feat(rollout): go back to initial position is now a config

src/lerobot/rollout/configs.py

@@ -209,6 +209,12 @@ class RolloutConfig:
     # Rename map for mapping robot/dataset observation keys to policy keys
     rename_map: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
 
+    # Hardware teardown
+    # When True (default), smoothly interpolate the robot back to the joint
+    # positions captured at startup before disconnecting.  Set to False to
+    # leave the robot in its final achieved pose at shutdown.
+    return_to_initial_position: bool = True
+
     # Torch compile
     use_torch_compile: bool = False
     torch_compile_backend: str = "inductor"

src/lerobot/rollout/strategies/base.py

@@ -78,5 +78,8 @@ class BaseStrategy(RolloutStrategy):
 
     def teardown(self, ctx: RolloutContext) -> None:
         """Disconnect hardware and stop inference."""
-        self._teardown_hardware(ctx.hardware)
+        self._teardown_hardware(
+            ctx.hardware,
+            return_to_initial_position=ctx.runtime.cfg.return_to_initial_position,
+        )
         logger.info("Base strategy teardown complete")

src/lerobot/rollout/strategies/core.py

@@ -116,16 +116,20 @@ class RolloutStrategy(abc.ABC):
             engine.resume()
         return False
 
-    def _teardown_hardware(self, hw: HardwareContext) -> None:
+    def _teardown_hardware(self, hw: HardwareContext, return_to_initial_position: bool = True) -> None:
-        """Stop the inference engine, return robot to initial position, and disconnect hardware."""
+        """Stop the inference engine, optionally return robot to initial position, and disconnect hardware."""
         if self._engine is not None:
             logger.info("Stopping inference engine...")
             self._engine.stop()
         robot = hw.robot_wrapper.inner
         if robot.is_connected:
-            if hw.initial_position:
+            if return_to_initial_position and hw.initial_position:
                 logger.info("Returning robot to initial position before shutdown...")
                 self._return_to_initial_position(hw)
+            elif not return_to_initial_position:
+                logger.info(
+                    "Skipping return-to-initial-position (disabled by config); leaving robot in final pose."
+                )
             logger.info("Disconnecting robot...")
             robot.disconnect()
         teleop = hw.teleop

src/lerobot/rollout/strategies/dagger.py

@@ -371,7 +371,10 @@ class DAggerStrategy(RolloutStrategy):
                     logger.info("Dataset uploaded to hub")
                     log_say("Dataset uploaded to hub", play_sounds)
 
-        self._teardown_hardware(ctx.hardware)
+        self._teardown_hardware(
+            ctx.hardware,
+            return_to_initial_position=ctx.runtime.cfg.return_to_initial_position,
+        )
         logger.info("DAgger strategy teardown complete")
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------

src/lerobot/rollout/strategies/highlight.py

@@ -227,7 +227,10 @@ class HighlightStrategy(RolloutStrategy):
                     logger.info("Dataset uploaded to hub")
                     log_say("Dataset uploaded to hub", play_sounds)
 
-        self._teardown_hardware(ctx.hardware)
+        self._teardown_hardware(
+            ctx.hardware,
+            return_to_initial_position=ctx.runtime.cfg.return_to_initial_position,
+        )
         logger.info("Highlight strategy teardown complete")
 
     def _setup_keyboard(self, shutdown_event: ThreadingEvent) -> None:

src/lerobot/rollout/strategies/sentry.py

@@ -196,7 +196,10 @@ class SentryStrategy(RolloutStrategy):
                     logger.info("Dataset uploaded to hub")
                     log_say("Dataset uploaded to hub", play_sounds)
 
-        self._teardown_hardware(ctx.hardware)
+        self._teardown_hardware(
+            ctx.hardware,
+            return_to_initial_position=ctx.runtime.cfg.return_to_initial_position,
+        )
         logger.info("Sentry strategy teardown complete")
 
     def _background_push(self, dataset, cfg) -> None:

tests/test_rollout.py

@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ def test_create_inference_engine_sync():
 def test_estimate_max_episode_seconds_no_video():
     from lerobot.rollout.strategies import estimate_max_episode_seconds
 
-    assert estimate_max_episode_seconds({}, fps=30.0) == 600.0
+    assert estimate_max_episode_seconds({}, fps=30.0) == 300.0
 
 
 def test_estimate_max_episode_seconds_with_video():
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ def test_estimate_max_episode_seconds_with_video():
     result = estimate_max_episode_seconds(features, fps=30.0)
     assert result > 0
     # With a real camera, duration should differ from the fallback
-    assert result != 600.0
+    assert result != 300.0
 
 
 def test_safe_push_to_hub():