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A framework for using remote lab instruments as local resources, built on Pyro5.

Developed by Sequoia Ploeg (for CamachoLab, Brigham Young University).

About

This project aims to allow all laboratory instruments to be accessed as local objects from a remote machine. Instruments that don't natively support such access, such as those required to be connected by a USB cable (or similar), are wrapped with a Pyro5 interface. However, this library may contain other instruments that are already internet-capable and don't rely on Pyro5. That's alright; we're just trying to create a minimal-dependency, one-stop-shop for laboratory instruments!

Note: while the software says "OS Independent", some of the servers are OS-specific. For example, ThorLabs DLL's only work on Windows. However, you could use PyroLab to connect to those devices from any operating system.

Example

First, make sure all your configuration files on the nameserver computer, service providing computer, and client are correct (with the proper keys and everything).

Run a nameserver:

from pyrolab.api import config, start_ns_loop
config.reset(cfile="/path/to/config.ini")

start_ns_loop()

Provide a service:

from pyrolab.api import config, Daemon, locate_ns
from pyrolab.drivers.sample import SampleService
config.reset(cfile="/path/to/config.ini")

daemon = Daemon()
ns = locate_ns()
uri = daemon.register(SampleService)
ns.register("test.SampleService", uri)

try:
    daemon.requestLoop()
finally:
    ns.remove("test.SampleService")

Connect using a remote client:

from pyrolab.api import config, locate_ns, Proxy
config.reset(cfile="/path/to/config.ini")

ns = locate_ns()
uri = ns.lookup("test.SampleService")

with Proxy(uri) as p:
    p.do_work()

FAQ's

1. Another instrument library? What about all the others?
   In our experience, many of the other libraries are buggy or have difficulty with network connections. So, our approach was to rely on a well developed and time-tested framework (Pyro) instead of worrying about developing and supporting our own custom set of servers.

2. Is this a standalone software that automatically supports all the advertised instruments?
   No; many of these instruments depend on other software already being installed. In particular, ThorLabs equipment depends on ThorLabs software already being installed on the computer connected to the physical hardware (but not on the remote computer!). As much as possible, though, we try to make the drivers standalone capable.

For Developers

Since the passing of data is, by definition, between hosts and over IP, PyroLab avoids the use of complex Python objects for return values that will be transmitted to remote machines. Since serialization is complicated, and security is even harder, we resort to using only basic Python types when interfacing with hardware (i.e., Python lists, ints, tuples, and not NumPy arrays, matplotlib plot objects, custom objects, etc.).

To bump version prior to a release, run one of the following commands:

bumpversion major
bumpversion minor
bumpversion patch

Releases are automatically created when git tags matching the "v*" pattern are created.