Teleoperation Modes and Input Sources

This page explains the relationship between Input Mode, the IK source, and the teleoperation motion range. It also provides standard procedures for full-body, dual-arm, and mobile-base teleoperation. Controls may differ slightly by delivery release. If an option is absent from the UI, first verify that the service listed here exists on the target device.

1. Prerequisites

Before changing an input source:

1. Clear the workspace and keep the emergency stop within reach.
2. Start Robot and Teleop in Apex, and confirm that the robot is Ready.
3. On first unpacking, use drag mode to move the arms to the standard zero pose before selecting Impedance Mode and executing Home.
4. Release both headset-controller enable buttons before changing the teleoperation motion range.

Load the environment before running terminal commands:

source /etc/apex/apex_ros_env.sh

2. Input Mode

Input Mode selects the final joint-command source. Publishing a topic does not move the robot unless the corresponding Input Mode is active.

UI option	Value	Purpose
None	0	Do not forward external joint commands; use while changing sources, ending a test, or troubleshooting
Teleop	1	Use Teleop/QP output; required for both headset teleoperation and VLA Cartesian control
Custom	3	Use joint targets from a customer application; not for VLA Cartesian control

Planner=2 and Replay=4 are used by planning, Home, or playback workflows. The current UI normally does not expose them as general manual controls.

Use the service to switch modes and the status topic to verify the result:

# None
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_input marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 0}"

# Teleop / QP
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_input marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 1}"

# Custom / User joint command
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_input marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 3}"

ros2 topic echo /tj/control/input_mode --once

None is not an emergency stop

None only stops forwarding external motion input. It does not stop the Robot service and cannot replace the physical emergency stop.

3. IK Source

The IK source selects the Cartesian request used by Teleop/QP. /tj/info/ik_request_mux/active_source is a read-only status topic; publishing to it cannot change the source.

Current Marvin Pro releases use /tj/control/set_ik_input:

Value	IK source	Purpose
0	Idle	Do not forward IK requests
1	VR	Headset Cartesian targets
2	VLA	VLA or customer Cartesian targets
3	Replay	IKRequest playback; normally selected and restored automatically by Playback

# Check whether the device provides this interface
ros2 service type /tj/control/set_ik_input

# Select a source, for example VR
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_ik_input marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 1}"

# Verify the active source
ros2 topic echo /tj/info/ik_request_mux/active_source --once

Use the following order to prevent stale IK output from being forwarded briefly:

Scenario	Order
Headset teleoperation	First set_ik_input=1, then set_input=1
VLA/customer Cartesian target	First set_ik_input=2, then set_input=1
Customer joint target	First set_input=3, then set_ik_input=0
Stop external control	First set_input=0, then set_ik_input=0

Product difference

set_ik_input is a customer-facing interface on current Marvin Pro releases. If it is absent on a Skye/Luna or historical release, use the matched UI and delivery workflow. Do not call an internal mux interface unless instructed by support.

4. Teleoperation Motion Range

Supported Skye/Luna releases provide these motion ranges:

Mode	Value	Motion
full_body	0	Arms, head, and body
arms_only	1	Arms only; body and head locked
arms_head	2	Arms and head; body locked

# Full body
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_teleop_motion_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 0}"

# Arms only
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_teleop_motion_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 1}"

# Arms and head
ros2 service call /tj/control/set_teleop_motion_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 2}"

ros2 topic echo /tj/info/teleop_motion_mode --once

The mode can change only while both headset-controller enable buttons are released. A request made while either button is held is rejected and the previous mode remains active. Marvin Pro is a dual-arm product and follows the dual-arm procedure without selecting a Gento full-body range.

5. Teleoperation Procedures

5.1 Skye/Luna full-body teleoperation

1. Start Robot, Teleop, and the headset network module. Complete Ready, Impedance Mode, and Home.
2. Release both enable buttons and select full_body=0.
3. When the base is not required, verify no_base=0.
4. Select Teleop as Input Mode in the matched Apex UI. Do not copy the Marvin Pro set_ik_input=1 command to Skye/Luna; the native IK source values differ between the product lines.
5. Connect Pico and the waist and leg trackers, and verify the VR state.
6. Test small arm motions first, then verify the head, torso, lift, or leg mapping in sequence.

5.2 Dual-arm teleoperation

Use this procedure directly for Marvin Pro. On Skye/Luna, select arms_only=1 first when only the arms should follow.

1. Start Robot and Teleop. Complete Ready, Impedance Mode, and Home.
2. On Skye/Luna, release both enable buttons and select arms_only=1. Skip this step on Marvin Pro.
3. Verify no_base=0.
4. On Marvin Pro, select IK source VR=1 first and then Input Mode Teleop=1. On Skye/Luna, select Teleop in the matched UI and do not call the Pro set_ik_input service.
5. Connect the headset and test small left- and right-arm motions separately before increasing the range.

5.3 Teleoperation with a mobile base

This procedure applies only to systems delivered with a configured base-teleoperation module. Base mode and upper-body motion range are independent settings.

Base mode	Value	Description
no_base	0	Do not control the base
joystick	1	Drive the base with the controller joystick
whole_body	2	Include the base in whole-body mapping

1. Clear the area around the base and keep the robot stationary.
2. Select the upper-body range, such as full_body or arms_only.
3. Select base mode 1 for joystick driving or 2 for whole-body mapping.
4. Verify the expected value on /info/base_teleop/active_mode.
5. Select sources according to the product: on Marvin Pro, select the VR IK source before Teleop; on Skye/Luna, select Teleop in the matched UI. Begin at low speed with small motions.
6. To finish, set base mode to 0 before setting Input Mode and the IK source to 0.

# Joystick base teleoperation
ros2 service call /control/base_teleop/set_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 1}"

# Whole-body base mapping
ros2 service call /control/base_teleop/set_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 2}"

# Stop base teleoperation
ros2 service call /control/base_teleop/set_mode \
  marvin_msgs/srv/Int "{data: 0}"

ros2 topic echo /info/base_teleop/active_mode --once

6. Quick Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check first
Headset connected but no robot motion	Robot Ready, Impedance Mode, Home, and Input Mode=Teleop; on Marvin Pro also verify IK=VR
Customer joint topic has data but no motion	Input Mode=Custom, valid timestamps, and complete joint arrays
VLA Cartesian topic has data but no motion	Do not select Custom; use IK=VLA and Input Mode=Teleop
Full-body/dual-arm mode cannot change	Both enable buttons released and service available
Base does not move	Base module installed, active mode 1/2, base emergency stop, and drive state
UI options differ from this page	Verify that the UI, Teleop service, and controller belong to the same delivery release

For complete definitions, see Marvin Pro Customer Integration Interfaces and Gento (Skye/Luna) ROS 2 Interfaces.