Adding multiprocessing support for audio recording

src/lerobot/datasets/audio_utils.py

@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ def decode_audio_torchaudio(
         current_audio_chunk = reader.pop_chunks()[0]
 
         if log_loaded_timestamps:
-            logging.info(f"audio chunk loaded at starting timestamp={current_audio_chunk['pts']:.4f} with duration={len(current_audio_chunk) / audio_sample_rate:.4f}")
+            logging.info(
+                f"audio chunk loaded at starting timestamp={current_audio_chunk['pts']:.4f} with duration={len(current_audio_chunk) / audio_sample_rate:.4f}"
+            )
 
         audio_chunks.append(current_audio_chunk)
 

src/lerobot/microphones/microphone.py

@@ -20,10 +20,11 @@ import argparse
 import logging
 import shutil
 import time
+from multiprocessing import Event as process_Event, JoinableQueue as process_Queue, Process
 from os import getcwd
 from pathlib import Path
-from queue import Queue
+from queue import Empty, Queue as thread_Queue
-from threading import Event, Thread
+from threading import Event, Event as thread_Event, Thread
 
 import numpy as np
 import sounddevice as sd
@@ -138,8 +139,8 @@ class Microphone:
         self.stream = None
 
         # Thread-safe concurrent queue to store the recorded/read audio
-        self.record_queue = Queue()
+        self.record_queue = None
-        self.read_queue = Queue()
+        self.read_queue = None
 
         # Thread to handle data reading and file writing in a separate thread (safely)
         self.record_thread = None
@@ -172,7 +173,9 @@ class Microphone:
                     f"Provided sample rate {self.sample_rate} is higher than the sample rate of the microphone {actual_microphone['default_samplerate']}."
                 )
             elif self.sample_rate < actual_microphone["default_samplerate"]:
-                logging.warning("Provided sample rate is lower than the sample rate of the microphone. Performance may be impacted.")
+                logging.warning(
+                    "Provided sample rate is lower than the sample rate of the microphone. Performance may be impacted."
+                )
         else:
             self.sample_rate = int(actual_microphone["default_samplerate"])
 
@@ -208,13 +211,24 @@ class Microphone:
         self.record_queue.put(indata[:, self.channels])
         self.read_queue.put(indata[:, self.channels])
 
-    def _record_loop(self, output_file: Path) -> None:
+    @staticmethod
+    def _record_loop(queue, event: Event, sample_rate: int, channels: list[int], output_file: Path) -> None:
         # Can only be run on a single process/thread for file writing safety
-        with sf.SoundFile(output_file, mode='x', samplerate=self.sample_rate,
+        with sf.SoundFile(
-                      channels=max(self.channels)+1, subtype=sf.default_subtype(output_file.suffix[1:])) as file:
+            output_file,
-            while not self.record_stop_event.is_set():
+            mode="x",
-                file.write(self.record_queue.get())
+            samplerate=sample_rate,
-                # self.record_queue.task_done()
+            channels=max(channels) + 1,
+            subtype=sf.default_subtype(output_file.suffix[1:]),
+        ) as file:
+            while not event.is_set():
+                try:
+                    file.write(
+                        queue.get(timeout=0.02)
+                    )  # Timeout set as twice the usual sounddevice buffer size
+                    queue.task_done()
+                except Empty:
+                    continue
 
     def _read(self) -> np.ndarray:
         """
@@ -222,17 +236,15 @@ class Microphone:
         -> PROS : Inherently thread safe, no need to lock the queue, lightweight CPU usage
         -> CONS : Reading duration does not scale well with the number of channels and reading duration
         """
-        try:
-            audio_readings = self.read_queue.queue
-        except Queue.Empty:
         audio_readings = np.empty((0, len(self.channels)))
-        else:
+
-            # TODO(CarolinePascal): Check if this is the fastest way to do it
+        while True:
-            self.read_queue = Queue()
+            try:
-            with self.read_queue.mutex:
+                audio_readings = np.concatenate((audio_readings, self.read_queue.get_nowait()), axis=0)
-                self.read_queue.queue.clear()
+            except Empty:
-                # self.read_queue.all_tasks_done.notify_all()
+                break
-            audio_readings = np.array(audio_readings, dtype=np.float32).reshape(-1, len(self.channels))
+
+        self.read_queue = thread_Queue()
 
         return audio_readings
 
@@ -254,30 +266,49 @@ class Microphone:
 
         return audio_readings
 
-    def start_recording(self, output_file: str | None = None) -> None:
+    def start_recording(self, output_file: str | None = None, multiprocessing: bool | None = False) -> None:
         if not self.is_connected:
             raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"Microphone {self.microphone_index} is not connected.")
         if self.is_recording:
             raise DeviceAlreadyRecordingError(f"Microphone {self.microphone_index} is already recording.")
 
-        self.read_queue = Queue()
+        # Reset queues
-        with self.read_queue.mutex:
+        self.read_queue = thread_Queue()
-            self.read_queue.queue.clear()
+        if multiprocessing:
-            # self.read_queue.all_tasks_done.notify_all()
+            self.record_queue = process_Queue()
+        else:
+            self.record_queue = thread_Queue()
 
-        self.record_queue = Queue()
+        # Write recordings into a file if output_file is provided
-        with self.record_queue.mutex:
-            self.record_queue.queue.clear()
-            # self.record_queue.all_tasks_done.notify_all()
-
-        # Recording case
         if output_file is not None:
             output_file = Path(output_file)
             if output_file.exists():
                 output_file.unlink()
 
-            self.record_stop_event = Event()
+            if multiprocessing:
-            self.record_thread = Thread(target=self._record_loop, args=(output_file,))
+                self.record_stop_event = process_Event()
+                self.record_thread = Process(
+                    target=Microphone._record_loop,
+                    args=(
+                        self.record_queue,
+                        self.record_stop_event,
+                        self.sample_rate,
+                        self.channels,
+                        output_file,
+                    ),
+                )
+            else:
+                self.record_stop_event = thread_Event()
+                self.record_thread = Thread(
+                    target=Microphone._record_loop,
+                    args=(
+                        self.record_queue,
+                        self.record_stop_event,
+                        self.sample_rate,
+                        self.channels,
+                        output_file,
+                    ),
+                )
             self.record_thread.daemon = True
             self.record_thread.start()
 
@@ -290,18 +321,18 @@ class Microphone:
         if not self.is_recording:
             raise DeviceNotRecordingError(f"Microphone {self.microphone_index} is not recording.")
 
+        if self.stream.active:
+            self.stream.stop()  # Wait for all buffers to be processed
+            # Remark : stream.abort() flushes the buffers !
+            self.is_recording = False
+
         if self.record_thread is not None:
-            # self.record_queue.join()
+            self.record_queue.join()
             self.record_stop_event.set()
             self.record_thread.join()
             self.record_thread = None
             self.record_stop_event = None
-
+            self.is_writing = False
-        if self.stream.active:
-            self.stream.stop()  # Wait for all buffers to be processed
-            # Remark : stream.abort() flushes the buffers !
-
-        self.is_recording = False
 
         self.logs["stop_timestamp"] = capture_timestamp_utc()
 

src/lerobot/robots/koch_follower/koch_follower.py

@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ class KochFollower(Robot):
     @property
     def _microphones_ft(self) -> dict[str, tuple]:
         return {
-            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels) for mic in self.microphones
+            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels)
+            for mic in self.microphones
         }
 
     @cached_property

src/lerobot/robots/lekiwi/lekiwi.py

@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ class LeKiwi(Robot):
     @property
     def _microphones_ft(self) -> dict[str, tuple]:
         return {
-            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels) for mic in self.microphones
+            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels)
+            for mic in self.microphones
         }
 
     @cached_property

src/lerobot/robots/so_follower/so_follower.py

@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ class SOFollower(Robot):
     @property
     def _microphones_ft(self) -> dict[str, tuple]:
         return {
-            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels) for mic in self.microphones
+            mic: (self.config.microphones[mic].sample_rate, self.config.microphones[mic].channels)
+            for mic in self.microphones
         }
 
     @cached_property