimated size in MB per frame based on actual encoding.
+    """
+    calibration_dir = temp_dir / "calibration" / img_key
+    calibration_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    try:
+        # Select a representative episode (prefer middle episode if available)
+        calibration_ep_idx = episode_indices[len(episode_indices) // 2]
+
+        # Get episode range
+        from_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_from_index"][calibration_ep_idx]
+        to_idx = dataset.meta.episodes["dataset_to_index"][calibration_ep_idx]
+        episode_length = to_idx - from_idx
+
+        # Use up to num_calibration_frames from this episode
+        num_frames = min(num_calibration_frames, episode_length)
+
+        # Get frames from dataset
+        hf_dataset = dataset.hf_dataset.with_format(None)
+        sample_indices = range(from_idx, from_idx + num_frames)
+
+        # Save calibration frames
+        for i, idx in enumerate(sample_indices):
+            img = hf_dataset[idx][img_key]
+            img.save(str(calibration_dir / f"frame-{i:06d}.png"), quality=100)
+
+        # Encode calibration video
+        calibration_video_path = calibration_dir / "calibration.mp4"
+        encode_video_frames(
+            imgs_dir=calibration_dir,
+            video_path=calibration_video_path,
+            fps=fps,
+            vcodec=vcodec,
+            pix_fmt=pix_fmt,
+            g=g,
+            crf=crf,
+            fast_decode=fast_decode,
+            overwrite=True,
+        )
+
+        # Measure actual compressed size
+        video_size_bytes = calibration_video_path.stat().st_size
+        video_size_mb = video_size_bytes / BYTES_PER_MIB
+        size_per_frame_mb = video_size_mb / num_frames
+
+        logging.info(
+            f"  Calibration: {num_frames} frames -> {video_size_mb:.2f} MB "
+            f"= {size_per_frame_mb:.4f} MB/frame for {img_key}"
+        )
+
+        return size_per_frame_mb
+
+    finally:
+        # Clean up calibration files
+        if calibration_dir.exists():
+            shutil.rmtree(calibration_dir)
+
+
+def _copy_data_without_images(
+    src_dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    dst_meta: LeRobotDatasetMetadata,
+    episode_indices: list[int],
+    img_keys: list[str],
+) -> None:
+    """Copy data files without image columns.
+
+    Args:
+        src_dataset: Source dataset
+        dst_meta: Destination metadata
+        episode_indices: Episodes to include
+        img_keys: Image keys to remove
+    """
+    from lerobot.datasets.utils import DATA_DIR
+
+    data_dir = src_dataset.root / DATA_DIR
+    parquet_files = sorted(data_dir.glob("*/*.parquet"))
+
+    if not parquet_files:
+        raise ValueError(f"No parquet files found in {data_dir}")
+
+    episode_set = set(episode_indices)
+
+    for src_path in tqdm(parquet_files, desc="Processing data files"):
+        df = pd.read_parquet(src_path).reset_index(drop=True)
+
+        # Filter to only include selected episodes
+        df = df[df["episode_index"].isin(episode_set)].copy()
+
+        if len(df) == 0:
+            continue
+
+        # Remove image columns
+        columns_to_drop = [col for col in img_keys if col in df.columns]
+        if columns_to_drop:
+            df = df.drop(columns=columns_to_drop)
+
+        # Get chunk and file indices from path
+        relative_path = src_path.relative_to(src_dataset.root)
+        chunk_dir = relative_path.parts[1]
+        file_name = relative_path.parts[2]
+        chunk_idx = int(chunk_dir.split("-")[1])
+        file_idx = int(file_name.split("-")[1].split(".")[0])
+
+        # Write to destination without pandas index
+        dst_path = dst_meta.root / f"data/chunk-{chunk_idx:03d}/file-{file_idx:03d}.parquet"
+        dst_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        df.to_parquet(dst_path, index=False)
+
+
+# Video conversion constants
+BYTES_PER_KIB = 1024
+BYTES_PER_MIB = BYTES_PER_KIB * BYTES_PER_KIB
+
+
+def modify_tasks(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    new_task: str | None = None,
+    episode_tasks: dict[int, str] | None = None,
+) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Modify tasks in a LeRobotDataset.
+
+    This function allows you to either:
+    1. Set a single task for the entire dataset (using `new_task`)
+    2. Set specific tasks for specific episodes (using `episode_tasks`)
+
+    You can combine both: `new_task` sets the default, and `episode_tasks` overrides
+    specific episodes.
+
+    The dataset is modified in-place, updating only the task-related files:
+    - meta/tasks.parquet
+    - data/**/*.parquet (task_index column)
+    - meta/episodes/**/*.parquet (tasks column)
+    - meta/info.json (total_tasks)
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: The source LeRobotDataset to modify.
+        new_task: A single task string to apply to all episodes. If None and episode_tasks
+            is also None, raises an error.
+        episode_tasks: Optional dict mapping episode indices to their task strings.
+            Overrides `new_task` for specific episodes.
+
+
+    Examples:
+        Set a single task for all episodes:
+            dataset = modify_tasks(dataset, new_task="Pick up the cube")
+
+        Set different tasks for specific episodes:
+            dataset = modify_tasks(
+                dataset,
+                episode_tasks={0: "Task A", 1: "Task B", 2: "Task A"}
+            )
+
+        Set a default task with overrides:
+            dataset = modify_tasks(
+                dataset,
+                new_task="Default task",
+                episode_tasks={5: "Special task for episode 5"}
+            )
+    """
+    if new_task is None and episode_tasks is None:
+        raise ValueError("Must specify at least one of new_task or episode_tasks")
+
+    if episode_tasks is not None:
+        valid_indices = set(range(dataset.meta.total_episodes))
+        invalid = set(episode_tasks.keys()) - valid_indices
+        if invalid:
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid episode indices: {invalid}")
+
+    # Ensure episodes metadata is loaded
+    if dataset.meta.episodes is None:
+        dataset.meta.episodes = load_episodes(dataset.root)
+
+    # Build the mapping from episode index to task string
+    episode_to_task: dict[int, str] = {}
+    for ep_idx in range(dataset.meta.total_episodes):
+        if episode_tasks and ep_idx in episode_tasks:
+            episode_to_task[ep_idx] = episode_tasks[ep_idx]
+        elif new_task is not None:
+            episode_to_task[ep_idx] = new_task
+        else:
+            # Keep original task if not overridden and no default provided
+            original_tasks = dataset.meta.episodes[ep_idx]["tasks"]
+            if not original_tasks:
+                raise ValueError(f"Episode {ep_idx} has no tasks and no default task was provided")
+            episode_to_task[ep_idx] = original_tasks[0]
+
+    # Collect all unique tasks and create new task mapping
+    unique_tasks = sorted(set(episode_to_task.values()))
+    new_task_df = pd.DataFrame({"task_index": list(range(len(unique_tasks)))}, index=unique_tasks)
+    task_to_index = {task: idx for idx, task in enumerate(unique_tasks)}
+
+    logging.info(f"Modifying tasks in {dataset.repo_id}")
+    logging.info(f"New tasks: {unique_tasks}")
+
+    root = dataset.root
+
+    # Update data files - modify task_index column
+    logging.info("Updating data files...")
+    data_dir = root / DATA_DIR
+
+    for parquet_path in tqdm(sorted(data_dir.rglob("*.parquet")), desc="Updating data"):
+        df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_path)
+
+        # Build a mapping from episode_index to new task_index for rows in this file
+        episode_indices_in_file = df["episode_index"].unique()
+        ep_to_new_task_idx = {
+            ep_idx: task_to_index[episode_to_task[ep_idx]] for ep_idx in episode_indices_in_file
+        }
+
+        # Update task_index column
+        df["task_index"] = df["episode_index"].map(ep_to_new_task_idx)
+        df.to_parquet(parquet_path, index=False)
+
+    # Update episodes metadata - modify tasks column
+    logging.info("Updating episodes metadata...")
+    episodes_dir = root / "meta" / "episodes"
+
+    for parquet_path in tqdm(sorted(episodes_dir.rglob("*.parquet")), desc="Updating episodes"):
+        df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_path)
+
+        # Update tasks column
+        df["tasks"] = df["episode_index"].apply(lambda ep_idx: [episode_to_task[ep_idx]])
+        df.to_parquet(parquet_path, index=False)
+
+    # Write new tasks.parquet
+    write_tasks(new_task_df, root)
+
+    # Update info.json
+    dataset.meta.info["total_tasks"] = len(unique_tasks)
+    write_info(dataset.meta.info, root)
+
+    # Reload metadata to reflect changes
+    dataset.meta.tasks = new_task_df
+    dataset.meta.episodes = load_episodes(root)
+
+    logging.info(f"Tasks: {unique_tasks}")
+
+    return dataset
+
+
+def recompute_stats(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    skip_image_video: bool = True,
+    delta_action: bool = False,
+    delta_exclude_joints: list[str] | None = None,
+) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Recompute stats.json from scratch by iterating all episodes.
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: The LeRobotDataset to recompute stats for.
+        skip_image_video: If True (default), only recompute stats for numeric features
+            (action, state, etc.) and keep existing image/video stats unchanged.
+        delta_action: If True, compute action stats as delta (action - state).
+            Useful when training with use_delta_actions=True so normalization matches.
+        delta_exclude_joints: Joint names to exclude from delta conversion when
+            delta_action=True. These dims keep absolute stats. Uses dataset's
+            action feature names to build the mask. Default: ["gripper"].
+
+    Returns:
+        The same dataset with updated stats.
+    """
+    features = dataset.meta.features
+    numeric_features = {
+        k: v for k, v in features.items()
+        if v["dtype"] not in ["image", "video", "string"]
+        and k not in ["index", "episode_index", "task_index", "frame_index", "timestamp"]
+    }
+
+    if skip_image_video:
+        features_to_compute = numeric_features
+    else:
+        features_to_compute = {
+            k: v for k, v in features.items()
+            if v["dtype"] != "string"
+            and k not in ["index", "episode_index", "task_index", "frame_index", "timestamp"]
+        }
+
+    # Build delta mask if delta_action is enabled
+    delta_mask = None
+    if delta_action and "action" in features and "observation.state" in features:
+        if delta_exclude_joints is None:
+            delta_exclude_joints = ["gripper"]
+        action_names = features["action"].get("names")
+        if action_names is not None:
+            exclude = set(delta_exclude_joints)
+            delta_mask = [n not in exclude for n in action_names]
+        else:
+            action_dim = features["action"]["shape"][0]
+            delta_mask = [True] * action_dim
+        # Only recompute action stats when delta is enabled — state stays unchanged
+        features_to_compute = {"action": features["action"]}
+        logging.info(f"Recomputing action stats as delta (exclude: {delta_exclude_joints})")
+    else:
+        logging.info(f"Recomputing stats for features: {list(features_to_compute.keys())}")
+
+    data_dir = dataset.root / DATA_DIR
+    parquet_files = sorted(data_dir.glob("*/*.parquet"))
+    if not parquet_files:
+        raise ValueError(f"No parquet files found in {data_dir}")
+
+    all_episode_stats = []
+    numeric_keys = [k for k, v in features_to_compute.items() if v["dtype"] not in ["image", "video"]]
+    # Also need state for delta computation even though we don't recompute state stats
+    needs_state = delta_mask is not None
+
+    for parquet_path in tqdm(parquet_files, desc="Computing stats from data files"):
+        df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_path)
+
+        for ep_idx in sorted(df["episode_index"].unique()):
+            ep_df = df[df["episode_index"] == ep_idx]
+            episode_data = {}
+            for key in numeric_keys:
+                if key in ep_df.columns:
+                    values = ep_df[key].values
+                    if hasattr(values[0], "__len__"):
+                        episode_data[key] = np.stack(values)
+                    else:
+                        episode_data[key] = np.array(values)
+
+            # Apply delta conversion to actions before computing stats
+            if delta_mask is not None and "action" in episode_data:
+                from lerobot.processor.delta_action_processor import to_delta_actions
+
+                # Load state for delta even if we're not computing state stats
+                if needs_state and "observation.state" in ep_df.columns:
+                    state_values = ep_df["observation.state"].values
+                    if hasattr(state_values[0], "__len__"):
+                        states = np.stack(state_values)
+                    else:
+                        states = np.array(state_values)
+                    actions_t = torch.from_numpy(episode_data["action"]).float()
+                    states_t = torch.from_numpy(states).float()
+                    episode_data["action"] = to_delta_actions(actions_t, states_t, delta_mask).numpy()
+
+            ep_stats = compute_episode_stats(episode_data, features_to_compute)
+            all_episode_stats.append(ep_stats)
+
+    if not all_episode_stats:
+        logging.warning("No episode stats computed")
+        return dataset
+
+    new_stats = aggregate_stats(all_episode_stats)
+
+    # Merge: keep existing stats for features we didn't recompute
+    if dataset.meta.stats:
+        for key, value in dataset.meta.stats.items():
+            if key not in new_stats:
+                new_stats[key] = value
+
+    write_stats(new_stats, dataset.root)
+    dataset.meta.stats = new_stats
+
+    logging.info(f"Stats recomputed for {len(all_episode_stats)} episodes")
+    return dataset
+
+
+def convert_image_to_video_dataset(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    output_dir: Path,
+    repo_id: str | None = None,
+    vcodec: str = "libsvtav1",
+    pix_fmt: str = "yuv420p",
+    g: int = 2,
+    crf: int = 30,
+    fast_decode: int = 0,
+    episode_indices: list[int] | None = None,
+    num_workers: int = 4,
+    max_episodes_per_batch: int | None = None,
+    max_frames_per_batch: int | None = None,
+) -> LeRobotDataset:
+    """Convert image-to-video dataset.
+
+    Creates a new LeRobotDataset with images encoded as videos, following the proper
+    LeRobot dataset structure with videos stored in chunked MP4 files.
+
+    Args:
+        dataset: The source LeRobot dataset with images
+        output_dir: Directory to save the new video dataset
+        repo_id: Repository ID for the new dataset (default: original_id + "_video")
+        vcodec: Video codec (default: libsvtav1)
+        pix_fmt: Pixel format (default: yuv420p)
+        g: Group of pictures size (default: 2)
+        crf: Constant rate factor (default: 30)
+        fast_decode: Fast decode tuning (default: 0)
+        episode_indices: List of episode indices to convert (None = all episodes)
+        num_workers: Number of threads for parallel processing (default: 4)
+        max_episodes_per_batch: Maximum episodes per video batch to avoid memory issues (None = no limit)
+        max_frames_per_batch: Maximum frames per video batch to avoid memory issues (None = no limit)
+
+    Returns:
+        New LeRobotDataset with images encoded as videos
+    """
+    # Check that it's an image dataset
+    if len(dataset.meta.video_keys) > 0:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"This operation is for image datasets only. Video dataset provided: {dataset.repo_id}"
+        )
+
+    # Get all image keys
+    hf_dataset = dataset.hf_dataset.with_format(None)
+    img_keys = [key for key in hf_dataset.features if key.startswith(OBS_IMAGE)]
+
+    if len(img_keys) == 0:
+        raise ValueError(f"No image keys found in dataset {dataset.repo_id}")
+
+    # Determine which episodes to process
+    if episode_indices is None:
+        episode_indices = list(range(dataset.meta.total_episodes))
+
+    if repo_id is None:
+        repo_id = f"{dataset.repo_id}_video"
+
+    logging.info(
+        f"Converting {len(episode_indices)} episodes with {len(img_keys)} cameras from {dataset.repo_id}"
+    )
+    logging.info(f"Video codec: {vcodec}, pixel format: {pix_fmt}, GOP: {g}, CRF: {crf}")
+
+    # Create new features dict, converting image features to video features
+    new_features = {}
+    for key, value in dataset.meta.features.items():
+        if key not in img_keys:
+            new_features[key] = value
+        else:
+            # Convert image key to video format
+            new_features[key] = value.copy()
+            new_features[key]["dtype"] = "video"  # Change dtype from "image" to "video"
+            # Video info will be updated after episodes are encoded
+
+    # Create new metadata for video dataset
+    new_meta = LeRobotDatasetMetadata.create(
+        repo_id=repo_id,
+        fps=dataset.meta.fps,
+        features=new_features,
+        robot_type=dataset.meta.robot_type,
+        root=output_dir,
+        use_videos=True,
+        chunks_size=dataset.meta.chunks_size,
+        data_files_size_in_mb=dataset.meta.data_files_size_in_mb,
+        video_files_size_in_mb=dataset.meta.video_files_size_in_mb,
+    )
+
+    # Create temporary directory for image extraction
+    temp_dir = output_dir / "temp_images"
+    temp_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    # Process all episodes and batch encode videos
+    # Use dictionary for O(1) episode metadata lookups instead of O(n) linear search
+    all_episode_metadata = {}
+    fps = int(dataset.fps)
+
+    try:
+        # Build episode metadata entries first
+        logging.info("Building episode metadata...")
+        cumulative_frame_idx = 0
+        for ep_idx in episode_indices:
+            src_episode = dataset.meta.episodes[ep_idx]
+            ep_length = src_episode["length"]
+            ep_meta = {
+                "episode_index": ep_idx,
+                "length": ep_length,
+                "dataset_from_index": cumulative_frame_idx,
+                "dataset_to_index": cumulative_frame_idx + ep_length,
+            }
+            if "data/chunk_index" in src_episode:
+                ep_meta["data/chunk_index"] = src_episode["data/chunk_index"]
+                ep_meta["data/file_index"] = src_episode["data/file_index"]
+            all_episode_metadata[ep_idx] = ep_meta
+            cumulative_frame_idx += ep_length
+
+        # Process each camera and batch encode multiple episodes together
+        video_file_size_limit = new_meta.video_files_size_in_mb
+
+        # Pre-compute episode lengths for batching
+        episode_lengths = {ep_idx: dataset.meta.episodes["length"][ep_idx] for ep_idx in episode_indices}
+
+        for img_key in tqdm(img_keys, desc="Processing cameras"):
+            # Estimate size per frame by encoding a small calibration sample
+            # This provides accurate compression ratio for the specific codec parameters
+            size_per_frame_mb = _estimate_frame_size_via_calibration(
+                dataset=dataset,
+                img_key=img_key,
+                episode_indices=episode_indices,
+                temp_dir=temp_dir,
+                fps=fps,
+                vcodec=vcodec,
+                pix_fmt=pix_fmt,
+                g=g,
+                crf=crf,
+                fast_decode=fast_decode,
+            )
+
+            logging.info(f"Processing camera: {img_key}")
+            chunk_idx, file_idx = 0, 0
+            cumulative_timestamp = 0.0
+
+            # Process episodes in batches to stay under size limit
+            for batch_episodes in _iter_episode_batches(
+                episode_indices=episode_indices,
+                episode_lengths=episode_lengths,
+                size_per_frame_mb=size_per_frame_mb,
+                video_file_size_limit=video_file_size_limit,
+                max_episodes=max_episodes_per_batch,
+                max_frames=max_frames_per_batch,
+            ):
+                total_frames_in_batch = sum(episode_lengths[idx] for idx in batch_episodes)
+                logging.info(
+                    f"  Encoding batch of {len(batch_episodes)} episodes "
+                    f"({batch_episodes[0]}-{batch_episodes[-1]}) = {total_frames_in_batch} frames"
+                )
+
+                # Save images for all episodes in this batch
+                imgs_dir = temp_dir / f"batch_{chunk_idx}_{file_idx}" / img_key
+                episode_durations = _save_batch_episodes_images(
+                    dataset=dataset,
+                    imgs_dir=imgs_dir,
+                    img_key=img_key,
+                    episode_indices=batch_episodes,
+                    num_workers=num_workers,
+                )
+
+                # Encode all batched episodes into single video
+                video_path = new_meta.root / new_meta.video_path.format(
+                    video_key=img_key, chunk_index=chunk_idx, file_index=file_idx
+                )
+                video_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+                encode_video_frames(
+                    imgs_dir=imgs_dir,
+                    video_path=video_path,
+                    fps=fps,
+                    vcodec=vcodec,
+                    pix_fmt=pix_fmt,
+                    g=g,
+                    crf=crf,
+                    fast_decode=fast_decode,
+                    overwrite=True,
+                )
+
+                # Clean up temporary images
+                shutil.rmtree(imgs_dir)
+
+                # Update metadata for each episode in the batch
+                for ep_idx, duration in zip(batch_episodes, episode_durations, strict=True):
+                    from_timestamp = cumulative_timestamp
+                    to_timestamp = cumulative_timestamp + duration
+                    cumulative_timestamp = to_timestamp
+
+                    # Find episode metadata entry and add video metadata (O(1) dictionary lookup)
+                    ep_meta = all_episode_metadata[ep_idx]
+                    ep_meta[f"videos/{img_key}/chunk_index"] = chunk_idx
+                    ep_meta[f"videos/{img_key}/file_index"] = file_idx
+                    ep_meta[f"videos/{img_key}/from_timestamp"] = from_timestamp
+                    ep_meta[f"videos/{img_key}/to_timestamp"] = to_timestamp
+
+                # Move to next video file for next batch
+                chunk_idx, file_idx = update_chunk_file_indices(chunk_idx, file_idx, new_meta.chunks_size)
+                cumulative_timestamp = 0.0
+
+        # Copy and transform data files (removing image columns)
+        _copy_data_without_images(dataset, new_meta, episode_indices, img_keys)
+
+        # Save episode metadata
+        episodes_df = pd.DataFrame(list(all_episode_metadata.values()))
+        episodes_path = new_meta.root / "meta" / "episodes" / "chunk-000" / "file-000.parquet"
+        episodes_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        episodes_df.to_parquet(episodes_path, index=False)
+
+        # Update metadata info
+        new_meta.info["total_episodes"] = len(episode_indices)
+        new_meta.info["total_frames"] = sum(ep["length"] for ep in all_episode_metadata.values())
+        new_meta.info["total_tasks"] = dataset.meta.total_tasks
+        new_meta.info["splits"] = {"train": f"0:{len(episode_indices)}"}
+
+        # Update video info for all image keys (now videos)
+        # We need to manually set video info since update_video_info() checks video_keys first
+        for img_key in img_keys:
+            if not new_meta.features[img_key].get("info", None):
+                video_path = new_meta.root / new_meta.video_path.format(
+                    video_key=img_key, chunk_index=0, file_index=0
+                )
+                new_meta.info["features"][img_key]["info"] = get_video_info(video_path)
+
+        write_info(new_meta.info, new_meta.root)
+
+        # Copy stats and tasks
+        if dataset.meta.stats is not None:
+            # Remove image stats
+            new_stats = {k: v for k, v in dataset.meta.stats.items() if k not in img_keys}
+            write_stats(new_stats, new_meta.root)
+
+        if dataset.meta.tasks is not None:
+            write_tasks(dataset.meta.tasks, new_meta.root)
+
+    finally:
+        # Clean up temporary directory
+        if temp_dir.exists():
+            shutil.rmtree(temp_dir)
+
+    logging.info(f"Completed converting {dataset.repo_id} to video format")
+    logging.info(f"New dataset saved to: {output_dir}")
+
+    # Return new dataset
+    return LeRobotDataset(repo_id=repo_id, root=output_dir)

src/lerobot/datasets/lerobot_dataset.py

@@ -18,22 +18,30 @@ import contextlib
 import logging
 import shutil
 import tempfile
+import time
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import datasets
 import numpy as np
+import os
 import packaging.version
 import pandas as pd
 import PIL.Image
 import pyarrow as pa
 import pyarrow.parquet as pq
+from concurrent.futures import ProcessPoolExecutor
 import torch
 import torch.utils
 from huggingface_hub import HfApi, snapshot_download
 from huggingface_hub.errors import RevisionNotFoundError
 
-from lerobot.datasets.compute_stats import aggregate_stats, compute_episode_stats
+from lerobot.datasets.compute_stats import (
+    RunningQuantileStats,
+    aggregate_stats,
+    auto_downsample_height_width,
+    compute_episode_stats,
+)
 from lerobot.datasets.image_writer import AsyncImageWriter, write_image
 from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     DEFAULT_EPISODES_PATH,
@@ -57,6 +65,7 @@ from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     load_info,
     load_nested_dataset,
     load_stats,
+    load_subtasks,
     load_tasks,
     update_chunk_file_indices,
     validate_episode_buffer,
@@ -67,6 +76,7 @@ from lerobot.datasets.utils import (
     write_tasks,
 )
 from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import (
+    StreamingVideoEncoder,
     VideoFrame,
     concatenate_video_files,
     decode_video_frames,
@@ -78,7 +88,6 @@ from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import (
 from lerobot.utils.constants import HF_LEROBOT_HOME
 
 CODEBASE_VERSION = "v3.0"
-VALID_VIDEO_CODECS = {"h264", "hevc", "libsvtav1"}
 
 
 class LeRobotDatasetMetadata:
@@ -162,6 +171,7 @@ class LeRobotDatasetMetadata:
         self.info = load_info(self.root)
         check_version_compatibility(self.repo_id, self._version, CODEBASE_VERSION)
         self.tasks = load_tasks(self.root)
+        self.subtasks = load_subtasks(self.root)
         self.episodes = load_episodes(self.root)
         self.stats = load_stats(self.root)
 
@@ -418,8 +428,10 @@ class LeRobotDatasetMetadata:
 
         write_info(self.info, self.root)
 
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
         self.stats = aggregate_stats([self.stats, episode_stats]) if self.stats is not None else episode_stats
         write_stats(self.stats, self.root)
+        logging.info(f"[meta.save_episode] aggregate+write_stats: {time.perf_counter() - t0:.2f}s")
 
     def update_video_info(self, video_key: str | None = None) -> None:
         """
@@ -518,6 +530,7 @@ class LeRobotDatasetMetadata:
         _validate_feature_names(features)
 
         obj.tasks = None
+        obj.subtasks = None
         obj.episodes = None
         obj.stats = None
         obj.info = create_empty_dataset_info(
@@ -541,13 +554,11 @@ class LeRobotDatasetMetadata:
         return obj
 
 
-def _encode_video_worker(
-    video_key: str, episode_index: int, root: Path, fps: int, vcodec: str = "libsvtav1"
-) -> Path:
+def _encode_video_worker(video_key: str, episode_index: int, root: Path, fps: int) -> Path:
     temp_path = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=root)) / f"{video_key}_{episode_index:03d}.mp4"
     fpath = DEFAULT_IMAGE_PATH.format(image_key=video_key, episode_index=episode_index, frame_index=0)
     img_dir = (root / fpath).parent
-    encode_video_frames(img_dir, temp_path, fps, vcodec=vcodec, overwrite=True)
+    encode_video_frames(img_dir, temp_path, fps, overwrite=True)
     shutil.rmtree(img_dir)
     return temp_path
 
@@ -566,7 +577,6 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         download_videos: bool = True,
         video_backend: str | None = None,
         batch_encoding_size: int = 1,
-        vcodec: str = "libsvtav1",
     ):
         """
         2 modes are available for instantiating this class, depending on 2 different use cases:
@@ -679,13 +689,8 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
                 You can also use the 'pyav' decoder used by Torchvision, which used to be the default option, or 'video_reader' which is another decoder of Torchvision.
             batch_encoding_size (int, optional): Number of episodes to accumulate before batch encoding videos.
                 Set to 1 for immediate encoding (default), or higher for batched encoding. Defaults to 1.
-            vcodec (str, optional): Video codec for encoding videos during recording. Options: 'h264', 'hevc',
-                'libsvtav1'. Defaults to 'libsvtav1'. Use 'h264' for faster encoding on systems where AV1
-                encoding is CPU-heavy.
         """
         super().__init__()
-        if vcodec not in VALID_VIDEO_CODECS:
-            raise ValueError(f"Invalid vcodec '{vcodec}'. Must be one of: {sorted(VALID_VIDEO_CODECS)}")
         self.repo_id = repo_id
         self.root = Path(root) if root else HF_LEROBOT_HOME / repo_id
         self.image_transforms = image_transforms
@@ -697,7 +702,6 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         self.delta_indices = None
         self.batch_encoding_size = batch_encoding_size
         self.episodes_since_last_encoding = 0
-        self.vcodec = vcodec
 
         # Unused attributes
         self.image_writer = None
@@ -705,6 +709,8 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         self.writer = None
         self.latest_episode = None
         self._current_file_start_frame = None  # Track the starting frame index of the current parquet file
+        self._streaming_encoder = None
+        self._running_video_stats = {}
 
         self.root.mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=True)
 
@@ -1060,6 +1066,12 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         # Add task as a string
         task_idx = item["task_index"].item()
         item["task"] = self.meta.tasks.iloc[task_idx].name
+
+        # add subtask information if available
+        if "subtask_index" in self.features and self.meta.subtasks is not None:
+            subtask_idx = item["subtask_index"].item()
+            item["subtask"] = self.meta.subtasks.iloc[subtask_idx].name
+
         return item
 
     def __repr__(self):
@@ -1078,6 +1090,8 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         Close the parquet writers. This function needs to be called after data collection/conversion, else footer metadata won't be written to the parquet files.
         The dataset won't be valid and can't be loaded as ds = LeRobotDataset(repo_id=repo, root=HF_LEROBOT_HOME.joinpath(repo))
         """
+        if self._streaming_encoder:
+            self._streaming_encoder.close()
         self._close_writer()
         self.meta._close_writer()
 
@@ -1129,6 +1143,9 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
 
         # Automatically add frame_index and timestamp to episode buffer
         frame_index = self.episode_buffer["size"]
+        if frame_index == 0 and self._streaming_encoder:
+            self._streaming_encoder.start_episode(self.meta.video_keys, self.root)
+            self._init_running_video_stats()
         timestamp = frame.pop("timestamp") if "timestamp" in frame else frame_index / self.fps
         self.episode_buffer["frame_index"].append(frame_index)
         self.episode_buffer["timestamp"].append(timestamp)
@@ -1142,14 +1159,18 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
                 )
 
             if self.features[key]["dtype"] in ["image", "video"]:
-                img_path = self._get_image_file_path(
-                    episode_index=self.episode_buffer["episode_index"], image_key=key, frame_index=frame_index
-                )
-                if frame_index == 0:
-                    img_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-                compress_level = 1 if self.features[key]["dtype"] == "video" else 6
-                self._save_image(frame[key], img_path, compress_level)
-                self.episode_buffer[key].append(str(img_path))
+                if self._streaming_encoder and self.features[key]["dtype"] == "video":
+                    self._feed_streaming_frame(key, frame[key])
+                    self.episode_buffer[key].append(None)
+                else:
+                    img_path = self._get_image_file_path(
+                        episode_index=self.episode_buffer["episode_index"], image_key=key, frame_index=frame_index
+                    )
+                    if frame_index == 0:
+                        img_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                    compress_level = 1 if self.features[key]["dtype"] == "video" else 6
+                    self._save_image(frame[key], img_path, compress_level)
+                    self.episode_buffer[key].append(str(img_path))
             else:
                 self.episode_buffer[key].append(frame[key])
 
@@ -1200,53 +1221,50 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
                 continue
             episode_buffer[key] = np.stack(episode_buffer[key])
 
-        # Wait for image writer to end, so that episode stats over images can be computed
         self._wait_image_writer()
-        ep_stats = compute_episode_stats(episode_buffer, self.features)
 
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        if self._streaming_encoder:
+            filtered = {k: v for k, v in episode_buffer.items() if k not in self.meta.video_keys}
+            ep_stats = compute_episode_stats(filtered, self.features)
+            for key in self.meta.video_keys:
+                stats = self._running_video_stats[key].get_statistics()
+                ep_stats[key] = {
+                    k: v if k == "count" else (v.reshape(-1, 1, 1) / 255.0)
+                    for k, v in stats.items()
+                }
+        else:
+            ep_stats = compute_episode_stats(episode_buffer, self.features)
+        t_stats = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
         ep_metadata = self._save_episode_data(episode_buffer)
+        t_save_data = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
         has_video_keys = len(self.meta.video_keys) > 0
         use_batched_encoding = self.batch_encoding_size > 1
 
-        if has_video_keys and not use_batched_encoding:
-            num_cameras = len(self.meta.video_keys)
-            if parallel_encoding and num_cameras > 1:
-                # TODO(Steven): Ideally we would like to control the number of threads per encoding such that:
-                # num_cameras * num_threads = (total_cpu -1)
-                with concurrent.futures.ProcessPoolExecutor(max_workers=num_cameras) as executor:
-                    future_to_key = {
-                        executor.submit(
-                            _encode_video_worker,
-                            video_key,
-                            episode_index,
-                            self.root,
-                            self.fps,
-                            self.vcodec,
-                        ): video_key
-                        for video_key in self.meta.video_keys
-                    }
-
-                    results = {}
-                    for future in concurrent.futures.as_completed(future_to_key):
-                        video_key = future_to_key[future]
-                        try:
-                            temp_path = future.result()
-                            results[video_key] = temp_path
-                        except Exception as exc:
-                            logging.error(f"Video encoding failed for {video_key}: {exc}")
-                            raise exc
-
-                for video_key in self.meta.video_keys:
-                    temp_path = results[video_key]
-                    ep_metadata.update(
-                        self._save_episode_video(video_key, episode_index, temp_path=temp_path)
-                    )
-            else:
-                for video_key in self.meta.video_keys:
-                    ep_metadata.update(self._save_episode_video(video_key, episode_index))
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        if has_video_keys and self._streaming_encoder:
+            video_paths = self._streaming_encoder.finish_episode()
+            for video_key in self.meta.video_keys:
+                ep_metadata.update(self._save_episode_video(video_key, episode_index, video_paths[video_key]))
+        elif has_video_keys and not use_batched_encoding:
+            video_paths = self._encode_multiple_temporary_episode_videos(self.meta.video_keys, episode_index)
+            for video_key, video_path in zip(self.meta.video_keys, video_paths):
+                ep_metadata.update(self._save_episode_video(video_key, episode_index, video_path))
+        t_video = time.perf_counter() - t0
 
         # `meta.save_episode` need to be executed after encoding the videos
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
         self.meta.save_episode(episode_index, episode_length, episode_tasks, ep_stats, ep_metadata)
+        t_meta = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
+        logging.info(
+            f"[save_episode] ep={episode_index} frames={episode_length} | "
+            f"stats={t_stats:.2f}s data={t_save_data:.2f}s video={t_video:.2f}s meta={t_meta:.2f}s "
+            f"total={t_stats + t_save_data + t_video + t_meta:.2f}s"
+        )
 
         if has_video_keys and use_batched_encoding:
             # Check if we should trigger batch encoding
@@ -1414,6 +1432,7 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         episode_index: int,
         temp_path: Path | None = None,
     ) -> dict:
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
         # Encode episode frames into a temporary video
         if temp_path is None:
             ep_path = self._encode_temporary_episode_video(video_key, episode_index)
@@ -1487,9 +1506,18 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
             f"videos/{video_key}/from_timestamp": latest_duration_in_s,
             f"videos/{video_key}/to_timestamp": latest_duration_in_s + ep_duration_in_s,
         }
+        save_time = time.perf_counter() - t0
+        rate = ep_duration_in_s / save_time if save_time > 0 else float("inf")
+        logging.info(
+            f"[save_episode_video] {video_key} ep={episode_index} "
+            f"save={save_time:.2f}s video_dur={ep_duration_in_s:.1f}s "
+            f"size={ep_size_in_mb:.1f}MB rate={rate:.2f}x realtime"
+        )
         return metadata
 
     def clear_episode_buffer(self, delete_images: bool = True) -> None:
+        if self._streaming_encoder:
+            self._streaming_encoder.stop_episode()
         # Clean up image files for the current episode buffer
         if delete_images:
             # Wait for the async image writer to finish
@@ -1531,13 +1559,66 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         if self.image_writer is not None:
             self.image_writer.wait_until_done()
 
+    def start_streaming_encoder(self):
+        """Enable streaming video encoding for recording."""
+        if len(self.meta.video_keys) > 0:
+            self._streaming_encoder = StreamingVideoEncoder(fps=self.fps)
+            self._running_video_stats = {}
+
+    def _init_running_video_stats(self):
+        self._running_video_stats = {key: RunningQuantileStats() for key in self.meta.video_keys}
+
+    def _feed_streaming_frame(self, key: str, image) -> None:
+        """Feed image to streaming encoder and accumulate running stats."""
+        if isinstance(image, np.ndarray):
+            if image.ndim == 3 and image.shape[0] in (1, 3, 4):
+                img_chw = image
+            else:
+                img_chw = image.transpose(2, 0, 1)
+        else:
+            img_chw = np.array(image).transpose(2, 0, 1)
+
+        self._streaming_encoder.feed_frame(key, image)
+        img_ds = auto_downsample_height_width(img_chw)
+        c, h, w = img_ds.shape
+        self._running_video_stats[key].update(
+            img_ds.transpose(1, 2, 0).reshape(-1, c).astype(np.float64)
+        )
+
     def _encode_temporary_episode_video(self, video_key: str, episode_index: int) -> Path:
         """
         Use ffmpeg to convert frames stored as png into mp4 videos.
         Note: `encode_video_frames` is a blocking call. Making it asynchronous shouldn't speedup encoding,
         since video encoding with ffmpeg is already using multithreading.
         """
-        return _encode_video_worker(video_key, episode_index, self.root, self.fps, self.vcodec)
+        return _encode_video_worker(video_key, episode_index, self.root, self.fps)
+
+    def _encode_multiple_temporary_episode_videos(self, video_keys, episode_index):
+        temp_paths = []
+        img_dirs = []
+        for video_key in video_keys:
+            temp_paths.append(Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=self.root)) / f"{video_key}_{episode_index:03d}.mp4")
+            img_dirs.append(self._get_image_file_dir(episode_index, video_key))
+        fps = [self.fps]*len(video_keys)
+
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        with ProcessPoolExecutor(max_workers=len(video_keys)) as executor:
+            executor.map(encode_video_frames,img_dirs,temp_paths,fps)
+        encode_time = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
+        n_frames = len(list(img_dirs[0].glob("*"))) if img_dirs and img_dirs[0].exists() else 0
+        video_duration_s = n_frames / self.fps if n_frames > 0 else 0
+        rate = video_duration_s / encode_time if encode_time > 0 else float("inf")
+        logging.info(
+            f"[encode_videos] ep={episode_index} keys={len(video_keys)} "
+            f"encode={encode_time:.2f}s video_dur={video_duration_s:.1f}s "
+            f"rate={rate:.2f}x realtime"
+        )
+
+        for img_dir in img_dirs:
+            shutil.rmtree(img_dir)
+
+        return temp_paths
 
     @classmethod
     def create(
@@ -1553,11 +1634,9 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         image_writer_threads: int = 0,
         video_backend: str | None = None,
         batch_encoding_size: int = 1,
-        vcodec: str = "libsvtav1",
+        streaming_encoding: bool = False,
     ) -> "LeRobotDataset":
         """Create a LeRobot Dataset from scratch in order to record data."""
-        if vcodec not in VALID_VIDEO_CODECS:
-            raise ValueError(f"Invalid vcodec '{vcodec}'. Must be one of: {sorted(VALID_VIDEO_CODECS)}")
         obj = cls.__new__(cls)
         obj.meta = LeRobotDatasetMetadata.create(
             repo_id=repo_id,
@@ -1574,7 +1653,6 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         obj.image_writer = None
         obj.batch_encoding_size = batch_encoding_size
         obj.episodes_since_last_encoding = 0
-        obj.vcodec = vcodec
 
         if image_writer_processes or image_writer_threads:
             obj.start_image_writer(image_writer_processes, image_writer_threads)
@@ -1592,6 +1670,10 @@ class LeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.Dataset):
         obj.writer = None
         obj.latest_episode = None
         obj._current_file_start_frame = None
+        obj._streaming_encoder = None
+        obj._running_video_stats = {}
+        if streaming_encoding and len(obj.meta.video_keys) > 0:
+            obj._streaming_encoder = StreamingVideoEncoder(fps=fps)
         # Initialize tracking for incremental recording
         obj._lazy_loading = False
         obj._recorded_frames = 0

src/lerobot/datasets/transforms.py

@@ -216,16 +216,17 @@ class ImageTransformsConfig:
 
 
 def make_transform_from_config(cfg: ImageTransformConfig):
-    if cfg.type == "Identity":
-        return v2.Identity(**cfg.kwargs)
-    elif cfg.type == "ColorJitter":
-        return v2.ColorJitter(**cfg.kwargs)
-    elif cfg.type == "SharpnessJitter":
+    if cfg.type == "SharpnessJitter":
         return SharpnessJitter(**cfg.kwargs)
-    elif cfg.type == "RandomAffine":
-        return v2.RandomAffine(**cfg.kwargs)
-    else:
-        raise ValueError(f"Transform '{cfg.type}' is not valid.")
+
+    transform_cls = getattr(v2, cfg.type, None)
+    if isinstance(transform_cls, type) and issubclass(transform_cls, Transform):
+        return transform_cls(**cfg.kwargs)
+
+    raise ValueError(
+        f"Transform '{cfg.type}' is not valid. It must be a class in "
+        f"torchvision.transforms.v2 or 'SharpnessJitter'."
+    )
 
 
 class ImageTransforms(Transform):

src/lerobot/datasets/utils.py

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ VIDEO_DIR = "videos"
 
 CHUNK_FILE_PATTERN = "chunk-{chunk_index:03d}/file-{file_index:03d}"
 DEFAULT_TASKS_PATH = "meta/tasks.parquet"
+DEFAULT_SUBTASKS_PATH = "meta/subtasks.parquet"
 DEFAULT_EPISODES_PATH = EPISODES_DIR + "/" + CHUNK_FILE_PATTERN + ".parquet"
 DEFAULT_DATA_PATH = DATA_DIR + "/" + CHUNK_FILE_PATTERN + ".parquet"
 DEFAULT_VIDEO_PATH = VIDEO_DIR + "/{video_key}/" + CHUNK_FILE_PATTERN + ".mp4"
@@ -353,6 +354,14 @@ def load_tasks(local_dir: Path) -> pandas.DataFrame:
     return tasks
 
 
+def load_subtasks(local_dir: Path) -> pandas.DataFrame | None:
+    """Load subtasks from subtasks.parquet if it exists."""
+    subtasks_path = local_dir / DEFAULT_SUBTASKS_PATH
+    if subtasks_path.exists():
+        return pd.read_parquet(subtasks_path)
+    return None
+
+
 def write_episodes(episodes: Dataset, local_dir: Path) -> None:
     """Write episode metadata to a parquet file in the LeRobot v3.0 format.
     This function writes episode-level metadata to a single parquet file.
@@ -1172,12 +1181,21 @@ def validate_episode_buffer(episode_buffer: dict, total_episodes: int, features:
         )
 
 
-def to_parquet_with_hf_images(df: pandas.DataFrame, path: Path) -> None:
+def to_parquet_with_hf_images(
+    df: pandas.DataFrame, path: Path, features: datasets.Features | None = None
+) -> None:
     """This function correctly writes to parquet a panda DataFrame that contains images encoded by HF dataset.
     This way, it can be loaded by HF dataset and correctly formatted images are returned.
+
+    Args:
+        df: DataFrame to write to parquet.
+        path: Path to write the parquet file.
+        features: Optional HuggingFace Features schema. If provided, ensures image columns
+                  are properly typed as Image() in the parquet schema.
     """
     # TODO(qlhoest): replace this weird synthax by `df.to_parquet(path)` only
-    datasets.Dataset.from_dict(df.to_dict(orient="list")).to_parquet(path)
+    ds = datasets.Dataset.from_dict(df.to_dict(orient="list"), features=features)
+    ds.to_parquet(path)
 
 
 def item_to_torch(item: dict) -> dict:

src/lerobot/datasets/video_utils.py

@@ -16,16 +16,18 @@
 import glob
 import importlib
 import logging
+import queue
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 import warnings
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
-from threading import Lock
+from threading import Lock, Thread
 from typing import Any, ClassVar
 
 import av
 import fsspec
+import numpy as np
 import pyarrow as pa
 import torch
 import torchvision
@@ -310,7 +312,7 @@ def encode_video_frames(
     crf: int | None = 30,
     fast_decode: int = 0,
     log_level: int | None = av.logging.ERROR,
-    overwrite: bool = False,
+    overwrite: bool = True,
     preset: int | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     """More info on ffmpeg arguments tuning on `benchmark/video/README.md`"""
@@ -355,6 +357,9 @@ def encode_video_frames(
     if crf is not None:
         video_options["crf"] = str(crf)
 
+    #TEMPORARY FIX
+    video_options["preset"] = "12"
+
     if fast_decode:
         key = "svtav1-params" if vcodec == "libsvtav1" else "tune"
         value = f"fast-decode={fast_decode}" if vcodec == "libsvtav1" else "fastdecode"
@@ -397,6 +402,141 @@ def encode_video_frames(
         raise OSError(f"Video encoding did not work. File not found: {video_path}.")
 
 
+_DONE = object()
+
+
+class _CameraEncoder:
+    """Encodes frames for one camera in a daemon thread."""
+
+    def __init__(self, video_path, fps, vcodec, pix_fmt, g, crf):
+        self.video_path = Path(video_path)
+        self.fps = fps
+        self.vcodec = vcodec
+        self.pix_fmt = pix_fmt
+        self.g = g
+        self.crf = crf
+        self.queue = queue.Queue()
+        self._thread = None
+        self._cancelled = False
+
+    def start(self):
+        self.video_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        self._thread = Thread(target=self._run, daemon=True)
+        self._thread.start()
+
+    def finish(self) -> Path:
+        self.queue.put(_DONE)
+        self._thread.join(timeout=120)
+        return self.video_path
+
+    def cancel(self):
+        self._cancelled = True
+        while not self.queue.empty():
+            try:
+                self.queue.get_nowait()
+            except queue.Empty:
+                break
+        self.queue.put(_DONE)
+        if self._thread:
+            self._thread.join(timeout=5)
+        if self.video_path.parent.exists():
+            shutil.rmtree(self.video_path.parent, ignore_errors=True)
+
+    def _run(self):
+        options = {}
+        if self.g is not None:
+            options["g"] = str(self.g)
+        if self.crf is not None:
+            options["crf"] = str(self.crf)
+        if self.vcodec == "libsvtav1":
+            options["preset"] = "12"
+
+        output = None
+        output_stream = None
+        try:
+            while True:
+                data = self.queue.get()
+                if data is _DONE or self._cancelled:
+                    break
+
+                if isinstance(data, np.ndarray):
+                    if data.ndim == 3 and data.shape[0] in (1, 3, 4):
+                        data = data.transpose(1, 2, 0)
+                    pil = Image.fromarray(data.astype(np.uint8)).convert("RGB")
+                else:
+                    pil = data.convert("RGB")
+
+                if output is None:
+                    w, h = pil.size
+                    output = av.open(str(self.video_path), "w")
+                    output_stream = output.add_stream(self.vcodec, self.fps, options=options)
+                    output_stream.pix_fmt = self.pix_fmt
+                    output_stream.width = w
+                    output_stream.height = h
+
+                pkt = output_stream.encode(av.VideoFrame.from_image(pil))
+                if pkt:
+                    output.mux(pkt)
+
+            if output_stream and not self._cancelled:
+                pkt = output_stream.encode()
+                if pkt:
+                    output.mux(pkt)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"[StreamingEncoder] {e}")
+        finally:
+            if output:
+                output.close()
+
+
+class StreamingVideoEncoder:
+    """Encodes video on-the-fly using one background thread per camera.
+
+    PyAV releases the GIL during encoding, so Python threads give true
+    parallelism for the CPU-intensive codec work. The queue is unbounded
+    so feed_frame never blocks the caller (teleop thread always has priority).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, fps, vcodec="libsvtav1", pix_fmt="yuv420p", g=2, crf=30):
+        self.fps = fps
+        self._vcodec = vcodec
+        self._pix_fmt = pix_fmt
+        self._g = g
+        self._crf = crf
+        self._encoders: dict[str, _CameraEncoder] = {}
+
+    def start_episode(self, video_keys, temp_dir):
+        self.stop_episode()
+        for key in video_keys:
+            path = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=temp_dir)) / f"{key}_stream.mp4"
+            enc = _CameraEncoder(path, self.fps, self._vcodec, self._pix_fmt, self._g, self._crf)
+            enc.start()
+            self._encoders[key] = enc
+
+    def feed_frame(self, video_key, image):
+        """Non-blocking: put frame on unbounded queue (never blocks caller)."""
+        enc = self._encoders.get(video_key)
+        if enc:
+            enc.queue.put(image)
+
+    def finish_episode(self) -> dict[str, Path]:
+        """Flush all encoders, wait for completion, return {key: video_path}."""
+        paths = {}
+        for key, enc in self._encoders.items():
+            paths[key] = enc.finish()
+        self._encoders.clear()
+        return paths
+
+    def stop_episode(self):
+        """Cancel current episode encoding (for re-record)."""
+        for enc in self._encoders.values():
+            enc.cancel()
+        self._encoders.clear()
+
+    def close(self):
+        self.stop_episode()
+
+
 def concatenate_video_files(
     input_video_paths: list[Path | str], output_video_path: Path, overwrite: bool = True
 ):

src/lerobot/envs/configs.py

@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ class ObservationConfig:
 
     add_joint_velocity_to_observation: bool = False
     add_current_to_observation: bool = False
+    add_ee_pose_to_observation: bool = False
     display_cameras: bool = False
 
 
@@ -260,6 +261,7 @@ class HILSerlRobotEnvConfig(EnvConfig):
 @dataclass
 class LiberoEnv(EnvConfig):
     task: str = "libero_10"  # can also choose libero_spatial, libero_object, etc.
+    task_ids: list[int] | None = None
     fps: int = 30
     episode_length: int | None = None
     obs_type: str = "pixels_agent_pos"
@@ -338,10 +340,10 @@ class LiberoEnv(EnvConfig):
 
     @property
     def gym_kwargs(self) -> dict:
-        return {
-            "obs_type": self.obs_type,
-            "render_mode": self.render_mode,
-        }
+        kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {"obs_type": self.obs_type, "render_mode": self.render_mode}
+        if self.task_ids is not None:
+            kwargs["task_ids"] = self.task_ids
+        return kwargs
 
 
 @EnvConfig.register_subclass("metaworld")

src/lerobot/envs/libero.py

@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ class LiberoEnv(gym.Env):
         visualization_height: int = 480,
         init_states: bool = True,
         episode_index: int = 0,
+        n_envs: int = 1,
         camera_name_mapping: dict[str, str] | None = None,
         num_steps_wait: int = 10,
         control_mode: str = "relative",
@@ -145,7 +146,9 @@ class LiberoEnv(gym.Env):
         self.episode_length = episode_length
         # Load once and keep
         self._init_states = get_task_init_states(task_suite, self.task_id) if self.init_states else None
-        self._init_state_id = self.episode_index  # tie each sub-env to a fixed init state
+        self._reset_stride = n_envs  # when performing a reset, append `_reset_stride` to `init_state_id`.
+
+        self.init_state_id = self.episode_index  # tie each sub-env to a fixed init state
 
         self._env = self._make_envs_task(task_suite, self.task_id)
         default_steps = 500
@@ -293,9 +296,10 @@ class LiberoEnv(gym.Env):
     def reset(self, seed=None, **kwargs):
         super().reset(seed=seed)
         self._env.seed(seed)
-        if self.init_states and self._init_states is not None:
-            self._env.set_init_state(self._init_states[self._init_state_id])
         raw_obs = self._env.reset()
+        if self.init_states and self._init_states is not None:
+            raw_obs = self._env.set_init_state(self._init_states[self.init_state_id % len(self._init_states)])
+            self.init_state_id += self._reset_stride  # Change init_state_id when reset
 
         # After reset, objects may be unstable (slightly floating, intersecting, etc.).
         # Step the simulator with a no-op action for a few frames so everything settles.
@@ -373,6 +377,7 @@ def _make_env_fns(
             init_states=init_states,
             episode_length=episode_length,
             episode_index=episode_index,
+            n_envs=n_envs,
             control_mode=control_mode,
             **local_kwargs,
         )

src/lerobot/motors/__init__.py

@@ -14,4 +14,11 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from .motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, MotorNormMode, MotorsBus
+from .motors_bus import (
+    Motor,
+    MotorCalibration,
+    MotorNormMode,
+    MotorsBus,  # Backward compatibility (alias for SerialMotorsBus)
+    MotorsBusBase,
+    SerialMotorsBus,
+)

src/lerobot/motors/calibration_gui.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 os.environ["PYGAME_HIDE_SUPPORT_PROMPT"] = "1"
 
-from lerobot.motors import MotorCalibration, MotorsBus
+from .motors_bus import MotorCalibration, MotorsBus
 
 BAR_LEN, BAR_THICKNESS = 450, 8
 HANDLE_R = 10
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ class RangeFinderGUI:
 
         self.bus = bus
         self.groups = groups if groups is not None else {"all": list(bus.motors)}
-        self.group_names = list(groups)
+        self.group_names = list(self.groups)
         self.current_group = self.group_names[0]
 
         if not bus.is_connected:
@@ -230,18 +230,20 @@ class RangeFinderGUI:
         self.calibration = bus.read_calibration()
         self.res_table = bus.model_resolution_table
         self.present_cache = {
-            m: bus.read("Present_Position", m, normalize=False) for motors in groups.values() for m in motors
+            m: bus.read("Present_Position", m, normalize=False)
+            for motors in self.groups.values()
+            for m in motors
         }
 
         pygame.init()
         self.font = pygame.font.Font(None, FONT_SIZE)
 
-        label_pad = max(self.font.size(m)[0] for ms in groups.values() for m in ms)
+        label_pad = max(self.font.size(m)[0] for ms in self.groups.values() for m in ms)
         self.label_pad = label_pad
         width = 40 + label_pad + BAR_LEN + 6 + BTN_W + 10 + SAVE_W + 10
         self.controls_bottom = 10 + SAVE_H
         self.base_y = self.controls_bottom + TOP_GAP
-        height = self.base_y + PADDING_Y * len(groups[self.current_group]) + 40
+        height = self.base_y + PADDING_Y * len(self.groups[self.current_group]) + 40
 
         self.screen = pygame.display.set_mode((width, height))
         pygame.display.set_caption("Motors range finder")

src/lerobot/motors/damiao/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from .damiao import DamiaoMotorsBus
+from .tables import *

src/lerobot/motors/damiao/damiao.py

@@ -0,0 +1,859 @@
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+# Portions of this file are derived from DM_Control_Python by cmjang.
+# Licensed under the MIT License; see `LICENSE` for the full text:
+# https://github.com/cmjang/DM_Control_Python
+
+import logging
+import time
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from copy import deepcopy
+from functools import cached_property
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, TypedDict
+
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_already_connected, check_if_not_connected
+from lerobot.utils.import_utils import _can_available
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING or _can_available:
+    import can
+else:
+
+    class can:  # noqa: N801
+        Message = object
+        interface = None
+
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.utils import enter_pressed, move_cursor_up
+
+from ..motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, MotorsBusBase, NameOrID, Value
+from .tables import (
+    AVAILABLE_BAUDRATES,
+    CAN_CMD_DISABLE,
+    CAN_CMD_ENABLE,
+    CAN_CMD_REFRESH,
+    CAN_CMD_SET_ZERO,
+    CAN_PARAM_ID,
+    DEFAULT_BAUDRATE,
+    DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS,
+    MIT_KD_RANGE,
+    MIT_KP_RANGE,
+    MOTOR_LIMIT_PARAMS,
+    MotorType,
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+LONG_TIMEOUT_SEC = 0.1
+MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC = 0.01
+SHORT_TIMEOUT_SEC = 0.001
+PRECISE_TIMEOUT_SEC = 0.0001
+
+
+class MotorState(TypedDict):
+    position: float
+    velocity: float
+    torque: float
+    temp_mos: float
+    temp_rotor: float
+
+
+class DamiaoMotorsBus(MotorsBusBase):
+    """
+    The Damiao implementation for a MotorsBus using CAN bus communication.
+
+    This class uses python-can for CAN bus communication with Damiao motors.
+    For more info, see:
+    - python-can documentation: https://python-can.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
+    - Seedstudio documentation: https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/damiao_series/
+    - DM_Control_Python repo: https://github.com/cmjang/DM_Control_Python
+    """
+
+    # CAN-specific settings
+    available_baudrates = deepcopy(AVAILABLE_BAUDRATES)
+    default_baudrate = DEFAULT_BAUDRATE
+    default_timeout = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        port: str,
+        motors: dict[str, Motor],
+        calibration: dict[str, MotorCalibration] | None = None,
+        can_interface: str = "auto",
+        use_can_fd: bool = True,
+        bitrate: int = 1000000,
+        data_bitrate: int | None = 5000000,
+    ):
+        """
+        Initialize the Damiao motors bus.
+
+        Args:
+            port: CAN interface name (e.g., "can0" for Linux, "/dev/cu.usbmodem*" for macOS)
+            motors: Dictionary mapping motor names to Motor objects
+            calibration: Optional calibration data
+            can_interface: CAN interface type - "auto" (default), "socketcan" (Linux), or "slcan" (macOS/serial)
+            use_can_fd: Whether to use CAN FD mode (default: True for OpenArms)
+            bitrate: Nominal bitrate in bps (default: 1000000 = 1 Mbps)
+            data_bitrate: Data bitrate for CAN FD in bps (default: 5000000 = 5 Mbps), ignored if use_can_fd is False
+        """
+        super().__init__(port, motors, calibration)
+        self.port = port
+        self.can_interface = can_interface
+        self.use_can_fd = use_can_fd
+        self.bitrate = bitrate
+        self.data_bitrate = data_bitrate
+        self.canbus: can.interface.Bus | None = None
+        self._is_connected = False
+
+        # Map motor names to CAN IDs
+        self._motor_can_ids: dict[str, int] = {}
+        self._recv_id_to_motor: dict[int, str] = {}
+        self._motor_types: dict[str, MotorType] = {}
+
+        for name, motor in self.motors.items():
+            if motor.motor_type_str is None:
+                raise ValueError(f"Motor '{name}' is missing required 'motor_type'")
+            self._motor_types[name] = getattr(MotorType, motor.motor_type_str.upper().replace("-", "_"))
+
+            # Map recv_id to motor name for filtering responses
+            if motor.recv_id is not None:
+                self._recv_id_to_motor[motor.recv_id] = name
+
+        # State cache for handling packet drops safely
+        self._last_known_states: dict[str, MotorState] = {
+            name: {
+                "position": 0.0,
+                "velocity": 0.0,
+                "torque": 0.0,
+                "temp_mos": 0.0,
+                "temp_rotor": 0.0,
+            }
+            for name in self.motors
+        }
+
+        # Dynamic gains storage
+        # Defaults: Kp=10.0 (Stiffness), Kd=0.5 (Damping)
+        self._gains: dict[str, dict[str, float]] = {name: {"kp": 10.0, "kd": 0.5} for name in self.motors}
+
+    @property
+    def is_connected(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if the CAN bus is connected."""
+        return self._is_connected and self.canbus is not None
+
+    @check_if_already_connected
+    def connect(self, handshake: bool = True) -> None:
+        """
+        Open the CAN bus and initialize communication.
+
+        Args:
+            handshake: If True, ping all motors to verify they're present
+        """
+
+        try:
+            # Auto-detect interface type based on port name
+            if self.can_interface == "auto":
+                if self.port.startswith("/dev/"):
+                    self.can_interface = "slcan"
+                    logger.info(f"Auto-detected slcan interface for port {self.port}")
+                else:
+                    self.can_interface = "socketcan"
+                    logger.info(f"Auto-detected socketcan interface for port {self.port}")
+
+            # Connect to CAN bus
+            kwargs = {
+                "channel": self.port,
+                "bitrate": self.bitrate,
+                "interface": self.can_interface,
+            }
+
+            if self.can_interface == "socketcan" and self.use_can_fd and self.data_bitrate is not None:
+                kwargs.update({"data_bitrate": self.data_bitrate, "fd": True})
+                logger.info(
+                    f"Connected to {self.port} with CAN FD (bitrate={self.bitrate}, data_bitrate={self.data_bitrate})"
+                )
+            else:
+                logger.info(f"Connected to {self.port} with {self.can_interface} (bitrate={self.bitrate})")
+
+            self.canbus = can.interface.Bus(**kwargs)
+            self._is_connected = True
+
+            if handshake:
+                self._handshake()
+
+            logger.debug(f"{self.__class__.__name__} connected via {self.can_interface}.")
+        except Exception as e:
+            self._is_connected = False
+            raise ConnectionError(f"Failed to connect to CAN bus: {e}") from e
+
+    def _handshake(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Verify all motors are present and populate initial state cache.
+        Raises ConnectionError if any motor fails to respond.
+        """
+        logger.info("Starting handshake with motors...")
+
+        # Drain any pending messages
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        while self.canbus.recv(timeout=0.01):
+            pass
+
+        missing_motors = []
+        for motor_name in self.motors:
+            motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor_name)
+            recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor_name)
+
+            # Send enable command
+            data = [0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, CAN_CMD_ENABLE]
+            msg = can.Message(arbitration_id=motor_id, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd)
+            self.canbus.send(msg)
+
+            # Wait for response with longer timeout
+            response = None
+            start_time = time.time()
+            while time.time() - start_time < 0.1:
+                response = self.canbus.recv(timeout=0.1)
+                if response and response.arbitration_id == recv_id:
+                    break
+                response = None
+
+            if response is None:
+                missing_motors.append(motor_name)
+            else:
+                self._process_response(motor_name, msg)
+            time.sleep(MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+        if missing_motors:
+            raise ConnectionError(
+                f"Handshake failed. The following motors did not respond: {missing_motors}. "
+                "Check power (24V) and CAN wiring."
+            )
+        logger.info("Handshake successful. All motors ready.")
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def disconnect(self, disable_torque: bool = True) -> None:
+        """
+        Close the CAN bus connection.
+
+        Args:
+            disable_torque: If True, disable torque on all motors before disconnecting
+        """
+
+        if disable_torque:
+            try:
+                self.disable_torque()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.warning(f"Failed to disable torque during disconnect: {e}")
+
+        if self.canbus:
+            self.canbus.shutdown()
+            self.canbus = None
+        self._is_connected = False
+        logger.debug(f"{self.__class__.__name__} disconnected.")
+
+    def configure_motors(self) -> None:
+        """Configure all motors with default settings."""
+        # Damiao motors don't require much configuration in MIT mode
+        # Just ensure they're enabled
+        for motor in self.motors:
+            self._send_simple_command(motor, CAN_CMD_ENABLE)
+            time.sleep(MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+    def _send_simple_command(self, motor: NameOrID, command_byte: int) -> None:
+        """Helper to send simple 8-byte commands (Enable, Disable, Zero)."""
+        motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+        motor_name = self._get_motor_name(motor)
+        recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)
+        data = [0xFF] * 7 + [command_byte]
+        msg = can.Message(arbitration_id=motor_id, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd)
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        self.canbus.send(msg)
+        if msg := self._recv_motor_response(expected_recv_id=recv_id):
+            self._process_response(motor_name, msg)
+        else:
+            logger.debug(f"No response from {motor_name} after command 0x{command_byte:02X}")
+
+    def enable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+        """Enable torque on selected motors."""
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            for _ in range(num_retry + 1):
+                try:
+                    self._send_simple_command(motor, CAN_CMD_ENABLE)
+                    break
+                except Exception as e:
+                    if _ == num_retry:
+                        raise e
+                    time.sleep(MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+    def disable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+        """Disable torque on selected motors."""
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            for _ in range(num_retry + 1):
+                try:
+                    self._send_simple_command(motor, CAN_CMD_DISABLE)
+                    break
+                except Exception as e:
+                    if _ == num_retry:
+                        raise e
+                    time.sleep(MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def torque_disabled(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None):
+        """
+        Context manager that guarantees torque is re-enabled.
+
+        This helper is useful to temporarily disable torque when configuring motors.
+        """
+        self.disable_torque(motors)
+        try:
+            yield
+        finally:
+            self.enable_torque(motors)
+
+    def set_zero_position(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None) -> None:
+        """Set current position as zero for selected motors."""
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            self._send_simple_command(motor, CAN_CMD_SET_ZERO)
+            time.sleep(MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+    def _refresh_motor(self, motor: NameOrID) -> can.Message | None:
+        """Refresh motor status and return the response."""
+        motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+        recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)
+        data = [motor_id & 0xFF, (motor_id >> 8) & 0xFF, CAN_CMD_REFRESH, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+        msg = can.Message(arbitration_id=CAN_PARAM_ID, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd)
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        self.canbus.send(msg)
+        return self._recv_motor_response(expected_recv_id=recv_id)
+
+    def _recv_motor_response(
+        self, expected_recv_id: int | None = None, timeout: float = 0.001
+    ) -> can.Message | None:
+        """
+        Receive a response from a motor.
+
+        Args:
+            expected_recv_id: If provided, only return messages from this CAN ID
+            timeout: Timeout in seconds (default: 1ms for high-speed operation)
+        Returns:
+            CAN message if received, None otherwise
+        """
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        try:
+            start_time = time.time()
+            messages_seen = []
+            while time.time() - start_time < timeout:
+                msg = self.canbus.recv(timeout=PRECISE_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+                if msg:
+                    messages_seen.append(f"0x{msg.arbitration_id:02X}")
+                    if expected_recv_id is None or msg.arbitration_id == expected_recv_id:
+                        return msg
+                    logger.debug(
+                        f"Ignoring message from 0x{msg.arbitration_id:02X}, expected 0x{expected_recv_id:02X}"
+                    )
+
+            if logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
+                if messages_seen:
+                    logger.debug(
+                        f"Received {len(messages_seen)} msgs from {set(messages_seen)}, expected 0x{expected_recv_id:02X}"
+                    )
+                else:
+                    logger.debug(f"No CAN messages received (expected 0x{expected_recv_id:02X})")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"Failed to receive CAN message: {e}")
+        return None
+
+    def _recv_all_responses(
+        self, expected_recv_ids: list[int], timeout: float = 0.002
+    ) -> dict[int, can.Message]:
+        """
+        Efficiently receive responses from multiple motors at once.
+        Uses the OpenArms pattern: collect all available messages within timeout.
+
+        Args:
+            expected_recv_ids: List of CAN IDs we expect responses from
+            timeout: Total timeout in seconds (default: 2ms)
+
+        Returns:
+            Dictionary mapping recv_id to CAN message
+        """
+        responses: dict[int, can.Message] = {}
+        expected_set = set(expected_recv_ids)
+        start_time = time.time()
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        try:
+            while len(responses) < len(expected_recv_ids) and (time.time() - start_time) < timeout:
+                # 100us poll timeout
+                msg = self.canbus.recv(timeout=PRECISE_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+                if msg and msg.arbitration_id in expected_set:
+                    responses[msg.arbitration_id] = msg
+                    if len(responses) == len(expected_recv_ids):
+                        break
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"Error receiving responses: {e}")
+
+        return responses
+
+    def _encode_mit_packet(
+        self,
+        motor_type: MotorType,
+        kp: float,
+        kd: float,
+        position_degrees: float,
+        velocity_deg_per_sec: float,
+        torque: float,
+    ) -> list[int]:
+        """Helper to encode control parameters into 8 bytes for MIT mode."""
+        # Convert degrees to radians
+        position_rad = np.radians(position_degrees)
+        velocity_rad_per_sec = np.radians(velocity_deg_per_sec)
+
+        # Get motor limits
+        pmax, vmax, tmax = MOTOR_LIMIT_PARAMS[motor_type]
+
+        # Encode parameters
+        kp_uint = self._float_to_uint(kp, *MIT_KP_RANGE, 12)
+        kd_uint = self._float_to_uint(kd, *MIT_KD_RANGE, 12)
+        q_uint = self._float_to_uint(position_rad, -pmax, pmax, 16)
+        dq_uint = self._float_to_uint(velocity_rad_per_sec, -vmax, vmax, 12)
+        tau_uint = self._float_to_uint(torque, -tmax, tmax, 12)
+
+        # Pack data
+        data = [0] * 8
+        data[0] = (q_uint >> 8) & 0xFF
+        data[1] = q_uint & 0xFF
+        data[2] = dq_uint >> 4
+        data[3] = ((dq_uint & 0xF) << 4) | ((kp_uint >> 8) & 0xF)
+        data[4] = kp_uint & 0xFF
+        data[5] = kd_uint >> 4
+        data[6] = ((kd_uint & 0xF) << 4) | ((tau_uint >> 8) & 0xF)
+        data[7] = tau_uint & 0xFF
+        return data
+
+    def _mit_control(
+        self,
+        motor: NameOrID,
+        kp: float,
+        kd: float,
+        position_degrees: float,
+        velocity_deg_per_sec: float,
+        torque: float,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Send MIT control command to a motor."""
+        motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+        motor_name = self._get_motor_name(motor)
+        motor_type = self._motor_types[motor_name]
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        data = self._encode_mit_packet(motor_type, kp, kd, position_degrees, velocity_deg_per_sec, torque)
+        msg = can.Message(arbitration_id=motor_id, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd)
+        self.canbus.send(msg)
+
+        recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)
+        if msg := self._recv_motor_response(expected_recv_id=recv_id):
+            self._process_response(motor_name, msg)
+        else:
+            logger.debug(f"No response from {motor_name} after MIT control command")
+
+    def _mit_control_batch(
+        self,
+        commands: dict[NameOrID, tuple[float, float, float, float, float]],
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        Send MIT control commands to multiple motors in batch.
+        Sends all commands first, then collects responses.
+
+        Args:
+            commands: Dict mapping motor name/ID to (kp, kd, position_deg, velocity_deg/s, torque)
+                     Example: {'joint_1': (10.0, 0.5, 45.0, 0.0, 0.0), ...}
+        """
+        if not commands:
+            return
+
+        recv_id_to_motor: dict[int, str] = {}
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        # Step 1: Send all MIT control commands
+        for motor, (kp, kd, position_degrees, velocity_deg_per_sec, torque) in commands.items():
+            motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+            motor_name = self._get_motor_name(motor)
+            motor_type = self._motor_types[motor_name]
+
+            data = self._encode_mit_packet(motor_type, kp, kd, position_degrees, velocity_deg_per_sec, torque)
+            msg = can.Message(arbitration_id=motor_id, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd)
+            self.canbus.send(msg)
+
+            recv_id_to_motor[self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)] = motor_name
+
+        # Step 2: Collect responses and update state cache
+        responses = self._recv_all_responses(list(recv_id_to_motor.keys()), timeout=SHORT_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+        for recv_id, motor_name in recv_id_to_motor.items():
+            if msg := responses.get(recv_id):
+                self._process_response(motor_name, msg)
+
+    def _float_to_uint(self, x: float, x_min: float, x_max: float, bits: int) -> int:
+        """Convert float to unsigned integer for CAN transmission."""
+        x = max(x_min, min(x_max, x))  # Clamp to range
+        span = x_max - x_min
+        data_norm = (x - x_min) / span
+        return int(data_norm * ((1 << bits) - 1))
+
+    def _uint_to_float(self, x: int, x_min: float, x_max: float, bits: int) -> float:
+        """Convert unsigned integer from CAN to float."""
+        span = x_max - x_min
+        data_norm = float(x) / ((1 << bits) - 1)
+        return data_norm * span + x_min
+
+    def _decode_motor_state(
+        self, data: bytearray | bytes, motor_type: MotorType
+    ) -> tuple[float, float, float, int, int]:
+        """
+        Decode motor state from CAN data.
+        Returns: (position_deg, velocity_deg_s, torque, temp_mos, temp_rotor)
+        """
+        if len(data) < 8:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid motor state data")
+
+        # Extract encoded values
+        q_uint = (data[1] << 8) | data[2]
+        dq_uint = (data[3] << 4) | (data[4] >> 4)
+        tau_uint = ((data[4] & 0x0F) << 8) | data[5]
+        t_mos = data[6]
+        t_rotor = data[7]
+
+        # Get motor limits
+        pmax, vmax, tmax = MOTOR_LIMIT_PARAMS[motor_type]
+
+        # Decode to physical values
+        position_rad = self._uint_to_float(q_uint, -pmax, pmax, 16)
+        velocity_rad_per_sec = self._uint_to_float(dq_uint, -vmax, vmax, 12)
+        torque = self._uint_to_float(tau_uint, -tmax, tmax, 12)
+
+        return np.degrees(position_rad), np.degrees(velocity_rad_per_sec), torque, t_mos, t_rotor
+
+    def _process_response(self, motor: str, msg: can.Message) -> None:
+        """Decode a message and update the motor state cache."""
+        try:
+            motor_type = self._motor_types[motor]
+            pos, vel, torque, t_mos, t_rotor = self._decode_motor_state(msg.data, motor_type)
+
+            self._last_known_states[motor] = {
+                "position": pos,
+                "velocity": vel,
+                "torque": torque,
+                "temp_mos": float(t_mos),
+                "temp_rotor": float(t_rotor),
+            }
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(f"Failed to decode response from {motor}: {e}")
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def read(self, data_name: str, motor: str) -> Value:
+        """Read a value from a single motor. Positions are always in degrees."""
+
+        # Refresh motor to get latest state
+        msg = self._refresh_motor(motor)
+        if msg is None:
+            motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+            recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)
+            raise ConnectionError(
+                f"No response from motor '{motor}' (send ID: 0x{motor_id:02X}, recv ID: 0x{recv_id:02X}). "
+                f"Check that: 1) Motor is powered (24V), 2) CAN wiring is correct, "
+                f"3) Motor IDs are configured correctly using Damiao Debugging Tools"
+            )
+
+        self._process_response(motor, msg)
+        return self._get_cached_value(motor, data_name)
+
+    def _get_cached_value(self, motor: str, data_name: str) -> Value:
+        """Retrieve a specific value from the cache."""
+        state = self._last_known_states[motor]
+        mapping: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "Present_Position": state["position"],
+            "Present_Velocity": state["velocity"],
+            "Present_Torque": state["torque"],
+            "Temperature_MOS": state["temp_mos"],
+            "Temperature_Rotor": state["temp_rotor"],
+        }
+        if data_name not in mapping:
+            raise ValueError(f"Unknown data_name: {data_name}")
+        return mapping[data_name]
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def write(
+        self,
+        data_name: str,
+        motor: str,
+        value: Value,
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        Write a value to a single motor. Positions are always in degrees.
+        Can write 'Goal_Position', 'Kp', or 'Kd'.
+        """
+
+        if data_name in ("Kp", "Kd"):
+            self._gains[motor][data_name.lower()] = float(value)
+        elif data_name == "Goal_Position":
+            kp = self._gains[motor]["kp"]
+            kd = self._gains[motor]["kd"]
+            self._mit_control(motor, kp, kd, float(value), 0.0, 0.0)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"Writing {data_name} not supported in MIT mode")
+
+    def sync_read(
+        self,
+        data_name: str,
+        motors: str | list[str] | None = None,
+    ) -> dict[str, Value]:
+        """
+        Read the same value from multiple motors simultaneously.
+        """
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+        self._batch_refresh(target_motors)
+
+        result = {}
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            result[motor] = self._get_cached_value(motor, data_name)
+        return result
+
+    def sync_read_all_states(
+        self,
+        motors: str | list[str] | None = None,
+        *,
+        num_retry: int = 0,
+    ) -> dict[str, MotorState]:
+        """
+        Read ALL motor states (position, velocity, torque) from multiple motors in ONE refresh cycle.
+
+        Returns:
+            Dictionary mapping motor names to state dicts with keys: 'position', 'velocity', 'torque'
+            Example: {'joint_1': {'position': 45.2, 'velocity': 1.3, 'torque': 0.5}, ...}
+        """
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+        self._batch_refresh(target_motors)
+
+        result = {}
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            result[motor] = self._last_known_states[motor].copy()
+        return result
+
+    def _batch_refresh(self, motors: list[str]) -> None:
+        """Internal helper to refresh a list of motors and update cache."""
+
+        if self.canbus is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+
+        # Send refresh commands
+        for motor in motors:
+            motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+            data = [motor_id & 0xFF, (motor_id >> 8) & 0xFF, CAN_CMD_REFRESH, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+            msg = can.Message(
+                arbitration_id=CAN_PARAM_ID, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd
+            )
+            self.canbus.send(msg)
+
+        # Collect responses
+        expected_recv_ids = [self._get_motor_recv_id(m) for m in motors]
+        responses = self._recv_all_responses(expected_recv_ids, timeout=MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+        # Update cache
+        for motor in motors:
+            recv_id = self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)
+            msg = responses.get(recv_id)
+            if msg:
+                self._process_response(motor, msg)
+            else:
+                logger.warning(f"Packet drop: {motor} (ID: 0x{recv_id:02X}). Using last known state.")
+
+    @check_if_not_connected
+    def sync_write(self, data_name: str, values: dict[str, Value]) -> None:
+        """
+        Write values to multiple motors simultaneously. Positions are always in degrees.
+        """
+
+        if data_name in ("Kp", "Kd"):
+            key = data_name.lower()
+            for motor, val in values.items():
+                self._gains[motor][key] = float(val)
+
+        elif data_name == "Goal_Position":
+            # Step 1: Send all MIT control commands
+            recv_id_to_motor: dict[int, str] = {}
+            if self.canbus is None:
+                raise RuntimeError("CAN bus is not initialized.")
+            for motor, value_degrees in values.items():
+                motor_id = self._get_motor_id(motor)
+                motor_name = self._get_motor_name(motor)
+                motor_type = self._motor_types[motor_name]
+
+                kp = self._gains[motor]["kp"]
+                kd = self._gains[motor]["kd"]
+
+                data = self._encode_mit_packet(motor_type, kp, kd, float(value_degrees), 0.0, 0.0)
+                msg = can.Message(
+                    arbitration_id=motor_id, data=data, is_extended_id=False, is_fd=self.use_can_fd
+                )
+                self.canbus.send(msg)
+                precise_sleep(PRECISE_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+                recv_id_to_motor[self._get_motor_recv_id(motor)] = motor_name
+
+            # Step 2: Collect responses and update state cache
+            responses = self._recv_all_responses(list(recv_id_to_motor.keys()), timeout=MEDIUM_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+            for recv_id, motor_name in recv_id_to_motor.items():
+                if msg := responses.get(recv_id):
+                    self._process_response(motor_name, msg)
+        else:
+            # Fall back to individual writes
+            for motor, value in values.items():
+                self.write(data_name, motor, value)
+
+    def read_calibration(self) -> dict[str, MotorCalibration]:
+        """Read calibration data from motors."""
+        # Damiao motors don't store calibration internally
+        # Return existing calibration or empty dict
+        return self.calibration if self.calibration else {}
+
+    def write_calibration(self, calibration_dict: dict[str, MotorCalibration], cache: bool = True) -> None:
+        """Write calibration data to motors."""
+        # Damiao motors don't store calibration internally
+        # Just cache it in memory
+        if cache:
+            self.calibration = calibration_dict
+
+    def record_ranges_of_motion(
+        self,
+        motors: str | list[str] | None = None,
+        display_values: bool = True,
+    ) -> tuple[dict[str, Value], dict[str, Value]]:
+        """
+        Interactively record the min/max values of each motor in degrees.
+
+        Move the joints by hand (with torque disabled) while the method streams live positions.
+        Press Enter to finish.
+        """
+        target_motors = self._get_motors_list(motors)
+
+        self.disable_torque(target_motors)
+        time.sleep(LONG_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+        start_positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", target_motors)
+        mins = start_positions.copy()
+        maxes = start_positions.copy()
+
+        print("\nMove joints through their full range of motion. Press ENTER when done.")
+        user_pressed_enter = False
+
+        while not user_pressed_enter:
+            positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", target_motors)
+
+            for motor in target_motors:
+                if motor in positions:
+                    mins[motor] = min(positions[motor], mins.get(motor, positions[motor]))
+                    maxes[motor] = max(positions[motor], maxes.get(motor, positions[motor]))
+
+            if display_values:
+                print("\n" + "=" * 50)
+                print(f"{'MOTOR':<20} | {'MIN (deg)':>12} | {'POS (deg)':>12} | {'MAX (deg)':>12}")
+                print("-" * 50)
+                for motor in target_motors:
+                    if motor in positions:
+                        print(
+                            f"{motor:<20} | {mins[motor]:>12.1f} | {positions[motor]:>12.1f} | {maxes[motor]:>12.1f}"
+                        )
+
+            if enter_pressed():
+                user_pressed_enter = True
+
+            if display_values and not user_pressed_enter:
+                move_cursor_up(len(target_motors) + 4)
+
+            time.sleep(LONG_TIMEOUT_SEC)
+
+        self.enable_torque(target_motors)
+
+        for motor in target_motors:
+            if (motor in mins) and (motor in maxes) and (int(abs(maxes[motor] - mins[motor])) < 5):
+                raise ValueError(f"Motor {motor} has insufficient range of motion (< 5 degrees)")
+
+        return mins, maxes
+
+    def _get_motors_list(self, motors: str | list[str] | None) -> list[str]:
+        """Convert motor specification to list of motor names."""
+        if motors is None:
+            return list(self.motors.keys())
+        elif isinstance(motors, str):
+            return [motors]
+        elif isinstance(motors, list):
+            return motors
+        else:
+            raise TypeError(f"Invalid motors type: {type(motors)}")
+
+    def _get_motor_id(self, motor: NameOrID) -> int:
+        """Get CAN ID for a motor."""
+        if isinstance(motor, str):
+            if motor in self.motors:
+                return self.motors[motor].id
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(f"Unknown motor: {motor}")
+        else:
+            return motor
+
+    def _get_motor_name(self, motor: NameOrID) -> str:
+        """Get motor name from name or ID."""
+        if isinstance(motor, str):
+            return motor
+        else:
+            for name, m in self.motors.items():
+                if m.id == motor:
+                    return name
+            raise ValueError(f"Unknown motor ID: {motor}")
+
+    def _get_motor_recv_id(self, motor: NameOrID) -> int:
+        """Get motor recv_id from name or ID."""
+        motor_name = self._get_motor_name(motor)
+        motor_obj = self.motors.get(motor_name)
+        if motor_obj and motor_obj.recv_id is not None:
+            return motor_obj.recv_id
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"Motor {motor_obj} doesn't have a valid recv_id (None).")
+
+    @cached_property
+    def is_calibrated(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if motors are calibrated."""
+        return bool(self.calibration)

src/lerobot/motors/damiao/tables.py

@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Configuration tables for Damiao motors."""
+
+from enum import IntEnum
+from typing import Dict, List, Tuple
+
+# Motor type definitions
+class MotorType(IntEnum):
+    DM3507 = 0
+    DM4310 = 1
+    DM4310_48V = 2
+    DM4340 = 3
+    DM4340_48V = 4
+    DM6006 = 5
+    DM8006 = 6
+    DM8009 = 7
+    DM10010L = 8
+    DM10010 = 9
+    DMH3510 = 10
+    DMH6215 = 11
+    DMG6220 = 12
+
+# Control modes
+class ControlMode(IntEnum):
+    MIT = 1
+    POS_VEL = 2
+    VEL = 3
+    TORQUE_POS = 4
+
+# Motor variable IDs (RID)
+class MotorVariable(IntEnum):
+    UV_VALUE = 0
+    KT_VALUE = 1
+    OT_VALUE = 2
+    OC_VALUE = 3
+    ACC = 4
+    DEC = 5
+    MAX_SPD = 6
+    MST_ID = 7
+    ESC_ID = 8
+    TIMEOUT = 9
+    CTRL_MODE = 10
+    DAMP = 11
+    INERTIA = 12
+    HW_VER = 13
+    SW_VER = 14
+    SN = 15
+    NPP = 16
+    RS = 17
+    LS = 18
+    FLUX = 19
+    GR = 20
+    PMAX = 21
+    VMAX = 22
+    TMAX = 23
+    I_BW = 24
+    KP_ASR = 25
+    KI_ASR = 26
+    KP_APR = 27
+    KI_APR = 28
+    OV_VALUE = 29
+    GREF = 30
+    DETA = 31
+    V_BW = 32
+    IQ_C1 = 33
+    VL_C1 = 34
+    CAN_BR = 35
+    SUB_VER = 36
+    U_OFF = 50
+    V_OFF = 51
+    K1 = 52
+    K2 = 53
+    M_OFF = 54
+    DIR = 55
+    P_M = 80
+    XOUT = 81
+
+# Motor limit parameters [PMAX, VMAX, TMAX] 
+# PMAX: Maximum position (rad)
+# VMAX: Maximum velocity (rad/s)
+# TMAX: Maximum torque (N·m)
+MOTOR_LIMIT_PARAMS = {
+    MotorType.DM3507: (12.5, 30, 10),
+    MotorType.DM4310: (12.5, 30, 10),
+    MotorType.DM4310_48V: (12.5, 50, 10),
+    MotorType.DM4340: (12.5, 8, 28),
+    MotorType.DM4340_48V: (12.5, 10, 28),
+    MotorType.DM6006: (12.5, 45, 20),
+    MotorType.DM8006: (12.5, 45, 40),
+    MotorType.DM8009: (12.5, 45, 54),
+    MotorType.DM10010L: (12.5, 25, 200),
+    MotorType.DM10010: (12.5, 20, 200),
+    MotorType.DMH3510: (12.5, 280, 1),
+    MotorType.DMH6215: (12.5, 45, 10),
+    MotorType.DMG6220: (12.5, 45, 10),
+}
+
+# Motor model names
+MODEL_NAMES = {
+    MotorType.DM3507: "dm3507",
+    MotorType.DM4310: "dm4310",
+    MotorType.DM4310_48V: "dm4310_48v",
+    MotorType.DM4340: "dm4340",
+    MotorType.DM4340_48V: "dm4340_48v",
+    MotorType.DM6006: "dm6006",
+    MotorType.DM8006: "dm8006",
+    MotorType.DM8009: "dm8009",
+    MotorType.DM10010L: "dm10010l",
+    MotorType.DM10010: "dm10010",
+    MotorType.DMH3510: "dmh3510",
+    MotorType.DMH6215: "dmh6215",
+    MotorType.DMG6220: "dmg6220",
+}
+
+# Motor resolution table (encoder counts per revolution)
+MODEL_RESOLUTION = {
+    "dm3507": 65536,
+    "dm4310": 65536,
+    "dm4310_48v": 65536,
+    "dm4340": 65536,
+    "dm4340_48v": 65536,
+    "dm6006": 65536,
+    "dm8006": 65536,
+    "dm8009": 65536,
+    "dm10010l": 65536,
+    "dm10010": 65536,
+    "dmh3510": 65536,
+    "dmh6215": 65536,
+    "dmg6220": 65536,
+}
+
+# CAN baudrates supported by Damiao motors
+AVAILABLE_BAUDRATES = [
+    125000,   # 0: 125 kbps
+    200000,   # 1: 200 kbps
+    250000,   # 2: 250 kbps
+    500000,   # 3: 500 kbps
+    1000000,  # 4: 1 mbps (default for OpenArms)
+    2000000,  # 5: 2 mbps
+    2500000,  # 6: 2.5 mbps
+    3200000,  # 7: 3.2 mbps
+    4000000,  # 8: 4 mbps
+    5000000,  # 9: 5 mbps
+]
+DEFAULT_BAUDRATE = 1000000  # 1 Mbps is standard for OpenArms
+
+# Default timeout in milliseconds
+DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS = 1000
+
+# Data that should be normalized
+NORMALIZED_DATA = ["Present_Position", "Goal_Position"]
+
+# OpenArms specific configurations
+# Based on: https://docs.openarm.dev/software/setup/configure-test
+# OpenArms has 7 DOF per arm (14 total for dual arm)
+OPENARMS_ARM_MOTOR_IDS = {
+    "joint_1": {"send": 0x01, "recv": 0x11},  # J1 - Shoulder pan
+    "joint_2": {"send": 0x02, "recv": 0x12},  # J2 - Shoulder lift
+    "joint_3": {"send": 0x03, "recv": 0x13},  # J3 - Elbow flex
+    "joint_4": {"send": 0x04, "recv": 0x14},  # J4 - Wrist flex
+    "joint_5": {"send": 0x05, "recv": 0x15},  # J5 - Wrist roll
+    "joint_6": {"send": 0x06, "recv": 0x16},  # J6 - Wrist pitch
+    "joint_7": {"send": 0x07, "recv": 0x17},  # J7 - Wrist rotation
+}
+
+OPENARMS_GRIPPER_MOTOR_IDS = {
+    "gripper": {"send": 0x08, "recv": 0x18},  # J8 - Gripper
+}
+
+# Default motor types for OpenArms
+OPENARMS_DEFAULT_MOTOR_TYPES = {
+    "joint_1": MotorType.DM8009,   # Shoulder pan - high torque
+    "joint_2": MotorType.DM8009,   # Shoulder lift - high torque
+    "joint_3": MotorType.DM4340,   # Shoulder rotation
+    "joint_4": MotorType.DM4340,   # Elbow flex
+    "joint_5": MotorType.DM4310,   # Wrist roll
+    "joint_6": MotorType.DM4310,   # Wrist pitch
+    "joint_7": MotorType.DM4310,   # Wrist rotation
+    "gripper": MotorType.DM4310,   # Gripper
+}
+
+# MIT control parameter ranges
+MIT_KP_RANGE = (0.0, 500.0)
+MIT_KD_RANGE = (0.0, 5.0)
+
+# CAN frame command IDs
+CAN_CMD_ENABLE = 0xFC
+CAN_CMD_DISABLE = 0xFD
+CAN_CMD_SET_ZERO = 0xFE
+CAN_CMD_REFRESH = 0xCC
+CAN_CMD_QUERY_PARAM = 0x33
+CAN_CMD_WRITE_PARAM = 0x55
+CAN_CMD_SAVE_PARAM = 0xAA
+
+# CAN ID for parameter operations
+CAN_PARAM_ID = 0x7FF

src/lerobot/motors/dynamixel/dynamixel.py

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ from enum import Enum
 
 from lerobot.motors.encoding_utils import decode_twos_complement, encode_twos_complement
 
-from ..motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, MotorsBus, NameOrID, Value, get_address
+from ..motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, NameOrID, SerialMotorsBus, Value, get_address
 from .tables import (
     AVAILABLE_BAUDRATES,
     MODEL_BAUDRATE_TABLE,
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def _split_into_byte_chunks(value: int, length: int) -> list[int]:
     return data
 
 
-class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
+class DynamixelMotorsBus(SerialMotorsBus):
     """
     The Dynamixel implementation for a MotorsBus. It relies on the python dynamixel sdk to communicate with
     the motors. For more info, see the Dynamixel SDK Documentation:
@@ -182,10 +182,10 @@ class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         for motor, m in self.motors.items():
             calibration[motor] = MotorCalibration(
                 id=m.id,
-                drive_mode=drive_modes[motor],
-                homing_offset=offsets[motor],
-                range_min=mins[motor],
-                range_max=maxes[motor],
+                drive_mode=int(drive_modes[motor]),
+                homing_offset=int(offsets[motor]),
+                range_min=int(mins[motor]),
+                range_max=int(maxes[motor]),
             )
 
         return calibration
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         if cache:
             self.calibration = calibration_dict
 
-    def disable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def disable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         for motor in self._get_motors_list(motors):
             self.write("Torque_Enable", motor, TorqueMode.DISABLED.value, num_retry=num_retry)
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         addr, length = get_address(self.model_ctrl_table, model, "Torque_Enable")
         self._write(addr, length, motor_id, TorqueMode.DISABLED.value, num_retry=num_retry)
 
-    def enable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def enable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         for motor in self._get_motors_list(motors):
             self.write("Torque_Enable", motor, TorqueMode.ENABLED.value, num_retry=num_retry)
 
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         On Dynamixel Motors:
         Present_Position = Actual_Position + Homing_Offset
         """
-        half_turn_homings = {}
+        half_turn_homings: dict[NameOrID, Value] = {}
         for motor, pos in positions.items():
             model = self._get_motor_model(motor)
             max_res = self.model_resolution_table[model] - 1
@@ -259,6 +259,6 @@ class DynamixelMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
             if raise_on_error:
                 raise ConnectionError(self.packet_handler.getTxRxResult(comm))
 
-            return
+            return None
 
         return {id_: data[0] for id_, data in data_list.items()}

src/lerobot/motors/feetech/feetech.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from pprint import pformat
 
 from lerobot.motors.encoding_utils import decode_sign_magnitude, encode_sign_magnitude
 
-from ..motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, MotorsBus, NameOrID, Value, get_address
+from ..motors_bus import Motor, MotorCalibration, NameOrID, SerialMotorsBus, Value, get_address
 from .tables import (
     FIRMWARE_MAJOR_VERSION,
     FIRMWARE_MINOR_VERSION,
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def patch_setPacketTimeout(self, packet_length):  # noqa: N802
     self.packet_timeout = (self.tx_time_per_byte * packet_length) + (self.tx_time_per_byte * 3.0) + 50
 
 
-class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
+class FeetechMotorsBus(SerialMotorsBus):
     """
     The FeetechMotorsBus class allows to efficiently read and write to the attached motors. It relies on the
     python feetech sdk to communicate with the motors, which is itself based on the dynamixel sdk.
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
 
         self.port_handler = scs.PortHandler(self.port)
         # HACK: monkeypatch
-        self.port_handler.setPacketTimeout = patch_setPacketTimeout.__get__(
+        self.port_handler.setPacketTimeout = patch_setPacketTimeout.__get__(  # type: ignore[method-assign]
             self.port_handler, scs.PortHandler
         )
         self.packet_handler = scs.PacketHandler(protocol_version)
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
 
     def _handshake(self) -> None:
         self._assert_motors_exist()
-        self._assert_same_firmware()
+        #self._assert_same_firmware()
 
     def _find_single_motor(self, motor: str, initial_baudrate: int | None = None) -> tuple[int, int]:
         if self.protocol_version == 0:
@@ -263,9 +263,9 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
             calibration[motor] = MotorCalibration(
                 id=m.id,
                 drive_mode=0,
-                homing_offset=offsets[motor],
-                range_min=mins[motor],
-                range_max=maxes[motor],
+                homing_offset=int(offsets[motor]),
+                range_min=int(mins[motor]),
+                range_max=int(maxes[motor]),
             )
 
         return calibration
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         On Feetech Motors:
         Present_Position = Actual_Position - Homing_Offset
         """
-        half_turn_homings = {}
+        half_turn_homings: dict[NameOrID, Value] = {}
         for motor, pos in positions.items():
             model = self._get_motor_model(motor)
             max_res = self.model_resolution_table[model] - 1
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
 
         return half_turn_homings
 
-    def disable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def disable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         for motor in self._get_motors_list(motors):
             self.write("Torque_Enable", motor, TorqueMode.DISABLED.value, num_retry=num_retry)
             self.write("Lock", motor, 0, num_retry=num_retry)
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         addr, length = get_address(self.model_ctrl_table, model, "Lock")
         self._write(addr, length, motor_id, 0, num_retry=num_retry)
 
-    def enable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def enable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         for motor in self._get_motors_list(motors):
             self.write("Torque_Enable", motor, TorqueMode.ENABLED.value, num_retry=num_retry)
             self.write("Lock", motor, 1, num_retry=num_retry)
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
     def _broadcast_ping(self) -> tuple[dict[int, int], int]:
         import scservo_sdk as scs
 
-        data_list = {}
+        data_list: dict[int, int] = {}
 
         status_length = 6
 
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ class FeetechMotorsBus(MotorsBus):
         if not self._is_comm_success(comm):
             if raise_on_error:
                 raise ConnectionError(self.packet_handler.getTxRxResult(comm))
-            return
+            return None
 
         ids_errors = {id_: status for id_, status in ids_status.items() if self._is_error(status)}
         if ids_errors:

src/lerobot/motors/feetech/tables.py

@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ MODEL_BAUDRATE_TABLE = {
 
 # Sign-Magnitude encoding bits
 STS_SMS_SERIES_ENCODINGS_TABLE = {
+    "Present_Load": 10,
     "Homing_Offset": 11,
     "Goal_Position": 15,
     "Goal_Velocity": 15,

src/lerobot/motors/motors_bus.py

@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 # TODO(aliberts): Add block noqa when feature below is available
 # https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/issues/3711
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import abc
 import logging
+from collections.abc import Sequence
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from enum import Enum
@@ -32,7 +35,7 @@ import serial
 from deepdiff import DeepDiff
 from tqdm import tqdm
 
-from lerobot.utils.errors import DeviceAlreadyConnectedError, DeviceNotConnectedError
+from lerobot.utils.decorators import check_if_already_connected, check_if_not_connected
 from lerobot.utils.utils import enter_pressed, move_cursor_up
 
 NameOrID: TypeAlias = str | int
@@ -41,6 +44,81 @@ Value: TypeAlias = int | float
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+class MotorsBusBase(abc.ABC):
+    """
+    Base class for all motor bus implementations.
+
+    This is a minimal interface that all motor buses must implement, regardless of their
+    communication protocol (serial, CAN, etc.).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        port: str,
+        motors: dict[str, Motor],
+        calibration: dict[str, MotorCalibration] | None = None,
+    ):
+        self.port = port
+        self.motors = motors
+        self.calibration = calibration if calibration else {}
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def connect(self, handshake: bool = True) -> None:
+        """Establish connection to the motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def disconnect(self, disable_torque: bool = True) -> None:
+        """Disconnect from the motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @property
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def is_connected(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if connected to the motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def read(self, data_name: str, motor: str) -> Value:
+        """Read a value from a single motor."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def write(self, data_name: str, motor: str, value: Value) -> None:
+        """Write a value to a single motor."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def sync_read(self, data_name: str, motors: str | list[str] | None = None) -> dict[str, Value]:
+        """Read a value from multiple motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def sync_write(self, data_name: str, values: dict[str, Value]) -> None:
+        """Write values to multiple motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def enable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+        """Enable torque on selected motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def disable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+        """Disable torque on selected motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def read_calibration(self) -> dict[str, MotorCalibration]:
+        """Read calibration parameters from the motors."""
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def write_calibration(self, calibration_dict: dict[str, MotorCalibration], cache: bool = True) -> None:
+        """Write calibration parameters to the motors."""
+        pass
+
+
 def get_ctrl_table(model_ctrl_table: dict[str, dict], model: str) -> dict[str, tuple[int, int]]:
     ctrl_table = model_ctrl_table.get(model)
     if ctrl_table is None:
@@ -97,18 +175,21 @@ class Motor:
     id: int
     model: str
     norm_mode: MotorNormMode
+    motor_type_str: str | None = None
+    recv_id: int | None = None
 
 
 class PortHandler(Protocol):
-    def __init__(self, port_name):
-        self.is_open: bool
-        self.baudrate: int
-        self.packet_start_time: float
-        self.packet_timeout: float
-        self.tx_time_per_byte: float
-        self.is_using: bool
-        self.port_name: str
-        self.ser: serial.Serial
+    is_open: bool
+    baudrate: int
+    packet_start_time: float
+    packet_timeout: float
+    tx_time_per_byte: float
+    is_using: bool
+    port_name: str
+    ser: serial.Serial
+
+    def __init__(self, port_name: str) -> None: ...
 
     def openPort(self): ...
     def closePort(self): ...
@@ -161,19 +242,22 @@ class PacketHandler(Protocol):
     def regWriteTxRx(self, port, id, address, length, data): ...
     def syncReadTx(self, port, start_address, data_length, param, param_length): ...
     def syncWriteTxOnly(self, port, start_address, data_length, param, param_length): ...
+    def broadcastPing(self, port): ...
 
 
 class GroupSyncRead(Protocol):
-    def __init__(self, port, ph, start_address, data_length):
-        self.port: str
-        self.ph: PortHandler
-        self.start_address: int
-        self.data_length: int
-        self.last_result: bool
-        self.is_param_changed: bool
-        self.param: list
-        self.data_dict: dict
+    port: str
+    ph: PortHandler
+    start_address: int
+    data_length: int
+    last_result: bool
+    is_param_changed: bool
+    param: list
+    data_dict: dict
 
+    def __init__(
+        self, port: PortHandler, ph: PacketHandler, start_address: int, data_length: int
+    ) -> None: ...
     def makeParam(self): ...
     def addParam(self, id): ...
     def removeParam(self, id): ...
@@ -186,15 +270,17 @@ class GroupSyncRead(Protocol):
 
 
 class GroupSyncWrite(Protocol):
-    def __init__(self, port, ph, start_address, data_length):
-        self.port: str
-        self.ph: PortHandler
-        self.start_address: int
-        self.data_length: int
-        self.is_param_changed: bool
-        self.param: list
-        self.data_dict: dict
+    port: str
+    ph: PortHandler
+    start_address: int
+    data_length: int
+    is_param_changed: bool
+    param: list
+    data_dict: dict
 
+    def __init__(
+        self, port: PortHandler, ph: PacketHandler, start_address: int, data_length: int
+    ) -> None: ...
     def makeParam(self): ...
     def addParam(self, id, data): ...
     def removeParam(self, id): ...
@@ -203,15 +289,15 @@ class GroupSyncWrite(Protocol):
     def txPacket(self): ...
 
 
-class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
+class SerialMotorsBus(MotorsBusBase):
     """
-    A MotorsBus allows to efficiently read and write to the attached motors.
+    A SerialMotorsBus allows to efficiently read and write to motors connected via serial communication.
     It represents several motors daisy-chained together and connected through a serial port.
-    There are currently two implementations of this abstract class:
+    There are currently two implementations of this class:
         - DynamixelMotorsBus
         - FeetechMotorsBus
 
-    Note: This class may evolve in the future should we add support for other types of bus.
+    This class is specifically for serial-based motor protocols (Dynamixel, Feetech, etc.).
 
     A MotorsBus subclass instance requires a port (e.g. `FeetechMotorsBus(port="/dev/tty.usbmodem575E0031751"`)).
     To find the port, you can run our utility script:
@@ -260,9 +346,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         motors: dict[str, Motor],
         calibration: dict[str, MotorCalibration] | None = None,
     ):
-        self.port = port
-        self.motors = motors
-        self.calibration = calibration if calibration else {}
+        super().__init__(port, motors, calibration)
 
         self.port_handler: PortHandler
         self.packet_handler: PacketHandler
@@ -323,7 +407,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         else:
             raise TypeError(f"'{motor}' should be int, str.")
 
-    def _get_motor_model(self, motor: NameOrID) -> int:
+    def _get_motor_model(self, motor: NameOrID) -> str:
         if isinstance(motor, str):
             return self.motors[motor].model
         elif isinstance(motor, int):
@@ -331,17 +415,19 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         else:
             raise TypeError(f"'{motor}' should be int, str.")
 
-    def _get_motors_list(self, motors: str | list[str] | None) -> list[str]:
+    def _get_motors_list(self, motors: NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None) -> list[str]:
         if motors is None:
             return list(self.motors)
         elif isinstance(motors, str):
             return [motors]
-        elif isinstance(motors, list):
-            return motors.copy()
+        elif isinstance(motors, int):
+            return [self._id_to_name(motors)]
+        elif isinstance(motors, Sequence):
+            return [m if isinstance(m, str) else self._id_to_name(m) for m in motors]
         else:
             raise TypeError(motors)
 
-    def _get_ids_values_dict(self, values: Value | dict[str, Value] | None) -> list[str]:
+    def _get_ids_values_dict(self, values: Value | dict[str, Value] | None) -> dict[int, Value]:
         if isinstance(values, (int | float)):
             return dict.fromkeys(self.ids, values)
         elif isinstance(values, dict):
@@ -411,6 +497,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         """bool: `True` if the underlying serial port is open."""
         return self.port_handler.is_open
 
+    @check_if_already_connected
     def connect(self, handshake: bool = True) -> None:
         """Open the serial port and initialise communication.
 
@@ -422,10 +509,6 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             DeviceAlreadyConnectedError: The port is already open.
             ConnectionError: The underlying SDK failed to open the port or the handshake did not succeed.
         """
-        if self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is already connected. Do not call `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()` twice."
-            )
 
         self._connect(handshake)
         self.set_timeout()
@@ -447,6 +530,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
     def _handshake(self) -> None:
         pass
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def disconnect(self, disable_torque: bool = True) -> None:
         """Close the serial port (optionally disabling torque first).
 
@@ -455,10 +539,6 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
                 closing the port. This can prevent damaging motors if they are left applying resisting torque
                 after disconnect.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is not connected. Try running `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()` first."
-            )
 
         if disable_torque:
             self.port_handler.clearPort()
@@ -538,7 +618,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         self.set_baudrate(self.default_baudrate)
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def _find_single_motor(self, motor: str, initial_baudrate: int | None) -> tuple[int, int]:
+    def _find_single_motor(self, motor: str, initial_baudrate: int | None = None) -> tuple[int, int]:
         pass
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
@@ -551,13 +631,13 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         pass
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def disable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def disable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         """Disable torque on selected motors.
 
         Disabling Torque allows to write to the motors' permanent memory area (EPROM/EEPROM).
 
         Args:
-            motors (int | str | list[str] | None, optional): Target motors.  Accepts a motor name, an ID, a
+            motors ( str | list[str] | None, optional): Target motors.  Accepts a motor name, an ID, a
                 list of names or `None` to affect every registered motor.  Defaults to `None`.
             num_retry (int, optional): Number of additional retry attempts on communication failure.
                 Defaults to 0.
@@ -569,18 +649,19 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         pass
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def enable_torque(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
+    def enable_torque(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None, num_retry: int = 0) -> None:
         """Enable torque on selected motors.
 
         Args:
-            motor (int): Same semantics as :pymeth:`disable_torque`. Defaults to `None`.
+            motors (int | str | list[str] | None, optional): Same semantics as :pymeth:`disable_torque`.
+                Defaults to `None`.
             num_retry (int, optional): Number of additional retry attempts on communication failure.
                 Defaults to 0.
         """
         pass
 
     @contextmanager
-    def torque_disabled(self, motors: int | str | list[str] | None = None):
+    def torque_disabled(self, motors: str | list[str] | None = None):
         """Context-manager that guarantees torque is re-enabled.
 
         This helper is useful to temporarily disable torque when configuring motors.
@@ -657,24 +738,19 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         """
         pass
 
-    def reset_calibration(self, motors: NameOrID | list[NameOrID] | None = None) -> None:
+    def reset_calibration(self, motors: NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None = None) -> None:
         """Restore factory calibration for the selected motors.
 
         Homing offset is set to ``0`` and min/max position limits are set to the full usable range.
         The in-memory :pyattr:`calibration` is cleared.
 
         Args:
-            motors (NameOrID | list[NameOrID] | None, optional): Selection of motors. `None` (default)
+            motors (NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None, optional): Selection of motors. `None` (default)
                 resets every motor.
         """
-        if motors is None:
-            motors = list(self.motors)
-        elif isinstance(motors, (str | int)):
-            motors = [motors]
-        elif not isinstance(motors, list):
-            raise TypeError(motors)
+        motor_names = self._get_motors_list(motors)
 
-        for motor in motors:
+        for motor in motor_names:
             model = self._get_motor_model(motor)
             max_res = self.model_resolution_table[model] - 1
             self.write("Homing_Offset", motor, 0, normalize=False)
@@ -683,7 +759,9 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
 
         self.calibration = {}
 
-    def set_half_turn_homings(self, motors: NameOrID | list[NameOrID] | None = None) -> dict[NameOrID, Value]:
+    def set_half_turn_homings(
+        self, motors: NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None = None
+    ) -> dict[NameOrID, Value]:
         """Centre each motor range around its current position.
 
         The function computes and writes a homing offset such that the present position becomes exactly one
@@ -693,17 +771,12 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             motors (NameOrID | list[NameOrID] | None, optional): Motors to adjust. Defaults to all motors (`None`).
 
         Returns:
-            dict[NameOrID, Value]: Mapping *motor → written homing offset*.
+            dict[str, Value]: Mapping *motor name → written homing offset*.
         """
-        if motors is None:
-            motors = list(self.motors)
-        elif isinstance(motors, (str | int)):
-            motors = [motors]
-        elif not isinstance(motors, list):
-            raise TypeError(motors)
+        motor_names = self._get_motors_list(motors)
 
-        self.reset_calibration(motors)
-        actual_positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motors, normalize=False)
+        self.reset_calibration(motor_names)
+        actual_positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motor_names, normalize=False)
         homing_offsets = self._get_half_turn_homings(actual_positions)
         for motor, offset in homing_offsets.items():
             self.write("Homing_Offset", motor, offset)
@@ -715,8 +788,8 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         pass
 
     def record_ranges_of_motion(
-        self, motors: NameOrID | list[NameOrID] | None = None, display_values: bool = True
-    ) -> tuple[dict[NameOrID, Value], dict[NameOrID, Value]]:
+        self, motors: NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None = None, display_values: bool = True
+    ) -> tuple[dict[str, Value], dict[str, Value]]:
         """Interactively record the min/max encoder values of each motor.
 
         Move the joints by hand (with torque disabled) while the method streams live positions. Press
@@ -728,30 +801,25 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             display_values (bool, optional): When `True` (default) a live table is printed to the console.
 
         Returns:
-            tuple[dict[NameOrID, Value], dict[NameOrID, Value]]: Two dictionaries *mins* and *maxes* with the
+            tuple[dict[str, Value], dict[str, Value]]: Two dictionaries *mins* and *maxes* with the
                 extreme values observed for each motor.
         """
-        if motors is None:
-            motors = list(self.motors)
-        elif isinstance(motors, (str | int)):
-            motors = [motors]
-        elif not isinstance(motors, list):
-            raise TypeError(motors)
+        motor_names = self._get_motors_list(motors)
 
-        start_positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motors, normalize=False)
+        start_positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motor_names, normalize=False)
         mins = start_positions.copy()
         maxes = start_positions.copy()
 
         user_pressed_enter = False
         while not user_pressed_enter:
-            positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motors, normalize=False)
+            positions = self.sync_read("Present_Position", motor_names, normalize=False)
             mins = {motor: min(positions[motor], min_) for motor, min_ in mins.items()}
             maxes = {motor: max(positions[motor], max_) for motor, max_ in maxes.items()}
 
             if display_values:
                 print("\n-------------------------------------------")
                 print(f"{'NAME':<15} | {'MIN':>6} | {'POS':>6} | {'MAX':>6}")
-                for motor in motors:
+                for motor in motor_names:
                     print(f"{motor:<15} | {mins[motor]:>6} | {positions[motor]:>6} | {maxes[motor]:>6}")
 
             if enter_pressed():
@@ -759,9 +827,9 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
 
             if display_values and not user_pressed_enter:
                 # Move cursor up to overwrite the previous output
-                move_cursor_up(len(motors) + 3)
+                move_cursor_up(len(motor_names) + 3)
 
-        same_min_max = [motor for motor in motors if mins[motor] == maxes[motor]]
+        same_min_max = [motor for motor in motor_names if mins[motor] == maxes[motor]]
         if same_min_max:
             raise ValueError(f"Some motors have the same min and max values:\n{pformat(same_min_max)}")
 
@@ -884,12 +952,12 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             if raise_on_error:
                 raise ConnectionError(self.packet_handler.getTxRxResult(comm))
             else:
-                return
+                return None
         if self._is_error(error):
             if raise_on_error:
                 raise RuntimeError(self.packet_handler.getRxPacketError(error))
             else:
-                return
+                return None
 
         return model_number
 
@@ -907,6 +975,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         """
         pass
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def read(
         self,
         data_name: str,
@@ -927,10 +996,6 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         Returns:
             Value: Raw or normalised value depending on *normalize*.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is not connected. You need to run `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()`."
-            )
 
         id_ = self.motors[motor].id
         model = self.motors[motor].model
@@ -939,12 +1004,13 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         err_msg = f"Failed to read '{data_name}' on {id_=} after {num_retry + 1} tries."
         value, _, _ = self._read(addr, length, id_, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg)
 
-        id_value = self._decode_sign(data_name, {id_: value})
+        decoded = self._decode_sign(data_name, {id_: value})
 
         if normalize and data_name in self.normalized_data:
-            id_value = self._normalize(id_value)
+            normalized = self._normalize(decoded)
+            return normalized[id_]
 
-        return id_value[id_]
+        return decoded[id_]
 
     def _read(
         self,
@@ -955,7 +1021,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         num_retry: int = 0,
         raise_on_error: bool = True,
         err_msg: str = "",
-    ) -> tuple[int, int]:
+    ) -> tuple[int, int, int]:
         if length == 1:
             read_fn = self.packet_handler.read1ByteTxRx
         elif length == 2:
@@ -981,6 +1047,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
 
         return value, comm, error
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def write(
         self, data_name: str, motor: str, value: Value, *, normalize: bool = True, num_retry: int = 0
     ) -> None:
@@ -999,22 +1066,19 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             normalize (bool, optional): Enable or disable normalisation. Defaults to `True`.
             num_retry (int, optional): Retry attempts.  Defaults to `0`.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is not connected. You need to run `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()`."
-            )
 
         id_ = self.motors[motor].id
         model = self.motors[motor].model
         addr, length = get_address(self.model_ctrl_table, model, data_name)
 
+        int_value = int(value)
         if normalize and data_name in self.normalized_data:
-            value = self._unnormalize({id_: value})[id_]
+            int_value = self._unnormalize({id_: value})[id_]
 
-        value = self._encode_sign(data_name, {id_: value})[id_]
+        int_value = self._encode_sign(data_name, {id_: int_value})[id_]
 
-        err_msg = f"Failed to write '{data_name}' on {id_=} with '{value}' after {num_retry + 1} tries."
-        self._write(addr, length, id_, value, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg)
+        err_msg = f"Failed to write '{data_name}' on {id_=} with '{int_value}' after {num_retry + 1} tries."
+        self._write(addr, length, id_, int_value, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg)
 
     def _write(
         self,
@@ -1044,10 +1108,11 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
 
         return comm, error
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def sync_read(
         self,
         data_name: str,
-        motors: str | list[str] | None = None,
+        motors: NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None = None,
         *,
         normalize: bool = True,
         num_retry: int = 0,
@@ -1056,17 +1121,13 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
 
         Args:
             data_name (str): Register name.
-            motors (str | list[str] | None, optional): Motors to query. `None` (default) reads every motor.
+            motors (NameOrID | Sequence[NameOrID] | None, optional): Motors to query. `None` (default) reads every motor.
             normalize (bool, optional): Normalisation flag.  Defaults to `True`.
             num_retry (int, optional): Retry attempts.  Defaults to `0`.
 
         Returns:
             dict[str, Value]: Mapping *motor name → value*.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is not connected. You need to run `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()`."
-            )
 
         self._assert_protocol_is_compatible("sync_read")
 
@@ -1081,16 +1142,17 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         addr, length = get_address(self.model_ctrl_table, model, data_name)
 
         err_msg = f"Failed to sync read '{data_name}' on {ids=} after {num_retry + 1} tries."
-        ids_values, _ = self._sync_read(
+        raw_ids_values, _ = self._sync_read(
             addr, length, ids, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg
         )
 
-        ids_values = self._decode_sign(data_name, ids_values)
+        decoded = self._decode_sign(data_name, raw_ids_values)
 
         if normalize and data_name in self.normalized_data:
-            ids_values = self._normalize(ids_values)
+            normalized = self._normalize(decoded)
+            return {self._id_to_name(id_): value for id_, value in normalized.items()}
 
-        return {self._id_to_name(id_): value for id_, value in ids_values.items()}
+        return {self._id_to_name(id_): value for id_, value in decoded.items()}
 
     def _sync_read(
         self,
@@ -1139,6 +1201,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
     #     for id_ in motor_ids:
     #         value = self.sync_reader.getData(id_, address, length)
 
+    @check_if_not_connected
     def sync_write(
         self,
         data_name: str,
@@ -1160,26 +1223,25 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
             normalize (bool, optional): If `True` (default) convert values from the user range to raw units.
             num_retry (int, optional): Retry attempts.  Defaults to `0`.
         """
-        if not self.is_connected:
-            raise DeviceNotConnectedError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__}('{self.port}') is not connected. You need to run `{self.__class__.__name__}.connect()`."
-            )
 
-        ids_values = self._get_ids_values_dict(values)
-        models = [self._id_to_model(id_) for id_ in ids_values]
+        raw_ids_values = self._get_ids_values_dict(values)
+        models = [self._id_to_model(id_) for id_ in raw_ids_values]
         if self._has_different_ctrl_tables:
             assert_same_address(self.model_ctrl_table, models, data_name)
 
         model = next(iter(models))
         addr, length = get_address(self.model_ctrl_table, model, data_name)
 
+        int_ids_values = {id_: int(val) for id_, val in raw_ids_values.items()}
         if normalize and data_name in self.normalized_data:
-            ids_values = self._unnormalize(ids_values)
+            int_ids_values = self._unnormalize(raw_ids_values)
 
-        ids_values = self._encode_sign(data_name, ids_values)
+        int_ids_values = self._encode_sign(data_name, int_ids_values)
 
-        err_msg = f"Failed to sync write '{data_name}' with {ids_values=} after {num_retry + 1} tries."
-        self._sync_write(addr, length, ids_values, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg)
+        err_msg = f"Failed to sync write '{data_name}' with ids_values={int_ids_values} after {num_retry + 1} tries."
+        self._sync_write(
+            addr, length, int_ids_values, num_retry=num_retry, raise_on_error=True, err_msg=err_msg
+        )
 
     def _sync_write(
         self,
@@ -1212,3 +1274,7 @@ class MotorsBus(abc.ABC):
         for id_, value in ids_values.items():
             data = self._serialize_data(value, length)
             self.sync_writer.addParam(id_, data)
+
+
+# Backward compatibility alias
+MotorsBus: TypeAlias = SerialMotorsBus