robot_descriptions

2.0.0 verified Sat May 09 auth: no python

Import open-source robot descriptions (URDF, MJCF, etc.) as Python modules. Provides a registry of 150+ robots with caching and loaders for various frameworks. Current version: 2.0.0 (requires Python >=3.10). Active development with frequent releases adding new descriptions.

pip install robot-descriptions

Common errors

error ImportError: No module named 'robot_descriptions' ↓

cause The package is not installed or installed in a different environment.

fix

Run pip install robot-descriptions in your active environment.

error ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'yourdfpy' ↓

cause The default URDF loader (yourdfpy) is missing, but you are trying to load a URDF description.

fix

Install yourdfpy: pip install yourdfpy

error ValueError: Unknown description: 'some_name' ↓

cause The description name does not exist in the registry (case-sensitive).

fix

Use robot_descriptions.list_descriptions() to see available names.

Warnings

breaking v2.0.0 changed the `Description` dataclass signature. Old code accessing `.name` or `.repository` as plain strings may break; now they are typed fields. Also, the `load_description` function now returns a loader callable, not the robot object directly. ↓

fix Update imports: use `from robot_descriptions import load_description` and call `load_fn()` to get the robot. For custom loaders, adjust to new `Description` fields (check `info` attribute).

deprecated The `load_robot` function (if any) is deprecated; use `load_description` instead. ↓

fix Replace `load_robot(...)` with `load_description(...)` and call the result.

gotcha Some descriptions require additional dependencies like `xacro` or `yourdfpy`. If you get an ImportError when loading, install the missing package. ↓

fix Install required loaders: `pip install yourdfpy xacro mujoco` as needed.

Imports

robot_descriptions
wrong
```
from robot_descriptions import <wrong_submodule>
```
correct
```
import robot_descriptions
```
The library is a package; import the top-level module and access descriptions via attributes or iteration.
load_description
wrong
```
from robot_descriptions.loaders import load_description
```
correct
```
from robot_descriptions import load_description
```
`load_description` is a top-level convenience function. In v2.0.0, the `Description` dataclass moved and changed; `load_description` returns a loader function now.

Quickstart

Quickstart: import, list descriptions, load a Panda robot in MuJoCo.

import robot_descriptions
from robot_descriptions import load_description

# List available descriptions (returns list of Description objects)
descriptions = robot_descriptions.list_descriptions()
print(f"Available: {len(descriptions)} descriptions")

# Load a specific description by name (e.g., 'panda_mj_description')
load_fn = load_description('panda_mj_description')
# load_fn() returns a (robot, model, ...) tuple depending on loader
# For MuJoCo:
import mujoco
mj_model = load_fn()  # returns mujoco.MjModel
print(f"Robot name: {mj_model.name}")

# For URDF:
# from robot_descriptions import panda_urdf_description
# load_fn = load_description('panda_urdf_description')
# robot = load_fn()  # returns yourdfpy.URDF