Graphical User Interface
The BioTac® GUI is a stand alone executable file that can be downloaded from the link above. For computers that have previously used older versions of our executable files, this updated GUI will run without any complications. New installations will require both the Cheetah SPI USB drivers, and the LabVIEW runtime environment (not necessary for computers that already have LabVIEW installed). Drivers for the Cheetah SPI Host adapter are provided by Total Phase. For computers, that do not have LabVIEW installed, a free version of the 2010 LabVIEW runtime engine is made availible by National Instruments, make sure to install the 2010 runtime environment). Download links for the drivers and runtime environment are below.
Cheetah USB SPI Host Adapters (ZIP)
The 3 BioTac® GUI (available for Windows PCs only) is the fastest way to visualize and record data from your BioTac®s. This allows for 1 to 3 BioTac®s to be connected to the MultiBioTac Board and Cheetah SPI Host Adapter (which are included in each evaluation kit).
BioTac Graphical User Interface
Software Libraries
SynTouch® provides free software libraries to its customers in order to enable development of custom applications. We recommend using the Cheetah SPI host adapter for interfacing with the BioTac®s in most applications. Limited support is provided for customers using the BarrettHand and WAM Arm modules to acquire data using CAN protocol in a real-time linux kernel using the PCAN-PCI card (PEAK-System Technik). For customers using the Shadow Hand, Shadow Robot Company provides an EtherCAT interface for acquiring data in ROS (please contact us for more details).
LabVIEW Virtual Instrument Libraries (Windows)
SynTouch® provides a number of virtual instruments designed for acquiring, displaying and saving data from the BioTac®s in LabVIEW using the Cheetah SPI Host Adapter. Examples, including the design of the above GUI are provided to demonstrate how these functions can be used in custom applications. These, along with the LabVIEW Library Manual are be provided below.
BioTac® LabVIEW Library Manual for Cheetah (PDF)
BioTac Cheetah C Library (Windows/OS X/Linux)
For developers looking for C-Library functions of acquiring data from the BioTac®s, we have developed a library based on those provided by Total Phase to communicated with the Cheetah SPI. Downloads for the library and manual are provided below.
Note: Use the attached C Libraries for the Cheetah included in the link below which are compatible with the BioTac®, do not download these libraries directly from Total Phase
BioTac® C Library for Cheetah (ZIP)
BioTac® C Library Manual for Cheetah (PDF)
SynTouch® JACO2 C++ Software
For developers using either the BioTac® or NumaTac® sensors with the JACO2 or MICO hand and arm from Kinova, SynTouch® supplies a custom Internal Electronics Board and cable that allows for the sensor’s data to be transmitted through the two user-lines provided in the Kinova arm. This data can be accessed using the recommended CAN-USB adapter (PEAK CAN USB) in C++. Downloads for the library and manual are provided below.
SynTouch® C++ Library for Kinova (ZIP)
SynTouch® JACO2 Integration Manual (PDF)
BioTac® CAN C Library for Barrett Hand and WAM Arm (real-time Linux)
For developers working with the BarretHand and WAM arm, SynTouch® supplies a custom CAN-MultiBioTac Board that allows for the BioTac®s power and data to be transmitted through the four user-lines provided in the WAM arm. This data can be accessed using the recommended PCAN-PCI card (PEAK-System Technik) in linux with the real-time kernel. Downloads for the library and manual are provided below.
BioTac® C Library for RT-Socket-CAN (TAR)
BioTac® C Library Manual for RT-Socket-CAN (PDF)
ROS Driver
For developers working ROS, SynTouch® suggests using 3rd-party developed software.