• What does ISI, Classic, S, Si, Xi, PSM, MTM, ECM, SUJ, HRSV, ... mean?
• Generations of da Vinci systems
• What does QLA-FPGA, qladisp, ... mean?
• What PC configuration do you suggest?
• The PSMs aren't moving
• I can't find qladisp but everything else has been compiled
• All signals freeze for a couple seconds
• Some intermittent signals
• Power issues
• Firewire connection
  • Symptom
  • Firewire cables
• I plugged my PC to the stereo display but I get no image?

Moved to https://dvrk.readthedocs.io/en/latest/pages/references.html

Moved to https://dvrk.readthedocs.io/en/latest/pages/references.html

Moved to https://dvrk.readthedocs.io/en/latest/pages/references.html

• Classic Controller:
  • Enclosure
  • Two QLA-FPGA to control up to 8 axes for versions up to CA9, two QLAs + DQLA adapters + single FPGA (v3+) for versions after CA9
  • dMIB: mounted on the back
  • Power supplies: 12V for logic + motor power:
    • 24V for all actuators on PSM
    • 24V for first 3 actuators and 12 V for last 4 actuators on MTM
    • 36V for ECM, mostly to be able to release the brakes
    • 48V for SUJ, for brakes and PWM units to lift/lower the PSM3 SUJ
  • Safety relay
  • Status LEDs
• Si Controller:
  • Enclosure (1U)
  • dRAC
  • FPGA v3+
  • Power supplies:
    • 12V for logic
    • 48V for motors and brakes
  • Safety relay
  • Status LEDs
• qladisp: text based application used to test up to 2 QLA-FPGA boards. See testing hardware with qladisp
• qlacommand: text based application used to send commands to all controllers:
  • qlacommand -c close-relays: close safety relays for all the controllers connected through FireWire, very useful if you're not using all the controllers connected through the FireWire and e-stop chain and don't want to re-configure all your wiring.
  • qlacommand -c reboot: reboot all controllers, useful after upgrading firmware
  • qlacommand -c reset-encoder-preload: reset all encoder preloads, useful if homing has been interrupted or failed

See JHU Mechatronics for more details: http://jhu-cisst.github.io/mechatronics regarding the QLA-FPGA (JHU public page).

moved to https://dvrk.readthedocs.io

All manipulators should be completely back drivable when not powered. If your PSMs are stiff and you can't move all the joints by hand, make sure you have removed all the brackets and zip ties used to protect the arm during transportation. Please read the unpacking guide: ISI private wiki.

You're probably missing the curses development libraries. Install them, re-run CMake or just catkin build if you're a ROS user. To install on Ubuntu:

  sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev

• Make sure you don't have two programs trying to access the FireWire controllers simultaneously. The low-level API provided by JHU performs a check but you might have found a way to defeat it.
• Make sure you don't have any other FireWire devices on the same FireWire controller. For example, don't connect an external FireWire hard drive or camera on the same FireWire chain. Please note that PC that comes with a built-in FireWire controller might provide multiple external connectors that are managed by a single FireWire chip.
• Make sure your FireWire "chain" is good from your computer to the last FPGA-QLA board set. See Firewire below.

• Make sure you don't have any loose ITT Cannon cables from your manipulator to the controller.
• Make sure the SCSI and RS cables between the dMIB and QLA boards inside the enclosure are not loose.
• See also controller boxes description and debugging potentiometer issues

Most power issues are related to the emergency stop: E-Stop

See Controller Connectivity.

• Can't even connect to controllers
• See some of the QLA-FPGA but not all
• qladisp seems to be working but the display freezes for a couple of seconds

Cheap cables tend to have more quality issues. We strongly recommend to buy your FireWire cables from Unibrain.

For a more detailed description of the cables used for our controllers (at JHU), see ISI private wiki. The best way to test your setup is to start with a single cable and single QLA-FPGA and then add the extra boards one by one to the daisy chain. This requires to open the controller enclosures.

You need a special cable and the correct settings on your computer. The cable adapter is not provided with the Research Kit and is not standard so you will have to make it. See ISI private wiki.