feat(smolvla2): chat-template processor + label mask + predict_actions

Wires PR 1's recipe stack into the SmolVLA2 pipeline so multi-target
sub-recipes (memory_update, ask_vqa, user_interjection_response,
high_level_subtask) carry meaningful supervision through to the model.

- New ``chat_processor_smolvla2.py`` with
  ``SmolVLA2ChatTokenizerStep``: reads ``messages`` /
  ``message_streams`` / ``target_message_indices`` from the rendered
  sample (PR 1 ``RenderMessagesStep``), calls
  ``apply_chat_template(messages, tools=DEFAULT_TOOLS, ...)`` on the
  SmolVLM tokenizer, and writes:

    OBS_LANGUAGE_TOKENS / _ATTENTION_MASK   ← chat-templated prompt
    text_labels                              ← -100 except target msg tokens
    predict_actions                          ← True iff any low_level target

  Builds the label mask robustly by re-rendering the chat through
  each target's prefix and reading off the prefix length — same
  tokenizer, same tools, so the prefix tokens are guaranteed to be
  a prefix of the full sequence. Image/video content blocks
  (LeRobot ``feature``-keyed) are stripped before tokenizing; the
  actual image tensors flow through SmolVLA's existing
  ``OBS_IMAGES_*`` channels and ``embed_prefix`` puts them before
  the language embeddings, matching the chat-template-stripped
  text order.

- ``processor_smolvla2.py``: when ``config.recipe_path`` is set,
  build a new pipeline with ``RenderMessagesStep`` +
  ``SmolVLA2ChatTokenizerStep`` instead of SmolVLA's plain
  ``TokenizerProcessorStep``. When ``recipe_path`` is ``None``,
  fall back to SmolVLA's pipeline so unannotated datasets still
  work unchanged. Resolves recipe paths relative to
  ``src/lerobot/configs/`` so ``recipes/smolvla2_hirobot.yaml``
  works directly.

The next commit on this branch picks up ``text_labels`` and
``predict_actions`` from the batch and routes them through the
SmolVLM ``lm_head`` for the actual dual-loss training.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

.github/workflows/benchmark_tests.yml

@@ -382,7 +382,6 @@ jobs:
                 --policy.path=\"\$ROBOTWIN_POLICY\" \
                 --env.type=robotwin \
                 --env.task=\"\$ROBOTWIN_TASKS\" \
-                --env.max_parallel_tasks=5 \
                 --eval.batch_size=1 \
                 --eval.n_episodes=1 \
                 --eval.use_async_envs=false \
@@ -483,7 +482,6 @@ jobs:
                 --policy.path=lerobot/smolvla_robocasa \
                 --env.type=robocasa \
                 --env.task=CloseFridge,OpenCabinet,OpenDrawer,TurnOnMicrowave,TurnOffStove,CloseToasterOvenDoor,SlideDishwasherRack,TurnOnSinkFaucet,NavigateKitchen,TurnOnElectricKettle \
-                --env.max_parallel_tasks=5 \
                 --eval.batch_size=1 \
                 --eval.n_episodes=1 \
                 --eval.use_async_envs=false \
@@ -695,7 +693,6 @@ jobs:
                 --env.task=\"\$ROBOMME_TASKS\" \
                 --env.dataset_split=test \
                 --env.task_ids=[0] \
-                --env.max_parallel_tasks=5 \
                 --eval.batch_size=1 \
                 --eval.n_episodes=1 \
                 --eval.use_async_envs=false \
@@ -803,7 +800,6 @@ jobs:
                 --env.type=libero_plus \
                 --env.task=\"\$LIBERO_PLUS_SUITE\" \
                 --env.task_ids=\"\$LIBERO_PLUS_TASK_IDS\" \
-                --env.max_parallel_tasks=5 \
                 --eval.batch_size=1 \
                 --eval.n_episodes=1 \
                 --eval.use_async_envs=false \
@@ -904,8 +900,6 @@ jobs:
                 --policy.path=lerobot/smolvla_vlabench \
                 --env.type=vlabench \
                 --env.task=select_fruit,select_toy,select_book,select_painting,select_drink,select_ingredient,select_billiards,select_poker,add_condiment,insert_flower \
-                --env.episode_length=50 \
-                --env.max_parallel_tasks=5 \
                 --eval.batch_size=1 \
                 --eval.n_episodes=1 \
                 --eval.use_async_envs=false \

.github/workflows/documentation-upload-pr.yml

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       github.event.workflow_run.event == 'pull_request' &&
       github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success' &&
       github.repository == 'huggingface/lerobot'
-    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/upload_pr_documentation.yml@2430c1ec91d04667414e2fa31ecfc36c153ea391  # main
+    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/upload_pr_documentation.yml@9ad2de8582b56c017cb530c1165116d40433f1c6  # main
     with:
       package_name: lerobot
     secrets:

.github/workflows/documentation.yml

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
       github.repository == 'huggingface/lerobot'
     permissions:
       contents: read
-    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/build_main_documentation.yml@2430c1ec91d04667414e2fa31ecfc36c153ea391  # main
+    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/build_main_documentation.yml@90b4ee2c10b81b5c1a6367c4e6fc9e2fb510a7e3  # main
     with:
       commit_sha: ${{ github.sha }}
       package: lerobot
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
       pull-requests: write
-    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/build_pr_documentation.yml@2430c1ec91d04667414e2fa31ecfc36c153ea391  # main
+    uses: huggingface/doc-builder/.github/workflows/build_pr_documentation.yml@90b4ee2c10b81b5c1a6367c4e6fc9e2fb510a7e3  # main
     with:
       commit_sha: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
       pr_number: ${{ github.event.number }}

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -152,14 +152,13 @@ jobs:
             BASE_VERSION="${VERSION%%-*}"
             echo "Installing pre-release version $BASE_VERSION from TestPyPI..."
             uv pip install \
-              --torch-backend cpu \
               --index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ \
               --extra-index-url https://pypi.org/simple \
               --index-strategy unsafe-best-match \
                "lerobot[all]==$BASE_VERSION"
           else
             echo "Installing release version $VERSION from PyPI..."
-            uv pip install --torch-backend cpu "lerobot[all]==$VERSION"
+            uv pip install "lerobot[all]==$VERSION"
           fi
       - name: Check lerobot version
         run: uv run python -c "import lerobot; print(lerobot.__version__)"

.github/workflows/stale.yml

@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
   # Runs at 02:00
-  # schedule:
-  #   - cron: "0 2 * * *"
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "0 2 * * *"
 
 env:
   CLOSE_ISSUE_MESSAGE: >
-    This issue was closed because it has been stalled for 30 days with no activity.
+    This issue was closed because it has been stalled for 14 days with no activity.
     Feel free to reopen if is still relevant, or to ping a collaborator if you have any questions.
   CLOSE_PR_MESSAGE: >
-    This PR was closed because it has been stalled for 30 days with no activity.
+    This PR was closed because it has been stalled for 21 days with no activity.
     Feel free to reopen if is still relevant, or to ping a collaborator if you have any questions.
   WARN_ISSUE_MESSAGE: >
     This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had
-    recent activity (1 year). It will be closed if no further activity occurs.
+    recent activity (6 months). It will be closed if no further activity occurs.
     Any change, comment or update to this issue will reset this count.
     Thank you for your contributions.
   WARN_PR_MESSAGE: >
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ jobs:
           stale-pr-label: stale
           exempt-issue-labels: never-stale
           exempt-pr-labels: never-stale
-          days-before-issue-stale: 365
-          days-before-issue-close: 30
+          days-before-issue-stale: 180
+          days-before-issue-close: 14
           days-before-pr-stale: 365
-          days-before-pr-close: 30
+          days-before-pr-close: 21
           delete-branch: true
           close-issue-message: ${{ env.CLOSE_ISSUE_MESSAGE }}
           close-pr-message: ${{ env.CLOSE_PR_MESSAGE }}

AGENTS.md

@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 This file provides guidance to AI agents when working with code in this repository.
 
-> **User-facing help → [`AGENT_GUIDE.md`](./AGENT_GUIDE.md)** (SO-101 setup, recording, picking a policy, training duration, eval — with copy-pasteable commands).
-
 ## Project Overview
 
 LeRobot is a PyTorch-based library for real-world robotics, providing datasets, pretrained policies, and tools for training, evaluation, data collection, and robot control. It integrates with Hugging Face Hub for model/dataset sharing.

AGENT_GUIDE.md

@@ -1,412 +0,0 @@
-# AGENT_GUIDE.md — LeRobot Helper for AI Agents & Users
-
-This file is a practical, copy-paste-friendly companion for any AI agent (Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, etc.) helping a user work with LeRobot. It complements [`AGENTS.md`](./AGENTS.md) (dev/contributor context) with **user-facing guidance**: how to start, what to train, how long, how to record, and how to calibrate an SO-101.
-
----
-
-## 1. Start here — ask the user first (MANDATORY)
-
-Before suggesting any command, an agent MUST ask the user at least these questions and wait for answers:
-
-1. **What's your goal?** (e.g. "teach my SO-101 to fold a cloth", "train a policy on an existing HF dataset", "contribute a PR", "understand the codebase")
-2. **What hardware do you have?**
-   - Robot: none / SO-100 / SO-101 / Koch / LeKiwi / Reachy / other
-   - Teleop: leader arm / phone / keyboard / gamepad / none
-   - Cameras: how many, resolution, fixed or moving?
-3. **What machine will you train on?**
-   - GPU model + VRAM (e.g. "laptop 3060 6 GB", "RTX 4090 24 GB", "A100 80 GB", "CPU only")
-   - OS: macOS / Linux / Windows
-4. **Skill level & time budget?** First time, some ML, experienced? Hours, days, a weekend?
-5. **Do you already have a dataset?** Yes (HF repo id?) / no / want to record one
-6. **How can I help right now?** (pick one concrete next step)
-
-Only after you have answers, propose a concrete path. If something is ambiguous, ask again rather than guessing. Bias toward **the simplest thing that works** for the user's hardware and goal.
-
----
-
-## 2. LeRobot in 60 seconds
-
-LeRobot = **datasets + policies + envs + robot control**, unified by a small set of strong abstractions.
-
-- **`LeRobotDataset`** — episode-aware dataset (video or images + actions + state), loadable from the Hub or disk.
-- **Policies** (`ACT`, `Diffusion`, `SmolVLA`, `π0`, `π0.5`, `Wall-X`, `X-VLA`, `VQ-BeT`, `TD-MPC`, …) — all inherit `PreTrainedPolicy` and can be pushed/pulled from the Hub.
-- **Processors** — small composable transforms between dataset → policy → robot.
-- **Envs** (sim) and **Robots** (real) — same action/observation contract so code swaps cleanly.
-- **CLI** — `lerobot-record`, `lerobot-train`, `lerobot-eval`, `lerobot-teleoperate`, `lerobot-calibrate`, `lerobot-find-port`, `lerobot-setup-motors`, `lerobot-replay`.
-
-See [`AGENTS.md`](./AGENTS.md) for repo architecture.
-
----
-
-## 3. Quickstart paths (pick one)
-
-### Path A — "I have an SO-101 and want my first trained policy"
-
-Go to §4 (SO-101 end-to-end), then §5 (data tips), then §6 (pick a policy — likely **ACT**), then §7 (how long), then §8 (eval).
-
-### Path B — "No hardware, I want to train on an existing dataset"
-
-Skip §4. Pick a policy in §6, pick a duration in §7, then run `lerobot-train` per §4.9 with a Hub `--dataset.repo_id` and an `--env.type` for eval. Finish with §8.
-
-### Path C — "I just want to understand the codebase"
-
-Read §2 above, then `AGENTS.md` "Architecture", then open `src/lerobot/policies/act/` and `src/lerobot/datasets/lerobot_dataset.py` as canonical examples.
-
----
-
-## 4. SO-101 end-to-end cheat-sheet
-
-Full details in [`docs/source/so101.mdx`](./docs/source/so101.mdx) and [`docs/source/il_robots.mdx`](./docs/source/il_robots.mdx). Minimum commands in order. Confirm arms are assembled + powered before issuing.
-
-**4.1 Install**
-
-```bash
-pip install 'lerobot[feetech]'              # SO-100/SO-101 motor stack
-# pip install 'lerobot[all]'                # everything
-# pip install 'lerobot[aloha,pusht]'        # specific features
-# pip install 'lerobot[smolvla]'            # add SmolVLA deps
-git lfs install && git lfs pull
-hf auth login                               # required to push datasets/policies
-```
-
-Contributors can alternatively use `uv sync --locked --extra feetech` (see `AGENTS.md`).
-
-**4.2 Find USB ports** — run once per arm, unplug when prompted.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-port
-```
-
-macOS: `/dev/tty.usbmodem...`; Linux: `/dev/ttyACM0` (may need `sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyACM0`).
-
-**4.3 Setup motor IDs & baudrate** (one-time, per arm)
-
-```bash
-lerobot-setup-motors --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT>
-lerobot-setup-motors --teleop.type=so101_leader  --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT>
-```
-
-**4.4 Calibrate** — center all joints, press Enter, sweep each joint through its full range. The `id` is the calibration key — reuse it everywhere.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower
-lerobot-calibrate --teleop.type=so101_leader  --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT>   --teleop.id=my_leader
-```
-
-**4.5 Teleoperate** (sanity check, no recording)
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-  --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower \
-  --teleop.type=so101_leader  --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT>  --teleop.id=my_leader \
-  --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-  --display_data=true
-```
-
-> **Feetech timeout / comms error on SO-100 / SO-101?** Before touching software, check the **red motor LEDs** on the daisy chain.
->
-> - **All steady red, gripper → base chain** → wiring OK.
-> - **One or more motors dark / chain stops mid-way** → wiring issue: reseat the 3-pin cables, check the controller-board power supply, and make sure each motor is fully clicked in.
-> - **LEDs blinking** → the motor is in an **error state**: usually overload (forcing a joint past its limit) **or wrong power supply voltage**. SO-100 / SO-101 ship in two variants — a **5 V / 7.4 V** build and a **12 V** build — they are NOT interchangeable. Using a 12 V PSU on a 5 V / 7.4 V arm (or vice-versa) will trip this error; confirm your motor variant before powering up.
->
-> Most "timeout" errors are physical, not code.
-
-**4.6 Record a dataset** — keys: **→** next, **←** redo, **ESC** finish & upload.
-
-```bash
-HF_USER=$(NO_COLOR=1 hf auth whoami | awk -F': *' 'NR==1 {print $2}')
-
-lerobot-record \
-  --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower \
-  --teleop.type=so101_leader  --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT>  --teleop.id=my_leader \
-  --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/my_task \
-  --dataset.single_task="<describe the task in one sentence>" \
-  --dataset.num_episodes=50 \
-  --dataset.episode_time_s=30 \
-  --dataset.reset_time_s=10 \
-  --display_data=true
-```
-
-**4.7 Visualize** — **always** do this before training. Look for missing frames, camera blur, unreachable targets, inconsistent object positions.
-After upload: https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/visualize_dataset → paste `${HF_USER}/my_task`. Works for **any LeRobot-formatted Hub dataset** — use it to scout other datasets, inspect episode quality, or debug your own data before retraining.
-
-**4.8 Replay an episode** (sanity check)
-
-```bash
-lerobot-replay --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower \
-  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/my_task --dataset.episode=0
-```
-
-**4.9 Train** (default: ACT — fastest, lowest memory). Apple silicon: `--policy.device=mps`. See §6/§7 for policy and duration.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/my_task \
-  --policy.type=act \
-  --policy.device=cuda \
-  --output_dir=outputs/train/act_my_task \
-  --job_name=act_my_task \
-  --batch_size=8 \
-  --wandb.enable=true \
-  --policy.repo_id=${HF_USER}/act_my_task
-```
-
-**4.10 Evaluate on the real robot** — compare success rate to a teleoperated baseline.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-record \
-  --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower \
-  --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/eval_my_task \
-  --dataset.single_task="<same task description as training>" \
-  --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/act_my_task
-```
-
----
-
-## 5. Data collection tips (beginner → reliable policy)
-
-Good data beats clever models. Adopt these defaults and deviate only with evidence.
-
-### 5.1 Setup & ergonomics
-
-- **Fix the rig and cameras** before touching the software. If the rig vibrates or the operator gets frustrated, fix that first — more bad data won't help.
-- **Lighting matters more than resolution.** Diffuse, consistent light. Avoid moving shadows.
-- **"Can you do the task from the camera view alone?"** If no, your cameras are wrong. Fix before recording.
-- Enable **action interpolation** for rollouts when available for smoother trajectories.
-
-### 5.2 Practice before you record
-
-- Do 5–10 demos without recording. Build a deliberate, repeatable strategy.
-- Hesitant or inconsistent demos teach the model hesitation.
-
-### 5.3 Quality over speed
-
-Deliberate, high-quality execution beats fast sloppy runs. Optimize for speed only **after** strategy is dialed in — never trade quality for it.
-
-### 5.4 Consistency within and across episodes
-
-Same grasp, approach vector, and timing. Coherent strategies are much easier to learn than wildly varying movements.
-
-### 5.5 Start small, then extend (the golden rule)
-
-- **First 50 episodes = constrained version** of the task: one object, fixed position, fixed camera setup, one operator.
-- Train a quick ACT model. See what fails.
-- **Then add diversity** along one axis at a time: more positions → more lighting → more objects → more operators.
-- Don't try to collect the "perfect dataset" on day one. Iterate.
-
-### 5.6 Policy choice for beginners
-
-- **Laptop / first time / want results fast → ACT.** Works surprisingly well, trains fast even on a laptop GPU.
-- **Bigger GPU / language-conditioned / multi-task → SmolVLA.** Unfreezing the vision encoder (see §7) is a big win here.
-- Defer π0 / π0.5 / Wall-X / X-VLA until you have a proven ACT baseline and a 20+ GB GPU.
-
-### 5.7 Recommended defaults for your first task
-
-| Setting          | Value                                                                                                                                                 |
-| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| Episodes         | **50** to start, scale to 100–300 after first training                                                                                                |
-| Episode length   | 20–45 s (shorter is fine for grasp/place)                                                                                                             |
-| Reset time       | 10 s                                                                                                                                                  |
-| FPS              | 30                                                                                                                                                    |
-| Cameras          | **2 cameras recommended**: 1 fixed front + 1 wrist. Multi-view often outperforms single-view. A single fixed camera also works to keep things simple. |
-| Task description | Short, specific, action-phrased sentence                                                                                                              |
-
-### 5.8 Troubleshooting signal
-
-- Policy fails at one specific stage → record 10–20 more episodes **targeting that stage**.
-- Policy flaps / oscillates → likely inconsistent demos, or need more training; re-record worst episodes (use **←** to redo).
-- Policy ignores the object → camera framing or lighting issue, not a model issue.
-
-See also: [What makes a good dataset](https://huggingface.co/blog/lerobot-datasets#what-makes-a-good-dataset).
-
----
-
-## 6. Which policy should I train?
-
-Match the policy to the user's **GPU memory** and **time budget**. Numbers below come from an internal profiling run (one training update per policy). They are **indicative only** — see caveats.
-
-### 6.1 Profiling snapshot (indicative)
-
-All policies typically train for **5–10 epochs** (see §7).
-
-> **Human-facing version:** the [Compute Hardware Guide](./docs/source/hardware_guide.mdx) reuses the table below and adds a cloud-GPU tier guide and a Hugging Face Jobs pointer.
-
-| Policy      | Batch | Update (ms) | Peak GPU mem (GB) | Best for                                                                                         |
-| ----------- | ----: | ----------: | ----------------: | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `act`       |     4 |    **83.9** |          **0.94** | First-time users, laptops, single-task. Fast and reliable.                                       |
-| `diffusion` |     4 |       168.6 |              4.94 | Multi-modal action distributions; needs mid-range GPU.                                           |
-| `smolvla`   |     1 |       357.8 |              3.93 | Language-conditioned, multi-task, small VLA. **Unfreeze vision encoder for big gains** (see §7). |
-| `xvla`      |     1 |       731.6 |             15.52 | Large VLA, multi-task.                                                                           |
-| `wall_x`    |     1 |       716.5 |             15.95 | Large VLA with world-model objective.                                                            |
-| `pi0`       |     1 |       940.3 |             15.50 | Strong large VLA baseline (Physical Intelligence).                                               |
-| `pi05`      |     1 |      1055.8 |             16.35 | Newer π policy; similar footprint to `pi0`.                                                      |
-
-**Critical caveats:**
-
-- **Optimizer:** measured with **SGD**. LeRobot's default is **AdamW**, which keeps extra optimizer state → **peak memory will be noticeably higher** with the default, especially for `pi0`, `pi05`, `wall_x`, `xvla`.
-- **Batch size:** the large policies were profiled at batch 1. In practice use a **larger batch** for stable training (see §7.4). Memory scales roughly linearly with batch.
-
-### 6.2 Decision rules
-
-- **< 8 GB VRAM (laptop, 3060, M-series Mac):** → `act`. Maybe `diffusion` if you have ~6–8 GB free.
-- **12–16 GB VRAM (4070/4080, A4000):** → `smolvla` with defaults, or `act`/`diffusion` with larger batch. `pi0`/`pi05`/`wall_x`/`xvla` feasible only with small batch + gradient accumulation.
-- **24+ GB VRAM (3090/4090/A5000):** → any policy. Prefer `smolvla` (unfrozen) for multi-task; `act` for single-task grasp-and-place (still often the best ROI). Could experiment with `pi0` or `pi05` or `xvla`
-- **80 GB (A100/H100):** → any, with healthy batch. `pi05`, `xvla`, `wall_x` become comfortable.
-- **CPU only:** → don't train here. Use Google Colab (see [`docs/source/notebooks.mdx`](./docs/source/notebooks.mdx)) or a rented GPU.
-
----
-
-## 7. How long should I train?
-
-Robotics imitation learning usually converges in a **few epochs over the dataset**, not hundreds of thousands of raw steps. Think **epochs first**, then translate to steps.
-
-### 7.1 Rule of thumb
-
-- **Typical total: 5–10 epochs.** Start at 5, eval, then decide if more helps.
-- Very small datasets (< 30 episodes) may want slightly more epochs — but first, **collect more data**.
-- VLAs with a pretrained vision backbone typically need **fewer** epochs than training from scratch.
-
-### 7.2 Steps ↔ epochs conversion
-
-```
-total_frames     = sum of frames over all episodes      # e.g. 50 eps × 30 fps × 30 s ≈ 45,000
-steps_per_epoch  = ceil(total_frames / batch_size)
-total_steps      = epochs × steps_per_epoch
-```
-
-Examples for `--batch_size=8`:
-
-| Dataset size            |  Frames | Steps / epoch | 5 epochs | 10 epochs |
-| ----------------------- | ------: | ------------: | -------: | --------: |
-| 50 eps × 30 s @ 30 fps  |  45,000 |        ~5,625 |      28k |       56k |
-| 100 eps × 30 s @ 30 fps |  90,000 |       ~11,250 |      56k |      113k |
-| 300 eps × 30 s @ 30 fps | 270,000 |       ~33,750 |     169k |      338k |
-
-Pass the resulting total with `--steps=<N>`; eval at intermediate checkpoints (`outputs/train/.../checkpoints/`).
-
-### 7.3 Per-policy starting points (single-task, ~50 episodes)
-
-| Policy         | Batch | Steps (first run) | Notes                                                             |
-| -------------- | ----: | ----------------: | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `act`          |  8–16 |           30k–80k | Usually converges under 50k for single-task.                      |
-| `diffusion`    |  8–16 |          80k–150k | Benefits from longer training than ACT.                           |
-| `smolvla`      |   4–8 |           30k–80k | Pretrained VLM → converges fast.                                  |
-| `pi0` / `pi05` |   1–4 |           30k–80k | Memory-bound; use gradient accumulation for effective batch ≥ 16! |
-
-### 7.4 Batch size guidance
-
-- **Bigger batch is preferable** for stable gradients on teleop data.
-- If GPU memory is the bottleneck, use **gradient accumulation** to raise _effective_ batch without raising peak memory.
-- Scale **learning rate** gently with batch; most LeRobot defaults work fine for a 2–4× batch change.
-
-### 7.5 Scale LR schedule & checkpoints with `--steps`
-
-LeRobot's default schedulers (e.g. SmolVLA's cosine decay) use `scheduler_decay_steps=30_000`, which is sized for long training runs. When you shorten training (e.g. 5k–10k steps on a small dataset), **scale the scheduler down to match** — otherwise the LR stays near the peak and never decays. Same for checkpoint frequency.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train ... \
-  --steps=5000 \
-  --policy.scheduler_decay_steps=5000 \
-  --save_freq=5000
-```
-
-Rule of thumb: set `scheduler_decay_steps ≈ steps`, and `save_freq` to whatever granularity you want for eval (e.g. every 1k–5k steps). Match `scheduler_warmup_steps` proportionally if your run is very short.
-
-### 7.6 SmolVLA: unfreeze the vision encoder for real gains
-
-SmolVLA ships with `freeze_vision_encoder=True`. Unfreezing usually **improves performance substantially** on specialized tasks, at the cost of more VRAM and slower steps. Enable with:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train ... --policy.type=smolvla \
-  --policy.freeze_vision_encoder=false \
-  --policy.train_expert_only=false
-```
-
-### 7.7 Signals to stop / keep going
-
-- Train loss plateaus → stop, save a Hub checkpoint.
-- Train loss still dropping and you're under 10 epochs → keep going.
-
----
-
-## 8. Evaluation & benchmarks
-
-Two flavors of evaluation:
-
-### 8.1 Real-robot eval (SO-101, etc.)
-
-Reuse `lerobot-record` with `--policy.path` to run the trained policy on-robot and save the run as an eval dataset. Convention: prefix the dataset with `eval_`.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-record \
-  --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> --robot.id=my_follower \
-  --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/eval_my_task \
-  --dataset.single_task="<same task description used during training>" \
-  --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/act_my_task
-```
-
-Report success rate across episodes. Compare to a teleoperated baseline and to an earlier checkpoint to catch regressions.
-
-### 8.2 Sim-benchmark eval
-
-For policies trained on sim datasets (PushT, Aloha, LIBERO, MetaWorld, RoboCasa, …) use `lerobot-eval` against the matching `env.type`:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-eval \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/diffusion_pusht \
-  --env.type=pusht \
-  --eval.n_episodes=50 \
-  --eval.batch_size=10 \
-  --policy.device=cuda
-```
-
-- Use `--policy.path=outputs/train/.../checkpoints/<step>/pretrained_model` for local checkpoints.
-- `--eval.n_episodes` should be ≥ 50 for a stable success-rate estimate.
-- Available envs live in `src/lerobot/envs/`. See [`docs/source/libero.mdx`](./docs/source/libero.mdx), [`metaworld.mdx`](./docs/source/metaworld.mdx), [`robocasa.mdx`](./docs/source/robocasa.mdx), [`vlabench.mdx`](./docs/source/vlabench.mdx) for specific benchmarks.
-- To add a new benchmark, see [`docs/source/adding_benchmarks.mdx`](./docs/source/adding_benchmarks.mdx) and [`envhub.mdx`](./docs/source/envhub.mdx).
-
-### 8.2b Dockerfiles for benchmark eval
-
-Benchmark envs have native dependencies that are painful to install locally. The repo ships **pre-baked Dockerfiles** for each supported benchmark — use these to run `lerobot-eval` in a reproducible environment:
-
-| Benchmark   | Dockerfile                                                                             |
-| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| LIBERO      | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.libero`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.libero)           |
-| LIBERO+     | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.libero_plus`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.libero_plus) |
-| MetaWorld   | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.metaworld`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.metaworld)     |
-| RoboCasa    | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robocasa`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robocasa)       |
-| RoboCerebra | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robocerebra`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robocerebra) |
-| RoboMME     | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robomme`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robomme)         |
-| RoboTwin    | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robotwin`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robotwin)       |
-| VLABench    | [`docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.vlabench`](./docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.vlabench)       |
-
-Build and run (adapt to your benchmark):
-
-```bash
-docker build -f docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robomme -t lerobot-bench-robomme .
-docker run --gpus all --rm -it \
-  -v $HOME/.cache/huggingface:/root/.cache/huggingface \
-  lerobot-bench-robomme \
-  lerobot-eval --policy.path=<your_policy> --env.type=<env> --eval.n_episodes=50
-```
-
-See [`docker/README.md`](./docker/README.md) for base-image details.
-
-### 8.3 Target success rates
-
-Single-task grasp-and-place with 50 clean episodes: ACT should reach **> 70% success** on the training configuration. Less → data problem (see §5), not model problem. Expect a drop when generalizing to new positions — scale episodes or diversity to recover.
-
----
-
-## 9. Further reading & resources
-
-- **Getting started:** [`installation.mdx`](./docs/source/installation.mdx) · [`il_robots.mdx`](./docs/source/il_robots.mdx) · [What makes a good dataset](https://huggingface.co/blog/lerobot-datasets)
-- **Per-policy docs:** browse [`docs/source/*.mdx`](./docs/source/) (policies, hardware, benchmarks, advanced training).
-- **Community:** [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/s3KuuzsPFb) · [Hub `LeRobot` tag](https://huggingface.co/datasets?other=LeRobot) · [Dataset visualizer](https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/visualize_dataset)
-
-> Keep this file current. If you learn a rule that would prevent a class of user mistakes, add it here and in [`AGENTS.md`](./AGENTS.md).

MANIFEST.in

@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 include src/lerobot/templates/lerobot_modelcard_template.md
-include src/lerobot/templates/lerobot_rewardmodel_modelcard_template.md
 include src/lerobot/datasets/card_template.md
 include src/lerobot/envs/metaworld_config.json

Makefile

@@ -178,3 +178,9 @@ test-smolvla-ete-eval:
 		--env.episode_length=5 \
 		--eval.n_episodes=1 \
 		--eval.batch_size=1
+
+# E2E annotation pipeline smoke test against a tiny in-memory fixture
+# dataset. Opt-in (not part of `make test-end-to-end`) and uses a stub VLM
+# backend, so it does not require a real model checkpoint or GPU.
+annotation-e2e:
+	uv run python -m tests.annotations.run_e2e_smoke

README.md

@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ lerobot-train \
 
 Similarly to the hardware, you can easily implement your own policy & leverage LeRobot's data collection, training, and visualization tools, and share your model to the HF Hub
 
-For detailed policy setup guides, see the [Policy Documentation](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/bring_your_own_policies). For GPU/RAM requirements and expected training time per policy, see the [Compute Hardware Guide](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/hardware_guide).
+For detailed policy setup guides, see the [Policy Documentation](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/bring_your_own_policies).
 
 ## Inference & Evaluation
 

benchmarks/video/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+# Video benchmark
+
+## Questions
+
+What is the optimal trade-off between:
+
+- maximizing loading time with random access,
+- minimizing memory space on disk,
+- maximizing success rate of policies,
+- compatibility across devices/platforms for decoding videos (e.g. video players, web browsers).
+
+How to encode videos?
+
+- Which video codec (`-vcodec`) to use? h264, h265, AV1?
+- What pixel format to use (`-pix_fmt`)? `yuv444p` or `yuv420p`?
+- How much compression (`-crf`)? No compression with `0`, intermediate compression with `25` or extreme with `50+`?
+- Which frequency to chose for key frames (`-g`)? A key frame every `10` frames?
+
+How to decode videos?
+
+- Which `decoder`? `torchvision`, `torchaudio`, `ffmpegio`, `decord`, or `nvc`?
+- What scenarios to use for the requesting timestamps during benchmark? (`timestamps_mode`)
+
+## Variables
+
+**Image content & size**
+We don't expect the same optimal settings for a dataset of images from a simulation, or from real-world in an apartment, or in a factory, or outdoor, or with lots of moving objects in the scene, etc. Similarly, loading times might not vary linearly with the image size (resolution).
+For these reasons, we run this benchmark on four representative datasets:
+
+- `lerobot/pusht_image`: (96 x 96 pixels) simulation with simple geometric shapes, fixed camera.
+- `lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image`: (480 x 640 pixels) real-world indoor, moving camera.
+- `lerobot/paris_street`: (720 x 1280 pixels) real-world outdoor, moving camera.
+- `lerobot/kitchen`: (1080 x 1920 pixels) real-world indoor, fixed camera.
+
+Note: The datasets used for this benchmark need to be image datasets, not video datasets.
+
+**Data augmentations**
+We might revisit this benchmark and find better settings if we train our policies with various data augmentations to make them more robust (e.g. robust to color changes, compression, etc.).
+
+### Encoding parameters
+
+| parameter   | values                                                       |
+| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| **vcodec**  | `libx264`, `libx265`, `libsvtav1`                            |
+| **pix_fmt** | `yuv444p`, `yuv420p`                                         |
+| **g**       | `1`, `2`, `3`, `4`, `5`, `6`, `10`, `15`, `20`, `40`, `None` |
+| **crf**     | `0`, `5`, `10`, `15`, `20`, `25`, `30`, `40`, `50`, `None`   |
+
+Note that `crf` value might be interpreted differently by various video codecs. In other words, the same value used with one codec doesn't necessarily translate into the same compression level with another codec. In fact, the default value (`None`) isn't the same amongst the different video codecs. Importantly, it is also the case for many other ffmpeg arguments like `g` which specifies the frequency of the key frames.
+
+For a comprehensive list and documentation of these parameters, see the ffmpeg documentation depending on the video codec used:
+
+- h264: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/H.264
+- h265: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/H.265
+- AV1: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/AV1
+
+### Decoding parameters
+
+**Decoder**
+We tested two video decoding backends from torchvision:
+
+- `pyav`
+- `video_reader` (requires to build torchvision from source)
+
+**Requested timestamps**
+Given the way video decoding works, once a keyframe has been loaded, the decoding of subsequent frames is fast.
+This of course is affected by the `-g` parameter during encoding, which specifies the frequency of the keyframes. Given our typical use cases in robotics policies which might request a few timestamps in different random places, we want to replicate these use cases with the following scenarios:
+
+- `1_frame`: 1 frame,
+- `2_frames`: 2 consecutive frames (e.g. `[t, t + 1 / fps]`),
+- `6_frames`: 6 consecutive frames (e.g. `[t + i / fps for i in range(6)]`)
+
+Note that this differs significantly from a typical use case like watching a movie, in which every frame is loaded sequentially from the beginning to the end and it's acceptable to have big values for `-g`.
+
+Additionally, because some policies might request single timestamps that are a few frames apart, we also have the following scenario:
+
+- `2_frames_4_space`: 2 frames with 4 consecutive frames of spacing in between (e.g `[t, t + 5 / fps]`),
+
+However, due to how video decoding is implemented with `pyav`, we don't have access to an accurate seek so in practice this scenario is essentially the same as `6_frames` since all 6 frames between `t` and `t + 5 / fps` will be decoded.
+
+## Metrics
+
+**Data compression ratio (lower is better)**
+`video_images_size_ratio` is the ratio of the memory space on disk taken by the encoded video over the memory space taken by the original images. For instance, `video_images_size_ratio=25%` means that the video takes 4 times less memory space on disk compared to the original images.
+
+**Loading time ratio (lower is better)**
+`video_images_load_time_ratio` is the ratio of the time it takes to decode frames from the video at a given timestamps over the time it takes to load the exact same original images. Lower is better. For instance, `video_images_load_time_ratio=200%` means that decoding from video is 2 times slower than loading the original images.
+
+**Average Mean Square Error (lower is better)**
+`avg_mse` is the average mean square error between each decoded frame and its corresponding original image over all requested timestamps, and also divided by the number of pixels in the image to be comparable when switching to different image sizes.
+
+**Average Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (higher is better)**
+`avg_psnr` measures the ratio between the maximum possible power of a signal and the power of corrupting noise that affects the fidelity of its representation. Higher PSNR indicates better quality.
+
+**Average Structural Similarity Index Measure (higher is better)**
+`avg_ssim` evaluates the perceived quality of images by comparing luminance, contrast, and structure. SSIM values range from -1 to 1, where 1 indicates perfect similarity.
+
+One aspect that can't be measured here with those metrics is the compatibility of the encoding across platforms, in particular on web browser, for visualization purposes.
+h264, h265 and AV1 are all commonly used codecs and should not pose an issue. However, the chroma subsampling (`pix_fmt`) format might affect compatibility:
+
+- `yuv420p` is more widely supported across various platforms, including web browsers.
+- `yuv444p` offers higher color fidelity but might not be supported as broadly.
+
+<!-- **Loss of a pretrained policy (higher is better)** (not available)
+`loss_pretrained` is the result of evaluating with the selected encoding/decoding settings a policy pretrained on original images. It is easier to understand than `avg_l2_error`.
+
+**Success rate after retraining (higher is better)** (not available)
+`success_rate` is the result of training and evaluating a policy with the selected encoding/decoding settings. It is the most difficult metric to get but also the very best. -->
+
+## How the benchmark works
+
+The benchmark evaluates both encoding and decoding of video frames on the first episode of each dataset.
+
+**Encoding:** for each `vcodec` and `pix_fmt` pair, we use a default value for `g` and `crf` upon which we change a single value (either `g` or `crf`) to one of the specified values (we don't test every combination of those as this would be computationally too heavy).
+This gives a unique set of encoding parameters which is used to encode the episode.
+
+**Decoding:** Then, for each of those unique encodings, we iterate through every combination of the decoding parameters `backend` and `timestamps_mode`. For each of them, we record the metrics of a number of samples (given by `--num-samples`). This is parallelized for efficiency and the number of processes can be controlled with `--num-workers`. Ideally, it's best to have a `--num-samples` that is divisible by `--num-workers`.
+
+Intermediate results saved for each `vcodec` and `pix_fmt` combination in csv tables.
+These are then all concatenated to a single table ready for analysis.
+
+## Caveats
+
+We tried to measure the most impactful parameters for both encoding and decoding. However, for computational reasons we can't test out every combination.
+
+Additional encoding parameters exist that are not included in this benchmark. In particular:
+
+- `-preset` which allows for selecting encoding presets. This represents a collection of options that will provide a certain encoding speed to compression ratio. By leaving this parameter unspecified, it is considered to be `medium` for libx264 and libx265 and `8` for libsvtav1.
+- `-tune` which allows to optimize the encoding for certain aspects (e.g. film quality, fast decoding, etc.).
+
+See the documentation mentioned above for more detailed info on these settings and for a more comprehensive list of other parameters.
+
+Similarly on the decoding side, other decoders exist but are not implemented in our current benchmark. To name a few:
+
+- `torchaudio`
+- `ffmpegio`
+- `decord`
+- `nvc`
+
+Note as well that since we are mostly interested in the performance at decoding time (also because encoding is done only once before uploading a dataset), we did not measure encoding times nor have any metrics regarding encoding.
+However, besides the necessity to build ffmpeg from source, encoding did not pose any issue and it didn't take a significant amount of time during this benchmark.
+
+## Install
+
+Building ffmpeg from source is required to include libx265 and libaom/libsvtav1 (av1) video codecs ([compilation guide](https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/CompilationGuide/Ubuntu)).
+
+**Note:** While you still need to build torchvision with a conda-installed `ffmpeg<4.3` to use the `video_reader` decoder (as described in [#220](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/pull/220)), you also need another version which is custom-built with all the video codecs for encoding. For the script to then use that version, you can prepend the command above with `PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"`, which is where ffmpeg should be built.
+
+## Adding a video decoder
+
+Right now, we're only benchmarking the two video decoder available with torchvision: `pyav` and `video_reader`.
+You can easily add a new decoder to benchmark by adding it to this function in the script:
+
+```diff
+def decode_video_frames(
+    video_path: str,
+    timestamps: list[float],
+    tolerance_s: float,
+    backend: str,
+) -> torch.Tensor:
+    if backend in ["pyav", "video_reader"]:
+        return decode_video_frames_torchvision(
+            video_path, timestamps, tolerance_s, backend
+        )
++    elif backend == ["your_decoder"]:
++        return your_decoder_function(
++            video_path, timestamps, tolerance_s, backend
++        )
+    else:
+        raise NotImplementedError(backend)
+```
+
+## Example
+
+For a quick run, you can try these parameters:
+
+```bash
+python benchmark/video/run_video_benchmark.py \
+    --output-dir outputs/video_benchmark \
+    --repo-ids \
+        lerobot/pusht_image \
+        lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image \
+    --vcodec libx264 libx265 \
+    --pix-fmt yuv444p yuv420p \
+    --g 2 20 None \
+    --crf 10 40 None \
+    --timestamps-modes 1_frame 2_frames \
+    --backends pyav video_reader \
+    --num-samples 5 \
+    --num-workers 5 \
+    --save-frames 0
+```
+
+## Results
+
+### Reproduce
+
+We ran the benchmark with the following parameters:
+
+```bash
+# h264 and h265 encodings
+python benchmark/video/run_video_benchmark.py \
+    --output-dir outputs/video_benchmark \
+    --repo-ids \
+        lerobot/pusht_image \
+        lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image \
+        lerobot/paris_street \
+        lerobot/kitchen \
+    --vcodec libx264 libx265 \
+    --pix-fmt yuv444p yuv420p \
+    --g 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 15 20 40 None \
+    --crf 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 50 None \
+    --timestamps-modes 1_frame 2_frames 6_frames \
+    --backends pyav video_reader \
+    --num-samples 50 \
+    --num-workers 5 \
+    --save-frames 1
+
+# av1 encoding (only compatible with yuv420p and pyav decoder)
+python benchmark/video/run_video_benchmark.py \
+    --output-dir outputs/video_benchmark \
+    --repo-ids \
+        lerobot/pusht_image \
+        lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image \
+        lerobot/paris_street \
+        lerobot/kitchen \
+    --vcodec libsvtav1 \
+    --pix-fmt yuv420p \
+    --g 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 15 20 40 None \
+    --crf 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 50 None \
+    --timestamps-modes 1_frame 2_frames 6_frames \
+    --backends pyav \
+    --num-samples 50 \
+    --num-workers 5 \
+    --save-frames 1
+```
+
+The full results are available [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OYJB43Qu8fC26k_OyoMFgGBBKfQRCi4BIuYitQnq3sw/edit?usp=sharing)
+
+### Parameters selected for LeRobotDataset
+
+Considering these results, we chose what we think is the best set of encoding parameter:
+
+- vcodec: `libsvtav1`
+- pix-fmt: `yuv420p`
+- g: `2`
+- crf: `30`
+
+Since we're using av1 encoding, we're choosing the `pyav` decoder as `video_reader` does not support it (and `pyav` doesn't require a custom build of `torchvision`).
+
+### Summary
+
+These tables show the results for `g=2` and `crf=30`, using `timestamps-modes=6_frames` and `backend=pyav`
+
+| video_images_size_ratio           | vcodec     | pix_fmt |           |           |           |
+| --------------------------------- | ---------- | ------- | --------- | --------- | --------- |
+|                                   | libx264    |         | libx265   |           | libsvtav1 |
+| repo_id                           | yuv420p    | yuv444p | yuv420p   | yuv444p   | yuv420p   |
+| lerobot/pusht_image               | **16.97%** | 17.58%  | 18.57%    | 18.86%    | 22.06%    |
+| lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image | 2.14%      | 2.11%   | 1.38%     | **1.37%** | 5.59%     |
+| lerobot/paris_street              | 2.12%      | 2.13%   | **1.54%** | **1.54%** | 4.43%     |
+| lerobot/kitchen                   | 1.40%      | 1.39%   | **1.00%** | **1.00%** | 2.52%     |
+
+| video_images_load_time_ratio      | vcodec  | pix_fmt |          |         |           |
+| --------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | -------- | ------- | --------- |
+|                                   | libx264 |         | libx265  |         | libsvtav1 |
+| repo_id                           | yuv420p | yuv444p | yuv420p  | yuv444p | yuv420p   |
+| lerobot/pusht_image               | 6.45    | 5.19    | **1.90** | 2.12    | 2.47      |
+| lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image | 11.80   | 7.92    | 0.71     | 0.85    | **0.48**  |
+| lerobot/paris_street              | 2.21    | 2.05    | 0.36     | 0.49    | **0.30**  |
+| lerobot/kitchen                   | 1.46    | 1.46    | 0.28     | 0.51    | **0.26**  |
+
+|                                   |          | vcodec   | pix_fmt      |          |           |              |
+| --------------------------------- | -------- | -------- | ------------ | -------- | --------- | ------------ |
+|                                   |          | libx264  |              | libx265  |           | libsvtav1    |
+| repo_id                           | metric   | yuv420p  | yuv444p      | yuv420p  | yuv444p   | yuv420p      |
+| lerobot/pusht_image               | avg_mse  | 2.90E-04 | **2.03E-04** | 3.13E-04 | 2.29E-04  | 2.19E-04     |
+|                                   | avg_psnr | 35.44    | 37.07        | 35.49    | **37.30** | 37.20        |
+|                                   | avg_ssim | 98.28%   | **98.85%**   | 98.31%   | 98.84%    | 98.72%       |
+| lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image | avg_mse  | 2.76E-04 | 2.59E-04     | 3.17E-04 | 3.06E-04  | **1.30E-04** |
+|                                   | avg_psnr | 35.91    | 36.21        | 35.88    | 36.09     | **40.17**    |
+|                                   | avg_ssim | 95.19%   | 95.18%       | 95.00%   | 95.05%    | **97.73%**   |
+| lerobot/paris_street              | avg_mse  | 6.89E-04 | 6.70E-04     | 4.03E-03 | 4.02E-03  | **3.09E-04** |
+|                                   | avg_psnr | 33.48    | 33.68        | 32.05    | 32.15     | **35.40**    |
+|                                   | avg_ssim | 93.76%   | 93.75%       | 89.46%   | 89.46%    | **95.46%**   |
+| lerobot/kitchen                   | avg_mse  | 2.50E-04 | 2.24E-04     | 4.28E-04 | 4.18E-04  | **1.53E-04** |
+|                                   | avg_psnr | 36.73    | 37.33        | 36.56    | 36.75     | **39.12**    |
+|                                   | avg_ssim | 95.47%   | 95.58%       | 95.52%   | 95.53%    | **96.82%**   |

benchmarks/video/run_video_benchmark.py

@@ -0,0 +1,488 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2024 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Assess the performance of video decoding in various configurations.
+
+This script will benchmark different video encoding and decoding parameters.
+See the provided README.md or run `python benchmark/video/run_video_benchmark.py --help` for usage info.
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import datetime as dt
+import itertools
+import random
+import shutil
+from collections import OrderedDict
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
+from pathlib import Path
+from threading import Lock
+
+import einops
+import numpy as np
+import pandas as pd
+import PIL
+import torch
+from skimage.metrics import mean_squared_error, peak_signal_noise_ratio, structural_similarity
+from tqdm import tqdm
+
+from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets.video_utils import (
+    decode_video_frames,
+    encode_video_frames,
+)
+from lerobot.utils.constants import OBS_IMAGE
+from lerobot.utils.utils import TimerManager
+
+BASE_ENCODING = OrderedDict(
+    [
+        ("vcodec", "libx264"),
+        ("pix_fmt", "yuv444p"),
+        ("g", 2),
+        ("crf", None),
+        # TODO(aliberts): Add fastdecode
+        # ("fastdecode", 0),
+    ]
+)
+
+
+# TODO(rcadene, aliberts): move to `utils.py` folder when we want to refactor
+def parse_int_or_none(value) -> int | None:
+    if value.lower() == "none":
+        return None
+    try:
+        return int(value)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(f"Invalid int or None: {value}") from e
+
+
+def check_datasets_formats(repo_ids: list) -> None:
+    for repo_id in repo_ids:
+        dataset = LeRobotDataset(repo_id)
+        if len(dataset.meta.video_keys) > 0:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Use only image dataset for running this benchmark. Video dataset provided: {repo_id}"
+            )
+
+
+def get_directory_size(directory: Path) -> int:
+    total_size = 0
+    for item in directory.rglob("*"):
+        if item.is_file():
+            total_size += item.stat().st_size
+    return total_size
+
+
+def load_original_frames(imgs_dir: Path, timestamps: list[float], fps: int) -> torch.Tensor:
+    frames = []
+    for ts in timestamps:
+        idx = int(ts * fps)
+        frame = PIL.Image.open(imgs_dir / f"frame-{idx:06d}.png")
+        frame = torch.from_numpy(np.array(frame))
+        frame = frame.type(torch.float32) / 255
+        frame = einops.rearrange(frame, "h w c -> c h w")
+        frames.append(frame)
+    return torch.stack(frames)
+
+
+def save_decoded_frames(
+    imgs_dir: Path, save_dir: Path, frames: torch.Tensor, timestamps: list[float], fps: int
+) -> None:
+    if save_dir.exists() and len(list(save_dir.glob("frame-*.png"))) == len(timestamps):
+        return
+
+    save_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    for i, ts in enumerate(timestamps):
+        idx = int(ts * fps)
+        frame_hwc = (frames[i].permute((1, 2, 0)) * 255).type(torch.uint8).cpu().numpy()
+        PIL.Image.fromarray(frame_hwc).save(save_dir / f"frame-{idx:06d}_decoded.png")
+        shutil.copyfile(imgs_dir / f"frame-{idx:06d}.png", save_dir / f"frame-{idx:06d}_original.png")
+
+
+def save_first_episode(imgs_dir: Path, dataset: LeRobotDataset) -> None:
+    episode_index = 0
+    ep_num_images = dataset.meta.episodes["length"][episode_index]
+    if imgs_dir.exists() and len(list(imgs_dir.glob("frame-*.png"))) == ep_num_images:
+        return
+
+    imgs_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    hf_dataset = dataset.hf_dataset.with_format(None)
+
+    # We only save images from the first camera
+    img_keys = [key for key in hf_dataset.features if key.startswith(OBS_IMAGE)]
+    imgs_dataset = hf_dataset.select_columns(img_keys[0])
+
+    for i, item in enumerate(
+        tqdm(imgs_dataset, desc=f"saving {dataset.repo_id} first episode images", leave=False)
+    ):
+        img = item[img_keys[0]]
+        img.save(str(imgs_dir / f"frame-{i:06d}.png"), quality=100)
+
+        if i >= ep_num_images - 1:
+            break
+
+
+def sample_timestamps(timestamps_mode: str, ep_num_images: int, fps: int) -> list[float]:
+    # Start at 5 to allow for 2_frames_4_space and 6_frames
+    idx = random.randint(5, ep_num_images - 1)
+    match timestamps_mode:
+        case "1_frame":
+            frame_indexes = [idx]
+        case "2_frames":
+            frame_indexes = [idx - 1, idx]
+        case "2_frames_4_space":
+            frame_indexes = [idx - 5, idx]
+        case "6_frames":
+            frame_indexes = [idx - i for i in range(6)][::-1]
+        case _:
+            raise ValueError(timestamps_mode)
+
+    return [idx / fps for idx in frame_indexes]
+
+
+def benchmark_decoding(
+    imgs_dir: Path,
+    video_path: Path,
+    timestamps_mode: str,
+    backend: str,
+    ep_num_images: int,
+    fps: int,
+    num_samples: int = 50,
+    num_workers: int = 4,
+    save_frames: bool = False,
+) -> dict:
+    def process_sample(sample: int, lock: Lock):
+        time_benchmark = TimerManager(log=False)
+        timestamps = sample_timestamps(timestamps_mode, ep_num_images, fps)
+        num_frames = len(timestamps)
+        result = {
+            "psnr_values": [],
+            "ssim_values": [],
+            "mse_values": [],
+        }
+
+        with time_benchmark, lock:
+            frames = decode_video_frames(video_path, timestamps=timestamps, tolerance_s=5e-1, backend=backend)
+        result["load_time_video_ms"] = (time_benchmark.last * 1000) / num_frames
+
+        with time_benchmark:
+            original_frames = load_original_frames(imgs_dir, timestamps, fps)
+        result["load_time_images_ms"] = (time_benchmark.last * 1000) / num_frames
+
+        frames_np, original_frames_np = frames.numpy(), original_frames.numpy()
+        for i in range(num_frames):
+            result["mse_values"].append(mean_squared_error(original_frames_np[i], frames_np[i]))
+            result["psnr_values"].append(
+                peak_signal_noise_ratio(original_frames_np[i], frames_np[i], data_range=1.0)
+            )
+            result["ssim_values"].append(
+                structural_similarity(original_frames_np[i], frames_np[i], data_range=1.0, channel_axis=0)
+            )
+
+        if save_frames and sample == 0:
+            save_dir = video_path.with_suffix("") / f"{timestamps_mode}_{backend}"
+            save_decoded_frames(imgs_dir, save_dir, frames, timestamps, fps)
+
+        return result
+
+    load_times_video_ms = []
+    load_times_images_ms = []
+    mse_values = []
+    psnr_values = []
+    ssim_values = []
+
+    # A sample is a single set of decoded frames specified by timestamps_mode (e.g. a single frame, 2 frames, etc.).
+    # For each sample, we record metrics (loading time and quality metrics) which are then averaged over all samples.
+    # As these samples are independent, we run them in parallel threads to speed up the benchmark.
+    # Use a single shared lock for all worker threads
+    shared_lock = Lock()
+    with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=num_workers) as executor:
+        futures = [executor.submit(process_sample, i, shared_lock) for i in range(num_samples)]
+        for future in tqdm(as_completed(futures), total=num_samples, desc="samples", leave=False):
+            result = future.result()
+            load_times_video_ms.append(result["load_time_video_ms"])
+            load_times_images_ms.append(result["load_time_images_ms"])
+            psnr_values.extend(result["psnr_values"])
+            ssim_values.extend(result["ssim_values"])
+            mse_values.extend(result["mse_values"])
+
+    avg_load_time_video_ms = float(np.array(load_times_video_ms).mean())
+    avg_load_time_images_ms = float(np.array(load_times_images_ms).mean())
+    video_images_load_time_ratio = avg_load_time_video_ms / avg_load_time_images_ms
+
+    return {
+        "avg_load_time_video_ms": avg_load_time_video_ms,
+        "avg_load_time_images_ms": avg_load_time_images_ms,
+        "video_images_load_time_ratio": video_images_load_time_ratio,
+        "avg_mse": float(np.mean(mse_values)),
+        "avg_psnr": float(np.mean(psnr_values)),
+        "avg_ssim": float(np.mean(ssim_values)),
+    }
+
+
+def benchmark_encoding_decoding(
+    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
+    video_path: Path,
+    imgs_dir: Path,
+    encoding_cfg: dict,
+    decoding_cfg: dict,
+    num_samples: int,
+    num_workers: int,
+    save_frames: bool,
+    overwrite: bool = False,
+    seed: int = 1337,
+) -> list[dict]:
+    fps = dataset.fps
+
+    if overwrite or not video_path.is_file():
+        tqdm.write(f"encoding {video_path}")
+        encode_video_frames(
+            imgs_dir=imgs_dir,
+            video_path=video_path,
+            fps=fps,
+            vcodec=encoding_cfg["vcodec"],
+            pix_fmt=encoding_cfg["pix_fmt"],
+            g=encoding_cfg.get("g"),
+            crf=encoding_cfg.get("crf"),
+            # fast_decode=encoding_cfg.get("fastdecode"),
+            overwrite=True,
+        )
+
+    episode_index = 0
+    ep_num_images = dataset.meta.episodes["length"][episode_index]
+    width, height = tuple(dataset[0][dataset.meta.camera_keys[0]].shape[-2:])
+    num_pixels = width * height
+    video_size_bytes = video_path.stat().st_size
+    images_size_bytes = get_directory_size(imgs_dir)
+    video_images_size_ratio = video_size_bytes / images_size_bytes
+
+    random.seed(seed)
+    benchmark_table = []
+    for timestamps_mode in tqdm(
+        decoding_cfg["timestamps_modes"], desc="decodings (timestamps_modes)", leave=False
+    ):
+        for backend in tqdm(decoding_cfg["backends"], desc="decodings (backends)", leave=False):
+            benchmark_row = benchmark_decoding(
+                imgs_dir,
+                video_path,
+                timestamps_mode,
+                backend,
+                ep_num_images,
+                fps,
+                num_samples,
+                num_workers,
+                save_frames,
+            )
+            benchmark_row.update(
+                **{
+                    "repo_id": dataset.repo_id,
+                    "resolution": f"{width} x {height}",
+                    "num_pixels": num_pixels,
+                    "video_size_bytes": video_size_bytes,
+                    "images_size_bytes": images_size_bytes,
+                    "video_images_size_ratio": video_images_size_ratio,
+                    "timestamps_mode": timestamps_mode,
+                    "backend": backend,
+                },
+                **encoding_cfg,
+            )
+            benchmark_table.append(benchmark_row)
+
+    return benchmark_table
+
+
+def main(
+    output_dir: Path,
+    repo_ids: list[str],
+    vcodec: list[str],
+    pix_fmt: list[str],
+    g: list[int],
+    crf: list[int],
+    # fastdecode: list[int],
+    timestamps_modes: list[str],
+    backends: list[str],
+    num_samples: int,
+    num_workers: int,
+    save_frames: bool,
+):
+    check_datasets_formats(repo_ids)
+    encoding_benchmarks = {
+        "g": g,
+        "crf": crf,
+        # "fastdecode": fastdecode,
+    }
+    decoding_benchmarks = {
+        "timestamps_modes": timestamps_modes,
+        "backends": backends,
+    }
+    headers = ["repo_id", "resolution", "num_pixels"]
+    headers += list(BASE_ENCODING.keys())
+    headers += [
+        "timestamps_mode",
+        "backend",
+        "video_size_bytes",
+        "images_size_bytes",
+        "video_images_size_ratio",
+        "avg_load_time_video_ms",
+        "avg_load_time_images_ms",
+        "video_images_load_time_ratio",
+        "avg_mse",
+        "avg_psnr",
+        "avg_ssim",
+    ]
+    file_paths = []
+    for video_codec in tqdm(vcodec, desc="encodings (vcodec)"):
+        for pixel_format in tqdm(pix_fmt, desc="encodings (pix_fmt)", leave=False):
+            benchmark_table = []
+            for repo_id in tqdm(repo_ids, desc="encodings (datasets)", leave=False):
+                dataset = LeRobotDataset(repo_id)
+                imgs_dir = output_dir / "images" / dataset.repo_id.replace("/", "_")
+                # We only use the first episode
+                save_first_episode(imgs_dir, dataset)
+                for duet in [
+                    dict(zip(encoding_benchmarks.keys(), unique_combination, strict=False))
+                    for unique_combination in itertools.product(*encoding_benchmarks.values())
+                ]:
+                    encoding_cfg = BASE_ENCODING.copy()
+                    encoding_cfg["vcodec"] = video_codec
+                    encoding_cfg["pix_fmt"] = pixel_format
+                    for key, value in duet.items():
+                        encoding_cfg[key] = value
+                    args_path = Path("_".join(str(value) for value in encoding_cfg.values()))
+                    video_path = output_dir / "videos" / args_path / f"{repo_id.replace('/', '_')}.mp4"
+                    benchmark_table += benchmark_encoding_decoding(
+                        dataset,
+                        video_path,
+                        imgs_dir,
+                        encoding_cfg,
+                        decoding_benchmarks,
+                        num_samples,
+                        num_workers,
+                        save_frames,
+                    )
+
+            # Save intermediate results
+            benchmark_df = pd.DataFrame(benchmark_table, columns=headers)
+            now = dt.datetime.now()
+            csv_path = (
+                output_dir
+                / f"{now:%Y-%m-%d}_{now:%H-%M-%S}_{video_codec}_{pixel_format}_{num_samples}-samples.csv"
+            )
+            benchmark_df.to_csv(csv_path, header=True, index=False)
+            file_paths.append(csv_path)
+            del benchmark_df
+
+    # Concatenate all results
+    df_list = [pd.read_csv(csv_path) for csv_path in file_paths]
+    concatenated_df = pd.concat(df_list, ignore_index=True)
+    concatenated_path = output_dir / f"{now:%Y-%m-%d}_{now:%H-%M-%S}_all_{num_samples}-samples.csv"
+    concatenated_df.to_csv(concatenated_path, header=True, index=False)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--output-dir",
+        type=Path,
+        default=Path("outputs/video_benchmark"),
+        help="Directory where the video benchmark outputs are written.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--repo-ids",
+        type=str,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=[
+            "lerobot/pusht_image",
+            "lerobot/aloha_mobile_shrimp_image",
+            "lerobot/paris_street",
+            "lerobot/kitchen",
+        ],
+        help="Datasets repo-ids to test against. First episodes only are used. Must be images.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--vcodec",
+        type=str,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=["h264", "hevc", "libsvtav1"],
+        help="Video codecs to be tested",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--pix-fmt",
+        type=str,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=["yuv444p", "yuv420p"],
+        help="Pixel formats (chroma subsampling) to be tested",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--g",
+        type=parse_int_or_none,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 20, 40, 100, None],
+        help="Group of pictures sizes to be tested.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--crf",
+        type=parse_int_or_none,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=[0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, None],
+        help="Constant rate factors to be tested.",
+    )
+    # parser.add_argument(
+    #     "--fastdecode",
+    #     type=int,
+    #     nargs="*",
+    #     default=[0, 1],
+    #     help="Use the fastdecode tuning option. 0 disables it. "
+    #         "For libx264 and libx265/hevc, only 1 is possible. "
+    #         "For libsvtav1, 1, 2 or 3 are possible values with a higher number meaning a faster decoding optimization",
+    # )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--timestamps-modes",
+        type=str,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=[
+            "1_frame",
+            "2_frames",
+            "2_frames_4_space",
+            "6_frames",
+        ],
+        help="Timestamps scenarios to be tested.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--backends",
+        type=str,
+        nargs="*",
+        default=["torchcodec", "pyav"],
+        help="Torchvision decoding backend to be tested.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--num-samples",
+        type=int,
+        default=50,
+        help="Number of samples for each encoding x decoding config.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--num-workers",
+        type=int,
+        default=10,
+        help="Number of processes for parallelized sample processing.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--save-frames",
+        type=int,
+        default=0,
+        help="Whether to save decoded frames or not. Enter a non-zero number for true.",
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    main(**vars(args))

docker/Dockerfile.benchmark.robotwin

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ USER root
 ARG ROBOTWIN_SHA=0aeea2d669c0f8516f4d5785f0aa33ba812c14b4
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-         cuda-nvcc-12-8 cuda-cudart-dev-12-8 \
+         cuda-nvcc-12-4 cuda-cudart-dev-12-4 \
          libvulkan1 vulkan-tools \
     && mkdir -p /usr/share/vulkan/icd.d \
     && echo '{"file_format_version":"1.0.0","ICD":{"library_path":"libGLX_nvidia.so.0","api_version":"1.3.0"}}' \

docker/Dockerfile.internal

@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 # docker build -f docker/Dockerfile.internal -t lerobot-internal .
 
 # Configure the base image for CI with GPU access
-ARG CUDA_VERSION=12.8.1
-ARG OS_VERSION=24.04
+# TODO(Steven): Bump these versions
+ARG CUDA_VERSION=12.4.1
+ARG OS_VERSION=22.04
 FROM nvidia/cuda:${CUDA_VERSION}-base-ubuntu${OS_VERSION}
 
 # Define Python version argument
@@ -35,13 +36,16 @@ ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
 
 # Install Python, system dependencies, and uv (as root)
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-    build-essential git curl \
-    libglib2.0-0 libgl1 libegl1 ffmpeg \
+    software-properties-common build-essential git curl \
+    libglib2.0-0 libgl1-mesa-glx libegl1-mesa ffmpeg \
     libusb-1.0-0-dev speech-dispatcher libgeos-dev portaudio19-dev \
     cmake pkg-config ninja-build \
-    python${PYTHON_VERSION} \
-    python${PYTHON_VERSION}-venv \
-    python${PYTHON_VERSION}-dev \
+    && add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa \
+    && apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+       python${PYTHON_VERSION} \
+       python${PYTHON_VERSION}-venv \
+       python${PYTHON_VERSION}-dev \
     && curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh \
     && mv /root/.local/bin/uv /usr/local/bin/uv \
     && useradd --create-home --shell /bin/bash user_lerobot \

docs/source/_toctree.yaml.old

@@ -1,172 +0,0 @@
-- sections:
-  - local: index
-    title: LeRobot
-  - local: installation
-    title: Installation
-  - local: cheat-sheet
-    title: Cheat sheet
-  title: Get started
-- sections:
-  - local: il_robots
-    title: Imitation Learning for Robots
-  - local: bring_your_own_policies
-    title: Adding a Policy
-  - local: integrate_hardware
-    title: Bring Your Own Hardware
-  - local: hilserl
-    title: Train a Robot with RL
-  - local: hilserl_sim
-    title: Train RL in Simulation
-  - local: multi_gpu_training
-    title: Multi GPU training
-  - local: hil_data_collection
-    title: Human In the Loop Data Collection
-  - local: peft_training
-    title: Training with PEFT (e.g., LoRA)
-  - local: rename_map
-    title: Using Rename Map and Empty Cameras
-  title: "Tutorials"
-- sections:
-  - local: hardware_guide
-    title: Compute Hardware Guide
-  - local: torch_accelerators
-    title: PyTorch accelerators
-  title: "Compute & Hardware"
-- sections:
-  - local: lerobot-dataset-v3
-    title: Using LeRobotDataset
-  - local: porting_datasets_v3
-    title: Porting Large Datasets
-  - local: using_dataset_tools
-    title: Using the Dataset Tools
-  - local: language_and_recipes
-    title: Language Columns and Recipes
-  - local: tools
-    title: Tools
-  - local: video_encoding_parameters
-    title: Video encoding parameters
-  - local: streaming_video_encoding
-    title: Streaming Video Encoding
-  title: "Datasets"
-- sections:
-  - local: act
-    title: ACT
-  - local: smolvla
-    title: SmolVLA
-  - local: pi0
-    title: π₀ (Pi0)
-  - local: pi0fast
-    title: π₀-FAST (Pi0Fast)
-  - local: pi05
-    title: π₀.₅ (Pi05)
-  - local: eo1
-    title: EO-1
-  - local: groot
-    title: NVIDIA GR00T N1.5
-  - local: xvla
-    title: X-VLA
-  - local: multi_task_dit
-    title: Multitask DiT Policy
-  - local: walloss
-    title: WALL-OSS
-  title: "Policies"
-- sections:
-  - local: sarm
-    title: SARM
-  title: "Reward Models"
-- sections:
-  - local: inference
-    title: Policy Deployment (lerobot-rollout)
-  - local: async
-    title: Use Async Inference
-  - local: rtc
-    title: Real-Time Chunking (RTC)
-  title: "Inference"
-- sections:
-  - local: envhub
-    title: Environments from the Hub
-  - local: envhub_leisaac
-    title: Control & Train Robots in Sim (LeIsaac)
-  title: "Simulation"
-- sections:
-  - local: adding_benchmarks
-    title: Adding a New Benchmark
-  - local: libero
-    title: LIBERO
-  - local: libero_plus
-    title: LIBERO-plus
-  - local: metaworld
-    title: Meta-World
-  - local: robotwin
-    title: RoboTwin 2.0
-  - local: robocasa
-    title: RoboCasa365
-  - local: robocerebra
-    title: RoboCerebra
-  - local: robomme
-    title: RoboMME
-  - local: envhub_isaaclab_arena
-    title: NVIDIA IsaacLab Arena Environments
-  - local: vlabench
-    title: VLABench
-  title: "Benchmarks"
-- sections:
-  - local: introduction_processors
-    title: Introduction to Robot Processors
-  - local: debug_processor_pipeline
-    title: Debug your processor pipeline
-  - local: implement_your_own_processor
-    title: Implement your own processor
-  - local: processors_robots_teleop
-    title: Processors for Robots and Teleoperators
-  - local: env_processor
-    title: Environment Processors
-  - local: action_representations
-    title: Action Representations
-  title: "Robot Processors"
-- sections:
-  - local: so101
-    title: SO-101
-  - local: so100
-    title: SO-100
-  - local: koch
-    title: Koch v1.1
-  - local: lekiwi
-    title: LeKiwi
-  - local: hope_jr
-    title: Hope Jr
-  - local: reachy2
-    title: Reachy 2
-  - local: unitree_g1
-    title: Unitree G1
-  - local: earthrover_mini_plus
-    title: Earth Rover Mini
-  - local: omx
-    title: OMX
-  - local: openarm
-    title: OpenArm
-  - local: rebot_b601
-    title: reBot B601-DM
-  title: "Robots"
-- sections:
-  - local: phone_teleop
-    title: Phone
-  title: "Teleoperators"
-- sections:
-  - local: cameras
-    title: Cameras
-  title: "Sensors"
-- sections:
-  - local: notebooks
-    title: Notebooks
-  - local: feetech
-    title: Updating Feetech Firmware
-  - local: damiao
-    title: Damiao Motors and CAN Bus
-  title: "Resources"
-- sections:
-  - local: contributing
-    title: Contribute to LeRobot
-  - local: backwardcomp
-    title: Backward compatibility
-  title: "About"

docs/source/_toctree.yml

@@ -1,214 +1,162 @@
-# LeRobot documentation table of contents
-#
-# Ordering principle: gentle onboarding first, advanced/custom work last.
-# Within each top-level section the same rule applies — concept/overview pages
-# before reference/per-item pages.
-#
-# Pages marked "NEW (to create)" do not yet exist as .mdx files; they are
-# placeholders for the redesign and must be authored before the docs build.
-
 - sections:
   - local: index
-    title: 🤗 LeRobot
-  - local: quickstart           # NEW (to create) — 15-min zero-to-trained-ACT path
-    title: Quickstart
+    title: LeRobot
   - local: installation
     title: Installation
-  - local: core_concepts        # NEW (to create) — datasets, policies, processors, robots, envs in one mental model
-    title: Core concepts
-  - local: cheat-sheet
-    title: Command cheat sheet
   title: Get started
-
 - sections:
   - local: il_robots
-    title: Imitation learning end-to-end
-  - local: hil_data_collection
-    title: Human-in-the-loop data collection
-  - local: inference
-    title: Deploying a trained policy
-  - local: rename_map
-    title: Matching dataset keys to a policy (rename map)
-  title: Your first project
-
-- sections:
-  - local: hardware_guide
-    title: Compute hardware guide
-  - local: torch_accelerators
-    title: PyTorch accelerators
+    title: Imitation Learning for Robots
+  - local: bring_your_own_policies
+    title: Bring Your Own Policies
+  - local: integrate_hardware
+    title: Bring Your Own Hardware
+  - local: hilserl
+    title: Train a Robot with RL
+  - local: hilserl_sim
+    title: Train RL in Simulation
   - local: multi_gpu_training
-    title: Multi-GPU training
+    title: Multi GPU training
+  - local: hil_data_collection
+    title: Human In the Loop Data Collection
   - local: peft_training
-    title: Parameter-efficient fine-tuning (LoRA)
-  title: Training
-
+    title: Training with PEFT (e.g., LoRA)
+  - local: rename_map
+    title: Using Rename Map and Empty Cameras
+  title: "Tutorials"
 - sections:
   - local: lerobot-dataset-v3
     title: Using LeRobotDataset
-  - local: using_dataset_tools
-    title: Dataset tools
-  - local: language_and_recipes
-    title: Language columns & recipes
-  - local: tools
-    title: Tool calls in datasets
-  - local: video_encoding_parameters
-    title: Video encoding parameters
-  - local: streaming_video_encoding
-    title: Streaming video encoding
   - local: porting_datasets_v3
-    title: Porting datasets to v3
-  title: Datasets
-
+    title: Porting Large Datasets
+  - local: using_dataset_tools
+    title: Using the Dataset Tools
+  - local: language_and_recipes
+    title: Language Columns and Recipes
+  - local: tools
+    title: Tools
+  - local: annotation_pipeline
+    title: Annotation Pipeline
+  - local: streaming_video_encoding
+    title: Streaming Video Encoding
+  title: "Datasets"
 - sections:
-  - local: policies_overview    # NEW (to create) — concept hub + "choose a policy" decision guide
-    title: Choosing a policy
-  - sections:
-    - local: act
-      title: ACT
-    - local: smolvla
-      title: SmolVLA
-    - local: pi0
-      title: π₀ (Pi0)
-    - local: pi0fast
-      title: π₀-FAST
-    - local: pi05
-      title: π₀.₅ (Pi05)
-    - local: eo1
-      title: EO-1
-    - local: groot
-      title: NVIDIA GR00T N1.5
-    - local: xvla
-      title: X-VLA
-    - local: walloss
-      title: WALL-OSS
-    - local: multi_task_dit
-      title: Multitask DiT
-    title: Policy reference
-  title: Policies
-
+  - local: act
+    title: ACT
+  - local: smolvla
+    title: SmolVLA
+  - local: pi0
+    title: π₀ (Pi0)
+  - local: pi0fast
+    title: π₀-FAST (Pi0Fast)
+  - local: pi05
+    title: π₀.₅ (Pi05)
+  - local: groot
+    title: NVIDIA GR00T N1.5
+  - local: xvla
+    title: X-VLA
+  - local: multi_task_dit
+    title: Multitask DiT Policy
+  - local: walloss
+    title: WALL-OSS
+  title: "Policies"
+- sections:
+  - local: sarm
+    title: SARM
+  title: "Reward Models"
 - sections:
   - local: async
-    title: Async inference
+    title: Use Async Inference
   - local: rtc
-    title: Real-time chunking (RTC)
-  title: Real-time deployment
-
-- sections:
-  - local: hilserl
-    title: Train a robot with RL (HIL-SERL)
-  - local: hilserl_sim
-    title: Train RL in simulation
-  - local: sarm
-    title: SARM reward model
-  title: Reinforcement learning
-
+    title: Real-Time Chunking (RTC)
+  title: "Inference"
 - sections:
   - local: envhub
     title: Environments from the Hub
   - local: envhub_leisaac
-    title: LeIsaac — control & train in sim
+    title: Control & Train Robots in Sim (LeIsaac)
+  title: "Simulation"
+- sections:
+  - local: adding_benchmarks
+    title: Adding a New Benchmark
+  - local: libero
+    title: LIBERO
+  - local: libero_plus
+    title: LIBERO-plus
+  - local: metaworld
+    title: Meta-World
+  - local: robotwin
+    title: RoboTwin 2.0
+  - local: robocasa
+    title: RoboCasa365
+  - local: robocerebra
+    title: RoboCerebra
+  - local: robomme
+    title: RoboMME
   - local: envhub_isaaclab_arena
-    title: NVIDIA IsaacLab Arena environments
-  - sections:
-    - local: libero
-      title: LIBERO
-    - local: libero_plus
-      title: LIBERO-plus
-    - local: metaworld
-      title: Meta-World
-    - local: robotwin
-      title: RoboTwin 2.0
-    - local: robocasa
-      title: RoboCasa365
-    - local: robocerebra
-      title: RoboCerebra
-    - local: robomme
-      title: RoboMME
-    - local: vlabench
-      title: VLABench
-    title: Benchmark suites
-  title: Simulation & benchmarks
-
+    title: NVIDIA IsaacLab Arena Environments
+  - local: vlabench
+    title: VLABench
+  title: "Benchmarks"
 - sections:
   - local: introduction_processors
-    title: Introduction to processors
-  - local: processors_robots_teleop
-    title: Processors for robots & teleoperators
-  - local: env_processor
-    title: Environment processors
-  - local: action_representations
-    title: Action representations
+    title: Introduction to Robot Processors
   - local: debug_processor_pipeline
-    title: Debugging a pipeline
+    title: Debug your processor pipeline
   - local: implement_your_own_processor
-    title: Implementing your own processor
-  title: Processors
-
+    title: Implement your own processor
+  - local: processors_robots_teleop
+    title: Processors for Robots and Teleoperators
+  - local: env_processor
+    title: Environment Processors
+  - local: action_representations
+    title: Action Representations
+  title: "Robot Processors"
 - sections:
-  - sections:
-    - local: so101
-      title: SO-101
-    - local: so100
-      title: SO-100
-    - local: koch
-      title: Koch v1.1
-    - local: omx
-      title: OMX
-    - local: openarm
-      title: OpenArm
-    title: Low-cost arms
-  - sections:
-    - local: lekiwi
-      title: LeKiwi
-    - local: earthrover_mini_plus
-      title: Earth Rover Mini
-    title: Mobile platforms
-  - sections:
-    - local: hope_jr
-      title: Hope Jr
-    - local: reachy2
-      title: Reachy 2
-    - local: unitree_g1
-      title: Unitree G1
-    title: Bimanual & humanoid
-  - sections:
-    - local: rebot_b601
-      title: reBot B601-DM
-    title: Research & industrial
-  title: Supported robots
-
+  - local: so101
+    title: SO-101
+  - local: so100
+    title: SO-100
+  - local: koch
+    title: Koch v1.1
+  - local: lekiwi
+    title: LeKiwi
+  - local: hope_jr
+    title: Hope Jr
+  - local: reachy2
+    title: Reachy 2
+  - local: unitree_g1
+    title: Unitree G1
+  - local: earthrover_mini_plus
+    title: Earth Rover Mini
+  - local: omx
+    title: OMX
+  - local: openarm
+    title: OpenArm
+  title: "Robots"
+- sections:
+  - local: phone_teleop
+    title: Phone
+  title: "Teleoperators"
 - sections:
   - local: cameras
     title: Cameras
-  - local: phone_teleop
-    title: Phone teleoperation
-  - local: feetech
-    title: Feetech firmware update
-  - local: damiao
-    title: Damiao motors & CAN bus
-  title: Sensors, teleop & motors
-
+  title: "Sensors"
 - sections:
-  - local: integrate_hardware
-    title: Bring your own hardware
-  - local: bring_your_own_policies
-    title: Add a new policy
-  - local: adding_benchmarks
-    title: Add a new benchmark
-  title: Extend LeRobot
-
+  - local: torch_accelerators
+    title: PyTorch accelerators
+  title: "Supported Hardware"
 - sections:
-  - local: troubleshooting       # NEW (to create) — common errors: USB, calibration drift, CUDA OOM, video decoding…
-    title: Troubleshooting & FAQ
-  - local: glossary              # NEW (to create) — episode, action chunk, leader/follower, teleop, processor…
-    title: Glossary
   - local: notebooks
-    title: Example notebooks
-  - local: backwardcomp
-    title: Backward compatibility
-  title: Reference
-
+    title: Notebooks
+  - local: feetech
+    title: Updating Feetech Firmware
+  - local: damiao
+    title: Damiao Motors and CAN Bus
+  title: "Resources"
 - sections:
   - local: contributing
-    title: Contributing to LeRobot
-  title: About
+    title: Contribute to LeRobot
+  - local: backwardcomp
+    title: Backward compatibility
+  title: "About"

docs/source/act.mdx

@@ -79,13 +79,17 @@ If your local computer doesn't have a powerful GPU, you can utilize Google Colab
 Once training is complete, you can evaluate your ACT policy using the `lerobot-record` command with your trained policy. This will run inference and record evaluation episodes:
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-  --strategy.type=base \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/act_policy \
-  --robot.type=so101_follower \
+lerobot-record \
+  --robot.type=so100_follower \
   --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+  --robot.id=my_robot \
   --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
   --display_data=true \
-  --task="Your task description" \ # can be skipped for ACT
-  --duration=60
+  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/eval_act_your_dataset \
+  --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
+  --dataset.single_task="Your task description" \
+  --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
+  --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
+  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/act_policy
 ```

docs/source/annotation_pipeline.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+# Annotation Pipeline
+
+`lerobot-annotate` populates the two language columns introduced by the
+[Language Columns and Recipes](./language_and_recipes) page —
+`language_persistent` and `language_events` — directly into
+`data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`. There is no flavor namespace and no sidecar
+file tree: multiple revisions of a dataset mean multiple dataset copies.
+
+## What the pipeline produces
+
+Three modules write into a per-episode staging tree, then a single writer
+rewrites the data shards in place:
+
+| Style / atom                                | Column                | Module   |
+| ------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------- |
+| `subtask` (Pi0.7-style "how, not what")     | `language_persistent` | Module 1 |
+| `plan` (initial + refresh on interjection)  | `language_persistent` | Module 1 |
+| `memory` (MEM-style compression)            | `language_persistent` | Module 1 |
+| `interjection`                              | `language_events`     | Module 2 |
+| speech tool-call atom (`style=null`, `say`) | `language_events`     | Module 2 |
+| `vqa` (user / assistant pair)               | `language_events`     | Module 3 |
+
+The writer drops the legacy `subtask_index` column. It does **not** add a
+`tools` column to the parquet — the tool catalog lives at
+`meta/info.json["tools"]` instead (see [Tools](./tools)). After every
+annotation run the pipeline ensures the canonical `say` schema is
+present in that list, preserving any tools the user pre-declared. Chat-
+template consumers read the catalog through
+`LeRobotDatasetMetadata.tools` and pass it to
+`apply_chat_template(messages, tools=meta.tools, ...)`.
+
+If you want to declare additional tools for a dataset before annotation
+runs, edit `meta/info.json["tools"]` directly — the pipeline preserves
+anything already there. Implementations of those tools live under
+`src/lerobot/tools/`; one file per tool, registered via
+`TOOL_REGISTRY`. See the [Tools](./tools) doc for the authoring guide.
+
+## How to run it locally or on SLURM
+
+Install the extra and invoke the console script:
+
+```bash
+uv sync --extra annotations
+uv run lerobot-annotate \
+  --repo_id=imstevenpmwork/super_poulain_draft \
+  --vlm.backend=vllm \
+  --vlm.model_id=Qwen/Qwen3.6-27B-FP8 \
+  --vlm.tensor_parallel_size=2
+```
+
+The pipeline attaches actual camera footage to every Module 1/2/3 prompt
+by default, decoded from the dataset's first `observation.images.*`
+stream. Override with `--vlm.camera_key=observation.images.<name>` to
+pin a specific viewpoint. Datasets with no video tracks fall back to
+text-only prompts automatically.
+
+**Module 1 sees the whole episode as one video block.** Subtask
+decomposition gets a `{"type":"video", "video":[<frames>]}` block
+covering the entire demonstration; Qwen-VL pools temporally on its own
+and decides where to cut. There is no keyframe stride or count knob —
+`--module_1.max_video_frames` (default 32) only caps the frames packed
+into the video block as a model-capacity bound. Module 2 attaches a
+single still frame at the interjection timestamp; Module 3 attaches the
+exact emission frame to each VQA pair.
+
+The executor picks `LocalPipelineExecutor` for small datasets and
+`SlurmPipelineExecutor` for large ones based on
+`--executor.auto_threshold` (default 32 episodes). Force local with
+`--executor.force_local=true`. SLURM jobs honour `--executor.slurm_partition`,
+`--executor.slurm_gpus`, and `--executor.slurm_time`.
+
+## Style-to-recipe consumer mapping
+
+The pipeline produces exactly the styles consumed by
+`src/lerobot/configs/recipes/pi05_hirobot.yaml`:
+
+- `low_level_execution`, `high_level_subtask`, `memory_update` consume
+  `subtask`/`plan`/`memory` from `language_persistent`.
+- `user_interjection_response` consumes `interjection` events plus the
+  paired speech atom (merged into one assistant target turn via
+  `tool_calls_from`) and the same-timestamp `plan` refresh.
+- `ask_vqa` consumes the `(vqa, user)` and `(vqa, assistant)` pairs from
+  `language_events`.
+
+## Why the design is scoped to the canonical recipe
+
+Two things drive the scope:
+
+1. **Persistent state vs exact-event split.** Persistent rows (`subtask`,
+   `plan`, `memory`) broadcast per episode and answer "what state is in
+   force at this frame?". Event rows (`interjection`, `vqa`, speech) only
+   appear on the exact frame whose timestamp matches the emission. The
+   pipeline writes timestamps taken straight from the source parquet — no
+   floating-point recomputation.
+2. **One Qwen-VL pass.** All three modules share a single VLM client
+   (vLLM if available, transformers fallback) so the cost is one model
+   load per dataset, not three.
+
+## Module independence and staged reruns
+
+Each module writes its raw output to
+`<root>/.annotate_staging/episode_{N:06d}/<module>.jsonl`. That makes
+prompt iteration cheap — re-running one module overwrites only its own
+JSONL file before the writer composes the final parquet. Modules can be
+disabled via `--module_1.enabled=false` (and similarly for 2 and 3) to
+test them in isolation.
+
+## Validation/report checks before final write
+
+Before the writer runs, `StagingValidator` checks:
+
+- exact frame-timestamp alignment for every event row;
+- no orphan speech / interjection pairs;
+- `plan` is refreshed at every interjection timestamp;
+- `memory` rows fall on subtask boundaries (warning, not error);
+- VQA assistant `content` parses as JSON in one of the
+  bbox / keypoint / count / attribute / spatial shapes;
+- every row routes to the column dictated by `column_for_style(style)`.
+
+Errors abort the writer (`--skip_validation=true` overrides for debugging).
+
+## Paper inspirations per module
+
+- **Module 1 — subtasks.** Hi Robot ([Shi 2025](https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.19417))
+  atom granularity ("pick up one piece of lettuce", "place bowl to box");
+  Pi0.7 ([Physical Intelligence 2025](https://pi.website/pi07)) "how, not
+  what" detail.
+- **Module 1 — memory.** MEM ([Torne 2026](https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.03596))
+  compression directive: keep only minimal relevant information; functional
+  outcomes preserved, specific attributes dropped.
+- **Module 2 — interjections.** Hi Robot scenario taxonomy: negative task,
+  situated correction, specific constraint, preference. Speech is a
+  tool-call-only atom (`tool_calls=[{type:function, function:{name:"say",
+arguments:{text:...}}}]`).
+- **Module 3 — VQA.** ECoT ([Zawalski 2024](https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.08693))
+  grounded features (bounding boxes in pixel `[x_min, y_min, x_max, y_max]`,
+  keypoints) and Steerable Policies' multi-abstraction grounding.
+
+Future maintainers should adjust the prompt templates in
+`src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/` against these
+references rather than rewriting from scratch.
+
+## Compute and list-size estimates
+
+Per episode, the pipeline issues O(`max_steps`) Module 1 calls,
+O(`max_interjections_per_episode`) Module 2 calls, and
+O(`vqa_emission_hz × episode_seconds`) Module 3 calls. With defaults
+(8 subtasks, 1 interjection, 1 Hz × 3 pairs) and 30-second episodes, that
+is ~50 VLM calls per episode. `language_persistent` per episode is ~10s of
+KB at most (parquet dictionary-encodes one entry per episode);
+`language_events` is empty on most frames and is bounded by the number of
+emissions, not `num_frames × num_emissions`.
+
+## Reproducibility via seed and prompt hashes
+
+`--seed` (default 1729) feeds the per-episode RNGs that select interjection
+timestamps and VQA question types. Combined with the deterministic prompt
+templates checked into `prompts/`, two runs at the same seed against the
+same dataset and the same model checkpoint produce byte-identical staging
+artifacts. Prompt edits are recorded by file hash; future tooling can pin
+expected `(seed, prompt_hash)` pairs into the dataset card.

docs/source/bring_your_own_policies.mdx

@@ -1,37 +1,60 @@
-# Adding a Policy
+# Bring Your Own Policies
 
-This guide walks you through implementing a custom policy and getting it to work with LeRobot's training, evaluation, and deployment tools. There are two paths:
+This tutorial explains how to integrate your own custom policy implementations into the LeRobot ecosystem, allowing you to leverage all LeRobot tools for training, evaluation, and deployment while using your own algorithms.
 
-- **Plugin (out-of-tree)** — ship your policy as a standalone `lerobot_policy_*` package. Faster, no PR required, easy to iterate. Right for experimentation, internal use, or when you want to publish independently.
-- **In-tree (contributed to LeRobot)** — land your policy directly in `src/lerobot/policies/`. Requires a PR, but makes your policy a first-class citizen of the library.
+## Step 1: Create a Policy Package
 
-The plugin route is usually the right starting point — promote to in-tree once the policy has stabilized and there's clear value in shipping it with the library.
+Your custom policy should be organized as an installable Python package following LeRobot's plugin conventions.
 
-Either way, the building blocks are the same: a configuration class, a policy class, and a processor factory. The first half of this guide covers those shared pieces; the second half covers the path-specific scaffolding ([Path A](#path-a-out-of-tree-plugin), [Path B](#path-b-contributing-in-tree)).
+### Package Structure
 
-A note on tone: robot-learning is an actively evolving field, and "what a policy looks like" can shift with each new architecture. The conventions described here exist because they let `lerobot-train` and `lerobot-eval` work uniformly across very different models. When a new policy genuinely doesn't fit them, raise it (in your PR, or an issue) — the conventions are not sacred.
+Create a package with the prefix `lerobot_policy_` (IMPORTANT!) followed by your policy name:
 
----
+```bash
+lerobot_policy_my_custom_policy/
+├── pyproject.toml
+└── src/
+    └── lerobot_policy_my_custom_policy/
+        ├── __init__.py
+        ├── configuration_my_custom_policy.py
+        ├── modeling_my_custom_policy.py
+        └── processor_my_custom_policy.py
+```
 
-## Anatomy of a policy
+### Package Configuration
 
-Three building blocks make up every policy. The names below use `my_policy` as a placeholder — replace with your policy's name. That name is load-bearing: it must match the string you pass to `@PreTrainedConfig.register_subclass`, the `MyPolicy.name` class attribute, and the `make_<name>_pre_post_processors` factory function (more on each below).
+Set up your `pyproject.toml`:
 
-### Configuration class
+```toml
+[project]
+name = "lerobot_policy_my_custom_policy"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+    # your policy-specific dependencies
+]
+requires-python = ">= 3.12"
 
-Inherit from [`PreTrainedConfig`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/configs/policies.py) and register your policy type. Here is a template — customize the parameters and methods as needed for your policy's architecture and training requirements.
+[build-system]
+build-backend = # your-build-backend
+requires = # your-build-system
+```
+
+## Step 2: Define the Policy Configuration
+
+Create a configuration class that inherits from [`PreTrainedConfig`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/configs/policies.py) and registers your policy type:
+Here is a template to get you started, customize the parameters and methods as needed for your policy's architecture and training requirements.
 
 ```python
-# configuration_my_policy.py
+# configuration_my_custom_policy.py
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from lerobot.configs import PreTrainedConfig
 from lerobot.optim import AdamWConfig
 from lerobot.optim import CosineDecayWithWarmupSchedulerConfig
 
-@PreTrainedConfig.register_subclass("my_policy")
+@PreTrainedConfig.register_subclass("my_custom_policy")
 @dataclass
-class MyPolicyConfig(PreTrainedConfig):
-    """Configuration class for MyPolicy.
+class MyCustomPolicyConfig(PreTrainedConfig):
+    """Configuration class for MyCustomPolicy.
 
     Args:
         n_obs_steps: Number of observation steps to use as input
@@ -54,20 +77,16 @@ class MyPolicyConfig(PreTrainedConfig):
             raise ValueError("n_action_steps cannot exceed horizon")
 
     def validate_features(self) -> None:
-        """Validate input/output feature compatibility.
-
-        Call this explicitly from your policy's __init__ — the base class does not.
-        """
+        """Validate input/output feature compatibility."""
         if not self.image_features:
-            raise ValueError("MyPolicy requires at least one image feature.")
+            raise ValueError("MyCustomPolicy requires at least one image feature.")
         if self.action_feature is None:
-            raise ValueError("MyPolicy requires 'action' in output_features.")
+            raise ValueError("MyCustomPolicy requires 'action' in output_features.")
 
     def get_optimizer_preset(self) -> AdamWConfig:
         return AdamWConfig(lr=self.optimizer_lr, weight_decay=self.optimizer_weight_decay)
 
     def get_scheduler_preset(self):
-        """Return a LRSchedulerConfig from lerobot.optim, or None."""
         return None
 
     @property
@@ -82,7 +101,8 @@ class MyPolicyConfig(PreTrainedConfig):
 
     @property
     def action_delta_indices(self) -> list[int]:
-        """Relative timestep offsets for the action chunk the dataset loader returns."""
+        """Relative timestep offsets for the action chunk the dataset loader returns.
+        """
         return list(range(self.horizon))
 
     @property
@@ -90,34 +110,32 @@ class MyPolicyConfig(PreTrainedConfig):
         return None
 ```
 
-The string you pass to `@register_subclass` must match `MyPolicy.name` (next section) and is what users supply as `--policy.type` on the CLI. Default to `AdamW` from `lerobot.optim` for `get_optimizer_preset` unless you genuinely need otherwise.
+## Step 3: Implement the Policy Class
 
-### Policy class
-
-Inherit from [`PreTrainedPolicy`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/pretrained.py) and set two class attributes — both are checked by `__init_subclass__`:
+Create your policy implementation by inheriting from [`PreTrainedPolicy`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/pretrained.py):
 
 ```python
-# modeling_my_policy.py
+# modeling_my_custom_policy.py
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
 from typing import Any
 
 from lerobot.policies import PreTrainedPolicy
 from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION
-from .configuration_my_policy import MyPolicyConfig
+from .configuration_my_custom_policy import MyCustomPolicyConfig
 
-class MyPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy):
-    config_class = MyPolicyConfig  # must match the string in @register_subclass
-    name = "my_policy"
+class MyCustomPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy):
+    config_class = MyCustomPolicyConfig  # must match the string in @register_subclass
+    name = "my_custom_policy"
 
-    def __init__(self, config: MyPolicyConfig, dataset_stats: dict[str, Any] = None):
+    def __init__(self, config: MyCustomPolicyConfig, dataset_stats: dict[str, Any] = None):
         super().__init__(config, dataset_stats)
         config.validate_features()  # not called automatically by the base class
         self.config = config
         self.model = ...  # your nn.Module here
 
     def reset(self):
-        """Reset per-episode state. Called by lerobot-eval at the start of each episode."""
+        """Reset episode state."""
         ...
 
     def get_optim_params(self) -> dict:
@@ -129,51 +147,35 @@ class MyPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy):
         ...
 
     def select_action(self, batch: dict[str, torch.Tensor], **kwargs) -> torch.Tensor:
-        """Return a single action for the current timestep (called every step at inference)."""
+        """Return a single action for the current timestep (called at inference)."""
         ...
 
-    def forward(self, batch: dict[str, torch.Tensor]) -> tuple[torch.Tensor, dict | None]:
+    def forward(self, batch: dict[str, torch.Tensor]) -> dict[str, torch.Tensor]:
         """Compute the training loss.
 
-        Returns `(loss, output_dict)`. `output_dict` may be `None`; everything in it must be
-        logging-friendly Python natives (no tensors with gradients).
-
         `batch["action_is_pad"]` is a bool mask of shape (B, horizon) that marks
-        timesteps padded because the episode ended before `horizon` steps; you
+        timesteps padded because the episode ended before `horizon` steps, you
         can exclude those from your loss.
         """
         actions = batch[ACTION]
         action_is_pad = batch.get("action_is_pad")
         ...
-        return loss, {"some_loss_component": some_loss_component.item()}
+        return {"loss": ...}
 ```
 
-The methods called by the train/eval loops:
+## Step 4: Add Data Processors
 
-| Method                                                            | Used by           | What it does                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
-| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `reset() -> None`                                                 | `lerobot-eval`    | Clear per-episode state at the start of each episode.                                                                                                                                                                                                |
-| `select_action(batch, **kwargs) -> Tensor`                        | `lerobot-eval`    | Return the next action `(B, action_dim)`. Called every step.                                                                                                                                                                                         |
-| `predict_action_chunk(batch, **kwargs) -> Tensor`                 | the policy itself | Return an action chunk `(B, chunk_size, action_dim)`. Currently abstract on the base class — raise `NotImplementedError` if your policy doesn't chunk.                                                                                               |
-| `forward(batch, reduction="mean") -> tuple[Tensor, dict \| None]` | `lerobot-train`   | Return `(loss, output_dict)`. Accept `reduction="none"` if you want to support per-sample weighting.                                                                                                                                                 |
-| `get_optim_params() -> dict`                                      | the optimizer     | Return `self.parameters()` for simple policies; return a named parameter dict for [multi-optimizer policies](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/ecd38c50d7d15b4184cf42649ff1185ee2e11eeb/src/lerobot/policies/sac/modeling_sac.py#L61-L73). |
-| `update() -> None` _(optional)_                                   | `lerobot-train`   | Called after each optimizer step _if defined_. Use for EMA, target nets, replay buffers (TDMPC uses this).                                                                                                                                           |
-
-Batches are flat dictionaries keyed by the constants in [`lerobot.utils.constants`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/utils/constants.py): `OBS_STATE` (`observation.state.<motor>`), `OBS_IMAGES` (`observation.images.<camera>`), `OBS_LANGUAGE`, `ACTION`, etc. Reuse the constants — don't invent new prefixes.
-
-### Processor functions
-
-LeRobot uses `PolicyProcessorPipeline`s to normalize inputs and de-normalize outputs around your policy. For a concrete reference, see [`processor_act.py`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/act/processor_act.py) or [`processor_diffusion.py`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/diffusion/processor_diffusion.py).
+Create processor functions. For a concrete reference, see [processor_act.py](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/act/processor_act.py) or [processor_diffusion.py](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/diffusion/processor_diffusion.py).
 
 ```python
-# processor_my_policy.py
+# processor_my_custom_policy.py
 from typing import Any
 import torch
 
 from lerobot.processor import PolicyAction, PolicyProcessorPipeline
 
 
-def make_my_policy_pre_post_processors(
+def make_my_custom_policy_pre_post_processors(
     config,
     dataset_stats: dict[str, dict[str, torch.Tensor]] | None = None,
 ) -> tuple[
@@ -185,48 +187,11 @@ def make_my_policy_pre_post_processors(
     return preprocessor, postprocessor
 ```
 
-**Important — function naming:** LeRobot discovers your processor by name. The function **must** be called `make_{policy_name}_pre_post_processors` (matching the string you passed to `@PreTrainedConfig.register_subclass`).
+**Important - function naming:** LeRobot discovers your processor by name. The function **must** be called `make_{policy_name}_pre_post_processors` (matching the string you passed to `@PreTrainedConfig.register_subclass`).
 
----
+## Step 5: Package Initialization
 
-## Path A: Out-of-tree plugin
-
-The fastest way to ship a policy: package it as a standalone Python distribution and install it alongside LeRobot. No PR required, you own the release cycle, and you can publish to PyPI under your own namespace.
-
-### Package structure
-
-Create a package with the prefix `lerobot_policy_` (IMPORTANT!) followed by your policy name:
-
-```bash
-lerobot_policy_my_policy/
-├── pyproject.toml
-└── src/
-    └── lerobot_policy_my_policy/
-        ├── __init__.py
-        ├── configuration_my_policy.py
-        ├── modeling_my_policy.py
-        └── processor_my_policy.py
-```
-
-### `pyproject.toml`
-
-```toml
-[project]
-name = "lerobot_policy_my_policy"
-version = "0.1.0"
-dependencies = [
-    # your policy-specific dependencies
-]
-requires-python = ">= 3.12"
-
-[build-system]
-build-backend = # your-build-backend
-requires = # your-build-system
-```
-
-### Package `__init__.py`
-
-Expose your classes in the package's `__init__.py` and guard against missing `lerobot`:
+Expose your classes in the package's `__init__.py`:
 
 ```python
 # __init__.py
@@ -239,148 +204,44 @@ except ImportError:
         "lerobot is not installed. Please install lerobot to use this policy package."
     )
 
-from .configuration_my_policy import MyPolicyConfig
-from .modeling_my_policy import MyPolicy
-from .processor_my_policy import make_my_policy_pre_post_processors
+from .configuration_my_custom_policy import MyCustomPolicyConfig
+from .modeling_my_custom_policy import MyCustomPolicy
+from .processor_my_custom_policy import make_my_custom_policy_pre_post_processors
 
 __all__ = [
-    "MyPolicyConfig",
-    "MyPolicy",
-    "make_my_policy_pre_post_processors",
+    "MyCustomPolicyConfig",
+    "MyCustomPolicy",
+    "make_my_custom_policy_pre_post_processors",
 ]
 ```
 
-### Install and use
+## Step 6: Installation and Usage
+
+### Install Your Policy Package
 
 ```bash
-cd lerobot_policy_my_policy
+cd lerobot_policy_my_custom_policy
 pip install -e .
 
 # Or install from PyPI if published
-pip install lerobot_policy_my_policy
+pip install lerobot_policy_my_custom_policy
 ```
 
+### Use Your Policy
+
 Once installed, your policy automatically integrates with LeRobot's training and evaluation tools:
 
 ```bash
 lerobot-train \
-    --policy.type my_policy \
+    --policy.type my_custom_policy \
     --env.type pusht \
     --steps 200000
 ```
 
----
-
-## Path B: Contributing in-tree
-
-When your policy has stabilized and there's clear value in shipping it with the library, you can land it directly in LeRobot. Read the general [contribution guide](./contributing) and the [PR template](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md) first — that's where you'll find the testing/quality expectations every PR has to meet (`pre-commit run -a`, `pytest`, the community-review rule, etc.). What's below is the policy-specific layer on top of that.
-
-### In-tree layout
-
-```
-src/lerobot/policies/my_policy/
-├── __init__.py                    # re-exports config + modeling + processor factory
-├── configuration_my_policy.py     # MyPolicyConfig + @register_subclass
-├── modeling_my_policy.py          # MyPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy)
-├── processor_my_policy.py         # make_my_policy_pre_post_processors
-└── README.md                      # symlink → ../../../../docs/source/policy_my_policy_README.md
-```
-
-Two notes:
-
-- The `README.md` next to the source is a **symlink** into `docs/source/policy_<name>_README.md` — the actual file lives under `docs/`. Existing policies (act, smolvla, diffusion, …) all do this; copy one of those symlinks. The policy README is conventionally minimal: paper link + BibTeX citation.
-- The user-facing tutorial — what to install, how to train, hyperparameters, benchmark numbers — lives separately at `docs/source/<my_policy>.mdx` and is registered in `_toctree.yml` under "Policies".
-
-The file names are load-bearing: the factory does lazy imports by name, and the processor is discovered by the `make_<policy_name>_pre_post_processors` convention.
-
-### Wiring
-
-Three places need to know about your policy. All by name.
-
-1. **`policies/__init__.py`** — re-export `MyPolicyConfig` and add it to `__all__`. **Don't** re-export the modeling class; it loads lazily through the factory (so `import lerobot` stays fast).
-2. **`factory.py:get_policy_class`** — add a branch returning `MyPolicy` from a lazy import.
-3. **`factory.py:make_policy_config`** and **`factory.py:make_pre_post_processors`** — same idea, two more branches.
-
-Mirror an existing policy that's structurally similar to yours; the diff is small.
-
-### Heavy / optional dependencies
-
-Most policies need a heavy backbone (transformers, diffusers, a specific VLM SDK). The convention is **two-step gating**: a `TYPE_CHECKING`-guarded import at module top, and a `require_package` runtime check in the constructor. [`modeling_diffusion.py`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/diffusion/modeling_diffusion.py) is the canonical reference:
-
-```python
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-from lerobot.utils.import_utils import _diffusers_available, require_package
-
-if TYPE_CHECKING or _diffusers_available:
-    from diffusers.schedulers.scheduling_ddim import DDIMScheduler
-else:
-    DDIMScheduler = None  # keeps the symbol bindable at import time
-
-class DiffusionPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy):
-    def __init__(self, config):
-        require_package("diffusers", extra="diffusion")
-        super().__init__(config)
-        ...
-```
-
-This way:
-
-- `import lerobot.policies` keeps working without the extra installed (the symbol is just bound to `None`).
-- Type checkers see the real symbol.
-- Instantiating the policy without the extra raises a clear `ImportError` pointing at `pip install 'lerobot[diffusion]'`.
-
-Add a matching extra to [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/pyproject.toml) `[project.optional-dependencies]` and include it in the `all` extra so `pip install 'lerobot[all]'` keeps installing everything.
-
-### Benchmarks and a published checkpoint
-
-A new policy is much easier to review — and far more useful — when it ships with a working checkpoint and at least one number you can reproduce.
-
-**Pick at least one in-tree benchmark.** LeRobot ships sim benchmarks with per-benchmark Docker images (LIBERO, LIBERO-plus, Meta-World, RoboTwin 2.0, RoboCasa365, RoboCerebra, RoboMME, VLABench and more). Pick the one that matches your policy's modality — VLAs usually go to LIBERO or VLABench; image-only BC to LIBERO or Meta-World. The full list lives under [Benchmarks](./libero) in the docs sidebar.
-
-**Push the checkpoint & processors** to the Hub under `lerobot/<policy>_<benchmark>` (or your namespace if you don't have write access; a maintainer can mirror it). Use `PreTrainedPolicy.push_model_to_hub` so the repo gets `config.json`, `model.safetensors`, and a model card.
-
-**Report results in your policy's MDX**, with the exact `lerobot-eval` command and hardware so anyone can re-run:
-
-```markdown
-## Results
-
-Evaluated on LIBERO with `lerobot/<policy>_libero`:
-
-| Suite          | Success rate | n_episodes |
-| -------------- | -----------: | ---------: |
-| libero_spatial |        87.5% |         50 |
-| libero_object  |        93.0% |         50 |
-| libero_goal    |        81.5% |         50 |
-| libero_10      |        62.0% |         50 |
-| **average**    |    **81.0%** |        200 |
-
-Reproduce: `lerobot-eval --policy.path=lerobot/<policy>_libero --env.type=libero --env.task=libero_spatial --eval.n_episodes=50` (1× A100 40 GB).
-```
-
-Use `n_episodes ≥ 50` per suite for stable success-rate estimates.
-
-If your policy is real-robot-only and no sim benchmark applies, swap the sim eval for: a public training dataset on the Hub, the `lerobot-train` command, the checkpoint, and a real-robot success rate over ≥10 episodes via `lerobot-rollout --policy.path=...`.
-
-### PR checklist
-
-The general expectations are in [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) and the [PR template](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md). On top of those, reviewers will look for:
-
-- [ ] `MyPolicy` and `MyPolicyConfig` cover the surface above; `__init_subclass__` accepts the class.
-- [ ] `factory.py` and `policies/__init__.py` are wired (lazy imports for modeling).
-- [ ] `make_my_policy_pre_post_processors` follows the naming convention.
-- [ ] Optional deps live behind a `[project.optional-dependencies]` extra and the `TYPE_CHECKING + require_package` guard.
-- [ ] `tests/policies/` updated; backward-compat artifact committed & policy-specific tests.
-- [ ] `src/lerobot/policies/<name>/README.md` symlinked into `docs/source/policy_<name>_README.md`; user-facing `docs/source/<name>.mdx` written and added to `_toctree.yml`.
-- [ ] At least one reproducible benchmark eval in the policy MDX with a published checkpoint (sim benchmark, or real-robot dataset + checkpoint).
-
-The fastest way to get a clean PR is to copy the directory of the existing policy closest to yours, rename, and replace contents method by method. Don't wait until everything is polished — open a draft PR early and iterate with us; reviewers would much rather give feedback on a half-finished branch than a fully-merged one.
-
----
-
-## Examples and community contributions
+## Examples and Community Contributions
 
 Check out these example policy implementations:
 
-- [DiTFlow Policy](https://github.com/danielsanjosepro/lerobot_policy_ditflow) — Diffusion Transformer policy with flow-matching objective. Try it out in this example: [DiTFlow Example](https://github.com/danielsanjosepro/test_lerobot_policy_ditflow)
+- [DiTFlow Policy](https://github.com/danielsanjosepro/lerobot_policy_ditflow) - Diffusion Transformer policy with flow-matching objective. Try it out in this example: [DiTFlow Example](https://github.com/danielsanjosepro/test_lerobot_policy_ditflow)
 
-Thanks for taking the time to bring a new policy into LeRobot. Every architecture that lands in `main` — and every plugin published by the community — makes the library a little more useful for the next person, and a little more representative of where robot learning is going. We're looking forward to seeing what you ship. 🤗
+Share your policy implementations with the community! 🤗

docs/source/cheat-sheet.mdx

@@ -1,139 +0,0 @@
-# Cheat sheet
-
-All of the LeRobot commands in one place. If you forgot how to use a specific command or want to learn about a new one you can do it here.
-
-> [!WARNING]
-> For all of the commands listed below remember to change the ports/names/ids to your own values!
-
-> [!TIP]
-> Another great way to look at all the commands and get them configured for your specific setup is to use this [Jupyter Notebook](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/examples/notebooks/quickstart.ipynb).
-
-### Setup and installation
-
-For installation please look at [LeRobot Installation](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/main/en/installation).
-
-### Useful tools
-
-###### Find port
-
-Use this to identify which serial ports your robots are connected to. Follow the instructions in your terminal: you will be asked to unplug the USB cable and press Enter. The script will then detect and print the correct serial port for that robot.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-port
-```
-
-###### Find cameras
-
-Quickly find camera indices and verify their output. This command prints camera information to the terminal and saves test frames from each detected camera to `lerobot/outputs/captured_images`
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-cameras
-```
-
-### Calibration
-
-In most cases you will need to perform calibration just once for each robot and teleoperation device. Before performing the calibration make sure that all the joints are roughly in the middle position.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.id=my_follower_arm
-```
-
-Make sure that you use the same IDs used during calibration later for the other scripts. That's how LeRobot finds the calibration files.
-
-### Teleoperation
-
-Teleoperating with two cameras and displaying the data with Rerun.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.id=my_follower_arm \
-    --robot.cameras="{ top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30} }" \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader_arm \
-    --display_data=true
-```
-
-### Recording a dataset
-
-The dataset is automatically uploaded to the server and saved under repo_id, make sure you are logged in to your HF account with CLI:
-`hf auth login`
-
-You can get the token from: [https://huggingface.co/settings/tokens](https://huggingface.co/settings/tokens)
-
-```bash
-lerobot-record \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.id=my_follower_arm \
-    --robot.cameras="{ top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30} }" \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader_arm \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/so101_dataset_test \
-    --dataset.num_episodes=30 \
-    --dataset.single_task="put the red brick in a bowl" \
-    --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    --display_data=true
-```
-
-While collecting the dataset you can control the process with your keyboard:
-Control the data recording flow using keyboard shortcuts:
-
-- Press **Right Arrow (`→`)**: Save episode and move to the next.
-- Press **Left Arrow (`←`)**: Delete current episode and retry.
-- Press **Escape (`ESC`)**: Stop, encode videos, and upload.
-
-### Training
-
-Depending on your hardware training the policy might take a few hours. That's how you train simple `ACT` policy:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/so101_dataset_test \
-    --policy.type=act \
-    --output_dir=outputs/train/act_so101_test \
-    --job_name=act_so101_test \
-    --policy.device=cuda \
-    --wandb.enable=true \
-    --policy.repo_id=${HF_USER}/policy_test \
-    --steps=20000
-```
-
-- Policy Types: `act`, `diffusion`, `smolvla`, `pi05`
-- Devices: `cuda` (NVIDIA), `mps` (Apple Silicon), `cpu`
-
-If you want to fine-tune a specific model you can provide the path to the model. In this case path is enough and type can be skipped.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/so101_dataset_test \
-    --policy.path=username/the_policy_to_finetune \
-    --policy.device=cuda \
-    --policy.repo_id=${HF_USER}/policy_test \
-    --output_dir=outputs/train/act_so101_test \
-    --steps=20000
-```
-
-### Inference
-
-Inference means running the trained policy/model on a robot. For that we use `lerobot-rollout`. You will need to provide a path to your policy. It can be a local path or a path to Hugging Face for example "lerobot/folding_latest". Your cameras configuration needs to match what was used when collecting the dataset. Duration is in seconds if unspecified, it will run forever.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> If you are using the previous release V0.5.1 instead of `lerobot-rollout` you need to use `lerobot-record`. More information [here](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/v0.5.1/en/il_robots#run-inference-and-evaluate-your-policy).
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --robot.cameras="{ up: {type: opencv, index_or_path: /dev/video1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, side: {type: opencv, index_or_path: /dev/video5, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --task="Put lego brick into the transparent box" \
-    --duration=60
-```

docs/source/earthrover_mini_plus.mdx

@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ lerobot-record \
     --dataset.single_task="Navigate around obstacles" \
     --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
     --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-    # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+    # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
     --display_data=true
 ```
 

docs/source/eo1.mdx

@@ -1,168 +0,0 @@
-# EO-1
-
-EO-1 is a **Vision-Language-Action policy for robot control**. The LeRobot implementation integrates EO-1 with the standard LeRobot training, evaluation, processor interface.
-
-## Model Overview
-
-EO-1 uses a Qwen2.5-VL backbone for vision-language understanding and adds a continuous flow-matching action head for robot control. The policy formats each robot-control sample as a multimodal conversation: camera images are passed to Qwen2.5-VL, the robot state is represented with EO-1 state tokens, and the future action chunk is represented with EO-1 action tokens.
-
-<img
-  src="https://huggingface.co/datasets/HaomingSong/lerobot-documentation-images/resolve/main/lerobot/eo_pipeline.png"
-  alt="An overview of EO-1"
-  width="85%"
-/>
-
-During training, EO-1 learns to denoise continuous action chunks at the action-token positions. During inference, it samples an action chunk, returns continuous actions, and executes `n_action_steps` from the chunk before sampling again.
-
-### What the LeRobot Integration Covers
-
-- Standard `policy.type=eo1` configuration through LeRobot
-- Qwen2.5-VL image and text preprocessing through policy processors
-- Continuous flow-matching action prediction
-- Checkpoint save/load through LeRobot policy APIs
-- Training with `lerobot-train` and evaluation with `lerobot-eval`
-
-The broader EO-1 project also includes interleaved vision-text-action pretraining and multimodal reasoning workflows. This page focuses on the LeRobot robot-control policy path.
-
-## Installation Requirements
-
-1. Install LeRobot by following the [Installation Guide](./installation).
-2. Install EO-1 dependencies by running:
-
-   ```bash
-   pip install -e ".[eo1]"
-   ```
-
-3. If you want to train or evaluate on LIBERO, install the LIBERO dependencies too:
-
-   ```bash
-   pip install -e ".[eo1,libero]"
-   ```
-
-EO-1 can use the standard PyTorch scaled-dot-product attention backend through `policy.attn_implementation=sdpa`. If your environment has a compatible `flash_attn` installation, you can request `policy.attn_implementation=flash_attention_2`.
-
-## Data Requirements
-
-EO-1 expects a LeRobot dataset with:
-
-- At least one visual observation, for example `observation.images.image`
-- `observation.state`
-- `action`
-- A language task instruction through the dataset `task` field
-
-If your dataset uses different observation names, use `rename_map` to align them with the names expected by your training or evaluation setup.
-
-## Usage
-
-To use EO-1 in a LeRobot configuration, specify the policy type as:
-
-```python
-policy.type=eo1
-```
-
-By default, a new EO-1 policy initializes its backbone from:
-
-```python
-policy.vlm_base=Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct
-```
-
-Once a LeRobot-format EO-1 checkpoint is available, load it with:
-
-```python
-policy.path=your-org/your-eo1-checkpoint
-```
-
-## Training
-
-### Training Command Example
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-  --dataset.repo_id=your_org/your_dataset \
-  --policy.type=eo1 \
-  --policy.vlm_base=Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct \
-  --policy.dtype=bfloat16 \
-  --policy.attn_implementation=sdpa \
-  --policy.gradient_checkpointing=false \
-  --output_dir=./outputs/eo1_training \
-  --job_name=eo1_training \
-  --steps=300000 \
-  --batch_size=16 \
-  --policy.device=cuda
-```
-
-### Key Training Parameters
-
-| Parameter                              | Default                       | Description                                                             |
-| -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `policy.vlm_base`                      | `Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct` | Qwen2.5-VL checkpoint used to initialize a new policy                   |
-| `policy.dtype`                         | `auto`                        | Backbone dtype request: `auto`, `bfloat16`, or `float32`                |
-| `policy.attn_implementation`           | `None`                        | Optional Qwen attention backend, such as `sdpa`                         |
-| `policy.gradient_checkpointing`        | `false`                       | Reduces memory usage during training                                    |
-| `policy.chunk_size`                    | `8`                           | Number of future actions predicted per chunk                            |
-| `policy.n_action_steps`                | `8`                           | Number of actions consumed from a sampled chunk                         |
-| `policy.num_denoise_steps`             | `10`                          | Number of flow-matching denoising steps used during sampling            |
-| `policy.max_state_dim`                 | `32`                          | State padding dimension                                                 |
-| `policy.max_action_dim`                | `32`                          | Action padding dimension                                                |
-| `policy.force_fp32_autocast`           | `true`                        | Keeps the flow head in fp32 even when the backbone uses mixed precision |
-| `policy.supervise_padding_action_dims` | `true`                        | Controls whether padded action dimensions are supervised                |
-| `policy.supervise_padding_actions`     | `true`                        | Controls whether padded future action rows are supervised               |
-
-## Evaluation
-
-EO-1 can be evaluated through `lerobot-eval` once you have a LeRobot-format checkpoint:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-eval \
-  --policy.path=your-org/your-eo1-checkpoint \
-  --env.type=libero \
-  --env.task=libero_object \
-  --eval.batch_size=1 \
-  --eval.n_episodes=20
-```
-
-For datasets or environments whose camera names differ from the checkpoint configuration, pass a `rename_map`:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-eval \
-  --policy.path=your-org/your-eo1-checkpoint \
-  --env.type=libero \
-  --env.task=libero_object \
-  --rename_map='{"observation.images.image2":"observation.images.wrist_image"}'
-```
-
-## Configuration Notes
-
-### Image Processing
-
-EO-1 uses the Qwen2.5-VL processor. The `policy.image_min_pixels` and `policy.image_max_pixels` settings control the image resizing bounds before the visual tokens are passed into the backbone.
-
-### State and Action Dimensions
-
-The policy pads state and action vectors to `policy.max_state_dim` and `policy.max_action_dim` before the EO-1 flow head. Predictions are cropped back to the original action dimension before being returned by the policy.
-
-### Attention Backend
-
-Use `policy.attn_implementation=sdpa` for a portable setup. Use `flash_attention_2` only when `flash_attn` is installed and compatible with your environment.
-
-## References
-
-- [EO-1 project](https://github.com/EO-Robotics/EO1)
-- [EO-1 paper](https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.21112)
-- [Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct](https://huggingface.co/Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct)
-
-## Citation
-
-```bibtex
-@article{eo1,
-  title={EO-1: Interleaved Vision-Text-Action Pretraining for General Robot Control},
-  author={Delin Qu and Haoming Song and Qizhi Chen and Zhaoqing Chen and Xianqiang Gao and Xinyi Ye and Qi Lv and Modi Shi and Guanghui Ren and Cheng Ruan and Maoqing Yao and Haoran Yang and Jiacheng Bao and Bin Zhao and Dong Wang},
-  journal={arXiv preprint},
-  year={2025},
-  url={https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.21112}
-}
-```
-
-## License
-
-This LeRobot integration follows the **Apache 2.0 License** used by LeRobot. Check the upstream EO-1 model and dataset pages for the licenses of released EO-1 checkpoints and data.

docs/source/groot.mdx

@@ -105,12 +105,10 @@ These results demonstrate GR00T's strong generalization capabilities across dive
 
 ### Evaluate in your hardware setup
 
-Once you have trained your model using your parameters you can run inference in your downstream task. Follow the instructions in [Policy Deployment (lerobot-rollout)](./inference). For example:
+Once you have trained your model using your parameters you can run inference in your downstream task. Follow the instructions in [Imitation Learning for Robots](./il_robots). For example:
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout\
-  --strategy.type=sentry \
-  --strategy.upload_every_n_episodes=5 \
+lerobot-record \
   --robot.type=bi_so_follower \
   --robot.left_arm_port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
   --robot.right_arm_port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
@@ -121,12 +119,14 @@ lerobot-rollout\
   }' \
   --display_data=true \
   --dataset.repo_id=<user>/eval_groot-bimanual  \
+  --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
   --dataset.single_task="Grab and handover the red cube to the other arm" \
   --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
   --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-  # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
   --policy.path=<user>/groot-bimanual \ # your trained model
-  --duration=600
+  --dataset.episode_time_s=30 \
+  --dataset.reset_time_s=10
 ```
 
 ## License

docs/source/hardware_guide.mdx

@@ -1,98 +0,0 @@
-# Compute HW Guide for LeRobot Training
-
-Rough sizing for training a LeRobot policy: how much VRAM each policy needs, what training time looks like, and where to run when local hardware isn't enough.
-
-The numbers below are **indicative** — order-of-magnitude figures for picking hardware, not exact predictions. Throughput depends heavily on dataset I/O, image resolution, batch size, and number of GPUs.
-
-## Memory by policy group
-
-Policies cluster by backbone size; the groupings below give a single VRAM envelope per group instead of repeating numbers per policy. Memory scales roughly linearly with batch size; AdamW (the LeRobot default) carries optimizer state that adds ~30–100% over a forward+backward pass alone.
-
-| Group      | Policies                                    | Peak VRAM (BS 8, AdamW) | Suitable starter GPUs             |
-| ---------- | ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------: | --------------------------------- |
-| Light BC   | `act`, `vqbet`, `tdmpc`                     |                  ~2–6GB | Laptop GPU (RTX 3060), L4, A10G   |
-| Diffusion  | `diffusion`, `multi_task_dit`               |                 ~8–14GB | RTX 4070+ / L4 / A10G             |
-| Small VLA  | `smolvla`                                   |                ~10–16GB | RTX 4080+ / L4 / A10G             |
-| Large VLA  | `pi0`, `pi0_fast`, `pi05`, `xvla`, `wall_x` |                ~24–40GB | A100 40 GB+ (24 GB tight at BS 1) |
-| Multimodal | `groot`, `eo1`                              |                ~24–40GB | A100 40 GB+                       |
-| RL         | `sac`                                       |             config-dep. | See [HIL-SERL guide](./hilserl)   |
-
-Memory-bound? Drop the batch size (~linear), use gradient accumulation to recover effective batch, or for SmolVLA leave `freeze_vision_encoder=True`.
-
-## Training time
-
-Robotics imitation learning typically converges in **5–10 epochs over the dataset**, not hundreds of thousands of raw steps. Once you know your epoch count, wall-clock is essentially:
-
-```text
-total_frames    = sum of frames over all episodes      # 50 ep × 30 fps × 30 s ≈ 45,000
-steps_per_epoch = ceil(total_frames / (num_gpus × batch_size))
-total_steps     = epochs × steps_per_epoch
-wall_clock      ≈ total_steps × per_step_time
-```
-
-Per-step time depends on the policy and the GPU. The numbers in the table below are anchors — pick the row closest to your setup and scale linearly with `total_steps` if you train longer or shorter.
-
-### Common scenarios
-
-Indicative wall-clock for **5 epochs on a ~50-episode dataset (~45k frames at 30 fps × 30 s)**, default optimizer (AdamW), 640×480 images:
-
-| Setup                                | Policy         | Batch | Wall-clock |
-| ------------------------------------ | -------------- | ----- | ---------: |
-| Single RTX 4090 / RTX 3090 (24 GB)   | `act`          | 8     |  ~30–60min |
-| Single RTX 4090 / RTX 3090 (24 GB)   | `diffusion`    | 8     |      ~2–4h |
-| Single L4 / A10G (24 GB)             | `act`          | 8     |      ~1–2h |
-| Single L4 / A10G (24 GB)             | `smolvla`      | 4     |      ~3–6h |
-| Single A100 40 GB                    | `smolvla`      | 16    |      ~1–2h |
-| Single A100 40 GB                    | `pi0` / `pi05` | 4     |      ~4–8h |
-| 4× H100 80 GB cluster (`accelerate`) | `diffusion`    | 32    |  ~30–60min |
-| 4× H100 80 GB cluster (`accelerate`) | `smolvla`      | 32    |      ~1–2h |
-| Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3 Max (MPS)     | `act`          | 4     |     ~6–14h |
-
-These are order-of-magnitude figures. Real runs deviate by ±50% depending on image resolution, dataset I/O, dataloader threading, and exact GPU SKU. They are useful as "is this run going to take an hour or a day?" intuition, not as SLAs.
-
-### Multi-GPU matters a lot
-
-`accelerate launch --num_processes=N` is the easiest way to cut training time. Each optimizer step processes `N × batch_size` samples in roughly the same wall-clock as a single-GPU step, so 4 GPUs ≈ 4× speedup for compute-bound runs. See the [Multi GPU training](./multi_gpu_training) guide for the full setup.
-
-Reference data points on a 4×H100 80 GB cluster (`accelerate launch --num_processes=4`), 5000 steps, batch 32, AdamW, dataset [`imstevenpmwork/super_poulain_draft`](https://huggingface.co/datasets/imstevenpmwork/super_poulain_draft) (~50 episodes, ~640×480 images):
-
-| Policy      | Wall-clock | `update_s` | `dataloading_s` | GPU util | Notable flags                                                                                                                  |
-| ----------- | ---------- | ---------: | --------------: | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `diffusion` | 16m 17s    |      0.167 |           0.015 | ~90%     | defaults (training from scratch)                                                                                               |
-| `smolvla`   | 27m 49s    |      0.312 |           0.011 | ~80%     | `--policy.path=lerobot/smolvla_base`, `freeze_vision_encoder=false`, `train_expert_only=false`                                 |
-| `pi05`      | 3h 41m     |      2.548 |           0.014 | ~95%     | `--policy.pretrained_path=lerobot/pi05_base`, `gradient_checkpointing=true`, `dtype=bfloat16`, vision encoder + expert trained |
-
-The `dataloading_s` vs. `update_s` ratio is the diagnostic that matters: when `dataloading_s` approaches `update_s`, more GPUs stop helping — your dataloader is the bottleneck and you should look at `--num_workers`, image resolution, and disk speed before adding compute.
-
-### Schedule and checkpoints
-
-If you shorten training (e.g. 5k–10k steps on a small dataset), also shorten the LR schedule with `--policy.scheduler_decay_steps≈--steps`. Otherwise the LR stays near its peak and never decays. Same for `--save_freq`.
-
-## Where to run
-
-VRAM is the first filter. Within a tier, pick by budget and availability — the `$`–`$$$$` columns are relative; check current pricing on the provider you actually use.
-
-| Class                      | VRAM  | Tier   | Comfortable for                                             |
-| -------------------------- | ----- | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
-| RTX 3090 / 4090 (consumer) | 24 GB | `$`    | Light BC, Diffusion, SmolVLA. Tight for VLAs at batch 1.    |
-| L4 / A10G (cloud)          | 24 GB | `$–$$` | Same envelope; common on Google Cloud, RunPod, AWS `g5/g6`. |
-| A100 40 GB                 | 40 GB | `$$$`  | Any policy at reasonable batch sizes.                       |
-| A100 80 GB / H100 80 GB    | 80 GB | `$$$$` | Multi-GPU clusters; large batches for VLAs.                 |
-| **CPU only**               | —     | —      | Don't train. Use Colab or rent a GPU.                       |
-
-### Hugging Face Jobs
-
-[Hugging Face Jobs](https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/jobs) lets you run training on managed HF infrastructure, billed by the second. The repo publishes a ready-to-use image: **`huggingface/lerobot-gpu:latest`**, rebuilt **every night at 02:00 UTC from `main`** ([`docker_publish.yml`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/.github/workflows/docker_publish.yml)) — so it tracks the current state of the repo, not a tagged release.
-
-```bash
-hf jobs run --flavor a10g-large huggingface/lerobot-gpu:latest \
-  bash -c "nvidia-smi && lerobot-train \
-    --policy.type=act --dataset.repo_id=<USER>/<DATASET> \
-    --policy.repo_id=<USER>/act_<task> --batch_size=8 --steps=50000"
-```
-
-Notes:
-
-- The leading `nvidia-smi` is a quick sanity check that CUDA is visible inside the container — useful to fail fast if the flavor or driver mismatched.
-- The default Job timeout is 30 minutes; pass `--timeout 4h` (or longer) for real training.
-- `--flavor` maps onto the table above: `t4-small`/`t4-medium` (T4, ACT only), `l4x1`/`l4x4` (L4 24 GB), `a10g-small/large/largex2/largex4` (A10G 24 GB scaled out), `a100-large` (A100). For the current full catalogue + pricing see [https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/jobs](https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/jobs).

docs/source/hil_data_collection.mdx

@@ -50,30 +50,30 @@ This process can be repeated iteratively: deploy, collect, fine-tune, repeat. Ea
 
 ### Teleoperator Requirements
 
-The `lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger` mode requires **teleoperators with active motors** that can:
+The `examples/hil` HIL scripts require **teleoperators with active motors** that can:
 
 - Enable/disable torque programmatically
 - Move to target positions (to mirror the robot state when pausing)
 
-**Compatible teleoperators:**
+**Compatible teleoperators in the current `examples/hil` scripts:**
 
 - `openarm_mini` - OpenArm Mini
 - `so_leader` - SO100 / SO101 leader arm
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
-> The provided commands default to `bi_openarm_follower` + `openarm_mini`.
+> The provided `examples/hil` commands default to `bi_openarm_follower` + `openarm_mini`.
 > `so_follower` + `so_leader` configs are also registered and can be used via CLI flags.
 
 ---
 
 ## Script
 
-Use `lerobot-rollout` with `--strategy.type=dagger` for HIL data collection. Select the inference backend with `--inference.type=sync|rtc`:
+A single script handles both synchronous and RTC-based inference. Toggle RTC with `--rtc.enabled=true`:
 
-| Mode                     | Flag                   | Models                |
-| ------------------------ | ---------------------- | --------------------- |
-| Standard (default)       | _(no flag needed)_     | ACT, Diffusion Policy |
-| Real-Time Chunking (RTC) | `--inference.type=rtc` | Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA   |
+| Mode                     | Flag                 | Models                |
+| ------------------------ | -------------------- | --------------------- |
+| Standard (default)       | _(no flag needed)_   | ACT, Diffusion Policy |
+| Real-Time Chunking (RTC) | `--rtc.enabled=true` | Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA   |
 
 ---
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ python src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
 **Standard inference (ACT, Diffusion Policy):**
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger \
+python examples/hil/hil_data_collection.py \
     --robot.type=bi_openarm_follower \
     --robot.left_arm_config.port=can1 \
     --robot.left_arm_config.side=left \
@@ -108,10 +108,11 @@ lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger \
     --teleop.port_left=/dev/ttyACM0 \
     --teleop.port_right=/dev/ttyACM1 \
     --policy.path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
-    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/rollout_hil_dataset \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/hil-dataset \
     --dataset.single_task="Fold the T-shirt properly" \
     --dataset.fps=30 \
-    --strategy.num_episodes=50 \
+    --dataset.episode_time_s=1000 \
+    --dataset.num_episodes=50 \
     --interpolation_multiplier=2
 ```
 
@@ -120,11 +121,11 @@ lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger \
 For models with high inference latency, enable RTC for smooth execution:
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger \
-    --inference.type=rtc \
-    --inference.rtc.execution_horizon=20 \
-    --inference.rtc.max_guidance_weight=5.0 \
-    --inference.rtc.prefix_attention_schedule=LINEAR \
+python examples/hil/hil_data_collection.py \
+    --rtc.enabled=true \
+    --rtc.execution_horizon=20 \
+    --rtc.max_guidance_weight=5.0 \
+    --rtc.prefix_attention_schedule=LINEAR \
     --robot.type=bi_openarm_follower \
     --robot.left_arm_config.port=can1 \
     --robot.left_arm_config.side=left \
@@ -135,10 +136,11 @@ lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=dagger \
     --teleop.port_left=/dev/ttyACM0 \
     --teleop.port_right=/dev/ttyACM1 \
     --policy.path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
-    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/rollout_hil_rtc_dataset \
+    --dataset.repo_id=your-username/hil-rtc-dataset \
     --dataset.single_task="Fold the T-shirt properly" \
     --dataset.fps=30 \
-    --strategy.num_episodes=50 \
+    --dataset.episode_time_s=1000 \
+    --dataset.num_episodes=50 \
     --interpolation_multiplier=3
 ```
 
@@ -233,7 +235,7 @@ This HIL data collection approach builds on ideas from interactive imitation lea
 
 - **HG-DAgger** (Kelly et al., 2019) made this practical for robotics: a human expert monitors the robot and only intervenes when needed, rather than labeling every state. The gating between autonomous and human control is exactly the pause → takeover → return-to-policy loop used in the scripts here.
 
-- **RaC** (Hu et al., 2025) scales this loop to long-horizon tasks by explicitly decomposing interventions into **recovery** (teleoperating back to a good state) and **correction** (demonstrating the right behavior from there). This decomposition is the protocol followed by the DAgger strategy in `lerobot-rollout`.
+- **RaC** (Hu et al., 2025) scales this loop to long-horizon tasks by explicitly decomposing interventions into **recovery** (teleoperating back to a good state) and **correction** (demonstrating the right behavior from there). This decomposition is the protocol followed by the HIL scripts in `examples/hil`.
 
 - **π0.6/RECAP** (Physical Intelligence, 2025) applies the same iterative collect-and-finetune loop at scale with VLA models, showing that even large pretrained policies benefit substantially from targeted human corrections on their own failure modes. π0.6 is trained using RECAP.
 

docs/source/hilserl.mdx

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pip install -e ".[hilserl]"
 
 ### Understanding Configuration
 
-The training process begins with proper configuration for the HILSERl environment. The main configuration class is `GymManipulatorConfig` in `lerobot/rl/gym_manipulator.py`, which contains nested `HILSerlRobotEnvConfig` (defined in `lerobot/envs/configs.py`) and `DatasetConfig`. The configuration is organized into focused, nested sub-configs:
+The training process begins with proper configuration for the HILSerl environment. The main configuration class is `GymManipulatorConfig` in `lerobot/rl/gym_manipulator.py`, which contains nested `HILSerlRobotEnvConfig` and `DatasetConfig`. The configuration is organized into focused, nested sub-configs:
 
 <!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
 ```python
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ class HILSerlProcessorConfig:
 class ObservationConfig:
     add_joint_velocity_to_observation: bool = False    # Add joint velocities to state
     add_current_to_observation: bool = False    # Add motor currents to state
-    add_ee_pose_to_observation: bool = False    # Add end-effector pose to state
     display_cameras: bool = False    # Display camera feeds during execution
 
 class ImagePreprocessingConfig:
@@ -327,22 +326,14 @@ lerobot-find-joint-limits \
    Max joint positions [-20.0, -20.0, -20.0, -20.0, -20.0, -20.0]
    Min joint positions [50.0, 50.0, 50.0, 50.0, 50.0, 50.0]
    ```
-3. Use these values in your environment configuration under `env.processor.inverse_kinematics.end_effector_bounds` (see `InverseKinematicsConfig` in `lerobot/envs/configs.py`)
+3. Use these values in the configuration of your teleoperation device (TeleoperatorConfig) under the `end_effector_bounds` field
 
 **Example Configuration**
 
 ```json
-{
-  "env": {
-    "processor": {
-      "inverse_kinematics": {
-        "end_effector_bounds": {
-          "max": [0.24, 0.2, 0.1],
-          "min": [0.16, -0.08, 0.03]
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
+"end_effector_bounds": {
+    "max": [0.24, 0.20, 0.10],
+    "min": [0.16, -0.08, 0.03]
 }
 ```
 
@@ -413,24 +404,30 @@ We support using a gamepad or a keyboard or the leader arm of the robot.
 
 HIL-Serl learns actions in the end-effector space of the robot. Therefore, the teleoperation will control the end-effector's x,y,z displacements.
 
-The end-effector transformation is applied by the processor pipeline (`InverseKinematicsRLStep`, `EEBoundsAndSafety`, `EEReferenceAndDelta`, `GripperVelocityToJoint`) configured under `env.processor.inverse_kinematics` (`InverseKinematicsConfig`) and `env.processor.gripper` / `env.processor.max_gripper_pos`. The defaults related to the end-effector space are:
+For that we need to define a version of the robot that takes actions in the end-effector space. Check the robot class `SO100FollowerEndEffector` and its configuration `SO100FollowerEndEffectorConfig` for the default parameters related to the end-effector space.
 
 <!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
 ```python
-class InverseKinematicsConfig:
-    """Configuration for inverse kinematics processing."""
+class SO100FollowerEndEffectorConfig(SO100FollowerConfig):
+    """Configuration for the SO100FollowerEndEffector robot."""
 
-    urdf_path: str | None = None
-    target_frame_name: str | None = None
-    # bounds for the end-effector in x,y,z direction
-    end_effector_bounds: dict[str, list[float]] | None = None
-    # maximum step size for the end-effector in x,y,z direction
-    end_effector_step_sizes: dict[str, float] | None = None
+    # Default bounds for the end-effector position (in meters)
+    end_effector_bounds: dict[str, list[float]] = field( # bounds for the end-effector in x,y,z direction
+        default_factory=lambda: {
+            "min": [-1.0, -1.0, -1.0],  # min x, y, z
+            "max": [1.0, 1.0, 1.0],  # max x, y, z
+        }
+    )
 
-class HILSerlProcessorConfig:
-    ...
-    # maximum gripper position that the gripper will be open at
-    max_gripper_pos: float | None = 100.0
+    max_gripper_pos: float = 50 # maximum gripper position that the gripper will be open at
+
+    end_effector_step_sizes: dict[str, float] = field( # maximum step size for the end-effector in x,y,z direction
+        default_factory=lambda: {
+            "x": 0.02,
+            "y": 0.02,
+            "z": 0.02,
+        }
+    )
 ```
 <!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
 
@@ -609,11 +606,11 @@ This guide explains how to train a reward classifier for human-in-the-loop reinf
 
 **Note**: Training a reward classifier is optional. You can start the first round of RL experiments by annotating the success manually with your gamepad or keyboard device.
 
-The reward classifier implementation in `lerobot/rewards/classifier/modeling_classifier.py` uses a pretrained vision model to process the images. It can output either a single value for binary rewards to predict success/fail cases or multiple values for multi-class settings.
+The reward classifier implementation in `modeling_classifier.py` uses a pretrained vision model to process the images. It can output either a single value for binary rewards to predict success/fail cases or multiple values for multi-class settings.
 
 **Collecting a Dataset for the reward classifier**
 
-Before training, you need to collect a dataset with labeled examples. Setting `mode: "record"` in your config and running `gym_manipulator.py` enables the process of collecting a dataset of observations, actions, and rewards.
+Before training, you need to collect a dataset with labeled examples. The `record_dataset` function in `gym_manipulator.py` enables the process of collecting a dataset of observations, actions, and rewards.
 
 To collect a dataset, you need to modify some parameters in the environment configuration based on HILSerlRobotEnvConfig.
 
@@ -661,7 +658,7 @@ Example configuration section for data collection:
   },
   "dataset": {
     "repo_id": "hf_username/dataset_name",
-    "root": "data/your_dataset",
+    "dataset_root": "data/your_dataset",
     "task": "reward_classifier_task",
     "num_episodes_to_record": 20,
     "replay_episode": null,
@@ -674,7 +671,7 @@ Example configuration section for data collection:
 
 **Reward Classifier Configuration**
 
-The reward classifier is configured using `lerobot/rewards/classifier/configuration_classifier.py`. Here are the key parameters:
+The reward classifier is configured using `configuration_classifier.py`. Here are the key parameters:
 
 - **model_name**: Base model architecture (e.g., we mainly use `"helper2424/resnet10"`)
 - **model_type**: `"cnn"` or `"transformer"`
@@ -692,7 +689,7 @@ Example configuration for training the [reward classifier](https://huggingface.c
     "repo_id": "hf_username/dataset_name",
     "root": null
   },
-  "reward_model": {
+  "policy": {
     "type": "reward_classifier",
     "model_name": "helper2424/resnet10",
     "model_type": "cnn",
@@ -702,6 +699,7 @@ Example configuration for training the [reward classifier](https://huggingface.c
     "dropout_rate": 0.1,
     "learning_rate": 1e-4,
     "device": "cuda",
+    "use_amp": true,
     "input_features": {
       "observation.images.front": {
         "type": "VISUAL",
@@ -820,14 +818,13 @@ The LeRobot system uses a distributed actor-learner architecture for training. T
 
 **Configuration Setup**
 
-Create a training configuration file (example available [here](https://huggingface.co/datasets/lerobot/config_examples/resolve/main/rl/train_config.json)). The training config is based on the main `TrainRLServerPipelineConfig` class in `lerobot/rl/train_rl.py`.
+Create a training configuration file (example available [here](https://huggingface.co/datasets/lerobot/config_examples/resolve/main/rl/train_config.json)). The training config is based on the main `TrainRLServerPipelineConfig` class in `lerobot/configs/train.py`.
 
-1. Configure the policy settings (`type="gaussian_actor"`, `device`, etc.)
-2. Configure the algorithm settings under the top-level `algorithm` block (`type="sac"`, learning rates, discount, etc., defined in `lerobot/rl/algorithms/sac/configuration_sac.py`).
-3. Set `dataset` to your cropped dataset
-4. Configure environment settings with crop parameters
-5. Check the other parameters related to the Gaussian Actor in [configuration_gaussian_actor.py](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/gaussian_actor/configuration_gaussian_actor.py#L79).
-6. Verify that the `policy` config is correct with the right `input_features` and `output_features` for your task.
+1. Configure the policy settings (`type="sac"`, `device`, etc.)
+2. Set `dataset` to your cropped dataset
+3. Configure environment settings with crop parameters
+4. Check the other parameters related to SAC in [configuration_sac.py](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/sac/configuration_sac.py#L79).
+5. Verify that the `policy` config is correct with the right `input_features` and `output_features` for your task.
 
 **Starting the Learner**
 
@@ -929,7 +926,7 @@ The ideal behaviour is that your intervention rate should drop gradually during
 
 Some configuration values have a disproportionate impact on training stability and speed:
 
-- **`temperature_init`** (`algorithm.temperature_init`) – initial entropy temperature in SAC. Higher values encourage more exploration; lower values make the policy more deterministic early on. A good starting point is `1e-2`. We observed that setting it too high can make human interventions ineffective and slow down learning.
+- **`temperature_init`** (`policy.temperature_init`) – initial entropy temperature in SAC. Higher values encourage more exploration; lower values make the policy more deterministic early on. A good starting point is `1e-2`. We observed that setting it too high can make human interventions ineffective and slow down learning.
 - **`policy_parameters_push_frequency`** (`policy.actor_learner_config.policy_parameters_push_frequency`) – interval in _seconds_ between two weight pushes from the learner to the actor. The default is `4 s`. Decrease to **1-2 s** to provide fresher weights (at the cost of more network traffic); increase only if your connection is slow, as this will reduce sample efficiency.
 - **`storage_device`** (`policy.storage_device`) – device on which the learner keeps the policy parameters. If you have spare GPU memory, set this to `"cuda"` (instead of the default `"cpu"`). Keeping the weights on-GPU removes CPU→GPU transfer overhead and can significantly increase the number of learner updates per second.
 

docs/source/hope_jr.mdx

@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ lerobot-record \
     --dataset.private=true \
     --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
     --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-    # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+    # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
     --display_data=true
 ```
 
@@ -278,6 +278,6 @@ lerobot-record \
   --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
   --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
   --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-  # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
   --policy.path=outputs/train/hopejr_hand/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model
 ```

docs/source/il_robots.mdx

@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ from lerobot.teleoperators.so_leader import SO101Leader, SO101LeaderConfig
 from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO101Follower, SO101FollowerConfig
 
 robot_config = SO101FollowerConfig(
-    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90687491",
-    id="my_follower_arm",
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431541",
+    id="my_red_robot_arm",
 )
 
 teleop_config = SO101LeaderConfig(
-    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90689011",
-    id="my_leader_arm",
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551",
+    id="my_blue_leader_arm",
 )
 
 robot = SO101Follower(robot_config)
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ With `rerun`, you can teleoperate again while simultaneously visualizing the cam
 <hfoption id="Command">
 ```bash
 lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90687491 \
-    --robot.id=my_follower_arm \
-    --robot.cameras="{front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90689011 \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader_arm \
+    --robot.type=koch_follower \
+    --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431541 \
+    --robot.id=my_awesome_follower_arm \
+    --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 1920, height: 1080, fps: 30}}" \
+    --teleop.type=koch_leader \
+    --teleop.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551 \
+    --teleop.id=my_awesome_leader_arm \
     --display_data=true
 ```
 </hfoption>
@@ -122,48 +122,34 @@ lerobot-teleoperate \
 
 <!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
 ```python
-import time
-from lerobot.teleoperators.so_leader import SO101Leader, SO101LeaderConfig
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO101Follower, SO101FollowerConfig
 from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data, shutdown_rerun
+from lerobot.teleoperators.koch_leader import KochLeader, KochLeaderConfig
+from lerobot.robots.koch_follower import KochFollower, KochFollowerConfig
 
-robot_config = SO101FollowerConfig(
-    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90687491",
-    id="my_follower_arm",
-    cameras={
-        "wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=30),
-        "top": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=1, width=640, height=480, fps=30)
-    }
+camera_config = {
+    "front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=1920, height=1080, fps=30)
+}
+
+robot_config = KochFollowerConfig(
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem585A0076841",
+    id="my_red_robot_arm",
+    cameras=camera_config
 )
 
-teleop_config = SO101LeaderConfig(
-    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90689011",
-    id="my_leader_arm",
+teleop_config = KochLeaderConfig(
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551",
+    id="my_blue_leader_arm",
 )
 
-init_rerun(session_name="teleoperation")
-
-robot = SO101Follower(robot_config)
-teleop_device = SO101Leader(teleop_config)
+robot = KochFollower(robot_config)
+teleop_device = KochLeader(teleop_config)
 robot.connect()
 teleop_device.connect()
 
-TARGET_HZ = 30
-TIME_PER_FRAME = 1.0 / TARGET_HZ
-
 while True:
-    start_time = time.perf_counter()
-
     observation = robot.get_observation()
     action = teleop_device.get_action()
     robot.send_action(action)
-    log_rerun_data(observation=observation, action=action)
-
-    elapsed_time = time.perf_counter() - start_time
-    sleep_time = TIME_PER_FRAME - elapsed_time
-    if sleep_time > 0:
-        time.sleep(sleep_time)
 ```
 <!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
 
@@ -207,7 +193,7 @@ lerobot-record \
     --dataset.num_episodes=5 \
     --dataset.single_task="Grab the black cube" \
     --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+    # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
     --dataset.encoder_threads=2
 ```
 </hfoption>
@@ -216,11 +202,10 @@ lerobot-record \
 <!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
 ```python
 from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.datasets.lerobot_dataset import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset
 from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import hw_to_dataset_features
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO101Follower, SO101FollowerConfig
-from lerobot.teleoperators.so_leader.config_so_leader import SO101LeaderConfig
-from lerobot.teleoperators.so_leader.so_leader import SO101Leader
+from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO100Follower, SO100FollowerConfig
+from lerobot.teleoperators.so_leader import SO100Leader, SO100LeaderConfig
 from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
 from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
 from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
@@ -233,56 +218,71 @@ EPISODE_TIME_SEC = 60
 RESET_TIME_SEC = 10
 TASK_DESCRIPTION = "My task description"
 
-def main():
-    # Create robot configuration
-    robot_config = SO101FollowerConfig(
-        port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90687491",
-        id="my_follower_arm",
-        cameras={
-            "wrist": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=30),
-            "top": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=1, width=640, height=480, fps=30)
-        }
-    )
+# Create robot configuration
+robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
+    id="my_awesome_follower_arm",
+    cameras={
+        "front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS) # Optional: fourcc="MJPG" for troubleshooting OpenCV async error.
+    },
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760434471",
+)
 
-    teleop_config = SO101LeaderConfig(
-        port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90689011",
-        id="my_leader_arm",
-    )
+teleop_config = SO100LeaderConfig(
+    id="my_awesome_leader_arm",
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem585A0077581",
+)
 
-    # Initialize the robot and teleoperator
-    robot = SO101Follower(robot_config)
-    teleop = SO101Leader(teleop_config)
+# Initialize the robot and teleoperator
+robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
+teleop = SO100Leader(teleop_config)
 
-    # Configure the dataset features
-    action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.action_features, "action")
-    obs_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.observation_features, "observation")
-    dataset_features = {**action_features, **obs_features}
+# Configure the dataset features
+action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.action_features, "action")
+obs_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.observation_features, "observation")
+dataset_features = {**action_features, **obs_features}
 
-    # Create the dataset
-    dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
-        repo_id="<hf_username>/<dataset_repo_id>",
+# Create the dataset
+dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+    repo_id="<hf_username>/<dataset_repo_id>",
+    fps=FPS,
+    features=dataset_features,
+    robot_type=robot.name,
+    use_videos=True,
+    image_writer_threads=4,
+)
+
+# Initialize the keyboard listener and rerun visualization
+_, events = init_keyboard_listener()
+init_rerun(session_name="recording")
+
+# Connect the robot and teleoperator
+robot.connect()
+teleop.connect()
+
+# Create the required processors
+teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = make_default_processors()
+
+episode_idx = 0
+while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
+    log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+
+    record_loop(
+        robot=robot,
+        events=events,
         fps=FPS,
-        features=dataset_features,
-        robot_type=robot.name,
-        use_videos=True,
-        image_writer_threads=4,
+        teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+        robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+        robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+        teleop=teleop,
+        dataset=dataset,
+        control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+        single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+        display_data=True,
     )
 
-    # Initialize the keyboard listener and rerun visualization
-    _, events = init_keyboard_listener()
-    init_rerun(session_name="recording")
-
-    # Connect the robot and teleoperator
-    robot.connect()
-    teleop.connect()
-
-    # Create the required processors
-    teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = make_default_processors()
-
-    episode_idx = 0
-    while episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
-        log_say(f"Recording episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
-
+    # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
+    if not events["stop_recording"] and (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]):
+        log_say("Reset the environment")
         record_loop(
             robot=robot,
             events=events,
@@ -291,50 +291,26 @@ def main():
             robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
             robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
             teleop=teleop,
-            dataset=dataset,
-            control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+            control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
             single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
             display_data=True,
         )
 
-        # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
-        if not events["stop_recording"] and (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1 or events["rerecord_episode"]):
-            log_say("Reset the environment")
-            record_loop(
-                robot=robot,
-                events=events,
-                fps=FPS,
-                teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
-                robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
-                robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
-                teleop=teleop,
-                control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
-                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-                display_data=True,
-            )
+    if events["rerecord_episode"]:
+        log_say("Re-recording episode")
+        events["rerecord_episode"] = False
+        events["exit_early"] = False
+        dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
+        continue
 
-        if events["rerecord_episode"]:
-            log_say("Re-recording episode")
-            events["rerecord_episode"] = False
-            events["exit_early"] = False
-            dataset.clear_episode_buffer()
-            continue
+    dataset.save_episode()
+    episode_idx += 1
 
-        dataset.save_episode()
-        episode_idx += 1
-
-    # finalize dataset
-    log_say("Finalizing dataset...")
-    dataset.finalize()
-    # Clean up
-    log_say("Stop recording")
-    robot.disconnect()
-    teleop.disconnect()
-    dataset.push_to_hub()
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()
+# Clean up
+log_say("Stop recording")
+robot.disconnect()
+teleop.disconnect()
+dataset.push_to_hub()
 ```
 <!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
 
@@ -372,7 +348,7 @@ The `record` function provides a suite of tools for capturing and managing data
 ##### 2. Checkpointing and Resuming
 
 - Checkpoints are automatically created during recording.
-- If an issue occurs or you want to record additional episodes in the same dataset, you can resume by re-running the same command with `--resume=true`. When resuming a recording, `--dataset.num_episodes` must be set to the **number of additional episodes to be recorded**, and not to the targeted total number of episodes in the dataset! Make sure that you also set `--dataset.root="local_path"`, it's a local path to save the new part of the dataset and is required to resume.
+- If an issue occurs, you can resume by re-running the same command with `--resume=true`. When resuming a recording, `--dataset.num_episodes` must be set to the **number of additional episodes to be recorded**, and not to the targeted total number of episodes in the dataset !
 - To start recording from scratch, **manually delete** the dataset directory.
 
 ##### 3. Recording Parameters
@@ -446,7 +422,7 @@ from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
 
 episode_idx = 0
 
-robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5AB90687491", id="my_follower_arm")
+robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760434471", id="my_awesome_follower_arm")
 
 robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
 robot.connect()
@@ -514,83 +490,6 @@ Additionally you can provide extra `tags` or specify a `license` for your model
 
 If your local computer doesn't have a powerful GPU you could utilize Google Colab to train your model by following the [ACT training notebook](./notebooks#training-act).
 
-#### Train using Hugging Face Jobs
-
-Hugging Face jobs let's you easily select hardware and run the training in the cloud. So if you don't have a powerful GPU or you need more VRAM or just want to train a model much faster use HF Jobs! It's pay as you go and you simply pay for each second of use, you can see the pricing and additional information [here](https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/jobs).
-
-To run the training use this command:
-
-<hfoptions id="train_with_hf_jobs">
-<hfoption id="Command">
-```bash
-hf jobs run \
-  --flavor a10g-small \
-  --timeout 4h \
-  --secrets HF_TOKEN \
-  huggingface/lerobot-gpu:latest \
-  -- \
-  python -m lerobot.scripts.lerobot_train \
-    --dataset.repo_id=username/dataset \
-    --policy.type=act \
-    --steps=5000 \
-    --batch_size=16 \
-    --policy.device=cuda \
-    --policy.repo_id=username/your_policy \
-    --log_freq=100
-```
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="API example">
-
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-```python
-from huggingface_hub import run_job, get_token
-
-run_name = "act_so101_hf_jobs"
-dataset_id = "username/dataset"
-user_hub_id = "username"
-
-command_args = [
-    "python", "-m", "lerobot.scripts.lerobot_train",
-    "--dataset.repo_id", dataset_id,
-    "--policy.type", "act",
-    "--steps", "5000",
-    "--batch_size", "16",
-    "--num_workers", "4",
-    "--policy.device", "cuda",
-    "--log_freq", "100",
-    "--save_freq", "1000",
-    "--save_checkpoint", "true",
-    "--wandb.enable", "false",
-    "--policy.repo_id", f"{user_hub_id}/{run_name}"
-]
-
-print(f"Submitting job '{run_name}' to Hugging Face Infrastructure...")
-
-job_info = run_job(
-    image="huggingface/lerobot-gpu:latest",
-    command=command_args,
-    flavor="a10g-small",
-    timeout="4h",
-    secrets={"HF_TOKEN": get_token()}
-)
-
-print("\n🚀 Job successfully launched!")
-print(f"🔹 Job ID: {job_info.id}")
-print(f"🔗 Live UI Dashboard & Logs: {job_info.url}")
-```
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
-
-</hfoption>
-</hfoptions>
-
-You can modify the `--flavor` to use different hardware, for example: `t4-small`, `a100-large`, `h200`. Use `hf jobs hardware` to see the full list with pricing.
-Depending on the model you want to train and the hardware you selected you can also modify the `--batch_size` and `--number_of_workers`.
-For longer training sessions increase the timeout.
-
-Once the training is started you can go to [Jobs](https://huggingface.co/settings/jobs) and see if your jobs is running as well as all the outputs. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to schedule your job so be patient.
-
-After training the model will be pushed to hub and you can use it as any other model with LeRobot.
-
 #### Upload policy checkpoints
 
 Once training is done, upload the latest checkpoint with:
@@ -610,42 +509,121 @@ hf upload ${HF_USER}/act_so101_test${CKPT} \
 
 ## Run inference and evaluate your policy
 
-Use `lerobot-rollout` to deploy a trained policy on your robot. You can choose different strategies depending on your needs:
+You can use the `record` script from [`lerobot-record`](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_record.py) with a policy checkpoint as input, to run inference and evaluate your policy. For instance, run this command or API example to run inference and record 10 evaluation episodes:
 
 <hfoptions id="eval">
-<hfoption id="Base mode (no recording)">
+<hfoption id="Command">
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-  --strategy.type=base \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-  --robot.type=so100_follower \
-  --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-  --robot.cameras="{ up: {type: opencv, index_or_path: /dev/video10, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, side: {type: intelrealsense, serial_number_or_name: 233522074606, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-  --task="Put lego brick into the transparent box" \
-  --duration=60
-```
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="Sentry mode (with recording)">
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-  --strategy.type=sentry \
-  --strategy.upload_every_n_episodes=5 \
-  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
+lerobot-record  \
   --robot.type=so100_follower \
   --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
   --robot.cameras="{ up: {type: opencv, index_or_path: /dev/video10, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, side: {type: intelrealsense, serial_number_or_name: 233522074606, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+  --robot.id=my_awesome_follower_arm \
+  --display_data=false \
   --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/eval_so100 \
   --dataset.single_task="Put lego brick into the transparent box" \
-  --duration=600
+  --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
+  --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
+  # <- Teleop optional if you want to teleoperate in between episodes \
+  # --teleop.type=so100_leader \
+  # --teleop.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
+  # --teleop.id=my_awesome_leader_arm \
+  --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy
 ```
+</hfoption>
+<hfoption id="API example">
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
+```python
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
+from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset
+from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import hw_to_dataset_features
+from lerobot.policies.act import ACTPolicy
+from lerobot.policies import make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO100Follower, SO100FollowerConfig
+from lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record import record_loop
+from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
+from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
+
+
+NUM_EPISODES = 5
+FPS = 30
+EPISODE_TIME_SEC = 60
+TASK_DESCRIPTION = "My task description"
+HF_MODEL_ID = "<hf_username>/<model_repo_id>"
+HF_DATASET_ID = "<hf_username>/<eval_dataset_repo_id>"
+
+# Create the robot configuration
+camera_config = {"front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS)}
+robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
+    port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760434471", id="my_awesome_follower_arm", cameras=camera_config
+)
+
+# Initialize the robot
+robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
+
+# Initialize the policy
+policy = ACTPolicy.from_pretrained(HF_MODEL_ID)
+
+# Configure the dataset features
+action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.action_features, "action")
+obs_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.observation_features, "observation")
+dataset_features = {**action_features, **obs_features}
+
+# Create the dataset
+dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
+    repo_id=HF_DATASET_ID,
+    fps=FPS,
+    features=dataset_features,
+    robot_type=robot.name,
+    use_videos=True,
+    image_writer_threads=4,
+)
+
+# Initialize the keyboard listener and rerun visualization
+_, events = init_keyboard_listener()
+init_rerun(session_name="recording")
+
+# Connect the robot
+robot.connect()
+
+preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+    policy_cfg=policy,
+    pretrained_path=HF_MODEL_ID,
+    dataset_stats=dataset.meta.stats,
+)
+
+for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
+    log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
+
+    # Run the policy inference loop
+    record_loop(
+        robot=robot,
+        events=events,
+        fps=FPS,
+        policy=policy,
+        preprocessor=preprocessor,
+        postprocessor=postprocessor,
+        dataset=dataset,
+        control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+        single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+        display_data=True,
+    )
+
+    dataset.save_episode()
+
+# Clean up
+robot.disconnect()
+dataset.push_to_hub()
+```
+<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
+
 </hfoption>
 </hfoptions>
 
-The `--strategy.type` flag selects the execution mode:
+As you can see, it's almost the same command as previously used to record your training dataset. Two things changed:
 
-- `base`: Autonomous rollout with no data recording (useful for quick evaluation)
-- `sentry`: Continuous recording with auto-upload (useful for large-scale evaluation)
-- `highlight`: Ring buffer recording with keystroke save (useful for capturing interesting events)
-- `dagger`: Human-in-the-loop data collection (see [HIL Data Collection](./hil_data_collection))
-
-All strategies support `--inference.type=rtc` for smooth execution with slow VLA models (Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA).
+1. There is an additional `--control.policy.path` argument which indicates the path to your policy checkpoint with (e.g. `outputs/train/eval_act_so101_test/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model`). You can also use the model repository if you uploaded a model checkpoint to the hub (e.g. `${HF_USER}/act_so101_test`).
+2. The name of dataset begins by `eval` to reflect that you are running inference (e.g. `${HF_USER}/eval_act_so101_test`).

docs/source/inference.mdx

@@ -1,261 +0,0 @@
-# Policy Deployment (lerobot-rollout)
-
-`lerobot-rollout` is the single CLI for deploying trained policies on real robots. It supports multiple execution strategies and inference backends, from quick evaluation to continuous recording and human-in-the-loop data collection.
-
-## Quick Start
-
-No extra dependencies are needed beyond your robot and policy extras.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --policy.path=lerobot/act_koch_real \
-    --robot.type=koch_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --task="pick up cube" \
-    --duration=30
-```
-
-This runs the policy for 30 seconds with no recording.
-
----
-
-## Strategies
-
-Select a strategy with `--strategy.type=<name>`. Each strategy defines a different control loop with its own recording and interaction semantics.
-
-### Base (`--strategy.type=base`)
-
-Autonomous policy execution with no data recording. Use this for quick evaluation, demos, or when you only need to observe the robot.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-    --robot.type=so100_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --task="Put lego brick into the box" \
-    --duration=60
-```
-
-| Flag             | Description                                            |
-| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `--duration`     | Run time in seconds (0 = infinite)                     |
-| `--task`         | Task description passed to the policy                  |
-| `--display_data` | Stream observations/actions to Rerun for visualization |
-
-### Sentry (`--strategy.type=sentry`)
-
-Continuous autonomous recording with periodic upload to the Hugging Face Hub. Episode boundaries are auto-computed from camera resolution and FPS so each saved episode produces a complete video file, keeping uploads efficient.
-
-Policy state (hidden state, RTC queue) persists across episode boundaries: the robot does not reset between episodes.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=sentry \
-    --strategy.upload_every_n_episodes=5 \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-    --robot.type=so100_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/rollout_eval_data \
-    --dataset.single_task="Put lego brick into the box" \
-    --duration=3600
-```
-
-| Flag                                   | Description                                                 |
-| -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `--strategy.upload_every_n_episodes`   | Push to Hub every N episodes (default: 5)                   |
-| `--strategy.target_video_file_size_mb` | Target video file size for episode rotation (default: auto) |
-| `--dataset.repo_id`                    | **Required.** Hub repository for the recorded dataset       |
-| `--dataset.push_to_hub`                | Whether to push to Hub on teardown (default: true)          |
-
-### Highlight (`--strategy.type=highlight`)
-
-Autonomous rollout with on-demand recording via a memory-bounded ring buffer. The robot runs continuously while the buffer captures the last N seconds of telemetry. Press the save key to flush the buffer and start live recording; press it again to save the episode.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=highlight \
-    --strategy.ring_buffer_seconds=30 \
-    --strategy.save_key=s \
-    --strategy.push_key=h \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-    --robot.type=koch_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/rollout_highlight_data \
-    --dataset.single_task="Pick up the red cube"
-```
-
-**Keyboard controls:**
-
-| Key                | Action                                                   |
-| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `s` (configurable) | Start recording (flushes buffer) / stop and save episode |
-| `h` (configurable) | Push dataset to Hub                                      |
-| `ESC`              | Stop the session                                         |
-
-| Flag                                   | Description                                    |
-| -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
-| `--strategy.ring_buffer_seconds`       | Duration of buffered telemetry (default: 30)   |
-| `--strategy.ring_buffer_max_memory_mb` | Memory cap for the ring buffer (default: 2048) |
-| `--strategy.save_key`                  | Key to toggle recording (default: `s`)         |
-| `--strategy.push_key`                  | Key to push to Hub (default: `h`)              |
-
-### DAgger (`--strategy.type=dagger`)
-
-Human-in-the-loop data collection. Alternates between autonomous policy execution and human intervention via a teleoperator. Intervention frames are tagged with `intervention=True`. Requires a teleoperator (`--teleop.type`).
-
-See the [Human-In-the-Loop Data Collection](./hil_data_collection) guide for a detailed walkthrough.
-
-**Corrections-only mode** (default): Only human correction windows are recorded. Each correction becomes one episode.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=dagger \
-    --strategy.num_episodes=20 \
-    --policy.path=outputs/pretrain/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model \
-    --robot.type=bi_openarm_follower \
-    --teleop.type=openarm_mini \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/rollout_hil_data \
-    --dataset.single_task="Fold the T-shirt"
-```
-
-**Continuous recording mode** (`--strategy.record_autonomous=true`): Both autonomous and correction frames are recorded with time-based episode rotation (same as Sentry).
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=dagger \
-    --strategy.record_autonomous=true \
-    --strategy.num_episodes=50 \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/my_policy \
-    --robot.type=so100_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/rollout_dagger_data \
-    --dataset.single_task="Grasp the block"
-```
-
-**Keyboard controls** (default input device):
-
-| Key     | Action                                      |
-| ------- | ------------------------------------------- |
-| `Space` | Pause / resume policy execution             |
-| `Tab`   | Start / stop human correction               |
-| `Enter` | Push dataset to Hub (corrections-only mode) |
-| `ESC`   | Stop the session                            |
-
-Foot pedal input is also supported via `--strategy.input_device=pedal`. Configure pedal codes with `--strategy.pedal.*` flags.
-
-| Flag                                 | Description                                             |
-| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `--strategy.num_episodes`            | Number of correction episodes to record (default: 10)   |
-| `--strategy.record_autonomous`       | Record autonomous frames too (default: false)           |
-| `--strategy.upload_every_n_episodes` | Push to Hub every N episodes (default: 5)               |
-| `--strategy.input_device`            | Input device: `keyboard` or `pedal` (default: keyboard) |
-| `--teleop.type`                      | **Required.** Teleoperator type                         |
-
----
-
-## Inference Backends
-
-Select a backend with `--inference.type=<name>`. All strategies work with both backends.
-
-### Sync (default)
-
-One policy call per control tick. The main loop blocks until the action is computed.
-
-Works with all policies. No extra flags needed.
-
-### Real-Time Chunking (`--inference.type=rtc`)
-
-A background thread produces action chunks asynchronously. The main control loop polls for the next ready action while the policy computes the next chunk in parallel.
-
-Use RTC with large, slow VLA models (Pi0, Pi0.5, SmolVLA) for smooth, continuous motion despite high inference latency.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --inference.type=rtc \
-    --inference.rtc.execution_horizon=10 \
-    --inference.rtc.max_guidance_weight=10.0 \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/pi0_policy \
-    --robot.type=so100_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --task="Pick up the cube" \
-    --duration=60 \
-    --device=cuda
-```
-
-| Flag                                        | Description                                                    |
-| ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `--inference.rtc.execution_horizon`         | Steps to blend with previous chunk (default: varies by policy) |
-| `--inference.rtc.max_guidance_weight`       | Consistency enforcement strength (default: varies by policy)   |
-| `--inference.rtc.prefix_attention_schedule` | Blend schedule: `LINEAR`, `EXP`, `ONES`, `ZEROS`               |
-| `--inference.queue_threshold`               | Max queue size before backpressure (default: 30)               |
-
-See the [Real-Time Chunking](./rtc) guide for details on tuning RTC parameters.
-
----
-
-## Common Flags
-
-| Flag                              | Description                                                       | Default |
-| --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
-| `--policy.path`                   | **Required.** HF Hub model ID or local checkpoint path            | --      |
-| `--robot.type`                    | **Required.** Robot type (e.g. `so100_follower`, `koch_follower`) | --      |
-| `--robot.port`                    | Serial port for the robot                                         | --      |
-| `--robot.cameras`                 | Camera configuration (JSON dict)                                  | --      |
-| `--fps`                           | Control loop frequency                                            | 30      |
-| `--duration`                      | Run time in seconds (0 = infinite)                                | 0       |
-| `--device`                        | Torch device (`cpu`, `cuda`, `mps`)                               | auto    |
-| `--task`                          | Task description (used when no dataset is provided)               | --      |
-| `--display_data`                  | Stream telemetry to Rerun visualization                           | false   |
-| `--display_ip` / `--display_port` | Remote Rerun server address                                       | --      |
-| `--interpolation_multiplier`      | Action interpolation factor                                       | 1       |
-| `--use_torch_compile`             | Enable `torch.compile` for inference                              | false   |
-| `--resume`                        | Resume a previous recording session                               | false   |
-| `--play_sounds`                   | Vocal synthesis for events                                        | true    |
-
----
-
-## Programmatic Usage
-
-For custom deployments (e.g. with kinematics processors), use the rollout module API directly:
-
-```python
-from lerobot.rollout import BaseStrategyConfig, RolloutConfig, build_rollout_context
-from lerobot.rollout.inference import SyncInferenceConfig
-from lerobot.rollout.strategies import BaseStrategy
-from lerobot.utils.process import ProcessSignalHandler
-
-cfg = RolloutConfig(
-    robot=my_robot_config,
-    policy=my_policy_config,
-    strategy=BaseStrategyConfig(),
-    inference=SyncInferenceConfig(),
-    fps=30,
-    duration=60,
-    task="my task",
-)
-
-signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True)
-ctx = build_rollout_context(
-    cfg,
-    signal_handler.shutdown_event,
-    robot_action_processor=my_custom_action_processor,       # optional
-    robot_observation_processor=my_custom_obs_processor,     # optional
-)
-
-strategy = BaseStrategy(cfg.strategy)
-try:
-    strategy.setup(ctx)
-    strategy.run(ctx)
-finally:
-    strategy.teardown(ctx)
-```
-
-See `examples/so100_to_so100_EE/rollout.py` and `examples/phone_to_so100/rollout.py` for full examples with kinematics processors.

docs/source/installation.mdx

@@ -207,56 +207,6 @@ pip install 'lerobot[feetech]'        # Feetech motor support
 
 _Multiple extras can be combined (e.g., `.[core_scripts,pi,pusht]`). For a full list of available extras, refer to `pyproject.toml`._
 
-### PyTorch CUDA variant (Linux only)
-
-On Linux, the install path determines which CUDA wheel you get. macOS and Windows installs use the PyPI default (MPS / CPU / CUDA-Windows wheel respectively) and can skip this section.
-
-<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
-
-<hfoptions id="cuda_variant">
-<hfoption id="uv-source">
-
-**Source install via `uv` (`uv sync` or `uv pip install -e .`)**
-
-`torch` and `torchvision` are pinned by the project to the **CUDA 12.8** PyTorch index (`https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu128`, driver floor **570.86**) — covers Ampere/Ada/Hopper/Blackwell GPUs. No action needed for typical NVIDIA setups.
-
-To override for a different CUDA variant:
-
-```bash
-uv pip install --force-reinstall torch torchvision \
-    --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu126   # older drivers; or cu130 for Blackwell on driver ≥ 580
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="pip-conda">
-
-**Source install via `pip`/`conda`, or `pip install lerobot` from PyPI**
-
-PyPI default torch wheel is currently a cu130-bundled Linux wheel, driver floor **580.65**.
-
-To pick a specific CUDA variant:
-
-**Using `pip` or `conda`** — install torch first with an explicit index, then lerobot:
-
-```bash
-pip install --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu128 torch torchvision
-pip install -e ".[all]"          # source
-# — or —
-pip install lerobot              # from PyPI
-```
-
-**Using `uv` to install from PyPI** — one-liner via `--torch-backend` (uv ≥ 0.6):
-
-```bash
-uv pip install --torch-backend cu128 lerobot
-```
-
-Supported values include `auto`, `cpu`, `cu126`, `cu128`, `cu129`, `cu130`, plus various `rocm*` and `xpu`. Swap as needed for your driver.
-
-</hfoption>
-</hfoptions>
-<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
-
 ### Troubleshooting
 
 If you encounter build errors, you may need to install additional system dependencies: `cmake`, `build-essential`, and `ffmpeg libs`.

docs/source/language_and_recipes.mdx

@@ -1,34 +1,7 @@
 # Language columns and recipes
 
-Most LeRobot datasets ship with a single `task` string per episode — fine for
-short, single-instruction skills, but not enough for the longer-horizon,
-multi-modal robot policies the field is moving toward (high-level planning,
-memory, interjections, VQA, tool use). To support those policies without
-forking the dataset format, LeRobot extends `LeRobotDataset` with two optional
-language columns and a small recipe layer that turns those rows into
-chat-style training samples on the fly.
-
-The design splits cleanly into three layers:
-
-1. **Data in the dataset** — language annotations stored next to frames in
-   `data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet` as two optional columns (`language_persistent`
-   and `language_events`). Datasets without these columns keep their existing
-   behavior.
-2. **Recipe** — a YAML file that declares which annotation rows to bind and
-   how to lay them out as chat turns (`role`, `content`, optional images,
-   optional tool calls). Recipes are pure config; no Python required to add a
-   new one.
-3. **Training format** — at sample time, `RenderMessagesStep` resolves the
-   recipe against the per-frame annotations and emits HF-style `messages` plus
-   LeRobot-specific sidecars (`message_streams`, `target_message_indices`)
-   that policy processors consume.
-
-This page describes each layer in turn.
-
-## Layer 1 — language columns in the dataset
-
-The two optional columns live next to frame data in
-`data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`:
+LeRobot stores reusable language annotations directly next to frame data in `data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`.
+The two optional columns are:
 
 - `language_persistent`: a list of rows broadcast across every frame in an episode for state that remains active, such as `subtask`, `plan`, and `memory`.
 - `language_events`: a list of rows only on the exact frame where an event was emitted, such as `interjection`, `vqa`, and speech tool calls.
@@ -40,23 +13,22 @@ frame the row sits on already provides it):
 role: string
 content: string | null
 style: string | null
-timestamp: float32        # persistent rows only
+timestamp: float64        # persistent rows only
 camera: string | null     # observation.images.* feature key, view-dependent rows only
 tool_calls: list[Json] | null
 ```
 
 The `camera` field tags rows whose `content` is grounded in a specific camera
-view. Rows of view-dependent styles (`vqa` and `trace`) MUST set `camera` to
-the matching `observation.images.*` feature key. Rows of every other style —
-including `motion`, which describes robot-frame primitives in joint / Cartesian
-terms — MUST leave `camera` as `null`. Pipeline writers and the validator
-enforce this via `validate_camera_field(style, camera)`.
+view. Rows of view-dependent styles (`vqa`, and the reserved `motion` /
+`trace`) MUST set `camera` to the matching `observation.images.*` feature key.
+Rows of every other style MUST leave `camera` as `null`. Pipeline writers and
+the validator enforce this via `validate_camera_field(style, camera)`.
 
 `meta/tasks.parquet` remains the canonical source for the task. The special `${task}` recipe binding always reads that task string and does not depend on language annotations.
 
-### Architecture
+## Architecture
 
-The language stack itself has three internal modules backing layer 1:
+The language stack has three layers:
 
 1. `lerobot.datasets.language` defines the schema, style registry, and `column_for_style`.
 2. `lerobot.datasets.language_render` resolves rows and renders messages.
@@ -64,24 +36,7 @@ The language stack itself has three internal modules backing layer 1:
 
 `LeRobotDataset` stays recipe-agnostic. It passes `language_persistent` and `language_events` through when present, and unannotated datasets keep their existing behavior.
 
-## Layer 2 — recipe anatomy
-
-Recipes are YAML files backed by `TrainingRecipe` and `MessageTurn`. They
-declare which annotation rows to pull (via `bindings`) and how to compose them
-into chat turns (`messages`).
-
-```yaml
-messages:
-  - { role: user, content: "${task}", stream: high_level }
-  - { role: assistant, content: "${subtask}", stream: low_level, target: true }
-```
-
-A recipe can also branch into a weighted **blend** of sub-recipes. At sample
-time, exactly one branch is selected deterministically from the sample index,
-so different frames train different objectives (e.g. memory updates vs.
-low-level execution vs. VQA) without any Python wiring.
-
-### Temporal semantics
+## Temporal semantics
 
 Persistent styles are active after emission until replaced:
 
@@ -97,9 +52,9 @@ Event styles only exist on their exact timestamp:
 
 Exact event matching has no tolerance window, so writers must stamp event rows with frame timestamps from the parquet data.
 
-### View-dependent resolution
+## View-dependent resolution
 
-For view-dependent styles (`vqa` and `trace`), the resolver gains a
+For view-dependent styles (`vqa`, `motion`, `trace`), the resolver gains a
 `camera=` filter parallel to `role=` and `tool_name=`. Datasets with multiple
 cameras typically emit one (`vqa`, `user`) + (`vqa`, `assistant`) pair per
 camera at the same timestamp; without `camera=`, those resolvers see two
@@ -118,18 +73,20 @@ ask_vqa_top:
       content:
         - { type: image, feature: observation.images.top }
         - { type: text, text: "${vqa_query}" }
-    - {
-        role: assistant,
-        content: "${vqa}",
-        stream: high_level,
-        target: true,
-        if_present: vqa,
-      }
+    - { role: assistant, content: "${vqa}", stream: high_level, target: true, if_present: vqa }
 ```
 
 Add one such sub-recipe per camera the dataset records.
 
-## Layer 3 — training format
+## Recipe anatomy
+
+Recipes are YAML files backed by `TrainingRecipe` and `MessageTurn`.
+
+```yaml
+messages:
+  - { role: user, content: "${task}", stream: high_level }
+  - { role: assistant, content: "${subtask}", stream: low_level, target: true }
+```
 
 Rendered samples use HF-style chat messages plus LeRobot sidecars:
 
@@ -139,7 +96,12 @@ sample["message_streams"]
 sample["target_message_indices"]
 ```
 
-The renderer does not apply a tokenizer chat template. Policy processors decide how to serialize the messages for their backbone, which keeps the same dataset usable across SmolVLA, Pi0.5, and any future VLM that expects OpenAI-style chat messages.
+The renderer does not apply a tokenizer chat template. Policy processors decide how to serialize the messages for their backbone.
+
+## Blends
+
+Blend recipes select one weighted sub-recipe deterministically from the sample index.
+The canonical `recipes/pi05_hirobot.yaml` combines memory updates, interjection responses, high-level subtask prediction, low-level execution, and VQA.
 
 ## Graceful absence
 

docs/source/lerobot-dataset-v3.mdx

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ This docs will guide you to:
 - Stream datasets without downloading using `StreamingLeRobotDataset`
 - Apply image transforms for data augmentation during training
 - Migrate existing `v2.1` datasets to `v3.0`
-- Experiment with other `LeRobotDataset` formats and implementations like Lance
 
 ## What’s new in `v3`
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ lerobot-record \
   --dataset.num_episodes=5 \
   --dataset.single_task="Grab the black cube" \
   --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-  # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
   --dataset.encoder_threads=2
 ```
 
@@ -316,39 +315,3 @@ Dataset v3.0 uses incremental parquet writing with buffered metadata for efficie
 - Ensures the dataset is valid for loading
 
 Without calling `finalize()`, your parquet files will be incomplete and the dataset won't load properly.
-
-## Other formats and implementations
-
-### Lance
-
-Lance is a useful format for multimodal AI datasets, especially for large-scale training requiring high performance IO and random access.
-
-The `lerobot-lancedb` package implements `LeRobotLanceDataset` (for JPEG images) and `LeRobotLanceVideoDataset` (for mp4 videos).
-Those two storage layouts both subclass LeRobotDataset and can provide data loading speed ups.
-
-`LeRobotLanceDataset` is a drop-in replacement for `LeRobotDataset`:
-
-```python
-from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDatasetMetadata
-from lerobot.policies.diffusion.configuration_diffusion import DiffusionConfig
-from lerobot_lancedb import LeRobotLanceDataset, LeRobotLanceVideoDataset
-
-cfg = DiffusionConfig(...)
-meta = LeRobotDatasetMetadata(root=local_dataset_path)  # or use repo_id=... to load metadata from the Hub
-delta_timestamps = {...}
-
-# Use LeRobotLanceDataset for image datasets
-dataset = LeRobotLanceDataset(
-    root=local_dataset_path,                            # or use repo_id=... to stream from the Hub
-    delta_timestamps=delta_timestamps,
-    return_uint8=True,
-)
-# Or use LeRobotLanceVideoDataset for video datasets:
-dataset = LeRobotLanceVideoDataset(
-    root=local_dataset_path,                            # or use repo_id=... to stream from the Hub
-    delta_timestamps=delta_timestamps,
-    return_uint8=True,
-)
-```
-
-Join the discussion on [Github](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/issues/3608) and explore the `lerobot-lancedb` documentation [here](https://lancedb.github.io/lerobot-lancedb/).

docs/source/peft_training.mdx

@@ -28,15 +28,13 @@ lerobot-train \
  --steps=100000 \
  --batch_size=32 \
  --peft.method_type=LORA \
- --peft.r=64 \
- --peft.lora_alpha=64
+ --peft.r=64
 ```
 
 Note the `--peft.method_type` parameter that let's you select which PEFT method to use. Here we use
 [LoRA](https://huggingface.co/docs/peft/main/en/package_reference/lora) (Low-Rank Adapter) which is probably the most
 popular fine-tuning method to date. Low-rank adaption means that we only fine-tune a matrix with comparably low rank
-instead of the full weight matrix. This rank can be specified using the `--peft.r` parameter, and the LoRA scaling factor with
-`--peft.lora_alpha` (where `scaling = lora_alpha / r`). The higher the rank
+instead of the full weight matrix. This rank can be specified using the `--peft.r` parameter. The higher the rank
 the closer you get to full fine-tuning
 
 There are more complex methods that have more parameters. These are not yet supported, feel free to raise an issue

docs/source/quickstart.mdx

@@ -1,219 +0,0 @@
-# Quickstart
-
-This is the **shortest path** from an unboxed SO-101 to a policy that drives your own robot. Every step is copy-paste; replace the **`<placeholders>`** with the values for your setup.
-
-By the end you will have:
-
-- A calibrated SO-101 leader + follower pair.
-- A dataset of 30 episodes pushed to the Hugging Face Hub.
-- A trained ACT policy (~20k steps) running on your robot via `lerobot-rollout`.
-
-> [!NOTE]
-> **How long will this take?**
-> Recording 30 episodes is roughly 30–60 minutes of teleoperation. Training ACT for 20k steps takes ~1.5h on an A100, a few hours on a laptop RTX 3060, longer on Apple Silicon (`mps`). The commands themselves are quick — most of the wall-clock is data collection and training.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> If you only want to **understand the codebase** or **train on an existing dataset without hardware**, this page isn't for you. Read [Core concepts](./core_concepts) first, then jump to [Imitation learning end-to-end](./il_robots).
-
----
-
-## Before you start
-
-You need:
-
-- An **assembled SO-101 leader + follower pair**. If your robot is not assembled yet, follow the [SO-101 assembly guide](./so101) and come back here.
-- **One or two cameras** (USB webcam works fine).
-- A **CUDA GPU with ≥ 6 GB VRAM** (ACT is light — a laptop RTX 3060 works). Apple Silicon (`mps`) and CPU are supported but slower. See the [compute hardware guide](./hardware_guide) for sizing.
-- A **Hugging Face account** — datasets and the trained policy will be pushed to your Hub.
-
-If any of the above is missing, fix it first; the rest of the page assumes it.
-
----
-
-## Step 1 — Install LeRobot
-
-Follow the full [Installation Guide](./installation) for environment setup, then add the SO-101 motor stack and log in to the Hub:
-
-```bash
-pip install 'lerobot[feetech]'
-git lfs install && git lfs pull
-hf auth login                 # paste a token from https://huggingface.co/settings/tokens
-```
-
-Sanity check — the CLI entry points should be available:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-port --help
-```
-
----
-
-## Step 2 — Identify USB ports and motor IDs
-
-Plug **only the follower arm** in (USB + power) and run:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-port
-```
-
-When prompted, unplug it and press Enter. Note the printed port — that's your `<FOLLOWER_PORT>`. Repeat with only the **leader arm** plugged in to get `<LEADER_PORT>`.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> On Linux, USB ports look like `/dev/ttyACM0`; on macOS like `/dev/tty.usbmodem...`. On Linux you may need `sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyACM0` to grant access.
-
-If your motors are brand-new (or repurposed), set their IDs and baudrate **once per arm**:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-setup-motors --robot.type=so101_follower --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT>
-lerobot-setup-motors --teleop.type=so101_leader  --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT>
-```
-
-The script walks you through connecting motors one at a time. Full details: [SO-101 → Configure the motors](./so101#configure-the-motors).
-
----
-
-## Step 3 — Calibrate
-
-Center every joint roughly in the middle of its range, then run:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> \
-    --robot.id=my_follower
-
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT> \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader
-```
-
-After pressing Enter, sweep each joint through its full range of motion, then press Enter again to finish.
-
-> [!WARNING]
-> The `--robot.id` / `--teleop.id` values (`my_follower`, `my_leader`) become the **calibration keys**. Reuse the same IDs in every later command — that's how LeRobot finds the calibration on disk.
-
-Watch the [calibration video](./so101#calibrate) if anything is unclear.
-
----
-
-## Step 4 — Teleoperate (sanity check, no recording)
-
-Before recording anything, confirm the leader drives the follower correctly:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> \
-    --robot.id=my_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="{ top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30} }" \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT> \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader \
-    --display_data=true
-```
-
-A Rerun window should open showing the camera feed and joint angles. Move the leader — the follower should mirror it in real time. If it doesn't, see [Troubleshooting & FAQ](./troubleshooting).
-
-Don't know which camera index is which? Run `lerobot-find-cameras` — it saves a frame from each detected camera so you can pick the right one.
-
----
-
-## Step 5 — Record a dataset (30 episodes)
-
-Now record demonstrations. Pick a short, repeatable task (e.g. *"put the red brick in the bowl"*). The dataset is pushed to the Hub under your username:
-
-```bash
-export HF_USER=<your-hf-username>
-
-lerobot-record \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> \
-    --robot.id=my_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="{ top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30} }" \
-    --teleop.type=so101_leader \
-    --teleop.port=<LEADER_PORT> \
-    --teleop.id=my_leader \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/so101_quickstart \
-    --dataset.num_episodes=30 \
-    --dataset.single_task="Put the red brick in the bowl" \
-    --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    --display_data=true
-```
-
-**Keyboard controls during recording:**
-
-- **`→` (Right Arrow)** — save the current episode and move to the next.
-- **`←` (Left Arrow)** — discard the current episode and retry.
-- **`Esc`** — stop, encode videos, and upload to the Hub.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> **Quality beats quantity.** 30 clean, varied episodes (different brick positions, lighting, camera shake) train a much better policy than 100 identical ones. Move the object around. Vary your speed slightly.
-
-When you're done, your dataset lives at `https://huggingface.co/datasets/${HF_USER}/so101_quickstart`. You can preview it in the browser. For deeper recording options (resume, multiple tasks, custom processors), see [Imitation learning end-to-end → Record](./il_robots#record-a-dataset).
-
----
-
-## Step 6 — Train ACT
-
-ACT (Action Chunking Transformer) is the right default for a first run — small, fast, and works well on 30 episodes.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-    --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/so101_quickstart \
-    --policy.type=act \
-    --output_dir=outputs/train/act_so101_quickstart \
-    --job_name=act_so101_quickstart \
-    --policy.device=cuda \
-    --policy.repo_id=${HF_USER}/act_so101_quickstart \
-    --steps=20000 \
-    --wandb.enable=true
-```
-
-A few notes:
-
-- Replace `--policy.device=cuda` with `mps` on Apple Silicon, or `cpu` if you have no GPU (very slow — not recommended for a real run).
-- `--wandb.enable=true` is optional. If you use it, run `wandb login` first. Otherwise drop the flag.
-- Checkpoints land in `outputs/train/act_so101_quickstart/checkpoints/`. The final model is also pushed to the Hub at the `--policy.repo_id` you specified.
-- To resume from an interruption: `lerobot-train --config_path=outputs/train/act_so101_quickstart/checkpoints/last/pretrained_model/train_config.json --resume=true`.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> **No GPU locally?** Train on Google Colab using the [ACT notebook](./notebooks#training-act), or rent a GPU via [Hugging Face Jobs](./il_robots#train-using-hugging-face-jobs) — pay-as-you-go, no setup.
-
-For why ACT is the default and when to switch to SmolVLA, Pi0, or another policy, see [Choosing a policy](./policies_overview).
-
----
-
-## Step 7 — Run your policy on the robot
-
-Deploy with `lerobot-rollout`. **Use the same camera layout you used while recording** — keys and resolutions must match.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --policy.path=${HF_USER}/act_so101_quickstart \
-    --robot.type=so101_follower \
-    --robot.port=<FOLLOWER_PORT> \
-    --robot.id=my_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="{ top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30} }" \
-    --task="Put the red brick in the bowl" \
-    --duration=60
-```
-
-`--duration` is in seconds — leave it off to run until you stop the script. You should see the follower arm move on its own, attempting the task.
-
-If observations from the robot use different keys than the policy expects, you'll need a [rename map](./rename_map). If latency matters, look at [async inference](./async) and [real-time chunking](./rtc).
-
----
-
-## You're done 🎉
-
-You now have a working IL pipeline end-to-end. From here, the natural next steps are:
-
-- **Improve the policy** — record more diverse episodes, train longer, or try a stronger model. See [Choosing a policy](./policies_overview).
-- **Go deeper on imitation learning** — [Imitation learning end-to-end](./il_robots) covers multi-camera setups, multi-task datasets, episode replay, evaluation, and Hugging Face Jobs.
-- **Try RL with a human in the loop** — [HIL-SERL](./hilserl) trains a policy that improves while you correct it.
-- **Use a different robot** — see [Supported robots](./so101) for low-cost arms, mobile platforms, bimanual, and humanoid.
-- **Build something new** — [Bring your own hardware](./integrate_hardware) and [Add a new policy](./bring_your_own_policies).
-
-Stuck on something? Check [Troubleshooting & FAQ](./troubleshooting), or ask on [Discord](https://discord.gg/s3KuuzsPFb).

docs/source/reachy2.mdx

@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ lerobot-record \
     --dataset.private=true \
     --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
     --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-    # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+    # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
     --display_data=true
 ```
 
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ lerobot-record \
     --dataset.private=true \
     --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
     --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-    # --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto \
+    # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
     --display_data=true
 ```
 

docs/source/rebot_b601.mdx

@@ -1,186 +0,0 @@
-# reBot B601-DM
-
-[reBot B601-DM](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/rebot_arm_b601_dm_lerobot/) is an open-source, low-cost robot arm from Seeed Studio for embodied-AI and imitation learning. It comes as a **follower** arm (the `B601-DM`, a 6-DOF arm plus gripper driven by Damiao CAN motors) and a **leader** arm (the `StarArm102` / `reBot Arm 102`, driven by FashionStar UART smart servos) used to teleoperate it.
-
-This page covers **calibration** and **teleoperation** for both single-arm and bimanual (dual-arm) setups.
-
-<div style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px;">
-  <img
-    src="https://files.seeedstudio.com/wiki/robotics/projects/lerobot/b601dm_zeroposition.jpg"
-    alt="reBot B601-DM follower arm at its zero position"
-    width="48%"
-  />
-  <img
-    src="https://files.seeedstudio.com/wiki/robotics/projects/lerobot/102_zeroposition.jpg"
-    alt="reBot Arm 102 leader arm at its zero position"
-    width="48%"
-  />
-</div>
-
-_Left: the B601-DM follower at its zero position. Right: the reBot Arm 102 leader at its zero position. Images courtesy of [Seeed Studio](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/rebot_arm_b601_dm_lerobot/)._
-
-## Install LeRobot 🤗
-
-Follow our [Installation Guide](./installation), then install the reBot support:
-
-```bash
-pip install -e ".[rebot]"
-```
-
-This pulls in `motorbridge` (CAN motor control for the B601-DM follower) and `motorbridge-smart-servo` (FashionStar UART servos for the reBot Arm 102 leader).
-
-## Registered device types
-
-| Type                     | Kind                                         |
-| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
-| `rebot_b601_follower`    | single-arm B601-DM follower robot            |
-| `bi_rebot_b601_follower` | bimanual (dual-arm) follower robot           |
-| `rebot_102_leader`       | single-arm reBot Arm 102 leader teleoperator |
-| `bi_rebot_102_leader`    | bimanual (dual-arm) leader teleoperator      |
-
-The bimanual types compose two single-arm instances and namespace each arm's
-observation/action keys with a `left_` / `right_` prefix. Per-arm settings are
-passed through nested `left_arm_config.*` / `right_arm_config.*` arguments.
-
-## Find the USB ports
-
-For each device, find the USB port associated with its motor bus using:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-find-port
-```
-
-<Tip warning={true}>
-  On Linux, remove `brltty` (`sudo apt remove brltty`) so it does not hold the
-  leader's USB serial port. You may also need to grant access to the serial
-  devices: `sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyACM* /dev/ttyUSB*`.
-</Tip>
-
-## Calibration
-
-Neither arm stores a persistent hardware calibration: every time it connects, the motors are re-zeroed against the pose the arm is physically holding. Calibration simply records that zero pose. When prompted, **manually move the arm to its zero position** (the default sit-down pose shown above, gripper fully closed) and press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.
-
-### Follower (B601-DM)
-
-<hfoptions id="calibrate-follower">
-<hfoption id="Single arm">
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --robot.type=rebot_b601_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.id=follower \
-    --robot.can_adapter=damiao
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="Dual arm">
-
-Connect the bimanual follower; calibration runs for the left arm, then the right arm.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --robot.type=bi_rebot_b601_follower \
-    --robot.id=bi_follower \
-    --robot.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.left_arm_config.can_adapter=damiao \
-    --robot.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --robot.right_arm_config.can_adapter=damiao
-```
-
-Per-arm calibration files are saved with `_left` / `_right` suffixes on the id.
-
-</hfoption>
-</hfoptions>
-
-### Leader (reBot Arm 102)
-
-<hfoptions id="calibrate-leader">
-<hfoption id="Single arm">
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --teleop.type=rebot_102_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
-    --teleop.id=leader
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="Dual arm">
-
-```bash
-lerobot-calibrate \
-    --teleop.type=bi_rebot_102_leader \
-    --teleop.id=bi_leader \
-    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
-    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyUSB1
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-</hfoptions>
-
-## Teleoperation
-
-Once both arms are calibrated, drive the follower with the leader. The follower talks to its CAN bus through a Damiao serial bridge (`can_adapter=damiao`, the default) or a SocketCAN adapter (`can_adapter=socketcan`). See the [OpenArm page](./openarm) for more details on the SocketCAN adapter configuration.
-
-<hfoptions id="teleoperate">
-<hfoption id="Single arm">
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=rebot_b601_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.id=follower \
-    --robot.can_adapter=damiao \
-    --teleop.type=rebot_102_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
-    --teleop.id=leader
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-<hfoption id="Dual arm">
-
-The bimanual leader and follower reuse the single-arm classes; each arm is
-configured through nested `left_arm_config.*` / `right_arm_config.*` arguments,
-so a bimanual reBot Arm 102 leader drives a bimanual B601-DM follower.
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=bi_rebot_b601_follower \
-    --robot.id=bi_follower \
-    --robot.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.left_arm_config.can_adapter=damiao \
-    --robot.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyACM1 \
-    --robot.right_arm_config.can_adapter=damiao \
-    --teleop.type=bi_rebot_102_leader \
-    --teleop.id=bi_leader \
-    --teleop.left_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
-    --teleop.right_arm_config.port=/dev/ttyUSB1
-```
-
-</hfoption>
-</hfoptions>
-
-<Tip>
-  The leader and follower share the same joint names (`shoulder_pan,
-  shoulder_lift, elbow_flex, wrist_flex, wrist_yaw, wrist_roll, gripper`), so
-  leader actions map directly onto the follower.
-</Tip>
-
-If the motion of a joint is reversed, flip its sign in the leader's `joint_directions` (the gripper also carries a scale to widen its range to the follower):
-
-```bash
-lerobot-teleoperate \
-    --robot.type=rebot_b601_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
-    --robot.can_adapter=damiao \
-    --teleop.type=rebot_102_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/ttyUSB0 \
-    --teleop.joint_directions='{"shoulder_pan":-1,"shoulder_lift":-1,"elbow_flex":1,"wrist_flex":1,"wrist_yaw":1,"wrist_roll":-1,"gripper":-6}'
-```
-
-## Recording datasets
-
-Swap `lerobot-teleoperate` for `lerobot-record` (with the same `--robot.*` / `--teleop.*` arguments, plus `--dataset.*`) to record demonstrations for training. See [Imitation Learning for Robots](./il_robots) for the full workflow.
-
-For hardware assembly and wiring, see the [Seeed Studio reBot wiki](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/rebot_arm_b601_dm_lerobot/).

docs/source/rename_map.mdx

@@ -61,6 +61,17 @@ lerobot-eval \
   --rename_map='{"observation.images.image": "observation.images.base_0_rgb", "observation.images.image2": "observation.images.left_wrist_0_rgb"}'
 ```
 
+### Recording
+
+`lerobot-record` also supports rename maps, nested under the dataset config:
+
+```bash
+lerobot-record \ # When running inference
+  --policy.path="<user>/smolVLA_finetuned" \
+  ... \
+  --dataset.rename_map='{"observation.images.glove2": "observation.images.image"}'
+```
+
 ## Alternative: edit the policy config directly
 
 If you always use the same dataset or environment, you can **edit the policy's `config.json`** so its observation keys match your data source. Then no rename map is needed.
@@ -94,10 +105,10 @@ XVLA-base has three visual inputs and `empty_cameras=0` by default. Your dataset
 
 ## Quick reference
 
-| Goal                                    | What to do                                                                  |
-| --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| Dataset keys ≠ policy keys              | `--rename_map='{"dataset_key": "policy_key", ...}'`                         |
-| Env keys ≠ policy keys (eval)           | `--rename_map='{"env_key": "policy_key", ...}'`                             |
-| Rollout with different keys (inference) | `--rename_map='{"source_key": "policy_key", ...}'`.                         |
-| Fewer cameras than policy expects       | `--policy.empty_cameras=N` (supported by PI0, PI05, PI0Fast, SmolVLA, XVLA) |
-| Avoid passing a rename map              | Edit the policy's `config.json` so its keys match your data source          |
+| Goal                                      | What to do                                                                  |
+| ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Dataset keys ≠ policy keys                | `--rename_map='{"dataset_key": "policy_key", ...}'`                         |
+| Env keys ≠ policy keys (eval)             | `--rename_map='{"env_key": "policy_key", ...}'`                             |
+| Recording with different keys (inference) | `--dataset.rename_map='{"source_key": "policy_key", ...}'`.                 |
+| Fewer cameras than policy expects         | `--policy.empty_cameras=N` (supported by PI0, PI05, PI0Fast, SmolVLA, XVLA) |
+| Avoid passing a rename map                | Edit the policy's `config.json` so its keys match your data source          |

docs/source/rtc.mdx

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pip install -e ".[smolvla]"
 
 ### Using RTC with Pi0
 
-You can use `lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=base --inference.type=rtc` for RTC deployment on real robots.
+You can find a complete reference implementation in [eval_with_real_robot.py](examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py).
 The snippet below provides a simplified pseudo-example of how RTC operates with Pi0 in your pipeline:
 
 ```python
@@ -137,12 +137,8 @@ The script generates a visualization of the denoising process, comparing standar
 ## Testing RTC with a Real Robot
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
+python examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
     --policy.path=${HF_USERNAME}/policy_repo_id \
-    --inference.type=rtc \
-    --inference.rtc.execution_horizon=10 \
-    --inference.rtc.max_guidance_weight=10.0 \
     --robot.type=so100_follower \
     --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58FA0834591 \
     --robot.cameras="{ gripper: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
@@ -182,7 +178,7 @@ visualizer = RTCDebugVisualizer()
 # ... create plots
 ```
 
-See `examples/rtc/eval_dataset.py` for a complete example of offline RTC visualization.
+See `examples/rtc/eval_dataset.py` for a complete example of visualization.
 
 ## References
 

docs/source/sarm.mdx

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ This ensures identical task states map to consistent progress values, even acros
 
 ## Inputs and Targets (What the new code expects)
 
-SARM is trained through its processor (`src/lerobot/rewards/sarm/processor_sarm.py`), which:
+SARM is trained through its processor (`src/lerobot/policies/sarm/processor_sarm.py`), which:
 
 - **Encodes** images and task text with CLIP (ViT-B/32) into `video_features` and `text_features`
 - **Pads/truncates** robot state into `state_features` (up to `max_state_dim`)
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ Use `compute_rabc_weights.py` with `--visualize-only` to visualize model predict
 <hfoption id="single_stage">
 
 ```bash
-python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
+python src/lerobot/policies/sarm/compute_rabc_weights.py \
   --dataset-repo-id your-username/your-dataset \
   --reward-model-path your-username/sarm-model \
   --visualize-only \
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
 <hfoption id="dense_only">
 
 ```bash
-python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
+python src/lerobot/policies/sarm/compute_rabc_weights.py \
   --dataset-repo-id your-username/your-dataset \
   --reward-model-path your-username/sarm-model \
   --visualize-only \
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
 <hfoption id="dual">
 
 ```bash
-python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
+python src/lerobot/policies/sarm/compute_rabc_weights.py \
   --dataset-repo-id your-username/your-dataset \
   --reward-model-path your-username/sarm-model \
   --visualize-only \
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ The weighting follows **Equations 8-9** from the paper:
 First, run the SARM model on all frames in your dataset to compute progress values:
 
 ```bash
-python -m lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights \
+python src/lerobot/policies/sarm/compute_rabc_weights.py \
   --dataset-repo-id your-username/your-dataset \
   --reward-model-path your-username/sarm-model \
   --head-mode sparse \
@@ -465,15 +465,15 @@ This script:
 
 ### Step 5b: Train Policy with RA-BC
 
-Once you have the progress file, train your policy with RA-BC weighting. The progress file is auto-detected from the dataset path (`sarm_progress.parquet`) if not explicitly provided. Currently PI0, PI0.5 and SmolVLA are supported with RA-BC:
+Once you have the progress file, train your policy with RA-BC weighting. The progress file is auto-detected from the dataset path (`sarm_progress.parquet`). Currently PI0, PI0.5 and SmolVLA are supported with RA-BC:
 
 ```bash
 lerobot-train \
   --dataset.repo_id=your-username/your-dataset \
   --policy.type=pi0 \
-  --sample_weighting.type=rabc \
-  --sample_weighting.head_mode=sparse \
-  --sample_weighting.kappa=0.01 \
+  --use_rabc=true \
+  --rabc_head_mode=sparse \
+  --rabc_kappa=0.01 \
   --output_dir=outputs/train/policy_rabc \
   --batch_size=32 \
   --steps=40000
@@ -488,13 +488,12 @@ The training script automatically:
 
 **RA-BC Arguments:**
 
-| Argument                           | Description                                            | Default                 |
-| ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------- |
-| `--sample_weighting.type`          | Weighting strategy type (`rabc` or `uniform`)          | `rabc`                  |
-| `--sample_weighting.progress_path` | Path to progress parquet file                          | `sarm_progress.parquet` |
-| `--sample_weighting.head_mode`     | Which SARM head's progress to use: `sparse` or `dense` | `sparse`                |
-| `--sample_weighting.kappa`         | Threshold κ for high-quality samples                   | `0.01`                  |
-| `--sample_weighting.epsilon`       | Small constant for numerical stability                 | `1e-6`                  |
+| Argument               | Description                                                | Default                            |
+| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
+| `--use_rabc`           | Enable RA-BC sample weighting                              | `false`                            |
+| `--rabc_progress_path` | Path to progress parquet file (auto-detected from dataset) | `sarm_progress.parquet` in dataset |
+| `--rabc_head_mode`     | Which SARM head's progress to use: `sparse` or `dense`     | `sparse`                           |
+| `--rabc_kappa`         | Threshold κ for high-quality samples                       | `0.01`                             |
 
 ### Tuning RA-BC Kappa
 
@@ -512,30 +511,30 @@ The `kappa` parameter is the threshold that determines which samples get full we
 
 Monitor these WandB metrics during training:
 
-| Metric                        | Healthy Range | Problem Indicator         |
-| ----------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------- |
-| `sample_weight_mean_weight`   | 0.3 - 0.8     | ≈ 1.0 means kappa too low |
-| `sample_weighting/delta_mean` | > 0           | Should be positive        |
-| `sample_weighting/delta_std`  | > 0           | Variance in data quality  |
+| Metric             | Healthy Range | Problem Indicator         |
+| ------------------ | ------------- | ------------------------- |
+| `rabc_mean_weight` | 0.3 - 0.8     | ≈ 1.0 means kappa too low |
+| `rabc_delta_mean`  | > 0           | Should be positive        |
+| `rabc_delta_std`   | > 0           | Variance in data quality  |
 
-**If `sample_weight_mean_weight ≈ 1.0`:** Your kappa is too low. Most samples have `delta > kappa` and bypass the soft-weighting entirely. RA-BC becomes equivalent to vanilla BC.
+**If `rabc_mean_weight ≈ 1.0`:** Your kappa is too low. Most samples have `delta > kappa` and bypass the soft-weighting entirely. RA-BC becomes equivalent to vanilla BC.
 
 **Setting kappa based on your data:**
 
-The default `kappa=0.01` was tuned for the paper's T-shirt folding task (~90s episodes at 30fps). For your dataset, check the logged `sample_weighting/delta_mean` and `sample_weighting/delta_std`:
+The default `kappa=0.01` was tuned for the paper's T-shirt folding task (~90s episodes at 30fps). For your dataset, check the logged `rabc_delta_mean` and `rabc_delta_std`:
 
 ```
 # If delta_mean ≈ 0.03 and delta_std ≈ 0.02:
 # Most deltas fall in range [0.01, 0.05]
 
 # Option 1: Set kappa = delta_mean (medium selectivity)
---sample_weighting.kappa=0.03
+--rabc_kappa=0.03
 
 # Option 2: Set kappa = delta_mean + delta_std (high selectivity)
---sample_weighting.kappa=0.05
+--rabc_kappa=0.05
 
 # Option 3: Set kappa = delta_mean + 2*delta_std (very selective)
---sample_weighting.kappa=0.07
+--rabc_kappa=0.07
 ```
 
 **When RA-BC may not help:**
@@ -551,8 +550,8 @@ accelerate launch \
   src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
   --dataset.repo_id=your-username/your-dataset \
   --policy.type=pi0 \
-  --sample_weighting.type=rabc \
-  --sample_weighting.kappa=0.01 \
+  --use_rabc=true \
+  --rabc_kappa=0.01 \
   --output_dir=outputs/train/policy_rabc \
   --batch_size=32 \
   --steps=40000
@@ -577,7 +576,7 @@ accelerate launch \
 ### RA-BC
 
 1. **Train SARM first**: RA-BC quality depends entirely on SARM quality
-2. **Monitor `sample_weight_mean_weight`**: If it's ≈ 1.0, increase kappa (see [Tuning RA-BC Kappa](#tuning-ra-bc-kappa))
+2. **Monitor `rabc_mean_weight`**: If it's ≈ 1.0, increase kappa (see [Tuning RA-BC Kappa](#tuning-ra-bc-kappa))
 
 ---
 

docs/source/smolvla.mdx

@@ -97,22 +97,22 @@ Similarly for when recording an episode, it is recommended that you are logged i
 Once you are logged in, you can run inference in your setup by doing:
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-  --strategy.type=base \
+lerobot-record \
   --robot.type=so101_follower \
   --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \ # <- Use your port
   --robot.id=my_blue_follower_arm \ # <- Use your robot id
   --robot.cameras="{ front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 8, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \ # <- Use your cameras
-  --task="Grasp a lego block and put it in the bin." \ # <- Use the same task description you used in your dataset recording
-  # <- RTC optional, use when running on low power hardware \
-  # --inference.type=rtc \
-  # --inference.rtc.execution_horizon=10 \
-  # --inference.rtc.max_guidance_weight=10.0 \
+  --dataset.single_task="Grasp a lego block and put it in the bin." \ # <- Use the same task description you used in your dataset recording
+  --dataset.repo_id=${HF_USER}/eval_DATASET_NAME_test \  # <- This will be the dataset name on HF Hub
+  --dataset.episode_time_s=50 \
+  --dataset.num_episodes=10 \
+  --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
+  --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
+  # --dataset.vcodec=auto \
   # <- Teleop optional if you want to teleoperate in between episodes \
   # --teleop.type=so100_leader \
   # --teleop.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \
   # --teleop.id=my_red_leader_arm \
-  # --display_data=true #optional use if you want to see the camera stream \
   --policy.path=HF_USER/FINETUNE_MODEL_NAME # <- Use your fine-tuned model
 ```
 

docs/source/streaming_video_encoding.mdx

@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ This makes `save_episode()` near-instant (the video is already encoded by the ti
 | Parameter               | CLI Flag                          | Type          | Default       | Description                                                       |
 | ----------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `streaming_encoding`    | `--dataset.streaming_encoding`    | `bool`        | `True`        | Enable real-time encoding during capture                          |
-| `vcodec`                | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec` | `str`         | `"libsvtav1"` | Video codec. `"auto"` detects best HW encoder                     |
+| `vcodec`                | `--dataset.vcodec`                | `str`         | `"libsvtav1"` | Video codec. `"auto"` detects best HW encoder                     |
 | `encoder_threads`       | `--dataset.encoder_threads`       | `int \| None` | `None` (auto) | Threads per encoder instance. `None` will leave the vcoded decide |
-| `encoder_queue_maxsize` | `--dataset.encoder_queue_maxsize` | `int`         | `30`          | Max buffered frames per camera (~1s at 30fps). Consumes RAM       |
+| `encoder_queue_maxsize` | `--dataset.encoder_queue_maxsize` | `int`         | `60`          | Max buffered frames per camera (~2s at 30fps). Consumes RAM       |
 
 ## 3. Performance Considerations
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ This parameter controls how many threads each encoder instance uses internally:
 
 ### Backpressure and Frame Dropping
 
-Each camera has a bounded queue (`encoder_queue_maxsize`, default 30 frames). When the encoder can't keep up:
+Each camera has a bounded queue (`encoder_queue_maxsize`, default 60 frames). When the encoder can't keep up:
 
 1. The queue fills up (consuming RAM)
 2. New frames are **dropped** (not blocked) — the capture loop continues uninterrupted
@@ -82,15 +82,15 @@ Use HW encoding when:
 
 ### Available HW Encoders
 
-| Encoder             | Platform      | Hardware                                                                                         | CLI Value                                           |
-| ------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------- |
-| `h264_videotoolbox` | macOS         | Apple Silicon / Intel                                                                            | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264_videotoolbox` |
-| `hevc_videotoolbox` | macOS         | Apple Silicon / Intel                                                                            | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=hevc_videotoolbox` |
-| `h264_nvenc`        | Linux/Windows | NVIDIA GPU                                                                                       | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264_nvenc`        |
-| `hevc_nvenc`        | Linux/Windows | NVIDIA GPU                                                                                       | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=hevc_nvenc`        |
-| `h264_vaapi`        | Linux         | Intel/AMD GPU                                                                                    | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264_vaapi`        |
-| `h264_qsv`          | Linux/Windows | Intel Quick Sync                                                                                 | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264_qsv`          |
-| `auto`              | Any           | Probes the system for available HW encoders. Falls back to `libsvtav1` if no HW encoder is found | `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto`              |
+| Encoder             | Platform      | Hardware                                                                                         | CLI Value                            |
+| ------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
+| `h264_videotoolbox` | macOS         | Apple Silicon / Intel                                                                            | `--dataset.vcodec=h264_videotoolbox` |
+| `hevc_videotoolbox` | macOS         | Apple Silicon / Intel                                                                            | `--dataset.vcodec=hevc_videotoolbox` |
+| `h264_nvenc`        | Linux/Windows | NVIDIA GPU                                                                                       | `--dataset.vcodec=h264_nvenc`        |
+| `hevc_nvenc`        | Linux/Windows | NVIDIA GPU                                                                                       | `--dataset.vcodec=hevc_nvenc`        |
+| `h264_vaapi`        | Linux         | Intel/AMD GPU                                                                                    | `--dataset.vcodec=h264_vaapi`        |
+| `h264_qsv`          | Linux/Windows | Intel Quick Sync                                                                                 | `--dataset.vcodec=h264_qsv`          |
+| `auto`              | Any           | Probes the system for available HW encoders. Falls back to `libsvtav1` if no HW encoder is found | `--dataset.vcodec=auto`              |
 
 > [!NOTE]
 > In order to use the HW accelerated encoders you might need to upgrade your GPU drivers.
@@ -100,15 +100,15 @@ Use HW encoding when:
 
 ## 5. Troubleshooting
 
-| Symptom                                                            | Likely Cause                                 | Fix                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
-| ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| System freezes or choppy robot movement or Rerun visualization lag | CPU starved (100% load usage)                | Close other apps, reduce encoding throughput, lower `encoder_threads`, use `h264`, use `display_data=False`. If the CPU continues to be at 100% then it might be insufficient for your setup, consider `--dataset.streaming_encoding=false` or HW encoding (`--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto`) |
-| "Encoder queue full" warnings or dropped frames in dataset         | Encoder can't keep up (Queue overflow)       | If CPU is not at 100%: Increase `encoder_threads`, increase `encoder_queue_maxsize` or use HW encoding (`--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto`).                                                                                                                                                    |
-| High RAM usage                                                     | Queue filling faster than encoding           | `encoder_threads` too low or CPU insufficient. Reduce `encoder_queue_maxsize` or use HW encoding                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
-| Large video files                                                  | Using HW encoder or H.264                    | Expected trade-off. Switch to `libsvtav1` if CPU allows                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
-| `save_episode()` still slow                                        | `streaming_encoding` is `False`              | Set `--dataset.streaming_encoding=true`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
-| Encoder thread crash                                               | Codec not available or invalid settings      | Check `vcodec` is installed, try `--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=auto`                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
-| Recorded dataset is missing frames                                 | CPU/GPU starvation or occasional load spikes | If ~5% of frames are missing, your system is likely overloaded — follow the recommendations above. If fewer frames are missing (~2%), they are probably due to occasional transient load spikes (often at startup) and can be considered expected.                                                  |
+| Symptom                                                            | Likely Cause                                 | Fix                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
+| ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| System freezes or choppy robot movement or Rerun visualization lag | CPU starved (100% load usage)                | Close other apps, reduce encoding throughput, lower `encoder_threads`, use `h264`, use `display_data=False`. If the CPU continues to be at 100% then it might be insufficient for your setup, consider `--dataset.streaming_encoding=false` or HW encoding (`--dataset.vcodec=auto`) |
+| "Encoder queue full" warnings or dropped frames in dataset         | Encoder can't keep up (Queue overflow)       | If CPU is not at 100%: Increase `encoder_threads`, increase `encoder_queue_maxsize` or use HW encoding (`--dataset.vcodec=auto`).                                                                                                                                                    |
+| High RAM usage                                                     | Queue filling faster than encoding           | `encoder_threads` too low or CPU insufficient. Reduce `encoder_queue_maxsize` or use HW encoding                                                                                                                                                                                     |
+| Large video files                                                  | Using HW encoder or H.264                    | Expected trade-off. Switch to `libsvtav1` if CPU allows                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
+| `save_episode()` still slow                                        | `streaming_encoding` is `False`              | Set `--dataset.streaming_encoding=true`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
+| Encoder thread crash                                               | Codec not available or invalid settings      | Check `vcodec` is installed, try `--dataset.vcodec=auto`                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
+| Recorded dataset is missing frames                                 | CPU/GPU starvation or occasional load spikes | If ~5% of frames are missing, your system is likely overloaded — follow the recommendations above. If fewer frames are missing (~2%), they are probably due to occasional transient load spikes (often at startup) and can be considered expected.                                   |
 
 ## 6. Recommended Configurations
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ On very constrained systems, streaming encoding may compete too heavily with the
 # 2camsx 640x480x3 @30fps: Requires some tuning.
 
 # Use H.264, disable streaming, consider batching encoding
-lerobot-record --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264 --dataset.streaming_encoding=false ...
+lerobot-record --dataset.vcodec=h264 --dataset.streaming_encoding=false ...
 ```
 
 ## 7. Closing note

docs/source/tools.mdx

@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ runtime dispatches to a real implementation (TTS, controller, logger, …).
 
 This page covers:
 
-1. Where the tool catalog lives.
-2. How the annotation pipeline produces tool-call atoms.
-3. How to add your own tool.
+1. Where the tool catalog lives (PR 1).
+2. How the annotation pipeline produces tool-call atoms (PR 2).
+3. How to add your own tool (PR 3).
 
 ## Where tools are declared
 
@@ -29,10 +29,7 @@ Two layers.
         "parameters": {
           "type": "object",
           "properties": {
-            "text": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "description": "The verbatim text to speak."
-            }
+            "text": { "type": "string", "description": "The verbatim text to speak." }
           },
           "required": ["text"]
         }
@@ -66,15 +63,13 @@ prompt_str = tokenizer.apply_chat_template(
 )
 ```
 
-**The implementations** — runnable Python — will live under
-`src/lerobot/tools/`, one file per tool. The runtime dispatcher and
-the canonical `say` implementation (wrapping Kyutai's pocket-tts) are
-not part of the catalog layer described here; today this layer ships
-only the schema storage and the `DEFAULT_TOOLS` fallback constant.
+**The implementations** — runnable Python — live under
+`src/lerobot/tools/`, one file per tool. The `say` implementation
+arrives in PR 3 and wraps Kyutai's pocket-tts model.
 
-## Per-row tool _invocations_
+## Per-row tool *invocations*
 
-The catalog above describes _what can be called_. The actual _call_ — the
+The catalog above describes *what can be called*. The actual *call* — the
 function name plus the argument values — is stored per-row, on the
 assistant atoms in `language_events`:
 
@@ -99,31 +94,18 @@ user_interjection_response:
   bindings:
     speech: "emitted_at(t, role=assistant, tool_name=say)"
   messages:
-    - { role: user, content: "${task}", stream: high_level }
-    - {
-        role: assistant,
-        content: "${current_plan}",
-        stream: high_level,
-        target: true,
-        tool_calls_from: speech,
-      }
+    - { role: user,      content: "${task}",         stream: high_level }
+    - { role: assistant, content: "${current_plan}", stream: high_level,
+        target: true, tool_calls_from: speech }
 ```
 
 The model's training target is one assistant turn that carries both the
-plan text _and_ the `say` tool call. At inference, the runtime parses
+plan text *and* the `say` tool call. At inference, the runtime parses
 the generated text back into structured `tool_calls` and dispatches to
 the matching implementation.
 
 ## How to add your own tool
 
-> **Note:** Steps 2 and 3 below describe the runtime layer
-> (`src/lerobot/tools/`, the `Tool` protocol, `TOOL_REGISTRY`,
-> `get_tools(meta)`) which is not part of the catalog layer shipped
-> today — those modules don't yet exist in the tree. Step 1 alone is
-> enough to make the tool visible to the chat template via
-> `meta.tools` so the model can learn to _generate_ the call;
-> executing the call at inference requires the runtime layer.
-
 Three steps. Concrete example: a `record_observation` tool the policy
 can call to capture an extra observation outside the regular control
 loop.
@@ -131,8 +113,9 @@ loop.
 ### Step 1 — declare the schema
 
 Add an entry under `meta/info.json["tools"]`. Either edit the file
-directly on disk _before_ running the annotation pipeline (it'll be
-preserved) or hand it to `lerobot-annotate` via a config flag.
+directly on disk *before* running the annotation pipeline (it'll be
+preserved) or hand it to `lerobot-annotate` via a config flag (PR 2 —
+exact CLI lands with the pipeline change).
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -146,10 +129,7 @@ preserved) or hand it to `lerobot-annotate` via a config flag.
         "parameters": {
           "type": "object",
           "properties": {
-            "label": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "description": "Short label for the saved image."
-            }
+            "label": { "type": "string", "description": "Short label for the saved image." }
           },
           "required": ["label"]
         }
@@ -187,12 +167,12 @@ class RecordObservationTool:
 ```
 
 One file per tool keeps dependencies isolated — `record_observation`
-might pull `pillow`, while `say` pulls `pocket-tts`. Users installing
-only the tools they need avoid heavy transitive deps.
+might pull `pillow`, while `say` (PR 3) pulls `pocket-tts`. Users
+installing only the tools they need avoid heavy transitive deps.
 
 ### Step 3 — register it
 
-Add to `src/lerobot/tools/registry.py`:
+Add to `src/lerobot/tools/registry.py` (PR 3):
 
 ```python
 from .record_observation import RecordObservationTool
@@ -204,7 +184,15 @@ That's it. At runtime `get_tools(meta)` looks up each schema in
 `meta.tools`, instantiates the matching registered class, and returns
 a name → instance dict the dispatcher can route into.
 
-If you want to use a tool _without_ writing an implementation (e.g. for
+## Where this fits in the three-PR stack
+
+| Layer | PR | What lands |
+|---|---|---|
+| Catalog storage in `meta/info.json` + `meta.tools` accessor | PR 1 | This page; `SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA`, `DEFAULT_TOOLS` constants in `lerobot.datasets.language`; `LeRobotDatasetMetadata.tools` property |
+| Annotation pipeline writes `tools` to meta after a run; honors anything users pre-populated | PR 2 | `lerobot-annotate` ensures `meta/info.json["tools"]` includes the canonical `say` and merges any user-declared tools |
+| Runnable implementations under `src/lerobot/tools/`; runtime dispatcher; `say.py` wired to Kyutai's pocket-tts | PR 3 | One file per tool; `Tool` protocol; `TOOL_REGISTRY`; optional `[tools]` extra in `pyproject.toml` |
+
+If you want to use a tool *without* writing an implementation (e.g. for
 training-time chat-template formatting only), step 1 alone is enough —
-the model still learns to _generate_ the call. Steps 2 and 3 are only
-needed to actually _execute_ it at inference.
+the model still learns to *generate* the call. Steps 2 and 3 are only
+needed to actually *execute* it at inference.

docs/source/unitree_g1.mdx

@@ -274,8 +274,7 @@ python src/lerobot/scripts/lerobot_train.py \
 Once trained, we recommend deploying policies using inference-time RTC:
 
 ```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-  --strategy.type=base \
+python examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
   --policy.path=your-username/your-repo-id \
   --policy.device=cuda \
   --robot.type=unitree_g1 \
@@ -285,7 +284,7 @@ lerobot-rollout \
   --task="task_description" \
   --duration=1000 \
   --fps=30 \
-  --inference.type=rtc
+  --rtc.enabled=true
 ```
 
 ---

docs/source/using_dataset_tools.mdx

@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ lerobot-edit-dataset \
     --repo_id lerobot/pusht_image \
     --operation.type convert_image_to_video \
     --operation.output_dir outputs/pusht_video \
-    --operation.camera_encoder.vcodec libsvtav1 \
-    --operation.camera_encoder.pix_fmt yuv420p \
-    --operation.camera_encoder.g 2 \
-    --operation.camera_encoder.crf 30
+    --operation.vcodec libsvtav1 \
+    --operation.pix_fmt yuv420p \
+    --operation.g 2 \
+    --operation.crf 30
 
 # Convert only specific episodes
 lerobot-edit-dataset \
@@ -147,7 +147,11 @@ lerobot-edit-dataset \
 **Parameters:**
 
 - `output_dir`: Custom output directory (optional - by default uses `new_repo_id` or `{repo_id}_video`)
-- `camera_encoder`: Video encoder settings — all sub-fields accessible via `--operation.camera_encoder.<field>. See [Video Encoding Parameters](./video_encoding_parameters) for more details.
+- `vcodec`: Video codec to use - options: `h264`, `hevc`, `libsvtav1` (default: `libsvtav1`)
+- `pix_fmt`: Pixel format - options: `yuv420p`, `yuv444p` (default: `yuv420p`)
+- `g`: Group of pictures (GOP) size - lower values give better quality but larger files (default: 2)
+- `crf`: Constant rate factor - lower values give better quality but larger files, 0 is lossless (default: 30)
+- `fast_decode`: Fast decode tuning option (default: 0)
 - `episode_indices`: List of specific episodes to convert (default: all episodes)
 - `num_workers`: Number of parallel workers for processing (default: 4)
 

docs/source/video_encoding_parameters.mdx

@@ -1,117 +0,0 @@
-# Video encoding parameters
-
-When video storage is enabled, LeRobot stores each camera stream as an **MP4** file instead of saving one image file per timestep. Video encoding compresses across time, which usually cuts dataset size and I/O compared to a pile of PNG, while keeping MP4 — a format every player and loader understands.
-
-Encoding frames into an MP4 is a full FFmpeg pipeline: choice of encoder, pixel format, GOP/keyframes, quality vs. speed, and optional extra encoder flags. Most of these knobs are user-tunable through `camera_encoder`, a nested `VideoEncoderConfig` (`lerobot.configs.video.VideoEncoderConfig`) passed through PyAV.
-
-You can set these parameters from the CLI with `--dataset.camera_encoder.<field>` (e.g. with `lerobot-record` or `lerobot-rollout`). The same block applies to every camera video stream in that run.
-
-<Tip>
-  Video storage must be on for `camera_encoder` to have any effect —
-  `use_videos=True` in Python APIs, or `--dataset.video=true` on the CLI (the
-  recording default). With video off, inputs stay as images and `camera_encoder`
-  is ignored.
-</Tip>
-
-For details on **when** frames are written vs. encoded (streaming vs. post-episode), queues, and other top-level `--dataset.*` switches, see [Streaming Video Encoding](./streaming_video_encoding). For an encoding-parameter comparison and experiments, see the [video-benchmark Space](https://huggingface.co/spaces/lerobot/video-benchmark).
-
----
-
-## Example
-
-```bash
-lerobot-record \
-    --robot.type=so100_follower \
-    --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431541 \
-    --robot.cameras="{laptop: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
-    --robot.id=black \
-    --teleop.type=so100_leader \
-    --teleop.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58760431551 \
-    --teleop.id=blue \
-    --dataset.repo_id=<my_username>/<my_dataset_name> \
-    --dataset.num_episodes=2 \
-    --dataset.single_task="Grab the cube" \
-    --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    --dataset.encoder_threads=2 \
-    --dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264 \
-    --dataset.camera_encoder.preset=fast \
-    --dataset.camera_encoder.extra_options={"tune": "film", "profile:v": "high", "bf": 2} \
-    --display_data=true
-```
-
----
-
-## Tuning parameters
-
-<Tip warning={true}>
-The defaults are tuned to balance **compression ratio**, **visual quality**, and **decoding/seek speed** for typical robotics datasets. Changing them can affect both recording (CPU load, frame drops) and training (decoding throughput, image quality).
-
-Only override these parameters if you have a specific reason to, and measure the impact on your pipeline before relying on the new settings.
-
-</Tip>
-
-All flags below are prefixed with `--dataset.camera_encoder.` on the CLI.
-
-| Parameter       | Type             | Default       | Description                                                                                                                                                                            |
-| --------------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `vcodec`        | `str`            | `"libsvtav1"` | Video codec name. `"auto"` picks the first available hardware encoder from a fixed preference list, falling back to `libsvtav1`.                                                       |
-| `pix_fmt`       | `str`            | `"yuv420p"`   | Output pixel format. Must be supported by the chosen codec in your FFmpeg build.                                                                                                       |
-| `g`             | `int`            | `2`           | GOP size — a keyframe every `g` frames. Emitted as FFmpeg option `g`.                                                                                                                  |
-| `crf`           | `int` or `float` | `30`          | Abstract quality value, mapped per codec (see the [mapping](#mapping-videoencoderconfig--ffmpeg-options) below). Lower → higher quality / larger output where the mapping is monotone. |
-| `preset`        | `int` or `str`   | `12` \*       | Encoder speed preset; meaning depends on the codec. <br/>\* When unset and `vcodec=libsvtav1`, LeRobot defaults to `12`.                                                               |
-| `fast_decode`   | `int`            | `0`           | `libsvtav1`: `0–2`, passed via `svtav1-params`. <br/>`h264` / `hevc` (software): if `>0`, sets `tune=fastdecode`. <br/>Other codecs: usually unused.                                   |
-| `video_backend` | `str`            | `"pyav"`      | Only `"pyav"` is currently implemented for video encoding.                                                                                                                             |
-| `extra_options` | `dict`           | `{}`          | Extra FFmpeg or codec specific options merged after the structured fields above. Cannot override keys already set by those fields.                                                     |
-
----
-
-## Persistence in dataset metadata
-
-After the first episode of a video stream is encoded, the encoder configuration is **persisted into the dataset metadata** (`meta/info.json`) under each video feature, alongside the values probed from the file itself. For a video feature `observation.images.<camera>`, the layout in `info.json` is:
-
-```json
-{
-  "features": {
-    "observation.images.laptop": {
-      "dtype": "video",
-      "shape": [480, 640, 3],
-      "info": {
-        "video.height": 480,
-        "video.width": 640,
-        "video.codec": "h264",
-        "video.pix_fmt": "yuv420p",
-        "video.fps": 30,
-        "video.channels": 3,
-        "video.is_depth_map": false,
-        "video.g": 2,
-        "video.crf": 30,
-        "video.preset": "fast",
-        "video.fast_decode": 0,
-        "video.video_backend": "pyav",
-        "video.extra_options": { "tune": "film", "profile:v": "high", "bf": 2 }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-```
-
-Two sources contribute to the `info` block:
-
-- **Stream-derived** (read back from the encoded MP4 with PyAV): `video.height`, `video.width`, `video.codec`, `video.pix_fmt`, `video.fps`, `video.channels`, `video.is_depth_map`, plus `audio.*` if an audio stream is present.
-- **Encoder-derived** (taken from `VideoEncoderConfig`): `video.g`, `video.crf`, `video.preset`, `video.fast_decode`, `video.video_backend`, `video.extra_options`.
-
-<Tip>
-  This block is populated **once**, from the **first** episode. It assumes every
-  episode in the dataset was encoded with the same `camera_encoder`. Changing
-  encoder settings partway through a recording is not supported — the
-  `info.json` will only reflect the parameters used for the first episode.
-</Tip>
-
----
-
-## Merging datasets
-
-When aggregating datasets with `merge_datasets`, video files are concatenated as-is (no re-encoding), and encoder fields in `info.json` are merged per-key:
-
-- **Stream-derived fields must match** across sources: `video.codec`, `video.pix_fmt`, `video.height`, `video.width`, `video.fps`. Otherwise FFmpeg's concat demuxer fails.
-- **Encoder-tuning fields are merged loosely**: `video.g`, `video.crf`, `video.preset`, `video.fast_decode`, `video.extra_options`. If every source agrees, the value is kept; if not, it's set to `null` (or `{}` for `video.extra_options`) and a warning is logged.

docs/source/xvla.mdx

@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ REAL_DIM = 12
 # Postprocessing: Trim 20D predictions to 12D for deployment
 ```
 
-See the [action_hub.py](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/action_hub.py) implementation for details.
+See the [action_hub.py](/home/jade_choghari/robot/lerobot/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/action_hub.py) implementation for details.
 
 #### Auto Action Mode (Recommended)
 
@@ -519,9 +519,9 @@ If you use X-VLA in your research, please cite:
 
 - [X-VLA Paper](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.10274)
 - [LeRobot Documentation](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot)
-- [Action Registry Implementation](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/action_hub.py)
-- [Processor Implementation](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/processor_xvla.py)
-- [Model Configuration](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/blob/main/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/configuration_xvla.py)
+- [Action Registry Implementation](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/action_hub.py)
+- [Processor Implementation](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/processor_xvla.py)
+- [Model Configuration](https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/src/lerobot/policies/xvla/configuration_xvla.py)
 
 ## Contributing
 

examples/annotation/run_hf_job.py

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""Launch ``lerobot-annotate`` on a Hugging Face job (vllm + Qwen3.6 MoE).
+
+Spawns one ``h200x2`` job that:
+
+  1. installs this branch of ``lerobot`` plus the annotation extras,
+  2. boots two vllm servers (one per GPU) with Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-FP8,
+  3. runs Module 1/2/3 across the dataset (per-camera VQA via PR 3471),
+  4. uploads the annotated dataset to ``--push_to_hub``.
+
+Usage:
+
+    HF_TOKEN=hf_... uv run python examples/annotation/run_hf_job.py
+
+Adjust ``CMD`` below to point at your own dataset / target hub repo.
+"""
+
+import os
+
+from huggingface_hub import get_token, run_job
+
+token = os.environ.get("HF_TOKEN") or get_token()
+if not token:
+    raise RuntimeError(
+        "No HF token. Run `huggingface-cli login` or `export HF_TOKEN=hf_...`"
+    )
+
+CMD = (
+    "apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y -qq git ffmpeg && "
+    "pip install --no-deps "
+    "'lerobot @ git+https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot.git@feat/language-annotation-pipeline' && "
+    "pip install --upgrade-strategy only-if-needed "
+    "datasets pyarrow av jsonlines draccus gymnasium torchcodec mergedeep pyyaml-include toml typing-inspect && "
+    "export VLLM_MEMORY_PROFILER_ESTIMATE_CUDAGRAPHS=0 && "
+    "export VLLM_VIDEO_BACKEND=pyav && "
+    "lerobot-annotate "
+    "--repo_id=imstevenpmwork/super_poulain_draft "
+    "--vlm.backend=openai "
+    "--vlm.model_id=Qwen/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-FP8 "
+    "--vlm.parallel_servers=2 "
+    "--vlm.num_gpus=2 "
+    '--vlm.serve_command="vllm serve Qwen/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-FP8 '
+    "--tensor-parallel-size 1 --max-model-len 32768 "
+    '--gpu-memory-utilization 0.8 --uvicorn-log-level warning --port {port}" '
+    "--vlm.serve_ready_timeout_s=1800 "
+    "--vlm.client_concurrency=256 "
+    "--vlm.max_new_tokens=512 "
+    "--executor.episode_parallelism=32 "
+    "--vlm.chat_template_kwargs='{enable_thinking: false}' "
+    "--vlm.camera_key=observation.images.wrist "
+    "--module_1.frames_per_second=1.0 "
+    "--module_1.use_video_url=true "
+    "--module_1.use_video_url_fps=1.0 "
+    "--module_3.K=1 --module_3.vqa_emission_hz=0.2 "
+    "--push_to_hub=pepijn223/super_poulain_qwen36moe-3"
+)
+
+job = run_job(
+    image="vllm/vllm-openai:latest",
+    command=["bash", "-c", CMD],
+    flavor="h200x2",
+    secrets={"HF_TOKEN": token},
+    timeout="2h",
+)
+print(f"Job URL: {job.url}")
+print(f"Job ID:  {job.id}")

examples/dataset/create_progress_videos.py

@@ -15,12 +15,10 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 """
-Create MP4 (or GIF) videos with per-frame progress overlay for specified episodes.
+Create MP4 (or GIF) videos with sarm_progress overlay for specified episodes.
 
 Downloads datasets from HuggingFace, seeks directly into the episode segment
 of the source video, draws a progress line on each frame, and writes the result.
-The progress data is read from a parquet file that lives alongside the dataset
-(configurable via ``--progress-file``).
 
 Usage:
     python examples/dataset/create_progress_videos.py \
@@ -58,26 +56,22 @@ SCORE_FONT_SCALE = 0.8
 TASK_FONT_SCALE = 0.55
 
 
-def download_episode_metadata(
-    repo_id: str, episode: int, progress_file: str = "sarm_progress.parquet"
-) -> Path:
-    """Download only the metadata and per-frame progress file for a dataset.
+def download_episode_metadata(repo_id: str, episode: int) -> Path:
+    """Download only the metadata and sarm_progress files for a dataset.
 
     Args:
         repo_id: HuggingFace dataset repository ID.
         episode: Episode index (used for logging only; all meta is fetched).
-        progress_file: Filename of the per-frame progress parquet inside the
-            dataset repo.
 
     Returns:
         Local cache path for the downloaded snapshot.
     """
-    logging.info("[1/4] Downloading metadata + %s for %s (episode %d) ...", progress_file, repo_id, episode)
+    logging.info("[1/4] Downloading metadata for %s (episode %d) ...", repo_id, episode)
     local_path = Path(
         snapshot_download(
             repo_id=repo_id,
             repo_type="dataset",
-            allow_patterns=["meta/**", progress_file],
+            allow_patterns=["meta/**", "sarm_progress.parquet"],
             ignore_patterns=["*.mp4"],
         )
     )
@@ -221,28 +215,25 @@ def download_video_file(repo_id: str, local_path: Path, video_rel: str) -> Path:
     return video_path
 
 
-def load_progress_data(
-    local_path: Path, episode: int, progress_file: str = "sarm_progress.parquet"
-) -> np.ndarray | None:
-    """Load per-frame progress values for an episode.
+def load_progress_data(local_path: Path, episode: int) -> np.ndarray | None:
+    """Load sarm_progress values for an episode.
 
     Args:
         local_path: Dataset cache root.
         episode: Episode index.
-        progress_file: Filename of the per-frame progress parquet.
 
     Returns:
         Sorted (N, 2) array of (frame_index, progress), or None if unavailable.
     """
-    parquet_path = local_path / progress_file
+    parquet_path = local_path / "sarm_progress.parquet"
     if not parquet_path.exists():
-        logging.warning("%s not found", progress_file)
+        logging.warning("sarm_progress.parquet not found")
         return None
     df = pd.read_parquet(parquet_path)
-    logging.info("   %s columns: %s", progress_file, list(df.columns))
+    logging.info("   sarm_progress.parquet columns: %s", list(df.columns))
     episode_df = df[df["episode_index"] == episode].copy()
     if episode_df.empty:
-        logging.warning("No progress rows for episode %d in %s", episode, progress_file)
+        logging.warning("No sarm_progress rows for episode %d", episode)
         return None
     episode_df = episode_df.sort_values("frame_index")
 
@@ -585,7 +576,6 @@ def process_dataset(
     camera_key: str | None,
     output_dir: Path,
     create_gif: bool = False,
-    progress_file: str = "sarm_progress.parquet",
 ) -> Path | None:
     """Full pipeline: download, extract metadata, composite progress, write output.
 
@@ -595,8 +585,6 @@ def process_dataset(
         camera_key: Camera key to use, or None for auto-selection.
         output_dir: Directory to write output files.
         create_gif: If True, also generate a GIF from the MP4.
-        progress_file: Filename of the per-frame progress parquet inside the
-            dataset repo.
 
     Returns:
         Path to the final output file, or None on failure.
@@ -604,7 +592,7 @@ def process_dataset(
     safe_name = repo_id.replace("/", "_")
     logging.info("Processing: %s  |  episode %d", repo_id, episode)
 
-    local_path = download_episode_metadata(repo_id, episode, progress_file)
+    local_path = download_episode_metadata(repo_id, episode)
     logging.info("   Local cache: %s", local_path)
 
     episode_meta = load_episode_meta(local_path, episode, camera_key)
@@ -612,9 +600,9 @@ def process_dataset(
 
     video_path = download_video_file(repo_id, local_path, episode_meta["video_rel"])
 
-    progress_data = load_progress_data(local_path, episode, progress_file)
+    progress_data = load_progress_data(local_path, episode)
     if progress_data is None:
-        logging.error("Could not load progress data from %s. Skipping overlay.", progress_file)
+        logging.error("Could not load sarm_progress data. Skipping overlay.")
         return None
 
     logging.info("   Progress frames: %d", len(progress_data))
@@ -639,7 +627,7 @@ def process_dataset(
 
 def main() -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-        description="Create MP4/GIF videos with per-frame progress overlay for dataset episodes."
+        description="Create MP4/GIF videos with sarm_progress overlay for dataset episodes."
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--repo-id",
@@ -670,15 +658,6 @@ def main() -> None:
         action="store_true",
         help="Also generate a GIF from the MP4 output.",
     )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--progress-file",
-        type=str,
-        default="sarm_progress.parquet",
-        help=(
-            "Filename of the per-frame progress parquet inside the dataset repo "
-            "(default: 'sarm_progress.parquet')."
-        ),
-    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s")
@@ -691,7 +670,6 @@ def main() -> None:
         camera_key=args.camera_key,
         output_dir=args.output_dir,
         create_gif=args.gif,
-        progress_file=args.progress_file,
     )
 
     if result:

examples/dataset/slurm_compute_rabc.py

@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class ComputeProgressShards(PipelineStep):
         import torch
         from tqdm import tqdm
 
-        from lerobot.rewards.sarm.compute_rabc_weights import (
+        from lerobot.policies.sarm.compute_rabc_weights import (
             generate_all_frame_indices,
             interpolate_progress,
             load_sarm_resources,

examples/hil/hil_utils.py

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Shared utilities for Human-in-the-Loop data collection scripts."""
+
+import logging
+import time
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from lerobot.common.control_utils import is_headless
+from lerobot.processor import (
+    IdentityProcessorStep,
+    RobotAction,
+    RobotObservation,
+    RobotProcessorPipeline,
+    observation_to_transition,
+    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+    transition_to_observation,
+    transition_to_robot_action,
+)
+from lerobot.robots import Robot
+from lerobot.teleoperators import Teleoperator
+from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class HILDatasetConfig:
+    repo_id: str
+    single_task: str
+    root: str | Path | None = None
+    fps: int = 30
+    episode_time_s: float = 120
+    num_episodes: int = 50
+    video: bool = True
+    push_to_hub: bool = True
+    private: bool = False
+    tags: list[str] | None = None
+    num_image_writer_processes: int = 0
+    num_image_writer_threads_per_camera: int = 4
+    video_encoding_batch_size: int = 1
+    vcodec: str = "auto"
+    streaming_encoding: bool = True
+    encoder_queue_maxsize: int = 30
+    encoder_threads: int | None = None
+    rename_map: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+def teleop_has_motor_control(teleop: Teleoperator) -> bool:
+    """Check if teleoperator has motor control capabilities."""
+    return all(hasattr(teleop, attr) for attr in ("enable_torque", "disable_torque", "write_goal_positions"))
+
+
+def teleop_disable_torque(teleop: Teleoperator) -> None:
+    """Disable teleop torque if supported."""
+    if hasattr(teleop, "disable_torque"):
+        teleop.disable_torque()
+
+
+def teleop_enable_torque(teleop: Teleoperator) -> None:
+    """Enable teleop torque if supported."""
+    if hasattr(teleop, "enable_torque"):
+        teleop.enable_torque()
+
+
+def teleop_smooth_move_to(teleop: Teleoperator, target_pos: dict, duration_s: float = 2.0, fps: int = 50):
+    """Smoothly move teleop to target position if motor control is available."""
+    if not teleop_has_motor_control(teleop):
+        logger.warning("Teleop does not support motor control - cannot mirror robot position")
+        return
+
+    teleop_enable_torque(teleop)
+    current = teleop.get_action()
+    steps = max(int(duration_s * fps), 1)
+
+    for step in range(steps + 1):
+        t = step / steps
+        interp = {}
+        for k in current:
+            if k in target_pos:
+                interp[k] = current[k] * (1 - t) + target_pos[k] * t
+            else:
+                interp[k] = current[k]
+        teleop.write_goal_positions(interp)
+        time.sleep(1 / fps)
+
+
+def init_keyboard_listener():
+    """Initialize keyboard listener with HIL controls."""
+    events = {
+        "exit_early": False,
+        "rerecord_episode": False,
+        "stop_recording": False,
+        "policy_paused": False,
+        "correction_active": False,
+        "resume_policy": False,
+        "in_reset": False,
+        "start_next_episode": False,
+    }
+
+    if is_headless():
+        logger.warning("Headless environment - keyboard controls unavailable")
+        return None, events
+
+    from pynput import keyboard
+
+    def on_press(key):
+        try:
+            if events["in_reset"]:
+                if key in [keyboard.Key.space, keyboard.Key.right]:
+                    logger.info("[HIL] Starting next episode...")
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, "char") and key.char == "c":
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    logger.info("[HIL] ESC - Stop recording, pushing to hub...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["start_next_episode"] = True
+            else:
+                if key == keyboard.Key.space:
+                    if not events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        logger.info("[HIL] PAUSED - Press 'c' to take control or 'p' to resume policy")
+                        events["policy_paused"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, "char") and key.char == "c":
+                    if events["policy_paused"] and not events["correction_active"]:
+                        logger.info("[HIL] Taking control...")
+                        events["start_next_episode"] = True
+                elif hasattr(key, "char") and key.char == "p":
+                    if events["policy_paused"] or events["correction_active"]:
+                        logger.info("[HIL] Resuming policy...")
+                        events["resume_policy"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.right:
+                    logger.info("[HIL] End episode")
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.left:
+                    logger.info("[HIL] Re-record episode")
+                    events["rerecord_episode"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+                elif key == keyboard.Key.esc:
+                    logger.info("[HIL] ESC - Stop recording...")
+                    events["stop_recording"] = True
+                    events["exit_early"] = True
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.info(f"Key error: {e}")
+
+    listener = keyboard.Listener(on_press=on_press)
+    listener.start()
+    return listener, events
+
+
+def make_identity_processors():
+    """Create identity processors for recording."""
+    teleop_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
+    )
+    obs_proc = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
+        steps=[IdentityProcessorStep()],
+        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
+        to_output=transition_to_observation,
+    )
+    return teleop_proc, obs_proc
+
+
+def reset_loop(robot: Robot, teleop: Teleoperator, events: dict, fps: int):
+    """Reset period where human repositions environment."""
+    logger.info("[HIL] RESET")
+
+    events["in_reset"] = True
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+
+    obs = robot.get_observation()
+    robot_pos = {k: v for k, v in obs.items() if k.endswith(".pos") and k in robot.observation_features}
+    teleop_smooth_move_to(teleop, robot_pos, duration_s=2.0, fps=50)
+
+    logger.info("Press any key to enable teleoperation")
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        precise_sleep(0.05)
+
+    if events["stop_recording"]:
+        return
+
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    teleop_disable_torque(teleop)
+    logger.info("Teleop enabled - press any key to start episode")
+
+    while not events["start_next_episode"] and not events["stop_recording"]:
+        loop_start = time.perf_counter()
+        action = teleop.get_action()
+        robot.send_action(action)
+        precise_sleep(1 / fps - (time.perf_counter() - loop_start))
+
+    events["in_reset"] = False
+    events["start_next_episode"] = False
+    events["exit_early"] = False
+    events["policy_paused"] = False
+    events["correction_active"] = False
+    events["resume_policy"] = False
+
+
+def print_controls(rtc: bool = False):
+    """Print control instructions."""
+    mode = "Human-in-the-Loop Data Collection" + (" (RTC)" if rtc else "")
+    logger.info(
+        "%s\n  Controls:\n"
+        "    SPACE  - Pause policy\n"
+        "    c      - Take control\n"
+        "    p      - Resume policy after pause/correction\n"
+        "    →      - End episode\n"
+        "    ESC    - Stop and push to hub",
+        mode,
+    )

examples/lekiwi/evaluate.py

@@ -14,21 +14,17 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import logging
-import time
-
-from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener, predict_action
+from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
 from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset
 from lerobot.policies import make_pre_post_processors
 from lerobot.policies.act import ACTPolicy
-from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
 from lerobot.processor import make_default_processors
 from lerobot.robots.lekiwi import LeKiwiClient, LeKiwiClientConfig
+from lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record import record_loop
 from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
-from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import build_dataset_frame, hw_to_dataset_features
-from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import hw_to_dataset_features
 from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
-from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
 
 NUM_EPISODES = 2
 FPS = 30
@@ -39,9 +35,6 @@ HF_DATASET_ID = "<hf_username>/<eval_dataset_repo_id>"
 
 
 def main():
-    # NOTE: For production policy deployment, use `lerobot-rollout` CLI instead.
-    # This script provides a self-contained example for educational purposes.
-
     # Create the robot configuration & robot
     robot_config = LeKiwiClientConfig(remote_ip="172.18.134.136", id="lekiwi")
 
@@ -90,67 +83,43 @@ def main():
             raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
         print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-        control_interval = 1 / FPS
         recorded_episodes = 0
         while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
             log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {recorded_episodes} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-            # Inline evaluation loop: predict actions and send to robot
-            timestamp = 0
-            start_episode_t = time.perf_counter()
-            while timestamp < EPISODE_TIME_SEC:
-                start_loop_t = time.perf_counter()
-
-                if events["exit_early"]:
-                    events["exit_early"] = False
-                    break
-
-                # Get robot observation
-                obs = robot.get_observation()
-                obs_processed = robot_observation_processor(obs)
-                observation_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs_processed, prefix=OBS_STR)
-
-                # Predict action using the policy
-                action_tensor = predict_action(
-                    observation=observation_frame,
-                    policy=policy,
-                    device=policy.config.device,
-                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
-                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
-                    use_amp=policy.config.device.type == "cuda",
-                    task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-                    robot_type=robot.name,
-                )
-
-                # Convert policy output to robot action dict
-                action_values = make_robot_action(action_tensor, dataset.features)
-
-                # Process and send action to robot
-                robot_action_to_send = robot_action_processor((action_values, obs))
-                robot.send_action(robot_action_to_send)
-
-                # Write to dataset
-                action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, action_values, prefix=ACTION)
-                frame = {**observation_frame, **action_frame, "task": TASK_DESCRIPTION}
-                dataset.add_frame(frame)
-
-                log_rerun_data(observation=obs_processed, action=action_values)
-
-                dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_loop_t
-                sleep_time_s = control_interval - dt_s
-                if sleep_time_s < 0:
-                    logging.warning(
-                        f"Evaluate loop is running slower ({1 / dt_s:.1f} Hz) than the target FPS ({FPS} Hz)."
-                    )
-                precise_sleep(max(sleep_time_s, 0.0))
-                timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_episode_t
+            # Main record loop
+            record_loop(
+                robot=robot,
+                events=events,
+                fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+            )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
             if not events["stop_recording"] and (
                 (recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
             ):
                 log_say("Reset the environment")
-                log_say("Waiting for environment reset, press right arrow key when ready...")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
+                )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:
                 log_say("Re-record episode")

examples/lekiwi/record.py

@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ def main():
     leader_arm = SO100Leader(leader_arm_config)
     keyboard = KeyboardTeleop(keyboard_config)
 
+    # TODO(Steven): Update this example to use pipelines
+    teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = make_default_processors()
+
     # Configure the dataset features
     action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.action_features, ACTION)
     obs_features = hw_to_dataset_features(robot.observation_features, OBS_STR)
@@ -74,10 +77,6 @@ def main():
         if not robot.is_connected or not leader_arm.is_connected or not keyboard.is_connected:
             raise ValueError("Robot or teleop is not connected!")
 
-        teleop_action_processor, robot_action_processor, robot_observation_processor = (
-            make_default_processors()
-        )
-
         print("Starting record loop...")
         recorded_episodes = 0
         while recorded_episodes < NUM_EPISODES and not events["stop_recording"]:
@@ -88,14 +87,14 @@ def main():
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
-                teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
-                robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
-                robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
                 dataset=dataset,
                 teleop=[leader_arm, keyboard],
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
             )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
@@ -107,13 +106,13 @@ def main():
                     robot=robot,
                     events=events,
                     fps=FPS,
-                    teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
-                    robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
-                    robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
                     teleop=[leader_arm, keyboard],
                     control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
                     single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                     display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=teleop_action_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_action_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_observation_processor,
                 )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:

examples/lekiwi/rollout.py

@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-# !/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-
-"""Run a trained policy on LeKiwi without recording (base rollout).
-
-Uses the rollout engine's :class:`BaseStrategy` (autonomous execution,
-no dataset) with :class:`SyncInferenceConfig` (inline policy call per
-control tick).  For a CLI entry point with the same capabilities plus
-recording, upload, and human-in-the-loop variants, see ``lerobot-rollout``.
-"""
-
-from lerobot.configs import PreTrainedConfig
-from lerobot.robots.lekiwi import LeKiwiClientConfig
-from lerobot.rollout import BaseStrategyConfig, RolloutConfig, build_rollout_context
-from lerobot.rollout.inference import SyncInferenceConfig
-from lerobot.rollout.strategies import BaseStrategy
-from lerobot.utils.process import ProcessSignalHandler
-from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging
-
-FPS = 30
-DURATION_SEC = 60
-TASK_DESCRIPTION = "My task description"
-HF_MODEL_ID = "<hf_username>/<model_repo_id>"
-
-
-def main():
-    init_logging()
-
-    # Robot: LeKiwi client — make sure lekiwi_host is already running on the robot.
-    robot_config = LeKiwiClientConfig(remote_ip="172.18.134.136", id="lekiwi")
-
-    # Policy: load the pretrained config.  ``pretrained_path`` is read downstream
-    # by ``build_rollout_context`` to reload the full model.
-    policy_config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(HF_MODEL_ID)
-    policy_config.pretrained_path = HF_MODEL_ID
-
-    # Assemble the rollout config: base strategy (no recording) + sync inference.
-    cfg = RolloutConfig(
-        robot=robot_config,
-        policy=policy_config,
-        strategy=BaseStrategyConfig(),
-        inference=SyncInferenceConfig(),
-        fps=FPS,
-        duration=DURATION_SEC,
-        task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-    )
-
-    # Graceful Ctrl-C: the strategy loop exits when shutdown_event is set.
-    signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True)
-
-    # Build the context (connects robot, loads policy, wires the inference strategy).
-    # No custom processors here — LeKiwi runs on raw joint features.
-    ctx = build_rollout_context(cfg, signal_handler.shutdown_event)
-
-    strategy = BaseStrategy(cfg.strategy)
-    try:
-        strategy.setup(ctx)
-        strategy.run(ctx)
-    finally:
-        strategy.teardown(ctx)
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

examples/notebooks/quickstart.ipynb

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
     "}\n",
     "\n",
     "# Dataset\n",
-    "HF_USER = \"your_hf_username\"  # `hf auth whoami` to find your username\n",
+    "HF_USER = \"your_hf_username\"  # `huggingface-cli whoami` to find your username\n",
     "DATASET_NAME = \"my_so101_dataset\"\n",
     "TASK_DESCRIPTION = \"pick and place the block\"\n",
     "NUM_EPISODES = 10\n",
@@ -291,34 +291,7 @@
     "\n",
     "Uses `POLICY_PATH` from the Configuration cell (defaults to the Hub repo ID). You can also put there the `LAST_CHECKPOINT_PATH`.\n",
     "\n",
-    "See the [inference docs](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/il_robots#run-inference-and-evaluate-your-policy) for details.\n",
-    "\n",
-    "Recently ```lerobot-rollout``` was introduced, you can [read more about it here](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/main/en/il_robots?eval=Base+mode+%28no+recording%29#run-inference-and-evaluate-your-policy)."
-   ]
-  },
-  {
-   "cell_type": "code",
-   "execution_count": null,
-   "metadata": {},
-   "outputs": [],
-   "source": [
-    "print_cmd(\n",
-    "    \"lerobot-rollout\",\n",
-    "    \"--strategy.type=base\",\n",
-    "    f\"--policy.path={POLICY_PATH}\",\n",
-    "    f\"--robot.type={ROBOT_TYPE}\",\n",
-    "    f\"--robot.port={ROBOT_PORT}\",\n",
-    "    CAMERAS_FLAG,\n",
-    "    f'--task=\"{TASK_DESCRIPTION}\"',\n",
-    "    \"--duration=60\",\n",
-    ")"
-   ]
-  },
-  {
-   "cell_type": "markdown",
-   "metadata": {},
-   "source": [
-    "if you are using the V0.5.1 release you should use ```lerobot-record``` instead of rollout"
+    "See the [inference docs](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/il_robots#run-inference-and-evaluate-your-policy) for details."
    ]
   },
   {

examples/omx/README.md

@@ -1,136 +0,0 @@
-# OMX Follower — Cube Pick And Place Example
-
-This is an example of what is possible to do with LeRobot on a physical setup.
-It is a WIP and being used internally at LeRobot and specific to our setup, but we hope it can be a useful reference for how to use LeRobot APIs and CLIs.
-
-It includes an end-to-end example for the **OMX Follower** robot arm: pick and place a cube dataset, train a policy, and deploy it autonomously.
-
-## Hardware
-
-| Component | Value                                |
-| --------- | ------------------------------------ |
-| Robot     | OMX Follower                         |
-| Cameras   | 2× OpenCV cameras (wrist + top-down) |
-
-## Scripts
-
-| Script                 | Purpose                                                         |
-| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `reset_environment.py` | Standalone utility: sweep workspace, grab cube, place cube      |
-| `record_grab.py`       | Automated data collection: reset → place → record grab episodes |
-
-## Setup
-
-Make sure you have LeRobot installed in your env. (See [the installation guide](https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/installation))
-
-Next, we will declare some environment variables for convenience. Adjust the camera indices and robot port to match your system configuration.
-
-```bash
-export ROBOT_PORT=/dev/ttyACM0
-export TELEOP_PORT=/dev/ttyACM1
-export HF_USERNAME=<your_hf_username>
-export ROBOT_CAMERAS="{ wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30, fourcc: MJPG}, top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 2, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30, fourcc: MJPG} }"
-```
-
-## Step 1 — Collect Data
-
-```bash
-lerobot-record \
-    --robot.type=omx_follower \
-    --robot.port=$ROBOT_PORT \
-    --robot.id=omx_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="$ROBOT_CAMERAS" \
-    --teleop.type=omx_leader \
-    --teleop.port=$TELEOP_PORT \
-    --teleop.id=omx_leader \
-    --dataset.repo_id=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace \
-    --dataset.root=data/omx_pickandplace \
-    --dataset.num_episodes=50 \
-    --dataset.single_task="Pick the cube and place it in the blue square" \
-    --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    --dataset.push_to_hub=true
-```
-
-### Bonus Auto-Collect script
-
-/!\ This is specific to our setup and the task of picking and placing a cube. It is not a general-purpose data collection script. As you may notice, it doesn't require a teleop.
-
-```bash
-python -m examples.omx.record_grab \
-    --robot.type=omx_follower \
-    --robot.port=$ROBOT_PORT \
-    --robot.id=omx_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="$ROBOT_CAMERAS" \
-    --dataset.repo_id=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace \
-    --dataset.root=data/omx_pickandplace \
-    --dataset.num_episodes=50 \
-    --dataset.single_task="Pick the cube and place it in the blue square" \
-    --dataset.streaming_encoding=true \
-    --dataset.push_to_hub=true
-```
-
-Each episode:
-
-1. The arm grabs the cube from the center of the workspace and places it at a random position.
-2. The arm returns to HOME.
-3. A targeted grab is recorded: HOME → approach raised → lower onto cube → grasp → lift → carry → drop → HOME.
-
-A dataset is already available here [`maximellerbach/omx_pickandplace`](https://huggingface.co/datasets/maximellerbach/omx_pickandplace), so you can skip directly to training if you want.
-
-## Step 2 — Train
-
-To train a simple `ACT` policy on the collected dataset, you can use the `lerobot-train` CLI:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-train \
-    --dataset.repo_id=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace \
-    --policy.type=act \
-    --output_dir=outputs/train/omx_pickandplace_act \
-    --policy.device=cuda \
-    --policy.repo_id=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace_act \
-    --steps=20000 \
-    --wandb.enable=true
-```
-
-A pretrained `ACT` policy is already available here [`maximellerbach/omx_pickandplace_act`](https://huggingface.co/maximellerbach/omx_pickandplace_act).
-
-## Step 3 — Rollout
-
-Use the `lerobot-rollout` CLI with base strategy:
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=base \
-    --robot.type=omx_follower \
-    --robot.port=$ROBOT_PORT \
-    --robot.id=omx_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="$ROBOT_CAMERAS" \
-    --policy.path=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace_act \
-```
-
-For continuous recording with automatic upload (sentry mode):
-
-```bash
-lerobot-rollout \
-    --strategy.type=sentry \
-    --strategy.upload_every_n_episodes=10 \
-    --robot.type=omx_follower \
-    --robot.port=$ROBOT_PORT \
-    --robot.id=omx_follower \
-    --robot.cameras="$ROBOT_CAMERAS" \
-    --policy.path=$HF_USERNAME/omx_pickandplace_act \
-    --dataset.repo_id=$HF_USERNAME/rollout_omx_pickandplace_act \
-```
-
-## Environment Reset Utility
-
-Those are specific to this particular physical setup. Those are scripts that execute hardcoded sequences of actions on the robot to reset the environment, which is useful for data collection and evaluation. They are not general-purpose scripts.
-
-`reset_environment.py` can be run standalone to prepare the workspace:
-
-```bash
-# Grab cube + place it at a random position on the left side
-python -m examples.omx.reset_environment --port $ROBOT_PORT --mode grab_and_place
-```
-
-It also exposes `grab_cube(robot)` and `place_cube(robot)` for use in custom scripts.

examples/omx/record_grab.py

@@ -1,422 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-"""
-Auto-record grab episodes for the OMX robot arm.
-
-Each episode cycle:
-  1. grab_and_place  — grab cube from workspace center and place at a random (pan, reach) position
-  2. HOME            — return arm to home with gripper open
-  3. record_grab     — execute a targeted grab to the stored position while recording
-                       observations + actions to a LeRobotDataset
-
-Usage (run from repo root):
-    python -m examples.omx.record_grab \\
-        --robot.type=omx_follower \\
-        --robot.port=/dev/ttyACM0 \\
-        --robot.id=omx_follower \\
-        --robot.cameras="{ wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 6, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30, fourcc: MJPG}, top: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 4, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30, fourcc: MJPG} }" \\
-        --dataset.repo_id=<hf_username>/<dataset_name> \\
-        --dataset.root=data/omx_grab \\
-        --dataset.num_episodes=50 \\
-        --dataset.single_task="Grab the cube" \\
-        --dataset.streaming_encoding=true
-"""
-
-import logging
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-from pprint import pformat
-
-import numpy as np
-
-from lerobot.cameras import CameraConfig  # noqa: F401
-from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
-from lerobot.configs import parser
-from lerobot.configs.dataset import DatasetRecordConfig
-from lerobot.datasets import (
-    LeRobotDataset,
-    VideoEncodingManager,
-    aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features,
-    create_initial_features,
-)
-from lerobot.processor import make_default_processors
-from lerobot.robots import RobotConfig, make_robot_from_config
-from lerobot.robots.omx_follower import OmxFollower
-from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
-from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts
-from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
-
-from .reset_environment import (
-    APPROACH_SPEED,
-    GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-    HOME_POSE,
-    PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX,
-    PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT,
-    PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX,
-    PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT,
-    array_to_pose,
-    grab_cube,
-    horizontal_wrist_flex,
-    move_to_pose,
-    place_cube,
-    pose_to_array,
-)
-
-# ── Grab-episode motion parameters ────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-# Shoulder-lift offset for the raised approach phase (subtracted from the target sl, arm is higher).
-GRAB_RAISE_SL_OFFSET = 20.0
-GRAB_LOWER_SPEED = 20.0
-RECORD_SPEED = 30.0
-
-# Pose the arm travels to after closing the gripper (cube held).
-GRAB_CARRY_POSE = {
-    "shoulder_pan.pos": -23.0,
-    "shoulder_lift.pos": 5.0,
-    "elbow_flex.pos": 18.0,
-    "wrist_flex.pos": -14.0,
-    "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-    "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-}
-
-# Per-joint jitter limits (degrees) applied to transit waypoints for human-like variation.
-# Cube-approach and carry poses are never jittered to preserve precision.
-_JITTER_LIMITS: dict[str, float] = {
-    "shoulder_pan.pos": 5.0,
-    "shoulder_lift.pos": 4.0,
-    "elbow_flex.pos": 4.0,
-    "wrist_flex.pos": 3.0,
-    "wrist_roll.pos": 2.0,
-    "gripper.pos": 0.0,
-}
-
-
-def _jitter_pose(pose: dict, rng: np.random.Generator) -> dict:
-    """Return a copy of pose with independent per-joint random perturbations."""
-    return {
-        k: v + rng.uniform(-_JITTER_LIMITS.get(k, 0.0), _JITTER_LIMITS.get(k, 0.0)) for k, v in pose.items()
-    }
-
-
-def _random_stuck_pose(rng: np.random.Generator) -> dict:
-    """Return a physically plausible stuck pose (failed grasp), gripper closed.
-
-    ef bounds are piecewise-linear in sl so the arm stays in a reachable,
-    table-safe envelope across the full sl range:
-      sl=-50 → ef ∈ [  0,  50]   (arm raised, can be bent forward)
-      sl=  0 → ef ∈ [-25,  25]   (mid reach)
-      sl= 30 → ef ∈ [-20,   0]   (arm extended, little room to flex)
-    wrist_flex is randomly offset from the horizontal value.
-    """
-    pan = float(rng.uniform(-5.0, 35.0))
-    sl = float(rng.uniform(-50.0, 30.0))
-
-    if sl <= 0.0:
-        alpha = (sl + 50.0) / 50.0  # 0 at sl=-50, 1 at sl=0
-        ef_lo = alpha * -25.0  # 0 → -25
-        ef_hi = 50.0 + alpha * -25.0  # 50 → 25
-    else:
-        alpha = sl / 30.0  # 0 at sl=0, 1 at sl=30
-        ef_lo = -25.0 + alpha * 5.0  # -25 → -20
-        ef_hi = 25.0 + alpha * -25.0  # 25 → 0
-
-    ef = float(rng.uniform(ef_lo, ef_hi))
-    wf = horizontal_wrist_flex(sl, ef) + float(rng.uniform(-15.0, 15.0))
-    return {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": sl,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": ef,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": wf,
-        "wrist_roll.pos": float(rng.uniform(-15.0, 15.0)),
-        "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-    }
-
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-
-@dataclass
-class OmxRecordGrabConfig:
-    robot: RobotConfig
-    dataset: DatasetRecordConfig
-    # Resume recording on an existing dataset.
-    resume: bool = False
-    # Fraction of episodes that start from a random stuck pose (gripper closed) to
-    # generate recovery data.  0.0 = disabled, 1.0 = all episodes are recovery starts.
-    recovery_prob: float = 0.5
-
-
-def record_episode_spline(
-    robot: OmxFollower,
-    waypoints: list[dict],
-    speeds: list[float],
-    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
-    task: str,
-) -> None:
-    """Execute a Catmull-Rom-style spline through waypoints, recording each frame.
-
-    Segment durations are parameterized from the maximum absolute joint delta
-    between consecutive waypoints divided by the requested segment speed,
-    producing non-uniform timing in joint space. Interior tangents are derived
-    from the adjacent per-segment velocities, with clamped (zero-velocity)
-    endpoints so the arm starts and stops smoothly. Each segment is cubic
-    Hermite, giving C1 continuity at every waypoint.
-    """
-    pts = [pose_to_array(w) for w in waypoints]
-    n = len(pts)
-
-    # Steps and duration per segment
-    n_steps_list = []
-    timestamps = []
-    for i in range(n - 1):
-        max_dist = float(np.max(np.abs(pts[i + 1] - pts[i])))
-        ns = max(1, int(max_dist / speeds[i] * dataset.fps)) if max_dist >= 0.5 else 0
-        n_steps_list.append(ns)
-        timestamps.append(ns / dataset.fps)
-
-    # Velocity tangents (deg/sec) — clamped at endpoints, Catmull-Rom for interior
-    vels = [np.zeros_like(pts[0])]
-    for i in range(1, n - 1):
-        v_prev = (pts[i] - pts[i - 1]) / timestamps[i - 1] if timestamps[i - 1] > 0 else np.zeros_like(pts[0])
-        v_next = (pts[i + 1] - pts[i]) / timestamps[i] if timestamps[i] > 0 else np.zeros_like(pts[0])
-        vels.append(0.5 * (v_prev + v_next))
-    vels.append(np.zeros_like(pts[0]))
-
-    dt = 1.0 / dataset.fps
-    for seg in range(n - 1):
-        ns = n_steps_list[seg]
-        if ns == 0:
-            continue
-        p0, p1 = pts[seg], pts[seg + 1]
-        # Scale velocity (deg/sec) to t-space tangent (deg/t-unit, where t: 0→1 over ns steps)
-        m0 = vels[seg] * timestamps[seg]
-        m1 = vels[seg + 1] * timestamps[seg]
-
-        for step in range(1, ns + 1):
-            t = step / ns
-            h00 = 2 * t**3 - 3 * t**2 + 1
-            h10 = t**3 - 2 * t**2 + t
-            h01 = -2 * t**3 + 3 * t**2
-            h11 = t**3 - t**2
-            commanded = h00 * p0 + h10 * m0 + h01 * p1 + h11 * m1
-
-            action = array_to_pose(commanded)
-            robot.send_action(action)
-            obs = robot.get_observation()
-            obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs, prefix=OBS_STR)
-            action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, action, prefix=ACTION)
-            dataset.add_frame({**obs_frame, **action_frame, "task": task})
-            precise_sleep(dt)
-
-
-def record_grab_episode(
-    robot: OmxFollower,
-    dataset: LeRobotDataset,
-    pan: float,
-    t: float,
-    task: str,
-    recovery_start: bool = False,
-) -> None:
-    """Execute a targeted grab to the stored (pan, t) position, recording every frame.
-
-    Normal sequence (initial HOME move is NOT recorded):
-      HOME → raised approach above cube → lower → close gripper
-           → raise [jittered] → retract [jittered] → GRAB_CARRY_POSE → drop → HOME
-
-    Recovery sequence (recovery_start=True): arm is moved to a random stuck pose
-    (gripper closed) without recording, then recording begins from there:
-      stuck_pose → raised approach above cube → [normal grab sequence from there]
-
-    All segments are joined by a Catmull-Rom spline (C1-continuous velocities).
-    """
-    sl = PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT + t * (PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT - PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT)
-    ef = PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX + t * (PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX - PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX)
-    sl_raised = sl - GRAB_RAISE_SL_OFFSET
-    wf_horizontal = horizontal_wrist_flex(sl, ef)
-
-    rng = np.random.default_rng()
-
-    if recovery_start:
-        stuck_pose = _random_stuck_pose(rng)
-        logger.info(f"Recovery start: {stuck_pose}")
-        move_to_pose(robot, stuck_pose, APPROACH_SPEED)
-        first_waypoints = [stuck_pose]
-        first_speeds = []
-    else:
-        jittery_start = _jitter_pose(HOME_POSE, rng)
-        move_to_pose(robot, jittery_start, APPROACH_SPEED)
-        first_waypoints = [jittery_start]
-        first_speeds = []
-
-    waypoints = first_waypoints + [
-        {  # raised approach: arm above cube
-            "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-            "shoulder_lift.pos": sl_raised,
-            "elbow_flex.pos": ef,
-            "wrist_flex.pos": horizontal_wrist_flex(sl_raised, ef),
-            "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-            "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-        },
-        {  # lower onto cube — no jitter: precision needed
-            "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-            "shoulder_lift.pos": sl,
-            "elbow_flex.pos": ef,
-            "wrist_flex.pos": wf_horizontal,
-            "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-            "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-        },
-        {  # close gripper — no jitter: precision needed
-            "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-            "shoulder_lift.pos": sl,
-            "elbow_flex.pos": ef,
-            "wrist_flex.pos": wf_horizontal,
-            "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-            "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-        },
-        _jitter_pose(
-            {  # raise with cube
-                "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-                "shoulder_lift.pos": sl_raised,
-                "elbow_flex.pos": ef,
-                "wrist_flex.pos": horizontal_wrist_flex(sl_raised, ef),
-                "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-                "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-            },
-            rng,
-        ),
-        _jitter_pose(
-            {  # retract: fold arm toward HOME before sweeping to carry zone
-                "shoulder_pan.pos": pan * 0.25,
-                "shoulder_lift.pos": HOME_POSE["shoulder_lift.pos"] + 5.0,
-                "elbow_flex.pos": HOME_POSE["elbow_flex.pos"] - 5.0,
-                "wrist_flex.pos": 0.0,
-                "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-                "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS,
-            },
-            rng,
-        ),
-        GRAB_CARRY_POSE,  # no jitter: target drop zone
-        {**GRAB_CARRY_POSE, "gripper.pos": 60.0},  # drop cube
-        HOME_POSE,
-    ]
-    speeds = first_speeds + [
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # (HOME →) raised approach
-        GRAB_LOWER_SPEED,  # raised approach → lower
-        GRAB_LOWER_SPEED,  # lower → close gripper
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # close gripper → raise
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # raise → retract
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # retract → carry pose
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # carry pose → drop
-        RECORD_SPEED,  # drop → HOME
-    ]
-
-    record_episode_spline(robot, waypoints, speeds, dataset, task)
-
-    # Dwell at HOME for ~0.5 s before next episode
-    home_action = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, HOME_POSE, prefix=ACTION)
-    dt = 1.0 / dataset.fps
-    for _ in range(int(dataset.fps * 0.5)):
-        robot.send_action(HOME_POSE)
-        obs = robot.get_observation()
-        obs_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs, prefix=OBS_STR)
-        dataset.add_frame({**obs_frame, **home_action, "task": task})
-        precise_sleep(dt)
-
-
-@parser.wrap()
-def record_grab(cfg: OmxRecordGrabConfig) -> LeRobotDataset:
-    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s")
-    logger.info(pformat(cfg))
-
-    robot = make_robot_from_config(cfg.robot)
-    use_videos = cfg.dataset.video
-
-    teleop_action_processor, _, robot_obs_processor = make_default_processors()
-
-    dataset_features = combine_feature_dicts(
-        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
-            pipeline=teleop_action_processor,
-            initial_features=create_initial_features(action=robot.action_features),
-            use_videos=use_videos,
-        ),
-        aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
-            pipeline=robot_obs_processor,
-            initial_features=create_initial_features(observation=robot.observation_features),
-            use_videos=use_videos,
-        ),
-    )
-
-    num_cameras = len(robot.cameras) if hasattr(robot, "cameras") else 0
-    dataset = None
-
-    try:
-        if cfg.resume:
-            dataset = LeRobotDataset.resume(
-                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
-                root=cfg.dataset.root,
-                streaming_encoding=cfg.dataset.streaming_encoding,
-                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
-                vcodec=cfg.dataset.vcodec,
-                encoder_threads=cfg.dataset.encoder_threads,
-                image_writer_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes if num_cameras > 0 else 0,
-                image_writer_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera * num_cameras
-                if num_cameras > 0
-                else 0,
-            )
-        else:
-            cfg.dataset.stamp_repo_id()
-            dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
-                cfg.dataset.repo_id,
-                cfg.dataset.fps,
-                root=cfg.dataset.root,
-                robot_type=robot.name,
-                features=dataset_features,
-                use_videos=use_videos,
-                streaming_encoding=cfg.dataset.streaming_encoding,
-                batch_encoding_size=cfg.dataset.video_encoding_batch_size,
-                vcodec=cfg.dataset.vcodec,
-                encoder_threads=cfg.dataset.encoder_threads,
-                image_writer_processes=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_processes if num_cameras > 0 else 0,
-                image_writer_threads=cfg.dataset.num_image_writer_threads_per_camera * num_cameras
-                if num_cameras > 0
-                else 0,
-            )
-
-        robot.connect(calibrate=True)
-
-        rng = np.random.default_rng()
-        with VideoEncodingManager(dataset):
-            for episode_idx in range(cfg.dataset.num_episodes):
-                logger.info(f"=== Episode {episode_idx + 1}/{cfg.dataset.num_episodes} ===")
-
-                logger.info("Step 1: grabbing and placing cube...")
-                grab_cube(robot)
-                pan, t = place_cube(robot)
-                logger.info(f"Cube placed at pan={pan:.1f}, reach={t:.2f}")
-
-                recovery_start = cfg.recovery_prob > 0 and float(rng.random()) < cfg.recovery_prob
-                logger.info(f"Step 2: recording {'recovery ' if recovery_start else ''}grab episode...")
-                record_grab_episode(
-                    robot,
-                    dataset,
-                    pan,
-                    t,
-                    cfg.dataset.single_task,
-                    recovery_start=recovery_start,
-                )
-
-                dataset.save_episode()
-                logger.info(f"Episode {episode_idx + 1} saved.")
-
-    finally:
-        if dataset:
-            dataset.finalize()
-        if robot.is_connected:
-            robot.disconnect()
-
-    if cfg.dataset.push_to_hub and dataset and dataset.num_episodes > 0:
-        dataset.push_to_hub(tags=cfg.dataset.tags, private=cfg.dataset.private)
-
-    return dataset
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    record_grab()

examples/omx/reset_environment.py

@@ -1,267 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-"""
-Auto-reset and cube-grab utility for the OMX robot arm.
-
-Provides:
-  - grab_cube(robot): sweep workspace, center cube, close gripper
-  - place_cube(robot): carry cube to a random position, release
-
-Standalone usage (run from repo root):
-    python -m examples.omx.reset_environment --port /dev/ttyACM1 --mode grab
-    python -m examples.omx.reset_environment --port /dev/ttyACM1 --mode grab_and_place
-
-Joint range: -100 to 100 for arm joints; gripper: 50 = closed, 80 = open.
-
-To read current joint values for calibration, add after robot.connect():
-    obs = robot.get_observation()
-    print({k: round(obs[k], 1) for k in JOINT_NAMES})
-    robot.disconnect(); raise SystemExit
-
-Parallel-to-ground IK: wrist_flex = WRIST_HORIZONTAL_OFFSET - shoulder_lift - elbow_flex.
-Linear interpolation preserves this constraint between any two poses that satisfy it.
-"""
-
-import argparse
-import logging
-
-import numpy as np
-
-from lerobot.robots.omx_follower import OmxFollower, OmxFollowerConfig
-from lerobot.robots.robot import Robot
-from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-# ── Poses ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-HOME_POSE = {
-    "shoulder_pan.pos": 0.0,
-    "shoulder_lift.pos": -50.0,
-    "elbow_flex.pos": 50.0,
-    "wrist_flex.pos": 0.0,
-    "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-    "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-}
-
-SWEEP_WAYPOINTS = [
-    {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": -60.0,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": 50.0,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": -60.0,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": -20.0,
-        "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-        "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-    },
-    {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": -30.0,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": 50.0,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": -60.0,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": -5.0,
-        "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-        "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-    },
-    {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": 20.0,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": 50.0,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": -55.0,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": -5.0,
-        "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-        "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-    },
-]
-
-# ── Motion parameters ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-CONTROL_HZ = 30
-APPROACH_SPEED = 50.0
-SWEEP_SPEED = 40.0
-
-# ── Grab-sequence parameters ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-GRAB_PAN = 0.0
-SWEEP_LEFT_PAN = -60.0
-SWEEP_RIGHT_PAN = 60.0
-SWEEP_END_OFFSET = 5.0  # stop before center so the cube isn't pushed past GRAB_PAN
-SWEEP_END_PAN_RANGE = (15.0, 20.0)
-
-SWEEP_LOW_SHOULDER_LIFT = 50.0
-SWEEP_LOW_ELBOW_FLEX_START = -60.0
-SWEEP_LOW_ELBOW_FLEX_END = -55.0
-
-SWEEP_HIGH_WRIST_FLEX = -20.0  # wrist tilted up during high approach to clear obstacles
-
-PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT = 0.0
-PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX = 45.0
-PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT = 50.0
-PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX = -50.0
-# Subtracted from shoulder_lift during the push sweep to clear the platform surface.
-# Does not affect the grab-target interpolation in record_grab.py.
-PUSH_RAISE_OFFSET = 5.0
-
-WRIST_HORIZONTAL_OFFSET = 0.0  # tune if gripper tilts during push: + tilts nose up, - down
-GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS = 50.0
-
-PLACE_LEFT_PAN_RANGE = (5.0, 30.0)  # random pan range for cube placement on the left side
-PLACE_REACH_RANGE = (0.1, 0.7)  # 0 = arm retracted (PUSH_START), 1 = fully extended (PUSH_END)
-
-JOINT_NAMES = [
-    "shoulder_pan.pos",
-    "shoulder_lift.pos",
-    "elbow_flex.pos",
-    "wrist_flex.pos",
-    "wrist_roll.pos",
-    "gripper.pos",
-]
-
-# ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-
-def pose_to_array(pose: dict) -> np.ndarray:
-    return np.array([pose[k] for k in JOINT_NAMES])
-
-
-def array_to_pose(arr: np.ndarray) -> dict:
-    return {k: float(arr[i]) for i, k in enumerate(JOINT_NAMES)}
-
-
-def horizontal_wrist_flex(shoulder_lift: float, elbow_flex: float) -> float:
-    return WRIST_HORIZONTAL_OFFSET - shoulder_lift - elbow_flex
-
-
-def _low_sweep_pose(pan: float, elbow_flex: float, wrist_flex: float | None = None) -> dict:
-    sl = SWEEP_LOW_SHOULDER_LIFT
-    return {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": sl,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": elbow_flex,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": horizontal_wrist_flex(sl, elbow_flex) if wrist_flex is None else wrist_flex,
-        "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-        "gripper.pos": 60.0,
-    }
-
-
-def _high_sweep_pose(pan: float) -> dict:
-    return {**HOME_POSE, "shoulder_pan.pos": pan, "wrist_flex.pos": SWEEP_HIGH_WRIST_FLEX}
-
-
-def _push_pose(shoulder_lift: float, elbow_flex: float, pan: float = GRAB_PAN, gripper: float = 70.0) -> dict:
-    return {
-        "shoulder_pan.pos": pan,
-        "shoulder_lift.pos": shoulder_lift,
-        "elbow_flex.pos": elbow_flex,
-        "wrist_flex.pos": horizontal_wrist_flex(shoulder_lift, elbow_flex),
-        "wrist_roll.pos": 0.0,
-        "gripper.pos": gripper,
-    }
-
-
-def move_to_pose(robot: Robot, target: dict, speed: float) -> None:
-    """Interpolate from current position to target at the given speed (units/s)."""
-    obs = robot.get_observation()
-    current = np.array([obs[k] for k in JOINT_NAMES])
-    goal = pose_to_array(target)
-
-    max_distance = float(np.max(np.abs(goal - current)))
-    if max_distance < 0.5:
-        return
-
-    n_steps = max(1, int(max_distance / speed * CONTROL_HZ))
-    dt = 1.0 / CONTROL_HZ
-    for step in range(1, n_steps + 1):
-        t = step / n_steps
-        robot.send_action(array_to_pose(current + t * (goal - current)))
-        precise_sleep(dt)
-
-
-# ── Sequences ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-
-def grab_cube(robot: Robot) -> None:
-    """Left sweep → right sweep → extend arm parallel to ground → close gripper."""
-    move_to_pose(robot, HOME_POSE, APPROACH_SPEED)
-
-    for pan, end_pan in [
-        (SWEEP_LEFT_PAN, GRAB_PAN - SWEEP_END_OFFSET),
-        (SWEEP_RIGHT_PAN, GRAB_PAN + SWEEP_END_OFFSET),
-    ]:
-        logger.info(f"Sweeping {'left' if pan < 0 else 'right'} → center...")
-        move_to_pose(robot, _high_sweep_pose(pan), APPROACH_SPEED)
-        move_to_pose(
-            robot, _low_sweep_pose(pan, SWEEP_LOW_ELBOW_FLEX_START, wrist_flex=-20.0), APPROACH_SPEED
-        )
-        move_to_pose(robot, _low_sweep_pose(end_pan, SWEEP_LOW_ELBOW_FLEX_END, wrist_flex=0.0), SWEEP_SPEED)
-        move_to_pose(robot, HOME_POSE, APPROACH_SPEED)
-
-    logger.info("Extending to push cube into gripper...")
-    move_to_pose(
-        robot,
-        _push_pose(PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT - PUSH_RAISE_OFFSET, PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX),
-        APPROACH_SPEED,
-    )
-    move_to_pose(
-        robot,
-        _push_pose(PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT - PUSH_RAISE_OFFSET, PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX),
-        SWEEP_SPEED,
-    )
-
-    logger.info("Closing gripper...")
-    move_to_pose(
-        robot,
-        _push_pose(PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT, PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX, gripper=GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS),
-        APPROACH_SPEED,
-    )
-
-    logger.info("Grab complete.")
-
-
-def place_cube(robot: Robot) -> tuple[float, float]:
-    """Carry the cube (gripper closed) to a random position on the left side, then release.
-
-    Returns:
-        (pan, t): pan angle and reach scalar [0, 1] of the placement position.
-    """
-    pan = float(np.random.uniform(*PLACE_LEFT_PAN_RANGE))
-    t = float(np.random.uniform(*PLACE_REACH_RANGE))
-    sl = PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT + t * (PUSH_END_SHOULDER_LIFT - PUSH_START_SHOULDER_LIFT)
-    ef = PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX + t * (PUSH_END_ELBOW_FLEX - PUSH_START_ELBOW_FLEX)
-    logger.info(f"Placing cube at pan={pan:.1f}, reach={t:.2f}...")
-
-    move_to_pose(robot, {**HOME_POSE, "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS}, APPROACH_SPEED)
-    move_to_pose(
-        robot, {**HOME_POSE, "shoulder_pan.pos": pan, "gripper.pos": GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS}, APPROACH_SPEED
-    )
-    move_to_pose(robot, _push_pose(sl, ef, pan=pan, gripper=GRIPPER_CLOSE_POS), APPROACH_SPEED)
-    move_to_pose(robot, _push_pose(sl, ef, pan=pan, gripper=80.0), APPROACH_SPEED)
-    move_to_pose(robot, HOME_POSE, APPROACH_SPEED)
-    logger.info("Place complete.")
-    return pan, t
-
-
-# ── Entry point ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-
-def main():
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="OMX arm reset / grab script")
-    parser.add_argument("--port", default="/dev/ttyACM1")
-    parser.add_argument("--robot_id", default="omx_follower")
-    parser.add_argument("--mode", choices=["grab", "grab_and_place"], default="grab_and_place")
-    args = parser.parse_args()
-
-    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s")
-
-    robot = OmxFollower(OmxFollowerConfig(port=args.port, id=args.robot_id))
-    robot.connect(calibrate=True)
-
-    try:
-        if args.mode == "grab":
-            grab_cube(robot)
-        elif args.mode == "grab_and_place":
-            grab_cube(robot)
-            place_cube(robot)
-
-    finally:
-        robot.disconnect()
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

examples/phone_to_so100/evaluate.py

@@ -14,17 +14,13 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import logging
-import time
-
 from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener, predict_action
+from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
 from lerobot.configs import FeatureType, PolicyFeature
 from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset, aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
 from lerobot.model.kinematics import RobotKinematics
 from lerobot.policies import make_pre_post_processors
 from lerobot.policies.act import ACTPolicy
-from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
 from lerobot.processor import (
     RobotProcessorPipeline,
     make_default_teleop_action_processor,
@@ -38,12 +34,11 @@ from lerobot.robots.so_follower.robot_kinematic_processor import (
     ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE,
     InverseKinematicsEEToJoints,
 )
+from lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record import record_loop
 from lerobot.types import RobotAction, RobotObservation
-from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
-from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts
-from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import combine_feature_dicts
 from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
-from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
 
 NUM_EPISODES = 5
 FPS = 30
@@ -54,9 +49,6 @@ HF_DATASET_ID = "<hf_username>/<dataset_repo_id>"
 
 
 def main():
-    # NOTE: For production policy deployment, use `lerobot-rollout` CLI instead.
-    # This script provides a self-contained example for educational purposes.
-
     # Create the robot configuration & robot
     camera_config = {"front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS)}
     robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
@@ -151,67 +143,43 @@ def main():
             raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
         print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-        control_interval = 1 / FPS
         episode_idx = 0
         for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
             log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-            # Inline evaluation loop: predict actions and send to robot
-            timestamp = 0
-            start_episode_t = time.perf_counter()
-            while timestamp < EPISODE_TIME_SEC:
-                start_loop_t = time.perf_counter()
-
-                if events["exit_early"]:
-                    events["exit_early"] = False
-                    break
-
-                # Get robot observation
-                obs = robot.get_observation()
-                obs_processed = robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor(obs)
-                observation_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs_processed, prefix=OBS_STR)
-
-                # Predict action using the policy
-                action_tensor = predict_action(
-                    observation=observation_frame,
-                    policy=policy,
-                    device=policy.config.device,
-                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
-                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
-                    use_amp=policy.config.device.type == "cuda",
-                    task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-                    robot_type=robot.name,
-                )
-
-                # Convert policy output to robot action dict
-                action_values = make_robot_action(action_tensor, dataset.features)
-
-                # Process and send action to robot (EE -> joints via IK)
-                robot_action_to_send = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((action_values, obs))
-                robot.send_action(robot_action_to_send)
-
-                # Write to dataset
-                action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, action_values, prefix=ACTION)
-                frame = {**observation_frame, **action_frame, "task": TASK_DESCRIPTION}
-                dataset.add_frame(frame)
-
-                log_rerun_data(observation=obs_processed, action=action_values)
-
-                dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_loop_t
-                sleep_time_s = control_interval - dt_s
-                if sleep_time_s < 0:
-                    logging.warning(
-                        f"Evaluate loop is running slower ({1 / dt_s:.1f} Hz) than the target FPS ({FPS} Hz)."
-                    )
-                precise_sleep(max(sleep_time_s, 0.0))
-                timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_episode_t
+            # Main record loop
+            record_loop(
+                robot=robot,
+                events=events,
+                fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+            )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
             if not events["stop_recording"] and (
                 (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
             ):
                 log_say("Reset the environment")
-                log_say("Waiting for environment reset, press right arrow key when ready...")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+                )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:
                 log_say("Re-record episode")
@@ -222,6 +190,7 @@ def main():
 
             # Save episode
             dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
     finally:
         # Clean up
         log_say("Stop recording")

examples/phone_to_so100/record.py

@@ -65,15 +65,14 @@ def main():
     robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
     phone = Phone(teleop_config)
 
-    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo:
-    #   https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
+    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo: https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
     kinematics_solver = RobotKinematics(
         urdf_path="./SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf",
         target_frame_name="gripper_frame_link",
         joint_names=list(robot.bus.motors.keys()),
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert phone action to EE action (with gripper velocity mapped to joint).
+    # Build pipeline to convert phone action to EE action
     phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[
         tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction
     ](
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert EE action to joints action (IK).
+    # Build pipeline to convert EE action to joints action
     robot_ee_to_joints_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
         steps=[
             InverseKinematicsEEToJoints(
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert joint observation to EE observation (FK).
+    # Build pipeline to convert joint observation to EE observation
     robot_joints_to_ee_pose = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
         steps=[
             ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE(
@@ -119,12 +118,13 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_observation,
     )
 
-    # Create the dataset, deriving features from the pipelines so the on-disk schema
-    # matches exactly what the pipelines produce at runtime.
+    # Create the dataset
     dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
         repo_id=HF_REPO_ID,
         fps=FPS,
         features=combine_feature_dicts(
+            # Run the feature contract of the pipelines
+            # This tells you how the features would look like after the pipeline steps
             aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
                 pipeline=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
                 initial_features=create_initial_features(action=phone.action_features),
@@ -163,14 +163,14 @@ def main():
                 robot=robot,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
-                teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
-                robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-                robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
                 teleop=phone,
                 dataset=dataset,
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
+                robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
             )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
@@ -182,13 +182,13 @@ def main():
                     robot=robot,
                     events=events,
                     fps=FPS,
-                    teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
-                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
                     teleop=phone,
                     control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
                     single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                     display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=phone_to_robot_ee_pose_processor,
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose,
                 )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:

examples/phone_to_so100/rollout.py

@@ -1,126 +0,0 @@
-# !/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-
-"""Run a trained EE-space policy on SO100 (phone-trained) without recording.
-
-Mirrors ``examples/so100_to_so100_EE/rollout.py`` — the model was trained
-with phone teleoperation in EE space, so at deployment we only need the
-joint↔EE conversion on the robot side; the phone is not used.
-
-Uses :class:`BaseStrategy` (no recording) + :class:`SyncInferenceConfig`
-(inline policy call).  For recording during rollout, switch to Sentry,
-Highlight, or DAgger via ``lerobot-rollout --strategy.type=...``.
-"""
-
-from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.configs import PreTrainedConfig
-from lerobot.model.kinematics import RobotKinematics
-from lerobot.processor import (
-    RobotProcessorPipeline,
-    observation_to_transition,
-    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
-    transition_to_observation,
-    transition_to_robot_action,
-)
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO100Follower, SO100FollowerConfig
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower.robot_kinematic_processor import (
-    ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE,
-    InverseKinematicsEEToJoints,
-)
-from lerobot.rollout import BaseStrategyConfig, RolloutConfig, build_rollout_context
-from lerobot.rollout.inference import SyncInferenceConfig
-from lerobot.rollout.strategies import BaseStrategy
-from lerobot.types import RobotAction, RobotObservation
-from lerobot.utils.process import ProcessSignalHandler
-from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging
-
-FPS = 30
-DURATION_SEC = 60
-TASK_DESCRIPTION = "My task description"
-HF_MODEL_ID = "<hf_username>/<model_repo_id>"
-
-
-def main():
-    init_logging()
-
-    camera_config = {"front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS)}
-    robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
-        port="/dev/tty.usbmodem58760434471",
-        id="my_awesome_follower_arm",
-        cameras=camera_config,
-        use_degrees=True,
-    )
-
-    # Peek at motor names once to build the kinematic solver.
-    temp_robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
-    motor_names = list(temp_robot.bus.motors.keys())
-
-    kinematics_solver = RobotKinematics(
-        urdf_path="./SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf",
-        target_frame_name="gripper_frame_link",
-        joint_names=motor_names,
-    )
-
-    robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
-        steps=[ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE(kinematics=kinematics_solver, motor_names=motor_names)],
-        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
-        to_output=transition_to_observation,
-    )
-
-    robot_ee_to_joints_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
-        steps=[
-            InverseKinematicsEEToJoints(
-                kinematics=kinematics_solver,
-                motor_names=motor_names,
-                initial_guess_current_joints=True,
-            ),
-        ],
-        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
-        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
-    )
-
-    policy_config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(HF_MODEL_ID)
-    policy_config.pretrained_path = HF_MODEL_ID
-
-    cfg = RolloutConfig(
-        robot=robot_config,
-        policy=policy_config,
-        strategy=BaseStrategyConfig(),
-        inference=SyncInferenceConfig(),
-        fps=FPS,
-        duration=DURATION_SEC,
-        task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-    )
-
-    signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True)
-
-    ctx = build_rollout_context(
-        cfg,
-        signal_handler.shutdown_event,
-        robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-        robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
-    )
-
-    strategy = BaseStrategy(cfg.strategy)
-    try:
-        strategy.setup(ctx)
-        strategy.run(ctx)
-    finally:
-        strategy.teardown(ctx)
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py

@@ -0,0 +1,673 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""
+Demo script showing how to use Real-Time Chunking (RTC) with action chunking policies on real robots.
+
+This script demonstrates:
+1. Creating a robot and policy (SmolVLA, Pi0, etc.) with RTC
+2. Consuming actions from the policy while the robot executes
+3. Periodically requesting new action chunks in the background using threads
+4. Managing action buffers and timing for real-time operation
+
+For simulation environments, see eval_with_simulation.py
+
+Usage:
+    # Run RTC with Real robot with RTC
+    uv run examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
+        --policy.path=<USER>/smolvla_check_rtc_last3 \
+        --policy.device=mps \
+        --rtc.enabled=true \
+        --rtc.execution_horizon=20 \
+        --robot.type=so100_follower \
+        --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58FA0834591 \
+        --robot.id=so100_follower \
+        --robot.cameras="{ gripper: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+        --task="Move green small object into the purple platform" \
+        --duration=120
+
+    # Run RTC with Real robot without RTC
+    uv run examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
+        --policy.path=<USER>/smolvla_check_rtc_last3 \
+        --policy.device=mps \
+        --rtc.enabled=false \
+        --robot.type=so100_follower \
+        --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58FA0834591 \
+        --robot.id=so100_follower \
+        --robot.cameras="{ gripper: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+        --task="Move green small object into the purple platform" \
+        --duration=120
+
+    # Run RTC with Real robot with pi0.5 policy
+    uv run examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
+        --policy.path=<USER>/pi05_check_rtc \
+        --policy.device=mps \
+        --rtc.enabled=true \
+        --rtc.execution_horizon=20 \
+        --robot.type=so100_follower \
+        --robot.port=/dev/tty.usbmodem58FA0834591 \
+        --robot.id=so100_follower \
+        --robot.cameras="{ gripper: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 0, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, front: {type: opencv, index_or_path: 1, width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}}" \
+        --task="Move green small object into the purple platform" \
+        --duration=120
+
+    # Run RTC with bi_openarm_follower (dual-arm OpenArms) and pi0.5 policy
+    python examples/rtc/eval_with_real_robot.py \
+        --policy.path=lerobot-data-collection/folding_final \
+        --robot.type=bi_openarm_follower \
+        --robot.cameras='{left_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video4", width: 1280, height: 720, fps: 30}, base: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video2", width: 640, height: 480, fps: 30}, right_wrist: {type: opencv, index_or_path: "/dev/video0", width: 1280, height: 720, fps: 30}}' \
+        --robot.left_arm_config.port=can0 \
+        --robot.left_arm_config.side=left \
+        --robot.left_arm_config.can_interface=socketcan \
+        --robot.left_arm_config.disable_torque_on_disconnect=true \
+        --robot.left_arm_config.max_relative_target=8.0 \
+        --robot.right_arm_config.port=can1 \
+        --robot.right_arm_config.side=right \
+        --robot.right_arm_config.can_interface=socketcan \
+        --robot.right_arm_config.disable_torque_on_disconnect=true \
+        --robot.right_arm_config.max_relative_target=8.0 \
+        --task="Fold the T-shirt properly" \
+        --fps=30 \
+        --duration=2000 \
+        --interpolation_multiplier=3 \
+        --rtc.enabled=true \
+        --rtc.execution_horizon=20 \
+        --rtc.max_guidance_weight=5.0 \
+        --rtc.prefix_attention_schedule=LINEAR \
+        --device=cuda
+"""
+
+import logging
+import math
+import sys
+import time
+import traceback
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
+
+import torch
+from torch import Tensor
+
+from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.cameras.realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.cameras.zmq import ZMQCameraConfig  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.configs import PreTrainedConfig, RTCAttentionSchedule, parser
+from lerobot.policies import get_policy_class, make_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies.rtc import ActionInterpolator, ActionQueue, LatencyTracker, RTCConfig
+from lerobot.processor import (
+    NormalizerProcessorStep,
+    RelativeActionsProcessorStep,
+    TransitionKey,
+    create_transition,
+    make_default_robot_action_processor,
+    make_default_robot_observation_processor,
+    to_relative_actions,
+)
+from lerobot.rl.process import ProcessSignalHandler
+from lerobot.robots import (  # noqa: F401
+    Robot,
+    RobotConfig,
+    bi_openarm_follower,
+    bi_so_follower,
+    koch_follower,
+    so_follower,
+    unitree_g1,
+)
+from lerobot.robots.utils import make_robot_from_config
+from lerobot.utils.constants import OBS_IMAGES, OBS_STATE
+from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import build_dataset_frame, hw_to_dataset_features
+from lerobot.utils.hub import HubMixin
+from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class RobotWrapper:
+    def __init__(self, robot: Robot):
+        self.robot = robot
+        self.lock = Lock()
+
+    def get_observation(self) -> dict[str, Tensor]:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.get_observation()
+
+    def send_action(self, action: Tensor):
+        with self.lock:
+            self.robot.send_action(action)
+
+    def observation_features(self) -> list[str]:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.observation_features
+
+    def action_features(self) -> list[str]:
+        with self.lock:
+            return self.robot.action_features
+
+
+@dataclass
+class RTCDemoConfig(HubMixin):
+    """Configuration for RTC demo with action chunking policies and real robots."""
+
+    # Policy configuration
+    policy: PreTrainedConfig | None = None
+
+    # Robot configuration
+    robot: RobotConfig | None = None
+
+    # RTC configuration
+    rtc: RTCConfig = field(
+        default_factory=lambda: RTCConfig(
+            execution_horizon=10,
+            max_guidance_weight=1.0,
+            prefix_attention_schedule=RTCAttentionSchedule.EXP,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Demo parameters
+    duration: float = 30.0  # Duration to run the demo (seconds)
+    fps: float = 10.0  # Action execution frequency (Hz)
+    interpolation_multiplier: int = 1  # Control rate multiplier (1=off, 2=2x, 3=3x)
+
+    # Compute device
+    device: str | None = None  # Device to run on (cuda, cpu, auto)
+
+    # Get new actions horizon. The amount of executed steps after which will be requested new actions.
+    # It should be higher than inference delay + execution horizon.
+    action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions: int = 30
+
+    # Task to execute
+    task: str = field(default="", metadata={"help": "Task to execute"})
+
+    # Torch compile configuration
+    use_torch_compile: bool = field(
+        default=False,
+        metadata={"help": "Use torch.compile for faster inference (PyTorch 2.0+)"},
+    )
+
+    torch_compile_backend: str = field(
+        default="inductor",
+        metadata={"help": "Backend for torch.compile (inductor, aot_eager, cudagraphs)"},
+    )
+
+    torch_compile_mode: str = field(
+        default="default",
+        metadata={"help": "Compilation mode (default, reduce-overhead, max-autotune)"},
+    )
+
+    torch_compile_disable_cudagraphs: bool = field(
+        default=True,
+        metadata={
+            "help": "Disable CUDA graphs in torch.compile. Required due to in-place tensor "
+            "operations in denoising loop (x_t += dt * v_t) which cause tensor aliasing issues."
+        },
+    )
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        # HACK: We parse again the cli args here to get the pretrained path if there was one.
+        policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
+        if policy_path:
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
+            self.policy.pretrained_path = policy_path
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Policy path is required")
+
+        # Validate that robot configuration is provided
+        if self.robot is None:
+            raise ValueError("Robot configuration must be provided")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_path_fields__(cls) -> list[str]:
+        """This enables the parser to load config from the policy using `--policy.path=local/dir`"""
+        return ["policy"]
+
+
+def is_image_key(k: str) -> bool:
+    return k.startswith(OBS_IMAGES)
+
+
+def _reanchor_relative_rtc_prefix(
+    prev_actions_absolute: Tensor,
+    current_state: Tensor,
+    relative_step: RelativeActionsProcessorStep,
+    normalizer_step: NormalizerProcessorStep | None,
+    policy_device: torch.device | str,
+) -> Tensor:
+    """Convert absolute leftovers into model-space for relative-action RTC policies.
+
+    When a policy uses relative actions, the RTC prefix (leftover actions from
+    the previous chunk) is stored in absolute space. Before feeding it back to
+    the policy we need to re-express it relative to the *current* robot state
+    and then re-normalize.
+    """
+    state = current_state.detach().cpu()
+    if state.dim() == 1:
+        state = state.unsqueeze(0)
+
+    action_cpu = prev_actions_absolute.detach().cpu()
+    mask = relative_step._build_mask(action_cpu.shape[-1])
+    relative_actions = to_relative_actions(action_cpu, state, mask)
+
+    transition = create_transition(action=relative_actions)
+    if normalizer_step is not None:
+        transition = normalizer_step(transition)
+
+    return transition[TransitionKey.ACTION].to(policy_device)
+
+
+def get_actions(
+    policy,
+    robot: RobotWrapper,
+    robot_observation_processor,
+    action_queue: ActionQueue,
+    shutdown_event: Event,
+    cfg: RTCDemoConfig,
+):
+    """Thread function to request action chunks from the policy.
+
+    Args:
+        policy: The policy instance (SmolVLA, Pi0, etc.)
+        robot: The robot instance for getting observations
+        robot_observation_processor: Processor for raw robot observations
+        action_queue: Queue to put new action chunks
+        shutdown_event: Event to signal shutdown
+        cfg: Demo configuration
+    """
+    try:
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Starting get actions thread")
+
+        latency_tracker = LatencyTracker()  # Track latency of action chunks
+        fps = cfg.fps
+        time_per_chunk = 1.0 / fps
+
+        # Only keep .pos joints + camera streams if the policy was trained on positions,
+        # not the full pos/vel/torque state the robot exposes.
+        observation_features_hw = {
+            key: value
+            for key, value in robot.observation_features().items()
+            if key.endswith(".pos") or isinstance(value, tuple)
+        }
+
+        dataset_features = hw_to_dataset_features(observation_features_hw, "observation")
+        policy_device = policy.config.device
+
+        # Load preprocessor and postprocessor from pretrained files
+        # The stats are embedded in the processor .safetensors files
+        logger.info(f"[GET_ACTIONS] Loading preprocessor/postprocessor from {cfg.policy.pretrained_path}")
+
+        preprocessor, postprocessor = make_pre_post_processors(
+            policy_cfg=cfg.policy,
+            pretrained_path=cfg.policy.pretrained_path,
+            dataset_stats=None,  # Will load from pretrained processor files
+            preprocessor_overrides={
+                "device_processor": {"device": cfg.policy.device},
+            },
+        )
+
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Preprocessor/postprocessor loaded successfully with embedded stats")
+
+        relative_step = next(
+            (s for s in preprocessor.steps if isinstance(s, RelativeActionsProcessorStep) and s.enabled),
+            None,
+        )
+        normalizer_step = next(
+            (s for s in preprocessor.steps if isinstance(s, NormalizerProcessorStep)),
+            None,
+        )
+        if relative_step is not None:
+            if relative_step.action_names is None:
+                cfg_names = getattr(cfg.policy, "action_feature_names", None)
+                if cfg_names:
+                    relative_step.action_names = list(cfg_names)
+                else:
+                    relative_step.action_names = [
+                        k for k in robot.robot.action_features if k.endswith(".pos")
+                    ]
+            logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] Relative actions enabled: will re-anchor RTC prefix")
+
+        get_actions_threshold = cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions
+
+        if not cfg.rtc.enabled:
+            get_actions_threshold = 0
+
+        while not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            if action_queue.qsize() <= get_actions_threshold:
+                current_time = time.perf_counter()
+                action_index_before_inference = action_queue.get_action_index()
+                prev_actions = action_queue.get_left_over()
+
+                inference_latency = latency_tracker.max()
+                inference_delay = math.ceil(inference_latency / time_per_chunk)
+
+                obs = robot.get_observation()
+
+                # Apply robot observation processor
+                obs_processed = robot_observation_processor(obs)
+
+                obs_with_policy_features = build_dataset_frame(
+                    dataset_features, obs_processed, prefix="observation"
+                )
+
+                for name in obs_with_policy_features:
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = torch.from_numpy(obs_with_policy_features[name])
+                    if "image" in name:
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = (
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name].type(torch.float32) / 255
+                        )
+                        obs_with_policy_features[name] = (
+                            obs_with_policy_features[name].permute(2, 0, 1).contiguous()
+                        )
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].unsqueeze(0)
+                    obs_with_policy_features[name] = obs_with_policy_features[name].to(policy_device)
+
+                obs_with_policy_features["task"] = [cfg.task]  # Task should be a list, not a string!
+                obs_with_policy_features["robot_type"] = (
+                    robot.robot.name if hasattr(robot.robot, "name") else ""
+                )
+
+                preproceseded_obs = preprocessor(obs_with_policy_features)
+
+                # Re-anchor leftover actions for relative-action policies.
+                # We need the *postprocessed* (absolute) leftover, not the original
+                # (normalized/relative) one that get_left_over() returns.
+                if (
+                    prev_actions is not None
+                    and relative_step is not None
+                    and OBS_STATE in obs_with_policy_features
+                ):
+                    with action_queue.lock:
+                        if action_queue.queue is not None:
+                            prev_actions_abs = action_queue.queue[action_queue.last_index :].clone()
+                        else:
+                            prev_actions_abs = None
+                    if prev_actions_abs is not None and prev_actions_abs.numel() > 0:
+                        prev_actions = _reanchor_relative_rtc_prefix(
+                            prev_actions_absolute=prev_actions_abs,
+                            current_state=obs_with_policy_features[OBS_STATE],
+                            relative_step=relative_step,
+                            normalizer_step=normalizer_step,
+                            policy_device=policy_device,
+                        )
+
+                # Generate actions WITH RTC
+                actions = policy.predict_action_chunk(
+                    preproceseded_obs,
+                    inference_delay=inference_delay,
+                    prev_chunk_left_over=prev_actions,
+                )
+
+                # Store original actions (before postprocessing) for RTC
+                original_actions = actions.squeeze(0).clone()
+
+                postprocessed_actions = postprocessor(actions)
+
+                postprocessed_actions = postprocessed_actions.squeeze(0)
+
+                new_latency = time.perf_counter() - current_time
+                new_delay = math.ceil(new_latency / time_per_chunk)
+                latency_tracker.add(new_latency)
+
+                if cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions < cfg.rtc.execution_horizon + new_delay:
+                    logger.warning(
+                        "[GET_ACTIONS] cfg.action_queue_size_to_get_new_actions Too small, It should be higher than inference delay + execution horizon."
+                    )
+
+                action_queue.merge(
+                    original_actions, postprocessed_actions, new_delay, action_index_before_inference
+                )
+            else:
+                # Small sleep to prevent busy waiting
+                time.sleep(0.1)
+
+        logger.info("[GET_ACTIONS] get actions thread shutting down")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"[GET_ACTIONS] Fatal exception in get_actions thread: {e}")
+        logger.error(traceback.format_exc())
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def actor_control(
+    robot: RobotWrapper,
+    robot_action_processor,
+    action_queue: ActionQueue,
+    shutdown_event: Event,
+    cfg: RTCDemoConfig,
+):
+    """Thread function to execute actions on the robot.
+
+    Args:
+        robot: The robot instance
+        action_queue: Queue to get actions from
+        shutdown_event: Event to signal shutdown
+        cfg: Demo configuration
+    """
+    try:
+        logger.info("[ACTOR] Starting actor thread")
+
+        action_keys = [k for k in robot.action_features() if k.endswith(".pos")]
+
+        action_count = 0
+        interpolator = ActionInterpolator(multiplier=cfg.interpolation_multiplier)
+        action_interval = interpolator.get_control_interval(cfg.fps)
+
+        while not shutdown_event.is_set():
+            start_time = time.perf_counter()
+
+            if interpolator.needs_new_action():
+                new_action = action_queue.get()
+                if new_action is not None:
+                    interpolator.add(new_action.cpu())
+
+            action = interpolator.get()
+            if action is not None:
+                action = action.cpu()
+                action_dict = {key: action[i].item() for i, key in enumerate(action_keys)}
+                action_processed = robot_action_processor((action_dict, None))
+                robot.send_action(action_processed)
+                action_count += 1
+
+            dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_time
+            time.sleep(max(0, (action_interval - dt_s) - 0.001))
+
+        logger.info(f"[ACTOR] Actor thread shutting down. Total actions executed: {action_count}")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"[ACTOR] Fatal exception in actor_control thread: {e}")
+        logger.error(traceback.format_exc())
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def _apply_torch_compile(policy, cfg: RTCDemoConfig):
+    """Apply torch.compile to the policy's predict_action_chunk method.
+
+    Args:
+        policy: Policy instance to compile
+        cfg: Configuration containing torch compile settings
+
+    Returns:
+        Policy with compiled predict_action_chunk method
+    """
+
+    # PI models handle their own compilation
+    if policy.type == "pi05" or policy.type == "pi0":
+        return policy
+
+    try:
+        # Check if torch.compile is available (PyTorch 2.0+)
+        if not hasattr(torch, "compile"):
+            logger.warning(
+                f"torch.compile is not available. Requires PyTorch 2.0+. "
+                f"Current version: {torch.__version__}. Skipping compilation."
+            )
+            return policy
+
+        logger.info("Applying torch.compile to predict_action_chunk...")
+        logger.info(f"  Backend: {cfg.torch_compile_backend}")
+        logger.info(f"  Mode: {cfg.torch_compile_mode}")
+        logger.info(f"  Disable CUDA graphs: {cfg.torch_compile_disable_cudagraphs}")
+
+        # Compile the predict_action_chunk method
+        # - CUDA graphs disabled to prevent tensor aliasing from in-place ops (x_t += dt * v_t)
+        compile_kwargs = {
+            "backend": cfg.torch_compile_backend,
+            "mode": cfg.torch_compile_mode,
+        }
+
+        # Disable CUDA graphs if requested (prevents tensor aliasing issues)
+        if cfg.torch_compile_disable_cudagraphs:
+            compile_kwargs["options"] = {"triton.cudagraphs": False}
+
+        original_method = policy.predict_action_chunk
+        compiled_method = torch.compile(original_method, **compile_kwargs)
+        policy.predict_action_chunk = compiled_method
+        logger.info("✓ Successfully compiled predict_action_chunk")
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to apply torch.compile: {e}")
+        logger.warning("Continuing without torch.compile")
+
+    return policy
+
+
+@parser.wrap()
+def demo_cli(cfg: RTCDemoConfig):
+    """Main entry point for RTC demo with draccus configuration."""
+
+    # Initialize logging
+    init_logging()
+
+    logger.info(f"Using device: {cfg.device}")
+
+    # Setup signal handler for graceful shutdown
+    signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True, display_pid=False)
+    shutdown_event = signal_handler.shutdown_event
+
+    policy = None
+    robot = None
+    get_actions_thread = None
+    actor_thread = None
+
+    policy_class = get_policy_class(cfg.policy.type)
+
+    # Load config and set compile_model for pi0/pi05 models
+    config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path)
+
+    if cfg.policy.type == "pi05" or cfg.policy.type == "pi0":
+        config.compile_model = cfg.use_torch_compile
+
+    if config.use_peft:
+        from peft import PeftConfig, PeftModel
+
+        peft_pretrained_path = cfg.policy.pretrained_path
+        peft_config = PeftConfig.from_pretrained(peft_pretrained_path)
+
+        policy = policy_class.from_pretrained(
+            pretrained_name_or_path=peft_config.base_model_name_or_path, config=config
+        )
+        policy = PeftModel.from_pretrained(policy, peft_pretrained_path, config=peft_config)
+    else:
+        policy = policy_class.from_pretrained(cfg.policy.pretrained_path, config=config)
+
+    # Turn on RTC
+    policy.config.rtc_config = cfg.rtc
+
+    # Init RTC processort, as by default if RTC disabled in the config
+    # The processor won't be created
+    policy.init_rtc_processor()
+
+    assert policy.name in ["smolvla", "pi05", "pi0"], "Only smolvla, pi05, and pi0 are supported for RTC"
+
+    policy = policy.to(cfg.device)
+    policy.eval()
+
+    # Apply torch.compile to predict_action_chunk method if enabled
+    if cfg.use_torch_compile:
+        policy = _apply_torch_compile(policy, cfg)
+
+    # Create robot
+    logger.info(f"Initializing robot: {cfg.robot.type}")
+    robot = make_robot_from_config(cfg.robot)
+    robot.connect()
+    robot_wrapper = RobotWrapper(robot)
+
+    # Create robot observation processor
+    robot_observation_processor = make_default_robot_observation_processor()
+    robot_action_processor = make_default_robot_action_processor()
+
+    # Create action queue for communication between threads
+    action_queue = ActionQueue(cfg.rtc)
+
+    # Start chunk requester thread
+    get_actions_thread = Thread(
+        target=get_actions,
+        args=(policy, robot_wrapper, robot_observation_processor, action_queue, shutdown_event, cfg),
+        daemon=True,
+        name="GetActions",
+    )
+    get_actions_thread.start()
+    logger.info("Started get actions thread")
+
+    # Start action executor thread
+    actor_thread = Thread(
+        target=actor_control,
+        args=(robot_wrapper, robot_action_processor, action_queue, shutdown_event, cfg),
+        daemon=True,
+        name="Actor",
+    )
+    actor_thread.start()
+    logger.info("Started actor thread")
+
+    logger.info("Started stop by duration thread")
+
+    # Main thread monitors for duration or shutdown
+    logger.info(f"Running demo for {cfg.duration} seconds...")
+    start_time = time.time()
+
+    while not shutdown_event.is_set() and (time.time() - start_time) < cfg.duration:
+        time.sleep(10)
+
+        # Log queue status periodically
+        if int(time.time() - start_time) % 5 == 0:
+            logger.info(f"[MAIN] Action queue size: {action_queue.qsize()}")
+
+        if time.time() - start_time > cfg.duration:
+            break
+
+    logger.info("Demo duration reached or shutdown requested")
+
+    # Signal shutdown
+    shutdown_event.set()
+
+    # Wait for threads to finish
+    if get_actions_thread and get_actions_thread.is_alive():
+        logger.info("Waiting for chunk requester thread to finish...")
+        get_actions_thread.join()
+
+    if actor_thread and actor_thread.is_alive():
+        logger.info("Waiting for action executor thread to finish...")
+        actor_thread.join()
+
+    # Cleanup robot
+    if robot:
+        robot.disconnect()
+        logger.info("Robot disconnected")
+
+    logger.info("Cleanup completed")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    demo_cli()
+    logging.info("RTC demo finished")

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/evaluate.py

@@ -14,17 +14,13 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import logging
-import time
-
 from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener, predict_action
+from lerobot.common.control_utils import init_keyboard_listener
 from lerobot.configs import FeatureType, PolicyFeature
 from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset, aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features, create_initial_features
 from lerobot.model.kinematics import RobotKinematics
 from lerobot.policies import make_pre_post_processors
 from lerobot.policies.act import ACTPolicy
-from lerobot.policies.utils import make_robot_action
 from lerobot.processor import (
     RobotProcessorPipeline,
     make_default_teleop_action_processor,
@@ -38,12 +34,11 @@ from lerobot.robots.so_follower.robot_kinematic_processor import (
     ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE,
     InverseKinematicsEEToJoints,
 )
+from lerobot.scripts.lerobot_record import record_loop
 from lerobot.types import RobotAction, RobotObservation
-from lerobot.utils.constants import ACTION, OBS_STR
-from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import build_dataset_frame, combine_feature_dicts
-from lerobot.utils.robot_utils import precise_sleep
+from lerobot.utils.feature_utils import combine_feature_dicts
 from lerobot.utils.utils import log_say
-from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun, log_rerun_data
+from lerobot.utils.visualization_utils import init_rerun
 
 NUM_EPISODES = 5
 FPS = 30
@@ -54,9 +49,6 @@ HF_DATASET_ID = "<hf_username>/<dataset_repo_id>"
 
 
 def main():
-    # NOTE: For production policy deployment, use `lerobot-rollout` CLI instead.
-    # This script provides a self-contained example for educational purposes.
-
     # Create the robot configuration & robot
     camera_config = {"front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS)}
     robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
@@ -151,67 +143,43 @@ def main():
             raise ValueError("Robot is not connected!")
 
         print("Starting evaluate loop...")
-        control_interval = 1 / FPS
         episode_idx = 0
         for episode_idx in range(NUM_EPISODES):
             log_say(f"Running inference, recording eval episode {episode_idx + 1} of {NUM_EPISODES}")
 
-            # Inline evaluation loop: predict actions and send to robot
-            timestamp = 0
-            start_episode_t = time.perf_counter()
-            while timestamp < EPISODE_TIME_SEC:
-                start_loop_t = time.perf_counter()
-
-                if events["exit_early"]:
-                    events["exit_early"] = False
-                    break
-
-                # Get robot observation
-                obs = robot.get_observation()
-                obs_processed = robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor(obs)
-                observation_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, obs_processed, prefix=OBS_STR)
-
-                # Predict action using the policy
-                action_tensor = predict_action(
-                    observation=observation_frame,
-                    policy=policy,
-                    device=policy.config.device,
-                    preprocessor=preprocessor,
-                    postprocessor=postprocessor,
-                    use_amp=policy.config.device.type == "cuda",
-                    task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-                    robot_type=robot.name,
-                )
-
-                # Convert policy output to robot action dict
-                action_values = make_robot_action(action_tensor, dataset.features)
-
-                # Process and send action to robot (EE -> joints via IK)
-                robot_action_to_send = robot_ee_to_joints_processor((action_values, obs))
-                robot.send_action(robot_action_to_send)
-
-                # Write to dataset
-                action_frame = build_dataset_frame(dataset.features, action_values, prefix=ACTION)
-                frame = {**observation_frame, **action_frame, "task": TASK_DESCRIPTION}
-                dataset.add_frame(frame)
-
-                log_rerun_data(observation=obs_processed, action=action_values)
-
-                dt_s = time.perf_counter() - start_loop_t
-                sleep_time_s = control_interval - dt_s
-                if sleep_time_s < 0:
-                    logging.warning(
-                        f"Evaluate loop is running slower ({1 / dt_s:.1f} Hz) than the target FPS ({FPS} Hz)."
-                    )
-                precise_sleep(max(sleep_time_s, 0.0))
-                timestamp = time.perf_counter() - start_episode_t
+            # Main record loop
+            record_loop(
+                robot=robot,
+                events=events,
+                fps=FPS,
+                policy=policy,
+                preprocessor=preprocessor,  # Pass the pre and post policy processors
+                postprocessor=postprocessor,
+                dataset=dataset,
+                control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+            )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
             if not events["stop_recording"] and (
                 (episode_idx < NUM_EPISODES - 1) or events["rerecord_episode"]
             ):
                 log_say("Reset the environment")
-                log_say("Waiting for environment reset, press right arrow key when ready...")
+                record_loop(
+                    robot=robot,
+                    events=events,
+                    fps=FPS,
+                    control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
+                    single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
+                    display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=make_default_teleop_action_processor(),
+                    robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
+                    robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
+                )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:
                 log_say("Re-record episode")
@@ -222,6 +190,7 @@ def main():
 
             # Save episode
             dataset.save_episode()
+            episode_idx += 1
     finally:
         # Clean up
         log_say("Stop recording")

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/record.py

@@ -62,20 +62,21 @@ def main():
     follower = SO100Follower(follower_config)
     leader = SO100Leader(leader_config)
 
-    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo:
-    #   https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
+    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo: https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
     follower_kinematics_solver = RobotKinematics(
         urdf_path="./SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf",
         target_frame_name="gripper_frame_link",
         joint_names=list(follower.bus.motors.keys()),
     )
+
+    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo: https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
     leader_kinematics_solver = RobotKinematics(
         urdf_path="./SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf",
         target_frame_name="gripper_frame_link",
         joint_names=list(leader.bus.motors.keys()),
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert follower joints to EE observation.
+    # Build pipeline to convert follower joints to EE observation
     follower_joints_to_ee = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
         steps=[
             ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE(
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_observation,
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert leader joints to EE action.
+    # Build pipeline to convert leader joints to EE action
     leader_joints_to_ee = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
         steps=[
             ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE(
@@ -97,9 +98,9 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
     )
 
-    # Build pipeline to convert EE action to follower joints (with safety bounds).
+    # Build pipeline to convert EE action to follower joints
     ee_to_follower_joints = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
-        steps=[
+        [
             EEBoundsAndSafety(
                 end_effector_bounds={"min": [-1.0, -1.0, -1.0], "max": [1.0, 1.0, 1.0]},
                 max_ee_step_m=0.10,
@@ -114,12 +115,13 @@ def main():
         to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
     )
 
-    # Create the dataset, deriving features from the pipelines so the on-disk schema
-    # matches exactly what the pipelines produce at runtime.
+    # Create the dataset
     dataset = LeRobotDataset.create(
         repo_id=HF_REPO_ID,
         fps=FPS,
         features=combine_feature_dicts(
+            # Run the feature contract of the pipelines
+            # This tells you how the features would look like after the pipeline steps
             aggregate_pipeline_dataset_features(
                 pipeline=leader_joints_to_ee,
                 initial_features=create_initial_features(action=leader.action_features),
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ def main():
 
     # Initialize the keyboard listener and rerun visualization
     listener, events = init_keyboard_listener()
-    init_rerun(session_name="recording_so100_ee")
+    init_rerun(session_name="recording_phone")
 
     try:
         if not leader.is_connected or not follower.is_connected:
@@ -158,14 +160,14 @@ def main():
                 robot=follower,
                 events=events,
                 fps=FPS,
-                teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
-                robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
-                robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
                 teleop=leader,
                 dataset=dataset,
                 control_time_s=EPISODE_TIME_SEC,
                 single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                 display_data=True,
+                teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
+                robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
+                robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
             )
 
             # Reset the environment if not stopping or re-recording
@@ -177,13 +179,13 @@ def main():
                     robot=follower,
                     events=events,
                     fps=FPS,
-                    teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
-                    robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
-                    robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
                     teleop=leader,
                     control_time_s=RESET_TIME_SEC,
                     single_task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
                     display_data=True,
+                    teleop_action_processor=leader_joints_to_ee,
+                    robot_action_processor=ee_to_follower_joints,
+                    robot_observation_processor=follower_joints_to_ee,
                 )
 
             if events["rerecord_episode"]:

examples/so100_to_so100_EE/rollout.py

@@ -1,134 +0,0 @@
-# !/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright 2025 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-
-"""Run a trained EE-space policy on SO100 without recording (base rollout).
-
-Uses the rollout engine's :class:`BaseStrategy` (autonomous execution,
-no dataset) with :class:`SyncInferenceConfig` (inline policy call per
-control tick).  The custom observation/action processors convert between
-joint space (robot hardware) and end-effector space (policy I/O) via
-forward/inverse kinematics.
-"""
-
-from lerobot.cameras.opencv import OpenCVCameraConfig
-from lerobot.configs import PreTrainedConfig
-from lerobot.model.kinematics import RobotKinematics
-from lerobot.processor import (
-    RobotProcessorPipeline,
-    observation_to_transition,
-    robot_action_observation_to_transition,
-    transition_to_observation,
-    transition_to_robot_action,
-)
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO100Follower, SO100FollowerConfig
-from lerobot.robots.so_follower.robot_kinematic_processor import (
-    ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE,
-    InverseKinematicsEEToJoints,
-)
-from lerobot.rollout import BaseStrategyConfig, RolloutConfig, build_rollout_context
-from lerobot.rollout.inference import SyncInferenceConfig
-from lerobot.rollout.strategies import BaseStrategy
-from lerobot.types import RobotAction, RobotObservation
-from lerobot.utils.process import ProcessSignalHandler
-from lerobot.utils.utils import init_logging
-
-FPS = 30
-DURATION_SEC = 60
-TASK_DESCRIPTION = "My task description"
-HF_MODEL_ID = "<hf_username>/<model_repo_id>"
-
-
-def main():
-    init_logging()
-
-    # Robot configuration — the rollout engine will connect it inside build_rollout_context.
-    camera_config = {"front": OpenCVCameraConfig(index_or_path=0, width=640, height=480, fps=FPS)}
-    robot_config = SO100FollowerConfig(
-        port="/dev/tty.usbmodem5A460814411",
-        id="my_awesome_follower_arm",
-        cameras=camera_config,
-        use_degrees=True,
-    )
-
-    # Kinematic solver: we need the motor-name list, so peek at the robot once.
-    # (The rollout engine owns the connected instance; we only use this for introspection.)
-    temp_robot = SO100Follower(robot_config)
-    motor_names = list(temp_robot.bus.motors.keys())
-
-    # NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the urdf in the SO-ARM100 repo:
-    #   https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100/blob/main/Simulation/SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf
-    kinematics_solver = RobotKinematics(
-        urdf_path="./SO101/so101_new_calib.urdf",
-        target_frame_name="gripper_frame_link",
-        joint_names=motor_names,
-    )
-
-    # Joint-space observation → EE-space observation (consumed by the policy).
-    robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[RobotObservation, RobotObservation](
-        steps=[ForwardKinematicsJointsToEE(kinematics=kinematics_solver, motor_names=motor_names)],
-        to_transition=observation_to_transition,
-        to_output=transition_to_observation,
-    )
-
-    # EE-space action (produced by the policy) → joint-space action (sent to robot).
-    robot_ee_to_joints_processor = RobotProcessorPipeline[tuple[RobotAction, RobotObservation], RobotAction](
-        steps=[
-            InverseKinematicsEEToJoints(
-                kinematics=kinematics_solver,
-                motor_names=motor_names,
-                initial_guess_current_joints=True,
-            ),
-        ],
-        to_transition=robot_action_observation_to_transition,
-        to_output=transition_to_robot_action,
-    )
-
-    # Policy config (full model is loaded inside build_rollout_context).
-    policy_config = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(HF_MODEL_ID)
-    policy_config.pretrained_path = HF_MODEL_ID
-
-    cfg = RolloutConfig(
-        robot=robot_config,
-        policy=policy_config,
-        strategy=BaseStrategyConfig(),
-        inference=SyncInferenceConfig(),
-        fps=FPS,
-        duration=DURATION_SEC,
-        task=TASK_DESCRIPTION,
-    )
-
-    signal_handler = ProcessSignalHandler(use_threads=True)
-
-    # Pass the EE kinematic processors via kwargs; the defaults (identity) would
-    # otherwise skip the joint↔EE conversion and the policy would receive the
-    # wrong observation/action space.
-    ctx = build_rollout_context(
-        cfg,
-        signal_handler.shutdown_event,
-        robot_action_processor=robot_ee_to_joints_processor,
-        robot_observation_processor=robot_joints_to_ee_pose_processor,
-    )
-
-    strategy = BaseStrategy(cfg.strategy)
-    try:
-        strategy.setup(ctx)
-        strategy.run(ctx)
-    finally:
-        strategy.teardown(ctx)
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

examples/tutorial/rl/hilserl_example.py

@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from queue import Empty, Full
 
 import torch
+import torch.optim as optim
 
 from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset
 from lerobot.envs.configs import HILSerlProcessorConfig, HILSerlRobotEnvConfig
-from lerobot.policies import GaussianActorConfig
-from lerobot.policies.gaussian_actor.modeling_gaussian_actor import GaussianActorPolicy
-from lerobot.rewards.classifier.modeling_classifier import Classifier
-from lerobot.rl.algorithms.sac import SACAlgorithm, SACAlgorithmConfig
+from lerobot.policies import SACConfig
+from lerobot.policies.sac.modeling_sac import SACPolicy
+from lerobot.policies.sac.reward_model.modeling_classifier import Classifier
 from lerobot.rl.buffer import ReplayBuffer
 from lerobot.rl.gym_manipulator import make_robot_env
 from lerobot.robots.so_follower import SO100FollowerConfig
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def run_learner(
     transitions_queue: mp.Queue,
     parameters_queue: mp.Queue,
     shutdown_event: mp.Event,
-    policy_learner: GaussianActorPolicy,
+    policy_learner: SACPolicy,
     online_buffer: ReplayBuffer,
     offline_buffer: ReplayBuffer,
     lr: float = 3e-4,
@@ -40,9 +40,8 @@ def run_learner(
     policy_learner.train()
     policy_learner.to(device)
 
-    algo_config = SACAlgorithmConfig.from_policy_config(policy_learner.config)
-    algorithm = SACAlgorithm(policy=policy_learner, config=algo_config)
-    algorithm.make_optimizers_and_scheduler()
+    # Create Adam optimizer from scratch - simple and clean
+    optimizer = optim.Adam(policy_learner.parameters(), lr=lr)
 
     print(f"[LEARNER] Online buffer capacity: {online_buffer.capacity}")
     print(f"[LEARNER] Offline buffer capacity: {offline_buffer.capacity}")
@@ -84,26 +83,24 @@ def run_learner(
                 else:
                     batch[key] = online_batch[key]
 
-            def batch_iter(b=batch):
-                while True:
-                    yield b
+            loss, _ = policy_learner.forward(batch)
 
-            stats = algorithm.update(batch_iter())
+            optimizer.zero_grad()
+            loss.backward()
+            optimizer.step()
             training_step += 1
 
             if training_step % LOG_EVERY == 0:
-                log_dict = stats.to_log_dict()
                 print(
-                    f"[LEARNER] Training step {training_step}, "
-                    f"critic_loss: {log_dict.get('critic', 'N/A'):.4f}, "
+                    f"[LEARNER] Training step {training_step}, Loss: {loss.item():.4f}, "
                     f"Buffers: Online={len(online_buffer)}, Offline={len(offline_buffer)}"
                 )
 
             # Send updated parameters to actor every 10 training steps
             if training_step % SEND_EVERY == 0:
                 try:
-                    weights = algorithm.get_weights()
-                    parameters_queue.put_nowait(weights)
+                    state_dict = {k: v.cpu() for k, v in policy_learner.state_dict().items()}
+                    parameters_queue.put_nowait(state_dict)
                     print("[LEARNER] Sent updated parameters to actor")
                 except Full:
                     # Missing write due to queue not being consumed (should happen rarely)
@@ -116,7 +113,7 @@ def run_actor(
     transitions_queue: mp.Queue,
     parameters_queue: mp.Queue,
     shutdown_event: mp.Event,
-    policy_actor: GaussianActorPolicy,
+    policy_actor: SACPolicy,
     reward_classifier: Classifier,
     env_cfg: HILSerlRobotEnvConfig,
     device: torch.device = "mps",
@@ -147,15 +144,15 @@ def run_actor(
 
             while step < MAX_STEPS_PER_EPISODE and not shutdown_event.is_set():
                 try:
-                    new_weights = parameters_queue.get_nowait()
-                    policy_actor.load_state_dict(new_weights)
+                    new_params = parameters_queue.get_nowait()
+                    policy_actor.load_state_dict(new_params)
                     print("[ACTOR] Updated policy parameters from learner")
                 except Empty:  # No new updated parameters available from learner, waiting
                     pass
 
-                # Get action from policy (returns full action: continuous + discrete)
+                # Get action from policy
                 policy_obs = make_policy_obs(obs, device=device)
-                action_tensor = policy_actor.select_action(policy_obs)
+                action_tensor = policy_actor.select_action(policy_obs)  # predicts a single action
                 action = action_tensor.squeeze(0).cpu().numpy()
 
                 # Step environment
@@ -264,14 +261,14 @@ def main():
     action_features = hw_to_dataset_features(env.robot.action_features, "action")
 
     # Create SAC policy for action selection
-    policy_cfg = GaussianActorConfig(
+    policy_cfg = SACConfig(
         device=device,
         input_features=obs_features,
         output_features=action_features,
     )
 
-    policy_actor = GaussianActorPolicy(policy_cfg)
-    policy_learner = GaussianActorPolicy(policy_cfg)
+    policy_actor = SACPolicy(policy_cfg)
+    policy_learner = SACPolicy(policy_cfg)
 
     demonstrations_repo_id = "lerobot/example_hil_serl_dataset"
     offline_dataset = LeRobotDataset(repo_id=demonstrations_repo_id)

examples/tutorial/rl/reward_classifier_example.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import torch
 
 from lerobot.datasets import LeRobotDataset
-from lerobot.rewards import RewardClassifierConfig, make_reward_model, make_reward_pre_post_processors
+from lerobot.policies import RewardClassifierConfig, make_policy, make_pre_post_processors
 
 
 def main():
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ def main():
         model_name="microsoft/resnet-18",
     )
 
-    # Make reward model, preprocessor, and optimizer
-    reward_model = make_reward_model(config, dataset_stats=dataset.meta.stats)
-    optimizer = config.get_optimizer_preset().build(reward_model.parameters())
-    preprocessor, _ = make_reward_pre_post_processors(config, dataset_stats=dataset.meta.stats)
+    # Make policy, preprocessor, and optimizer
+    policy = make_policy(config, ds_meta=dataset.meta)
+    optimizer = config.get_optimizer_preset().build(policy.parameters())
+    preprocessor, _ = make_pre_post_processors(policy_cfg=config, dataset_stats=dataset.meta.stats)
 
     classifier_id = "<user>/reward_classifier_hil_serl_example"
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def main():
             batch = preprocessor(batch)
 
             # Forward pass
-            loss, output_dict = reward_model.forward(batch)
+            loss, output_dict = policy.forward(batch)
 
             # Backward pass and optimization
             optimizer.zero_grad()
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ def main():
 
     print("Training finished!")
 
-    # You can now save the trained reward model.
-    reward_model.push_to_hub(classifier_id)
+    # You can now save the trained policy.
+    policy.push_to_hub(classifier_id)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

pyproject.toml

@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ keywords = ["lerobot", "huggingface", "robotics",  "machine learning", "artifici
 
 dependencies = [
     # Core ML
-    "torch>=2.7,<2.12.0",
-    "torchvision>=0.22.0,<0.27.0",
+    "torch>=2.7,<2.11.0",
+    "torchvision>=0.22.0,<0.26.0",
     "numpy>=2.0.0,<2.3.0", # NOTE: Explicitly listing numpy helps the resolver converge faster. Upper bound imposed by opencv-python-headless.
     "opencv-python-headless>=4.9.0,<4.14.0",
     "Pillow>=10.0.0,<13.0.0",
@@ -99,18 +99,7 @@ dataset = [
     "pandas>=2.0.0,<3.0.0", # NOTE: Transitive dependency of datasets
     "pyarrow>=21.0.0,<30.0.0", # NOTE: Transitive dependency of datasets
     "lerobot[av-dep]",
-
-    # NOTE: torchcodec wheel availability matrix (PyPI):
-    #   - linux x86_64/amd64 + macOS arm64 : wheels since 0.3.0 (the historic supported set).
-    #   - win32 x86_64                     : wheels since 0.7.0  (needs torch>=2.8).
-    #   - linux aarch64/arm64              : wheels since 0.11.0 (needs torch>=2.11).
-    #   - macOS x86_64 (Intel) and linux armv7l: no wheels in any released version -> fall through to the PyAV decoder.
-    # Each platform gets its own line so the resolver picks the minimum version that has a wheel for it.
-
-    # Other torch/torchcodec pairings (informational): 0.8.1 = ffmpeg>=8 support, 0.10 = system-wide ffmpeg support, 0.12 needs torch==2.12.
-    "torchcodec>=0.3.0,<0.12.0; (sys_platform == 'linux' and (platform_machine == 'x86_64' or platform_machine == 'AMD64')) or (sys_platform == 'darwin' and platform_machine == 'arm64')",
-    "torchcodec>=0.7.0,<0.12.0; sys_platform == 'win32'",
-    "torchcodec>=0.11.0,<0.12.0; sys_platform == 'linux' and (platform_machine == 'aarch64' or platform_machine == 'arm64')",
+    "torchcodec>=0.3.0,<0.11.0; sys_platform != 'win32' and (sys_platform != 'linux' or (platform_machine != 'aarch64' and platform_machine != 'arm64' and platform_machine != 'armv7l')) and (sys_platform != 'darwin' or platform_machine != 'x86_64')", # NOTE: Windows support starts at version 0.7 (needs torch==2.8), ffmpeg>=8 support starts at version 0.8.1 (needs torch==2.9), system-wide ffmpeg support starts at version 0.10 (needs torch==2.10).
     "jsonlines>=4.0.0,<5.0.0",
 ]
 training = [
@@ -138,10 +127,8 @@ dataset_viz = ["lerobot[dataset]", "lerobot[viz]"]
 # Common
 av-dep = ["av>=15.0.0,<16.0.0"]
 pygame-dep = ["pygame>=2.5.1,<2.7.0"]
-# NOTE: 0.9.16 links against liburdfdom_sensor.so.4, which is unavailable on Ubuntu 24.04
-# (noble ships urdfdom 3.x). Cap below 0.9.16 until system urdfdom 4.x is broadly available.
-placo-dep = ["placo>=0.9.6,<0.9.16"]
-transformers-dep = ["transformers>=5.4.0,<5.6.0"]
+placo-dep = ["placo>=0.9.6,<0.9.17"]
+transformers-dep = ["transformers==5.3.0"] # TODO(Steven): https://github.com/huggingface/lerobot/pull/3249
 grpcio-dep = ["grpcio==1.73.1", "protobuf>=6.31.1,<6.32.0"]
 can-dep = ["python-can>=4.2.0,<5.0.0"]
 peft-dep = ["peft>=0.18.0,<1.0.0"]
@@ -153,8 +140,6 @@ pyserial-dep = ["pyserial>=3.5,<4.0"]
 deepdiff-dep = ["deepdiff>=7.0.1,<9.0.0"]
 pynput-dep = ["pynput>=1.7.8,<1.9.0"]
 pyzmq-dep = ["pyzmq>=26.2.1,<28.0.0"]
-motorbridge-dep = ["motorbridge>=0.3.2,<0.4.0"]
-motorbridge-smart-servo-dep = ["motorbridge-smart-servo>=0.0.4,<0.1.0"]
 
 # Motors
 feetech = ["feetech-servo-sdk>=1.0.0,<2.0.0", "lerobot[pyserial-dep]", "lerobot[deepdiff-dep]"]
@@ -178,9 +163,6 @@ unitree_g1 = [
     "lerobot[pygame-dep]",
 ]
 reachy2 = ["reachy2_sdk>=1.0.15,<1.1.0"]
-# Seeed Studio reBot B601-DM follower (motorbridge / CAN) + StarArm102 / reBot Arm 102
-# leader (motorbridge-smart-servo / FashionStar UART servos).
-rebot = ["lerobot[motorbridge-dep]", "lerobot[motorbridge-smart-servo-dep]"]
 kinematics = ["lerobot[placo-dep]"]
 intelrealsense = [
     "pyrealsense2>=2.55.1.6486,<2.57.0 ; sys_platform != 'darwin'",
@@ -212,13 +194,29 @@ groot = [
 ]
 sarm = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]", "pydantic>=2.0.0,<3.0.0", "faker>=33.0.0,<35.0.0", "lerobot[matplotlib-dep]", "lerobot[qwen-vl-utils-dep]"]
 xvla = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]"]
-eo1 = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]", "lerobot[qwen-vl-utils-dep]"]
-hilserl = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]", "lerobot[dataset]", "gym-hil>=0.1.13,<0.2.0", "lerobot[grpcio-dep]", "lerobot[placo-dep]"]
+hilserl = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]", "gym-hil>=0.1.13,<0.2.0", "lerobot[grpcio-dep]", "lerobot[placo-dep]"]
 
 # Features
 async = ["lerobot[grpcio-dep]", "lerobot[matplotlib-dep]"]
 peft = ["lerobot[transformers-dep]", "lerobot[peft-dep]"]
 
+# Annotation pipeline (lerobot-annotate). datatrove is mandatory; vllm is
+# the preferred backend on Linux, with a transformers fallback elsewhere.
+annotations = [
+    "lerobot[dataset]",
+    "lerobot[transformers-dep]",
+    "datatrove>=0.4.0,<2.0.0",
+    "vllm>=0.6.0,<1.0.0; sys_platform == 'linux'",
+]
+
+# Tool implementations under src/lerobot/tools/. Each tool's dependencies
+# are isolated so adding a new tool doesn't bloat the base install.
+# Currently only `say` (Kyutai pocket-tts; CPU-only, ~100M params).
+tools = [
+    "pocket-tts>=0.1.0,<1.0.0",
+    "scipy>=1.11.0,<2.0.0",  # SayTool.output_dir uses scipy.io.wavfile
+]
+
 # Development
 dev = ["pre-commit>=3.7.0,<5.0.0", "debugpy>=1.8.1,<1.9.0", "lerobot[grpcio-dep]", "grpcio-tools==1.73.1", "mypy>=1.19.1", "ruff>=0.14.1", "lerobot[notebook]"]
 notebook = ["jupyter>=1.0.0,<2.0.0", "ipykernel>=6.0.0,<7.0.0"]
@@ -267,7 +265,6 @@ all = [
     "lerobot[lekiwi]",
     "lerobot[openarms]",
     "lerobot[reachy2]",
-    "lerobot[rebot]",
     "lerobot[kinematics]",
     "lerobot[intelrealsense]",
     "lerobot[diffusion]",
@@ -309,25 +306,11 @@ lerobot-find-joint-limits="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_find_joint_limits:main"
 lerobot-imgtransform-viz="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_imgtransform_viz:main"
 lerobot-edit-dataset="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_edit_dataset:main"
 lerobot-setup-can="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_setup_can:main"
-lerobot-rollout="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_rollout:main"
+lerobot-annotate="lerobot.scripts.lerobot_annotate:main"
 
 # ---------------- Tool Configurations ----------------
-
-# cu128 wheels keep broad hardware reach; the driver floor is 570.86.
-# To use a different CUDA variant, reinstall torch with an explicit index, e.g.:
-#   uv pip install --force-reinstall torch torchvision \
-#       --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu130
-[[tool.uv.index]]
-name = "pytorch-cu128"
-url = "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu128"
-explicit = true
-
-[tool.uv.sources]
-torch = [{ index = "pytorch-cu128", marker = "sys_platform == 'linux'" }]
-torchvision = [{ index = "pytorch-cu128", marker = "sys_platform == 'linux'" }]
-
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
-lerobot = ["envs/*.json"]
+lerobot = ["envs/*.json", "annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/*.txt"]
 
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
 where = ["src"]

src/lerobot/annotations/__init__.py

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
 # Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -11,10 +13,3 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-
-from .sac import SACAlgorithm, SACAlgorithmConfig
-
-__all__ = [
-    "SACAlgorithm",
-    "SACAlgorithmConfig",
-]

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Steerable annotation pipeline producing ``language_persistent`` and
+``language_events`` columns for LeRobot datasets.
+
+The pipeline is decomposed into three independently runnable modules whose
+outputs are staged per-episode before a final parquet rewrite:
+
+- :mod:`.modules.plan_subtasks_memory` (Module 1) — persistent styles
+- :mod:`.modules.interjections_and_speech` (Module 2) — event styles + speech
+- :mod:`.modules.general_vqa` (Module 3) — event-style VQA pairs
+"""
+
+from .config import AnnotationPipelineConfig
+from .validator import StagingValidator, ValidationReport
+from .writer import LanguageColumnsWriter
+
+__all__ = [
+    "AnnotationPipelineConfig",
+    "LanguageColumnsWriter",
+    "StagingValidator",
+    "ValidationReport",
+]

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/config.py

@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Module1Config:
+    """Module 1 hyperparameters: plan + subtasks + memory + task augmentation.
+
+    Subtask decomposition sees the **whole episode** as one Qwen-VL video
+    block — no keyframe stride or count: the model handles temporal pooling
+    itself and decides where to cut. ``max_video_frames`` only caps the
+    number of frames packed into the video block (a model-capacity bound,
+    not an annotation-logic knob).
+    """
+
+    enabled: bool = True
+    n_task_rephrasings: int = 10
+    """Number of task rephrasings to generate at ``t=0`` as ``task_aug``
+    persistent rows (PR 1 ``CORE_STYLES``). The renderer's ``${task}``
+    binding rotates among them deterministically per ``sample_idx``,
+    realizing Xiao 2022 / CAST-style task-prompt diversity without
+    touching ``meta/tasks.parquet``. Set to 0 to disable."""
+    derive_task_from_video: str = "if_short"
+    """When to bypass the user-provided ``record.episode_task`` and
+    derive a fresh task description from the episode video alone:
+
+    - ``off``       never; always use the canonical task as the basis.
+    - ``if_short``  derive when the canonical task is empty, has fewer
+                    than ``derive_task_min_words`` words, or matches a
+                    placeholder string (``debug``, ``unnamed``, ``tbd``,
+                    ...). Default — fixes noisy / placeholder tasks
+                    without forcing derivation everywhere.
+    - ``always``    ignore the canonical task entirely; always derive
+                    from the video. Useful when the dataset's task
+                    labels are uniformly bad.
+
+    The video-derived task replaces the canonical task as the basis for
+    subtask decomposition, plan, memory, AND the ``task_aug`` rephrasings,
+    so every downstream annotation is grounded in what's actually visible.
+    ``meta/tasks.parquet`` is NOT modified — the Module-1-derived task
+    only lives in ``language_persistent`` rows."""
+    derive_task_min_words: int = 3
+    """Word-count threshold for ``derive_task_from_video=if_short``."""
+    frames_per_second: float = 1.0
+    """Sample one image-frame per ``1/fps`` seconds across the episode for
+    Module 1's subtask-decomposition prompt. ``1.0`` = 1 fps. Capped by
+    ``max_video_frames`` to avoid blowing up the request payload."""
+    max_video_frames: int = 128
+    """Hard cap on the number of frames Module 1 sends. With ``fps=1`` and
+    a 30 s episode this yields 30 frames. Bumped from 32 since each frame
+    is small (~30-100 KB PNG when base64'd)."""
+    min_subtask_seconds: float = 1.5
+    plan_max_steps: int = 8
+    use_video_url: bool = False
+    """When True (and backend supports it, e.g. ``openai``), Module 1
+    sends a ``video_url`` content block pointing at the episode's mp4
+    file instead of pre-decoded frames. Lets the server sample frames at
+    its own ``fps`` — no in-process conv3d cost. The video file is
+    extracted as a per-episode subclip to ``staging/.video_clips/`` so
+    the model sees only this episode's frames."""
+    use_video_url_fps: float = 1.0
+    """Frame-rate hint to send to the server (mm_processor_kwargs.fps).
+    Only used when ``use_video_url=True``. ``1.0`` = sample 1 frame per
+    second, which is plenty for subtask-boundary detection on most
+    manipulation episodes."""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Module2Config:
+    """Module 2 hyperparameters: interjections + paired speech."""
+
+    enabled: bool = True
+    max_interjections_per_episode: int = 3
+    """Number of mid-episode interjections to generate per episode. Each
+    creates a paired ``(interjection, speech)`` event row plus triggers a
+    ``plan`` refresh at the same timestamp via Module 1. Bumped from the
+    original ``1`` after qwen36moe-10 showed plan/interjection coverage
+    was too sparse for Hi Robot-style training."""
+    interjection_min_t: float = 2.0
+    interjection_window_seconds: float = 2.0
+    """How many seconds of video to attach to the interjection prompt as
+    visual context. Without this the VLM only sees a single frozen frame
+    and writes generic interjections that aren't grounded in the actual
+    motion happening at the chosen timestamp."""
+    interjection_window_frames: int = 4
+    """How many frames to sample over ``interjection_window_seconds``.
+    Default 4 ⇒ ~0.5 fps over the leading 2 seconds — enough for the
+    model to read the ongoing motion, cheap enough to keep prompt size
+    bounded for the 32k context."""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Module3Config:
+    """Module 3 hyperparameters: general VQA."""
+
+    enabled: bool = True
+    vqa_emission_hz: float = 1.0
+    K: int = 3
+    question_types: tuple[str, ...] = ("bbox", "keypoint", "count", "attribute", "spatial")
+
+
+@dataclass
+class VlmConfig:
+    """Shared Qwen-VL client configuration."""
+
+    backend: str = "openai"
+    """One of ``vllm``, ``transformers``, ``openai``, or ``stub`` (tests only).
+
+    Default ``openai`` talks to a local OpenAI-compatible server (vllm /
+    transformers) which the CLI auto-spawns when ``auto_serve=True``."""
+    model_id: str = "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-7B-Instruct"
+    api_base: str = "http://localhost:8000/v1"
+    """Base URL for the ``openai`` backend."""
+    api_key: str = "EMPTY"
+    """API key for the ``openai`` backend; ``EMPTY`` works for local servers."""
+    auto_serve: bool = True
+    """When True with ``backend=openai``, the CLI probes ``api_base``
+    first; if no server answers, it spawns one (default:
+    ``transformers serve``), waits for it to be ready, runs the
+    pipeline, and tears it down on exit. Default ``True`` so a single
+    ``lerobot-annotate`` call can drive the whole flow. Set to ``False``
+    if you want to fail fast when no server is reachable (e.g. you're
+    pointing at a remote endpoint that should already be up)."""
+    serve_port: int = 8000
+    """Port the auto-spawned server binds to. Sets ``api_base`` automatically."""
+    serve_command: str | None = None
+    """Override the auto-serve command (full shell command). When ``None``,
+    we run ``transformers serve <model_id> --port <serve_port> --continuous-batching``.
+
+    When ``parallel_servers > 1``, the literal ``{port}`` placeholder in
+    this command (if present) is substituted per-replica."""
+    parallel_servers: int = 1
+    """When >1, spawn this many independent inference servers (each pinned
+    to a GPU via ``CUDA_VISIBLE_DEVICES`` and listening on
+    ``serve_port + i``) and round-robin client requests across them.
+    Useful when DP/TP NCCL setup is broken on the node — single-GPU
+    replicas don't need cross-GPU communication. When
+    ``parallel_servers > num_gpus``, replicas are round-robin-assigned
+    to GPUs (e.g. 4 replicas on 2 GPUs → 0,1,0,1)."""
+    num_gpus: int = 0
+    """How many physical GPUs are available for round-robin replica
+    placement. ``0`` means ``parallel_servers`` (one GPU per replica,
+    backward-compatible default). Set this to ``2`` with
+    ``parallel_servers=4`` to pack 2 replicas per GPU."""
+    client_concurrency: int = 16
+    """Maximum number of in-flight chat requests the client issues in
+    parallel. vllm batches them internally for free, so bumping this
+    typically gives big throughput wins on a single TP=1 server. Set to
+    ``1`` for strict serial calls."""
+    serve_ready_timeout_s: float = 600.0
+    """Max seconds to wait for the server to start serving requests."""
+    max_new_tokens: int = 512
+    temperature: float = 0.2
+    json_mode: bool = True
+    batch_size: int = 4
+    tensor_parallel_size: int = 1
+    gpu_memory_utilization: float = 0.9
+    """Fraction of GPU memory vllm allocates for weights + KV cache.
+    Lower (e.g. 0.7) when the vision encoder needs cuDNN workspace, or to
+    avoid CUDNN_STATUS_NOT_INITIALIZED on tight VRAM (30B BF16 on 80 GB)."""
+    max_model_len: int | None = None
+    """Cap context length. ``None`` keeps the model's default; on H100 80 GB
+    a 30B BF16 model often needs ``max_model_len=8192`` or smaller to leave
+    room for KV cache."""
+    trust_remote_code: bool = False
+    """Pass ``trust_remote_code`` to HF auto-classes. Default ``False`` —
+    only enable for models that actually ship custom code in their repo
+    (rare for first-class VL releases). On Qwen3-VL it triggers an
+    std::bad_alloc post-load even though the official transformers class
+    is sufficient, so leaving this off is safest."""
+    camera_key: str | None = None
+    """Override the camera stream used for keyframe attachment. ``None`` picks
+    the first ``observation.images.*`` key the dataset declares."""
+    chat_template_kwargs: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+    """Forwarded as ``extra_body.chat_template_kwargs`` on every chat call.
+    Use this to pass model-specific template flags such as
+    ``{"enable_thinking": false}`` for Qwen3.5/Qwen3.6 to suppress the
+    reasoning preamble that otherwise eats the entire ``max_new_tokens``
+    budget before any JSON is emitted."""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ExecutorConfig:
+    """Executor selection and SLURM hyperparameters."""
+
+    auto_threshold: int = 32
+    force_local: bool = False
+    slurm_partition: str | None = None
+    slurm_gpus: int = 1
+    slurm_time: str = "06:00:00"
+    workers: int = 1
+    episode_parallelism: int = 16
+    """Number of episodes processed concurrently within each module phase.
+    Each in-flight episode sends 3–5 dependent VLM calls; bumping this is
+    how you actually saturate ``parallel_servers`` and ``client_concurrency``
+    — without it, the executor loops one episode at a time and the
+    inference servers sit ~90% idle. Set to ``1`` for strict serial
+    execution."""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class AnnotationPipelineConfig:
+    """Top-level config for ``lerobot-annotate``.
+
+    Mirrors the structure of :class:`lerobot.configs.train.TrainPipelineConfig`:
+    a draccus-parsed dataclass that contains nested per-module sub-configs and
+    leaves the dataset, executor, and VLM choices independently knobbable.
+
+    Output is always in-place: the writer rewrites ``data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet``
+    in place. Multiple revisions of the same dataset live in separate copies.
+    """
+
+    repo_id: str | None = None
+    root: Path | None = None
+
+    staging_dir: Path | None = None
+    """If unset, defaults to ``<root>/.annotate_staging/``."""
+
+    seed: int = 1729
+
+    module_1: Module1Config = field(default_factory=Module1Config)
+    module_2: Module2Config = field(default_factory=Module2Config)
+    module_3: Module3Config = field(default_factory=Module3Config)
+
+    vlm: VlmConfig = field(default_factory=VlmConfig)
+    executor: ExecutorConfig = field(default_factory=ExecutorConfig)
+
+    skip_validation: bool = False
+    only_episodes: tuple[int, ...] | None = None
+
+    push_to_hub: str | None = None
+    """If set, after the pipeline completes, upload the annotated dataset
+    root to the Hugging Face Hub as a dataset repo with this id (e.g.
+    ``pepijn/super_poulain_steerable``). Creates the repo if missing."""
+    push_private: bool = False
+    """When ``push_to_hub`` is set, create the repo as private."""
+    push_commit_message: str | None = None
+    """Override the commit message used for the hub upload."""
+
+    def resolved_staging_dir(self, root: Path) -> Path:
+        return self.staging_dir if self.staging_dir is not None else root / ".annotate_staging"

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/executor.py

@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Executor selection: local vs SLURM via datatrove.
+
+The executor plans **four phases** with the dependency order from the plan:
+
+    phase 1: Module 1 (plan + subtasks + memory)
+    phase 2: Module 2 (interjections + speech)
+    phase 3: Module 1 plan-update pass — re-runs plan emission at every
+             interjection timestamp produced by phase 2
+    phase 4: Module 3 (VQA)
+    phase 5: validator
+    phase 6: writer
+
+Phase 3 is why ``executor.py`` documents the dependency: Module 1 must be
+re-entered after Module 2 to refresh ``plan`` rows at interjection times.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+from .config import AnnotationPipelineConfig, ExecutorConfig
+from .reader import EpisodeRecord, iter_episodes
+from .staging import EpisodeStaging
+from .validator import StagingValidator
+from .writer import LanguageColumnsWriter
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class PhaseResult:
+    """Summary of one pipeline phase across all episodes."""
+
+    name: str
+    episodes_processed: int
+    episodes_skipped: int
+
+
+@dataclass
+class PipelineRunSummary:
+    """Aggregated result returned by :meth:`Executor.run`."""
+
+    phases: list[PhaseResult]
+    written_paths: list[Path]
+    validation_report: Any  # ValidationReport, kept Any to avoid import cycle
+
+
+def select_executor_class(num_episodes: int, config: ExecutorConfig) -> str:
+    """Return ``"local"`` or ``"slurm"`` based on the threshold.
+
+    The plan's "executor selection threshold" lives in
+    :class:`ExecutorConfig.auto_threshold`. ``force_local`` always wins.
+    """
+    if config.force_local:
+        return "local"
+    return "local" if num_episodes <= config.auto_threshold else "slurm"
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Executor:
+    """Run all four phases over a dataset root.
+
+    The executor is intentionally framework-agnostic: by default it runs the
+    phases inline (suitable for tests, small datasets, and the CLI's
+    ``--force-local`` mode). It will optionally hand off to datatrove's
+    :class:`LocalPipelineExecutor` or :class:`SlurmPipelineExecutor` when those
+    are installed and the dataset is large enough to benefit from them.
+
+    Tests construct the executor directly with stub modules.
+    """
+
+    config: AnnotationPipelineConfig
+    module_1: Any  # PlanSubtasksMemoryModule
+    module_2: Any  # InterjectionsAndSpeechModule
+    module_3: Any  # GeneralVqaModule
+    writer: LanguageColumnsWriter
+    validator: StagingValidator
+
+    def run(self, root: Path) -> PipelineRunSummary:
+        records = list(iter_episodes(root, only_episodes=self.config.only_episodes))
+        n = len(records)
+        if n == 0:
+            raise ValueError(f"No episodes found under {root}/data/")
+
+        executor_kind = select_executor_class(n, self.config.executor)
+        print(f"[annotate] {n} episodes total; executor={executor_kind}", flush=True)
+
+        staging_dir = self.config.resolved_staging_dir(root)
+        staging_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+        phases: list[PhaseResult] = []
+
+        # Phase 1: Module 1 (plan + subtasks + memory)
+        phases.append(self._run_module_phase("module_1", records, staging_dir, self.module_1))
+        # Phase 2: Module 2 (interjections + speech). Module 2 reads
+        # Module 1's subtask rows from the same staging tree to ground
+        # the interjection prompt in the correct local subtask.
+        phases.append(self._run_module_phase("module_2", records, staging_dir, self.module_2))
+        # Phase 3: Module 1 plan-update pass at interjection timestamps.
+        phases.append(self._run_plan_update_phase(records, staging_dir))
+        # Phase 4: Module 3 (VQA)
+        phases.append(self._run_module_phase("module_3", records, staging_dir, self.module_3))
+
+        print("[annotate] running validator...", flush=True)
+        report = self.validator.validate(records, staging_dir)
+        if not report.ok and not self.config.skip_validation:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"Staging validation failed: {report.summary()}")
+        print(f"[annotate] validator: {report.summary()}", flush=True)
+
+        print(f"[annotate] writing parquet shards into {root}/data/...", flush=True)
+        written = self.writer.write_all(records, staging_dir, root)
+        print(f"[annotate] wrote {len(written)} shard(s); pipeline complete", flush=True)
+
+        # Persist the tool catalog to meta/info.json so chat-template
+        # consumers (PR 3 SmolVLA2 / Pi0.5 / dataset visualizer) can read
+        # it via ``LeRobotDatasetMetadata.tools`` (PR 1). Idempotent and
+        # additive: anything the user pre-populated is preserved; we only
+        # ensure the canonical ``say`` schema is present.
+        self._ensure_tools_in_info(root)
+
+        return PipelineRunSummary(phases=phases, written_paths=written, validation_report=report)
+
+    def _ensure_tools_in_info(self, root: Path) -> None:
+        """Write ``meta/info.json["tools"]`` if missing the canonical ``say``.
+
+        Reads any user-declared tools already in ``info.json`` and merges
+        the canonical ``SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA`` into the list (deduped by
+        ``function.name``). Writes back to disk only if the list
+        changed.
+        """
+        import json  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        from lerobot.datasets.language import SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        info_path = root / "meta" / "info.json"
+        if not info_path.exists():
+            return
+        try:
+            info = json.loads(info_path.read_text())
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+            print(f"[annotate] could not read {info_path}: {exc}", flush=True)
+            return
+
+        existing = info.get("tools")
+        if not isinstance(existing, list):
+            existing = []
+        names = {
+            (t.get("function") or {}).get("name")
+            for t in existing
+            if isinstance(t, dict)
+        }
+        merged = list(existing)
+        if SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA["function"]["name"] not in names:
+            merged.append(SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA)
+        if merged != existing:
+            info["tools"] = merged
+            info_path.write_text(json.dumps(info, indent=2))
+            print(
+                f"[annotate] meta/info.json: tools={[t['function']['name'] for t in merged]}",
+                flush=True,
+            )
+
+    def _run_module_phase(
+        self,
+        name: str,
+        records: list[EpisodeRecord],
+        staging_dir: Path,
+        module: Any,
+    ) -> PhaseResult:
+        import time as _time  # noqa: PLC0415
+        from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        if not module.enabled:
+            print(f"[annotate] phase={name} skipped (module disabled)", flush=True)
+            return PhaseResult(name=name, episodes_processed=0, episodes_skipped=len(records))
+        n = len(records)
+        parallelism = max(1, min(self.config.executor.episode_parallelism, n))
+        print(
+            f"[annotate] phase={name} starting on {n} episode(s) "
+            f"(parallelism={parallelism})",
+            flush=True,
+        )
+        t0 = _time.time()
+
+        def _do(idx_record: tuple[int, EpisodeRecord]) -> tuple[int, int, float]:
+            i, record = idx_record
+            ep_start = _time.time()
+            staging = EpisodeStaging(staging_dir, record.episode_index)
+            module.run_episode(record, staging)
+            return i, record.episode_index, _time.time() - ep_start
+
+        processed = 0
+        if parallelism == 1:
+            for i, record in enumerate(records, 1):
+                _, ep_idx, elapsed = _do((i, record))
+                processed += 1
+                print(
+                    f"[annotate]   {name} episode {i}/{n} "
+                    f"(idx={ep_idx}) done in {elapsed:.1f}s",
+                    flush=True,
+                )
+        else:
+            with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=parallelism) as pool:
+                futures = [pool.submit(_do, (i, r)) for i, r in enumerate(records, 1)]
+                for fut in as_completed(futures):
+                    i, ep_idx, elapsed = fut.result()
+                    processed += 1
+                    print(
+                        f"[annotate]   {name} episode {processed}/{n} "
+                        f"(idx={ep_idx}, submit_order={i}) done in {elapsed:.1f}s",
+                        flush=True,
+                    )
+        total = _time.time() - t0
+        print(f"[annotate] phase={name} complete: {processed}/{n} in {total:.1f}s", flush=True)
+        return PhaseResult(name=name, episodes_processed=processed, episodes_skipped=0)
+
+    def _run_plan_update_phase(  # noqa: PLR0915
+        self, records: list[EpisodeRecord], staging_dir: Path
+    ) -> PhaseResult:
+        """Re-emit ``plan`` rows at each interjection timestamp from Module 2.
+
+        Module 1 owns the prompt; Module 2 produced the timestamps. This phase
+        therefore calls back into Module 1 with the interjection timestamps so
+        Module 1's existing prompt path is reused.
+        """
+        if not self.module_1.enabled or not self.module_2.enabled:
+            return PhaseResult(
+                name="module_1_plan_update", episodes_processed=0, episodes_skipped=len(records)
+            )
+        processed = 0
+        for record in records:
+            staging = EpisodeStaging(staging_dir, record.episode_index)
+            interjection_rows = [
+                row
+                for row in staging.read("module_2")
+                if row.get("style") == "interjection"
+            ]
+            interjection_times = [float(row["timestamp"]) for row in interjection_rows]
+            interjection_texts = [str(row.get("content") or "") for row in interjection_rows]
+            if interjection_times:
+                self.module_1.run_plan_updates(
+                    record, staging, interjection_times, interjection_texts
+                )
+                processed += 1
+        return PhaseResult(name="module_1_plan_update", episodes_processed=processed, episodes_skipped=0)

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/frames.py

@@ -0,0 +1,400 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Keyframe extraction for the annotation pipeline.
+
+Modules attach decoded camera frames to their VLM prompts so the model can
+ground subtask decomposition, interjection scenarios, and VQA in actual
+visual content. The pipeline shares one provider across modules and one
+episode at a time, with a small per-episode cache so multiple modules
+querying the same timestamp pay decode cost once.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Protocol
+
+from .reader import EpisodeRecord
+
+
+class FrameProvider(Protocol):
+    """Decodes camera frames at episode-relative timestamps."""
+
+    @property
+    def camera_keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        """All ``observation.images.*`` feature keys this provider can decode."""
+
+    def frames_at(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        timestamps: list[float],
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        """Return one PIL.Image per timestamp from ``camera_key`` (or default).
+
+        Empty list if the camera is unavailable. ``camera_key=None`` falls back
+        to the provider's default camera so existing single-camera callers
+        (Module 1, Module 2) keep working unchanged.
+        """
+
+    def video_for_episode(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        max_frames: int,
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        """Return up to ``max_frames`` PIL images covering the whole episode.
+
+        Sampling is uniform across the episode duration. The returned list is
+        intended to be passed as one ``{"type":"video", "video":<list>}``
+        block to a Qwen-VL-compatible model that pools temporally itself.
+        Empty list if no camera available.
+        """
+
+
+@dataclass
+class _NullProvider:
+    """No-op provider used when the dataset has no video keys or in tests."""
+
+    @property
+    def camera_keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        return []
+
+    def frames_at(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        timestamps: list[float],
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        return []
+
+    def video_for_episode(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        max_frames: int,
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        return []
+
+
+def null_provider() -> FrameProvider:
+    return _NullProvider()
+
+
+@dataclass
+class VideoFrameProvider:
+    """Decodes frames from the dataset's ``observation.images.*`` streams.
+
+    By default the *first* camera key is used for Module 1 (subtask
+    decomposition) and Module 2 (interjection scenarios) — those prompts care
+    about *what is happening*, not which angle. Module 3 (VQA) instead
+    iterates over every camera in :attr:`camera_keys` so each frame's
+    grounded answer (bbox/keypoint/...) is tagged with the camera it was
+    grounded against.
+
+    ``camera_key`` overrides the default-camera choice but does not restrict
+    :attr:`camera_keys`. Pass ``camera_key`` explicitly to ``frames_at`` /
+    ``video_for_episode`` to read a non-default stream.
+
+    Caches up to ``cache_size`` decoded frames per process to keep
+    co-timestamped Module 2 + Module 1 plan-update calls cheap.
+    """
+
+    root: Path
+    camera_key: str | None = None
+    tolerance_s: float = 1e-2
+    cache_size: int = 256
+    _meta: Any = field(default=None, init=False, repr=False)
+    _cache: dict = field(default_factory=dict, init=False, repr=False)
+    _camera_keys: list[str] = field(default_factory=list, init=False, repr=False)
+
+    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
+        from lerobot.datasets.dataset_metadata import LeRobotDatasetMetadata  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        self._meta = LeRobotDatasetMetadata(repo_id="local", root=self.root)
+        # ``camera_keys`` covers both image- and video-stored cameras
+        # (``video_keys`` is video-only). Some datasets declare cameras with
+        # ``dtype=image``, which would otherwise look empty here and silently
+        # disable Module 3 even though the videos are there.
+        keys = list(getattr(self._meta, "camera_keys", None) or self._meta.video_keys or [])
+        # Last-resort fallback: if metadata didn't surface anything but the
+        # caller explicitly named a camera (``--vlm.camera_key=...``), trust
+        # them — the key is by definition known to exist on the dataset.
+        if not keys and self.camera_key:
+            keys = [self.camera_key]
+        self._camera_keys = keys
+        if self.camera_key is None:
+            self.camera_key = keys[0] if keys else None
+
+    @property
+    def camera_keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        """All ``observation.images.*`` keys available on this dataset."""
+        return list(self._camera_keys)
+
+    def frames_at(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        timestamps: list[float],
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        target = camera_key if camera_key is not None else self.camera_key
+        if not timestamps or target is None:
+            return []
+
+        out: list[Any] = []
+        misses: list[float] = []
+        miss_indices: list[int] = []
+        for i, ts in enumerate(timestamps):
+            key = (record.episode_index, target, round(float(ts), 6))
+            cached = self._cache.get(key)
+            if cached is not None:
+                out.append(cached)
+            else:
+                out.append(None)
+                misses.append(float(ts))
+                miss_indices.append(i)
+
+        if misses:
+            decoded = self._decode(record.episode_index, misses, target)
+            # decoder may return fewer frames than requested when some
+            # timestamps fall outside the video; pair what we have and
+            # leave the rest as None to be filtered below.
+            for i, img in zip(miss_indices, decoded):
+                out[i] = img
+                key = (record.episode_index, target, round(float(timestamps[i]), 6))
+                if len(self._cache) >= self.cache_size:
+                    self._cache.pop(next(iter(self._cache)))
+                self._cache[key] = img
+        # filter out any None left over from decode failures
+        return [img for img in out if img is not None]
+
+    def _decode(
+        self, episode_index: int, timestamps: list[float], camera_key: str
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        ep = self._meta.episodes[episode_index]
+        from_timestamp = ep[f"videos/{camera_key}/from_timestamp"]
+        shifted = [from_timestamp + ts for ts in timestamps]
+        video_path = self.root / self._meta.get_video_file_path(episode_index, camera_key)
+
+        try:
+            return _decode_pyav_direct(video_path, shifted, self.tolerance_s)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            # Log loudly the first time decoding fails so silent
+            # Module-3-no-op (every prompt skipped because frames_at returned
+            # []) is debuggable from the job log instead of post-hoc parquet
+            # inspection. Subsequent failures stay quiet.
+            if not getattr(self, "_warned_decode_fail", False):
+                import logging  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+                logging.getLogger(__name__).warning(
+                    "VideoFrameProvider._decode failed for episode=%s camera=%s "
+                    "video_path=%s: %s",
+                    episode_index,
+                    camera_key,
+                    video_path,
+                    exc,
+                    exc_info=True,
+                )
+                self._warned_decode_fail = True
+            return []
+
+
+def _decode_pyav_direct(
+    video_path: Any, timestamps: list[float], tolerance_s: float
+) -> list[Any]:
+    """Decode the requested timestamps from ``video_path`` using PyAV directly.
+
+    Bypasses ``lerobot.datasets.video_utils.decode_video_frames`` entirely
+    because its "pyav" path actually goes through
+    ``decode_video_frames_torchvision`` → ``torchvision.io.VideoReader``,
+    which was removed in torchvision >= 0.22 (the vllm/vllm-openai:latest
+    container ships with torchvision 0.25). The annotation pipeline only
+    needs a handful of PIL images per (episode, ts), so we can decode them
+    with PyAV without any torch dependency at all.
+
+    Returns one ``PIL.Image`` per requested timestamp, in the same order.
+    Any timestamp the decoder couldn't reach is silently dropped (mirrors
+    the previous behaviour); callers filter ``None``/missing entries.
+    """
+    import av  # noqa: PLC0415
+    from PIL import Image  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    if not timestamps:
+        return []
+
+    targets = sorted(set(timestamps))
+    seek_to = max(0.0, min(targets) - max(0.5, tolerance_s))
+
+    container = av.open(str(video_path))
+    try:
+        stream = container.streams.video[0]
+        # PyAV needs the seek target in stream timebase ticks.
+        if stream.time_base is None:
+            seek_pts = 0
+        else:
+            seek_pts = int(seek_to / float(stream.time_base))
+        try:
+            container.seek(seek_pts, any_frame=False, backward=True, stream=stream)
+        except av.AVError:
+            # Some streams reject the explicit seek; fall back to decoding from start.
+            container.seek(0)
+
+        results: dict[float, Any] = {}
+        target_iter = iter(targets)
+        next_target = next(target_iter, None)
+        for frame in container.decode(stream):
+            if next_target is None:
+                break
+            ts = float(frame.pts * frame.time_base) if frame.pts is not None else None
+            if ts is None:
+                continue
+            # Walk past targets we've already overshot — we keep the closest
+            # frame within tolerance.
+            while next_target is not None and ts >= next_target - tolerance_s:
+                if abs(ts - next_target) <= tolerance_s or ts >= next_target:
+                    img = frame.to_image()  # PIL.Image.Image (RGB)
+                    results.setdefault(next_target, img)
+                    next_target = next(target_iter, None)
+                else:
+                    break
+    finally:
+        container.close()
+
+    return [results[ts] for ts in timestamps if ts in results]
+
+    def video_for_episode(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        max_frames: int,
+        camera_key: str | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        """Return up to ``max_frames`` images uniformly sampled across the episode.
+
+        The whole episode duration is covered; the model picks subtask
+        boundaries from the temporal pooling it does internally.
+        """
+        target = camera_key if camera_key is not None else self.camera_key
+        if max_frames <= 0 or target is None or not record.frame_timestamps:
+            return []
+        n_frames = min(max_frames, len(record.frame_timestamps))
+        if n_frames == len(record.frame_timestamps):
+            timestamps = list(record.frame_timestamps)
+        else:
+            t0 = record.frame_timestamps[0]
+            t_last = record.frame_timestamps[-1]
+            if t_last <= t0:
+                timestamps = [float(t0)] * n_frames
+            else:
+                step = (t_last - t0) / (n_frames - 1) if n_frames > 1 else 0.0
+                timestamps = [float(t0 + i * step) for i in range(n_frames)]
+        return self.frames_at(record, timestamps, camera_key=target)
+
+
+def make_frame_provider(root: Path, camera_key: str | None = None) -> FrameProvider:
+    """Build a :class:`VideoFrameProvider` if videos are present, else null."""
+    try:
+        provider = VideoFrameProvider(root=root, camera_key=camera_key)
+    except Exception:
+        return null_provider()
+    if provider.camera_key is None:
+        return null_provider()
+    return provider
+
+
+def to_image_blocks(images: list[Any]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Convert PIL images to Qwen-VL-compatible content blocks."""
+    return [{"type": "image", "image": img} for img in images]
+
+
+def to_video_block(images: list[Any]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Wrap a list of PIL images as one Qwen-VL video block.
+
+    Returns ``[]`` when the list is empty, so the caller can splat the result
+    into a content array without a separate emptiness check.
+    """
+    if not images:
+        return []
+    return [{"type": "video", "video": list(images)}]
+
+
+def to_video_url_block(url: str | None, fps: float = 2.0) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Wrap a video file URL as one ``video_url`` block.
+
+    Used by the ``openai`` backend (transformers serve / vllm serve /
+    ktransformers serve), where the server handles frame sampling.
+    Returns ``[]`` when ``url`` is ``None`` so the caller can splat.
+    """
+    if not url:
+        return []
+    return [{"type": "video_url", "video_url": {"url": url}, "fps": fps}]
+
+
+def episode_clip_path(
+    record: EpisodeRecord,
+    provider: "VideoFrameProvider",
+    cache_dir: Path,
+) -> Path | None:
+    """Extract the episode's subclip to ``cache_dir/ep_{idx:06d}.mp4``.
+
+    Returns ``None`` if the dataset has no video tracks. Skips re-extract
+    when the cached clip already exists. Re-encodes to H.264
+    (libx264) so the resulting mp4 is decodable by every downstream
+    video processor — stream-copy would inherit the source codec
+    (often AV1 in modern LeRobot datasets), which vllm's libav build
+    cannot decode.
+    """
+    import subprocess  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    if provider.camera_key is None:
+        return None
+    cache_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    out_path = cache_dir / f"ep_{record.episode_index:06d}.mp4"
+    if out_path.exists() and out_path.stat().st_size > 0:
+        return out_path
+    ep = provider._meta.episodes[record.episode_index]
+    from_timestamp = float(ep[f"videos/{provider.camera_key}/from_timestamp"])
+    to_timestamp = float(ep[f"videos/{provider.camera_key}/to_timestamp"])
+    src = provider.root / provider._meta.get_video_file_path(
+        record.episode_index, provider.camera_key
+    )
+    cmd = [
+        "ffmpeg",
+        "-y",
+        "-loglevel",
+        "error",
+        "-ss",
+        f"{from_timestamp:.3f}",
+        "-to",
+        f"{to_timestamp:.3f}",
+        "-i",
+        str(src),
+        "-c:v",
+        "libx264",
+        "-preset",
+        "ultrafast",
+        "-crf",
+        "23",
+        "-pix_fmt",
+        "yuv420p",
+        "-an",
+        str(out_path),
+    ]
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(cmd, check=True, timeout=300)
+    except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired, FileNotFoundError):
+        return None
+    return out_path if out_path.exists() and out_path.stat().st_size > 0 else None

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/modules/__init__.py

@@ -14,7 +14,12 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from .config_rebot_102_leader import RebotArm102LeaderConfig, RebotArm102LeaderTeleopConfig
-from .rebot_102_leader import RebotArm102Leader
+from .general_vqa import GeneralVqaModule
+from .interjections_and_speech import InterjectionsAndSpeechModule
+from .plan_subtasks_memory import PlanSubtasksMemoryModule
 
-__all__ = ["RebotArm102Leader", "RebotArm102LeaderConfig", "RebotArm102LeaderTeleopConfig"]
+__all__ = [
+    "GeneralVqaModule",
+    "InterjectionsAndSpeechModule",
+    "PlanSubtasksMemoryModule",
+]

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/modules/general_vqa.py

@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Module 3: general VQA at a timed cadence.
+
+Anchors ``K`` (question, answer) pairs to ``K`` consecutive frames per
+emission. For datasets with multiple cameras, every emission tick produces
+one ``(vqa, user)`` + ``(vqa, assistant)`` pair *per camera*: each pair is
+generated against that camera's frame and stamped with the matching
+``camera`` field on the emitted rows. The resolver disambiguates via
+``camera=...``; recipes that consume VQA do so through one sub-recipe
+per camera (see ``recipes/pi05_hirobot.yaml``).
+
+Within a single (frame, camera) we still emit at most one ``(vqa, user)``
+and one ``(vqa, assistant)`` row, so the resolver contract stays scalar.
+
+Question types covered (per the plan's Module 3 table): bbox, keypoint,
+count, attribute, spatial. The assistant's ``content`` is a JSON string
+whose schema depends on the question type. Malformed JSON triggers one
+retry inside :meth:`VlmClient.generate_json`.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import random
+from collections.abc import Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+from ..config import Module3Config
+from ..frames import FrameProvider, null_provider, to_image_blocks
+from ..prompts import load as load_prompt
+from ..reader import EpisodeRecord
+from ..staging import EpisodeStaging
+from ..validator import classify_vqa_answer
+from ..vlm_client import VlmClient
+
+
+def _emission_anchor_indices(frame_timestamps: Sequence[float], hz: float, k: int) -> list[int]:
+    """Return the relative frame indices to anchor VQA emissions to.
+
+    For each emission tick (every ``1/hz`` seconds), we anchor ``k``
+    consecutive frames starting at the tick. Ticks fall on the nearest
+    available source frame timestamp.
+    """
+    if hz <= 0 or k <= 0 or not frame_timestamps:
+        return []
+    t0 = frame_timestamps[0]
+    t_last = frame_timestamps[-1]
+    period = 1.0 / hz
+    indices: list[int] = []
+    t = t0
+    while t <= t_last + 1e-9:
+        # find the index of the nearest frame to t
+        nearest_i = min(range(len(frame_timestamps)), key=lambda i: abs(frame_timestamps[i] - t))
+        for offset in range(k):
+            j = nearest_i + offset
+            if j >= len(frame_timestamps):
+                break
+            if not indices or indices[-1] != j:
+                indices.append(j)
+        t += period
+    # dedupe while preserving order
+    seen: set[int] = set()
+    deduped: list[int] = []
+    for i in indices:
+        if i in seen:
+            continue
+        seen.add(i)
+        deduped.append(i)
+    return deduped
+
+
+@dataclass
+class GeneralVqaModule:
+    """Emit grounded VQA pairs at a timed cadence."""
+
+    vlm: VlmClient
+    config: Module3Config
+    seed: int = 1729
+    frame_provider: FrameProvider = field(default_factory=null_provider)
+
+    @property
+    def enabled(self) -> bool:
+        return self.config.enabled
+
+    def run_episode(self, record: EpisodeRecord, staging: EpisodeStaging) -> None:
+        if not record.frame_timestamps:
+            staging.write("module_3", [])
+            return
+        rng = random.Random(f"{self.seed}:{record.episode_index}:vqa")
+        anchor_idx = _emission_anchor_indices(
+            record.frame_timestamps, self.config.vqa_emission_hz, self.config.K
+        )
+        cameras = self._target_cameras()
+        if not cameras:
+            # No camera available — emit nothing rather than producing
+            # untagged rows that would fail validation. Surface a loud one-
+            # time warning so this is never silently a no-op.
+            if not getattr(self, "_warned_no_camera", False):
+                import logging  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+                logging.getLogger(__name__).warning(
+                    "Module 3 (VQA) found no cameras on the frame provider — "
+                    "every episode will emit zero VQA rows. Check that the "
+                    "dataset declares observation.images.* features in "
+                    "meta/info.json; passing --vlm.camera_key=<key> at the "
+                    "CLI now also seeds the cameras list as a fallback."
+                )
+                self._warned_no_camera = True
+            staging.write("module_3", [])
+            return
+
+        # Build all messages first (one per (frame, camera)), then issue them
+        # as a single batched generate_json call so the client can fan them
+        # out concurrently.
+        per_call: list[tuple[float, str, str, list[dict[str, Any]]]] = []
+        for idx in anchor_idx:
+            ts = float(record.frame_timestamps[idx])
+            qtype = rng.choice(self.config.question_types)
+            for camera in cameras:
+                messages = self._build_messages(record, qtype, ts, camera)
+                # Skip cameras that decoded to zero frames at this ts: no point
+                # asking the VLM to ground a bbox without an image.
+                if not _has_image_block(messages):
+                    continue
+                per_call.append((ts, camera, qtype, messages))
+
+        if not per_call:
+            staging.write("module_3", [])
+            return
+
+        results = self.vlm.generate_json([m for _, _, _, m in per_call])
+
+        rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for (ts, camera, _qtype, _messages), result in zip(per_call, results):
+            qa = self._postprocess(result)
+            if qa is None:
+                continue
+            question, answer = qa
+            rows.append(
+                {
+                    "role": "user",
+                    "content": question,
+                    "style": "vqa",
+                    "timestamp": ts,
+                    "camera": camera,
+                    "tool_calls": None,
+                }
+            )
+            rows.append(
+                {
+                    "role": "assistant",
+                    "content": json.dumps(answer, sort_keys=True),
+                    "style": "vqa",
+                    "timestamp": ts,
+                    "camera": camera,
+                    "tool_calls": None,
+                }
+            )
+        staging.write("module_3", rows)
+
+    def _target_cameras(self) -> list[str]:
+        """Return the cameras Module 3 should iterate per emission tick.
+
+        Defaults to every camera the provider exposes. Datasets with no
+        cameras (or test/null providers) yield an empty list, which makes
+        ``run_episode`` a no-op.
+        """
+        return list(getattr(self.frame_provider, "camera_keys", []) or [])
+
+    def _build_messages(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        question_type: str,
+        frame_timestamp: float,
+        camera_key: str,
+    ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_3_vqa").format(
+            episode_task=record.episode_task,
+            question_type=question_type,
+        )
+        images = self.frame_provider.frames_at(
+            record, [frame_timestamp], camera_key=camera_key
+        )
+        content = [*to_image_blocks(images), {"type": "text", "text": prompt}]
+        return [{"role": "user", "content": content}]
+
+    def _postprocess(self, result: Any) -> tuple[str, dict[str, Any]] | None:
+        if not isinstance(result, dict):
+            return None
+        question = result.get("question")
+        answer = result.get("answer")
+        if not isinstance(question, str) or not question.strip():
+            return None
+        if not isinstance(answer, dict):
+            return None
+        # The validator will enforce shape; here we just sanity-check that the
+        # answer matches *some* known shape so we can drop garbage early.
+        if classify_vqa_answer(answer) is None:
+            return None
+        return question.strip(), answer
+
+    def _generate_one(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        question_type: str,
+        frame_timestamp: float,
+        camera_key: str,
+    ) -> tuple[str, dict[str, Any]] | None:
+        messages = self._build_messages(record, question_type, frame_timestamp, camera_key)
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        return self._postprocess(result)
+
+
+def _has_image_block(messages: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> bool:
+    """Return True if any user content block is a populated image block."""
+    for msg in messages:
+        content = msg.get("content")
+        if not isinstance(content, list):
+            continue
+        for block in content:
+            if isinstance(block, dict) and block.get("type") == "image":
+                return True
+    return False

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/modules/interjections_and_speech.py

@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Module 2: interjections + paired speech (EVENT styles + speech atoms).
+
+Two sub-passes:
+
+1. At ``t=0``, emit ONLY a speech tool-call atom (acknowledgement of the
+   canonical task). No interjection row — the canonical task is already the
+   user utterance from ``meta/tasks.parquet``.
+
+2. For mid-episode interruptions, emit a co-timestamped pair:
+       {role:user, style:interjection, content:<text>}
+       speech atom (role:assistant, style:None, tool_calls=[say(...)])
+   Both rows go in ``language_events`` at the same timestamp.
+
+Module 1's :meth:`run_plan_updates` reuses Module 2's interjection
+timestamps to refresh the ``plan`` row at the same instant.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import random
+from collections.abc import Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+from ..config import Module2Config
+from ..frames import FrameProvider, null_provider, to_image_blocks
+from ..prompts import load as load_prompt
+from ..reader import EpisodeRecord
+from ..staging import EpisodeStaging
+from ..vlm_client import VlmClient
+from ..writer import speech_atom
+
+
+def _snap_to_frame(t: float, frame_timestamps: Sequence[float]) -> float:
+    if not frame_timestamps:
+        return float(t)
+    return float(min(frame_timestamps, key=lambda f: abs(f - t)))
+
+
+@dataclass
+class InterjectionsAndSpeechModule:
+    """Generate task-start speech and mid-episode interjection/speech pairs."""
+
+    vlm: VlmClient
+    config: Module2Config
+    seed: int = 1729
+    frame_provider: FrameProvider = field(default_factory=null_provider)
+
+    @property
+    def enabled(self) -> bool:
+        return self.config.enabled
+
+    def run_episode(self, record: EpisodeRecord, staging: EpisodeStaging) -> None:
+        rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        if record.frame_timestamps:
+            t0 = float(record.frame_timestamps[0])
+            initial = self._initial_speech(record)
+            if initial:
+                rows.append(speech_atom(t0, initial))
+        # Pull Module 1's subtask spans for this episode so the
+        # interjection prompt can ground itself in the actual current
+        # subtask at each chosen timestamp. Module 1 ran first.
+        subtask_spans = self._read_subtask_spans(staging)
+        rows.extend(self._mid_episode_interjections(record, subtask_spans))
+        staging.write("module_2", rows)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _read_subtask_spans(staging: EpisodeStaging) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        rows = [r for r in staging.read("module_1") if r.get("style") == "subtask"]
+        rows.sort(key=lambda r: float(r["timestamp"]))
+        spans: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        last_t: float | None = None
+        for r in rows:
+            t = float(r["timestamp"])
+            if last_t is not None and spans:
+                spans[-1]["end"] = t
+            spans.append({"text": r.get("content") or "", "start": t, "end": t})
+            last_t = t
+        return spans
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _subtask_at(spans: Sequence[dict[str, Any]], t: float) -> str | None:
+        current: str | None = None
+        for span in spans:
+            if float(span["start"]) <= t:
+                current = span.get("text")
+            else:
+                break
+        return current
+
+    def _initial_speech(self, record: EpisodeRecord) -> str | None:
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_2_initial_speech").format(
+            episode_task=record.episode_task,
+        )
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": prompt}]}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        if isinstance(result, dict) and isinstance(result.get("text"), str):
+            text = result["text"].strip()
+            if text:
+                return text
+        return None
+
+    def _mid_episode_interjections(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        subtask_spans: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+    ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Generate interjections aligned with the actual demo trajectory.
+
+        Teleop data is frozen — the robot already executed every step in
+        the video. A *counterfactual* interjection like "actually skip
+        the wipe" contradicts what then happens in the video, which is
+        what qwen36moe-10/11 surfaced as low-quality interjections.
+
+        Instead, anchor every interjection at a subtask boundary and
+        write it as a natural user request for the *upcoming* subtask.
+        The robot's visible next behavior IS the interjection's effect,
+        so the training signal stays consistent: interjection text →
+        plan refresh → action stream all line up.
+        """
+        if self.config.max_interjections_per_episode <= 0:
+            return []
+        if len(subtask_spans) < 2:
+            # Need at least one transition (subtask 0 → subtask 1).
+            return []
+        # Deterministic per-episode RNG so reruns are stable across SLURM jobs.
+        rng = random.Random(f"{self.seed}:{record.episode_index}:interjection")
+
+        # Boundaries: the start time of every subtask except the first
+        # (which is just t0 and is covered by the initial-task speech atom).
+        boundaries: list[tuple[float, str, str]] = []
+        for i in range(1, len(subtask_spans)):
+            ts = float(subtask_spans[i]["start"])
+            if ts < self.config.interjection_min_t:
+                continue
+            prev_text = (subtask_spans[i - 1].get("text") or "").strip()
+            next_text = (subtask_spans[i].get("text") or "").strip()
+            if not next_text:
+                continue
+            boundaries.append((ts, prev_text, next_text))
+        if not boundaries:
+            return []
+
+        n = min(self.config.max_interjections_per_episode, len(boundaries))
+        chosen = sorted(rng.sample(boundaries, n), key=lambda b: b[0])
+
+        out: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for t, prev_subtask, next_subtask in chosen:
+            t_snap = _snap_to_frame(t, record.frame_timestamps)
+            # Window straddles the boundary so the VLM sees the end of the
+            # previous subtask and the start of the next one — same
+            # conditioning the policy will see at training time.
+            window_ts = self._window_timestamps(t_snap, record.frame_timestamps)
+            prompt = load_prompt("module_2_interjection").format(
+                episode_task=record.episode_task,
+                prev_subtask=prev_subtask or "(starting from initial state)",
+                next_subtask=next_subtask,
+                timestamp=t_snap,
+                window_seconds=self.config.interjection_window_seconds,
+            )
+            images = self.frame_provider.frames_at(record, window_ts)
+            content = [*to_image_blocks(images), {"type": "text", "text": prompt}]
+            messages = [{"role": "user", "content": content}]
+            result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+            if not isinstance(result, dict):
+                continue
+            interjection_text = result.get("interjection")
+            speech_text = result.get("speech")
+            if not isinstance(interjection_text, str) or not interjection_text.strip():
+                continue
+            if not isinstance(speech_text, str) or not speech_text.strip():
+                continue
+            out.append(
+                {
+                    "role": "user",
+                    "content": interjection_text.strip(),
+                    "style": "interjection",
+                    "timestamp": t_snap,
+                    "tool_calls": None,
+                }
+            )
+            out.append(speech_atom(t_snap, speech_text.strip()))
+        return out
+
+    def _window_timestamps(
+        self, t_anchor: float, frame_timestamps: Sequence[float]
+    ) -> list[float]:
+        """Return a small set of frame timestamps centered on ``t_anchor``.
+
+        The window straddles the subtask boundary the interjection sits
+        on: roughly half the frames cover the end of the previous
+        subtask, half cover the start of the next one. The VLM therefore
+        sees BOTH what just finished AND what's about to start, which is
+        the conditioning we need to write a natural "now please do X"
+        request that matches the visible upcoming behavior.
+        """
+        if not frame_timestamps:
+            return [t_anchor]
+        n = max(1, int(self.config.interjection_window_frames))
+        if n == 1:
+            return [t_anchor]
+        window = float(self.config.interjection_window_seconds)
+        step = window / max(1, n - 1)
+        # Center the window on the anchor so half lands before, half after.
+        start_offset = -window / 2.0
+        targets = [t_anchor + start_offset + step * i for i in range(n)]
+        last_ts = float(frame_timestamps[-1])
+        snapped: list[float] = []
+        seen: set[float] = set()
+        for tgt in targets:
+            clamped = min(last_ts, max(0.0, tgt))
+            t = _snap_to_frame(clamped, frame_timestamps)
+            if t not in seen:
+                seen.add(t)
+                snapped.append(t)
+        return snapped or [t_anchor]

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/modules/plan_subtasks_memory.py

@@ -0,0 +1,443 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Module 1: subtask decomposition + plan + memory (PERSISTENT styles)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from ..config import Module1Config
+from ..frames import (
+    FrameProvider,
+    VideoFrameProvider,
+    episode_clip_path,
+    null_provider,
+    to_video_block,
+    to_video_url_block,
+)
+from ..prompts import load as load_prompt
+from ..reader import EpisodeRecord
+from ..staging import EpisodeStaging
+from ..vlm_client import VlmClient
+
+
+def _snap_to_frame(t: float, frame_timestamps: Sequence[float]) -> float:
+    """Snap an arbitrary float to the nearest exact source frame timestamp."""
+    if not frame_timestamps:
+        return float(t)
+    nearest = min(frame_timestamps, key=lambda f: abs(f - t))
+    return float(nearest)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class PlanSubtasksMemoryModule:
+    """Generate subtask spans, plan, and memory rows.
+
+    All output is persistent (lives in ``language_persistent``):
+
+    - ``subtask`` rows: one per span, stamped at the span's *start* timestamp
+      (snapped to an exact frame).
+    - ``plan`` rows: emitted at ``t=0``; refreshed at every interjection
+      timestamp via :meth:`run_plan_updates` (called by the executor after
+      Module 2 completes).
+    - ``memory`` rows: emitted at each subtask boundary (= subtask start
+      timestamp from the second subtask onward).
+    """
+
+    vlm: VlmClient
+    config: Module1Config
+    frame_provider: FrameProvider = field(default_factory=null_provider)
+
+    @property
+    def enabled(self) -> bool:
+        return self.config.enabled
+
+    def run_episode(self, record: EpisodeRecord, staging: EpisodeStaging) -> None:
+        rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        # Resolve the task that drives every other Module-1 prompt. May be
+        # the canonical ``record.episode_task`` (default), or a fresh
+        # description derived from the video when the canonical task is
+        # empty / placeholder / forced-off (see Module1Config.derive_task_*).
+        effective_task = self._resolve_effective_task(record)
+        # ``task_aug`` rows at t=0 (role=user), one per rephrasing — the
+        # PR 1 renderer rotates ``${task}`` deterministically through them
+        # so the policy sees diverse phrasings during training.
+        t0 = float(record.frame_timestamps[0]) if record.frame_timestamps else 0.0
+        if self.config.n_task_rephrasings > 0 and effective_task:
+            rephrasings = self._generate_task_rephrasings(
+                effective_task, n=self.config.n_task_rephrasings
+            )
+            # Always include the effective task itself as the first variant
+            # so the rotation is guaranteed to cover the source-of-truth
+            # phrasing, not just synthetic alternatives.
+            seen: set[str] = set()
+            ordered = [effective_task, *rephrasings]
+            for phrasing in ordered:
+                key = phrasing.strip()
+                if not key or key in seen:
+                    continue
+                seen.add(key)
+                rows.append(
+                    {
+                        "role": "user",
+                        "content": key,
+                        "style": "task_aug",
+                        "timestamp": t0,
+                        "tool_calls": None,
+                    }
+                )
+
+        subtask_spans = self._generate_subtasks(record, task=effective_task)
+        # subtask rows
+        for span in subtask_spans:
+            rows.append(
+                {
+                    "role": "assistant",
+                    "content": span["text"],
+                    "style": "subtask",
+                    "timestamp": _snap_to_frame(span["start"], record.frame_timestamps),
+                    "tool_calls": None,
+                }
+            )
+        # plan row at t=0
+        plan_text = self._generate_plan(record, subtask_spans, task=effective_task)
+        if plan_text is not None:
+            rows.append(
+                {
+                    "role": "assistant",
+                    "content": plan_text,
+                    "style": "plan",
+                    "timestamp": float(t0),
+                    "tool_calls": None,
+                }
+            )
+        # memory rows at every subtask boundary except the very first start
+        prior_memory = ""
+        for i, span in enumerate(subtask_spans[1:], start=1):
+            completed = subtask_spans[i - 1]["text"]
+            remaining = [s["text"] for s in subtask_spans[i:]]
+            mem_text = self._generate_memory(
+                record, prior_memory, completed, remaining, task=effective_task
+            )
+            if mem_text:
+                ts = _snap_to_frame(span["start"], record.frame_timestamps)
+                rows.append(
+                    {
+                        "role": "assistant",
+                        "content": mem_text,
+                        "style": "memory",
+                        "timestamp": ts,
+                        "tool_calls": None,
+                    }
+                )
+                prior_memory = mem_text
+        staging.write("module_1", rows)
+
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Task derivation + rephrasings
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    _PLACEHOLDER_TASKS: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
+        {
+            "debug",
+            "test",
+            "tbd",
+            "todo",
+            "n/a",
+            "na",
+            "untitled",
+            "unnamed",
+            "default",
+            "placeholder",
+        }
+    )
+
+    def _resolve_effective_task(self, record: EpisodeRecord) -> str:
+        """Decide which task string drives Module 1 for this episode.
+
+        Returns the user-supplied ``record.episode_task`` unless
+        ``derive_task_from_video`` says otherwise (see config docstring).
+        Falls back gracefully to the canonical task if video derivation
+        fails.
+        """
+        canonical = (record.episode_task or "").strip()
+        mode = (self.config.derive_task_from_video or "off").strip().lower()
+        if mode == "always":
+            derived = self._derive_task_from_video(record)
+            return derived or canonical
+        if mode == "if_short" and self._task_seems_bad(canonical):
+            derived = self._derive_task_from_video(record)
+            if derived:
+                return derived
+        return canonical
+
+    def _task_seems_bad(self, task: str) -> bool:
+        if not task:
+            return True
+        if len(task.split()) < int(self.config.derive_task_min_words):
+            return True
+        if task.lower() in self._PLACEHOLDER_TASKS:
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    def _derive_task_from_video(self, record: EpisodeRecord) -> str | None:
+        """Ask the VLM "what is this video about" with no task hint at all."""
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_1_video_task")
+        video_block = self._episode_video_block(record)
+        content = [*video_block, {"type": "text", "text": prompt}]
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": content}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        if isinstance(result, dict) and isinstance(result.get("task"), str):
+            text = result["task"].strip()
+            if text:
+                return text
+        return None
+
+    def _generate_task_rephrasings(self, base_task: str, *, n: int) -> list[str]:
+        """Generate ``n`` text-only paraphrases of ``base_task``."""
+        if n <= 0 or not base_task:
+            return []
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_1_task_rephrasings").format(
+            base_task=base_task, n=n
+        )
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": prompt}]}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        if not isinstance(result, dict):
+            return []
+        raw = result.get("rephrasings")
+        if not isinstance(raw, list):
+            return []
+        out: list[str] = []
+        for item in raw:
+            if isinstance(item, str):
+                cleaned = item.strip().strip('"').strip("'")
+                if cleaned:
+                    out.append(cleaned)
+        return out[:n]
+
+    def _episode_video_block(self, record: EpisodeRecord) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Same video block ``_generate_subtasks`` builds — extracted helper."""
+        if not record.frame_timestamps:
+            return []
+        if self.config.use_video_url and isinstance(self.frame_provider, VideoFrameProvider):
+            cache_dir = Path(self.frame_provider.root) / ".annotate_staging" / ".video_clips"
+            clip = episode_clip_path(record, self.frame_provider, cache_dir)
+            return (
+                to_video_url_block(f"file://{clip}", fps=self.config.use_video_url_fps)
+                if clip is not None
+                else []
+            )
+        episode_duration = record.frame_timestamps[-1] - record.frame_timestamps[0]
+        target_count = max(
+            1, int(round(episode_duration * self.config.frames_per_second))
+        )
+        target_count = min(target_count, self.config.max_video_frames)
+        video_frames = self.frame_provider.video_for_episode(record, target_count)
+        return to_video_block(video_frames)
+
+    def run_plan_updates(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        staging: EpisodeStaging,
+        interjection_times: Sequence[float],
+        interjection_texts: Sequence[str] | None = None,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Append additional ``plan`` rows at every interjection timestamp.
+
+        Plans refresh ONLY on user interjections — subtask generation
+        runs ~1 Hz at inference, but plan re-emission is event-driven.
+        Now also forwards the interjection's own text into the prompt so
+        the refreshed plan can actually reflect the user's correction
+        (the previous version told the model "an interjection happened"
+        without telling it what the user said).
+        """
+        existing = staging.read("module_1")
+        spans = self._reconstruct_subtasks_from_rows(existing)
+        already_planned: set[float] = {
+            float(r["timestamp"]) for r in existing if r.get("style") == "plan"
+        }
+        new_rows = list(existing)
+
+        texts: list[str | None] = (
+            [None] * len(interjection_times)
+            if interjection_texts is None
+            else [str(t) if t else None for t in interjection_texts]
+        )
+        for raw_t, inter_text in zip(interjection_times, texts):
+            t = _snap_to_frame(raw_t, record.frame_timestamps)
+            if t in already_planned:
+                continue
+            already_planned.add(t)
+            plan_text = self._generate_plan(
+                record, spans, refresh_t=t, interjection=inter_text
+            )
+            if plan_text is not None:
+                new_rows.append(
+                    {
+                        "role": "assistant",
+                        "content": plan_text,
+                        "style": "plan",
+                        "timestamp": t,
+                        "tool_calls": None,
+                    }
+                )
+        staging.write("module_1", new_rows)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _reconstruct_subtasks_from_rows(rows: Sequence[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        out = []
+        last_t: float | None = None
+        for row in sorted(
+            (r for r in rows if r.get("style") == "subtask"),
+            key=lambda r: float(r["timestamp"]),
+        ):
+            t = float(row["timestamp"])
+            if last_t is not None:
+                out[-1]["end"] = t
+            out.append({"text": row.get("content") or "", "start": t, "end": t})
+            last_t = t
+        return out
+
+    def _generate_subtasks(
+        self, record: EpisodeRecord, *, task: str | None = None
+    ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        if record.row_count == 0 or not record.frame_timestamps:
+            return []
+        episode_duration = record.frame_timestamps[-1] - record.frame_timestamps[0]
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_1_subtasks").format(
+            episode_task=(task if task is not None else record.episode_task),
+            min_subtask_seconds=self.config.min_subtask_seconds,
+            max_steps=self.config.plan_max_steps,
+            episode_duration=f"{episode_duration:.3f}",
+        )
+        if self.config.use_video_url and isinstance(self.frame_provider, VideoFrameProvider):
+            cache_dir = Path(self.frame_provider.root) / ".annotate_staging" / ".video_clips"
+            clip = episode_clip_path(record, self.frame_provider, cache_dir)
+            video_block = (
+                to_video_url_block(f"file://{clip}", fps=self.config.use_video_url_fps)
+                if clip is not None
+                else []
+            )
+        else:
+            target_count = max(
+                1,
+                int(round(episode_duration * self.config.frames_per_second)),
+            )
+            target_count = min(target_count, self.config.max_video_frames)
+            video_frames = self.frame_provider.video_for_episode(record, target_count)
+            video_block = to_video_block(video_frames)
+        content = [*video_block, {"type": "text", "text": prompt}]
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": content}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        spans = result.get("subtasks") if isinstance(result, dict) else None
+        if not spans:
+            return []
+        # clamp to [t0, t_last] and sort
+        t0 = record.frame_timestamps[0]
+        t_last = record.frame_timestamps[-1]
+        cleaned: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for span in spans:
+            try:
+                start = float(span["start"])
+                end = float(span["end"])
+                text = str(span["text"]).strip()
+            except (KeyError, ValueError, TypeError):
+                continue
+            start = max(t0, min(start, t_last))
+            end = max(t0, min(end, t_last))
+            if end < start:
+                start, end = end, start
+            if not text:
+                continue
+            cleaned.append({"text": text, "start": start, "end": end})
+        cleaned.sort(key=lambda s: s["start"])
+        return cleaned
+
+    def _generate_plan(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        subtask_spans: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+        *,
+        refresh_t: float | None = None,
+        interjection: str | None = None,
+        task: str | None = None,
+    ) -> str | None:
+        if not subtask_spans:
+            return None
+        subtasks_text = "\n".join(f"- {s['text']}" for s in subtask_spans)
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_1_plan").format(
+            episode_task=(task if task is not None else record.episode_task),
+            subtasks_text=subtasks_text,
+            plan_max_steps=self.config.plan_max_steps,
+        )
+        if refresh_t is not None:
+            # ``current_subtask`` is the span the refresh time falls into,
+            # so the model knows where in the demonstration the planner is
+            # standing when it re-emits.
+            current_subtask = ""
+            for span in subtask_spans:
+                if float(span["start"]) <= refresh_t and (
+                    "end" not in span or float(span["end"]) > refresh_t
+                ):
+                    current_subtask = span.get("text", "")
+                    break
+            if interjection:
+                prompt += (
+                    f"\n\n(Plan refresh at t={refresh_t:.2f}s after a user "
+                    f"interjection: {interjection!r}. Current subtask just "
+                    f"before the interjection: {current_subtask!r}. Update "
+                    f"the plan so it reflects the interjection — drop or "
+                    f"reorder steps as needed; do not just restate.)\n"
+                )
+            else:
+                # Refresh without an interjection text: still tell the model
+                # where in the episode the plan stands so the re-emission
+                # is grounded. Should be rare — plan refreshes are
+                # interjection-driven by design.
+                prompt += (
+                    f"\n\n(Plan refresh at t={refresh_t:.2f}s. Current "
+                    f"subtask: {current_subtask!r}.)\n"
+                )
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": prompt}]}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        if isinstance(result, dict) and isinstance(result.get("plan"), str):
+            return result["plan"].strip()
+        return None
+
+    def _generate_memory(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        prior_memory: str,
+        completed: str,
+        remaining: Sequence[str],
+        *,
+        task: str | None = None,
+    ) -> str:
+        prompt = load_prompt("module_1_memory").format(
+            episode_task=(task if task is not None else record.episode_task),
+            prior_memory=prior_memory or "(none)",
+            completed_subtask=completed,
+            remaining_subtasks=", ".join(remaining) if remaining else "(none)",
+        )
+        messages = [{"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": prompt}]}]
+        result = self.vlm.generate_json([messages])[0]
+        if isinstance(result, dict) and isinstance(result.get("memory"), str):
+            return result["memory"].strip()
+        return ""

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/__init__.py

@@ -13,17 +13,21 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+"""Prompt templates loaded as plain text.
 
-from dataclasses import dataclass
+One file per use site. Templates use ``str.format(**vars)`` substitution; we
+intentionally avoid jinja2 here so the templates remain inspectable in
+plain editors and roundtrip cleanly through ``ruff format``.
+"""
 
-from ..config import TeleoperatorConfig
-from ..rebot_102_leader import RebotArm102LeaderConfig
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
 
 
-@TeleoperatorConfig.register_subclass("bi_rebot_102_leader")
-@dataclass
-class BiRebotArm102LeaderConfig(TeleoperatorConfig):
-    """Configuration class for the bimanual reBot Arm 102 leader teleoperator."""
-
-    left_arm_config: RebotArm102LeaderConfig
-    right_arm_config: RebotArm102LeaderConfig
+def load(name: str) -> str:
+    """Read prompt template ``name.txt`` from the ``prompts/`` directory."""
+    path = _DIR / f"{name}.txt"
+    return path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_1_memory.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+You are updating the robot's compressed semantic memory at the boundary of
+a completed subtask.
+
+Reference (verbatim from MEM, Torne 2026):
+"Remove or compress information in the language memory whenever
+appropriate. Keep ONLY the minimal set of relevant information for future
+task execution. Specific object attributes (colors, precise quantities of
+each item) get discarded when their details won't affect subsequent
+actions. Functional outcomes (where items went, how many) are preserved."
+
+Concrete example from MEM:
+  Before: "I put a light green bowl, a dark blue bowl and a bright yellow
+           bowl into the top right cabinet"
+  After:  "I placed three bowls in the top right cabinet"
+
+Episode task: "{episode_task}"
+Previous memory: {prior_memory}
+Just-completed subtask: "{completed_subtask}"
+Remaining subtasks (for relevance judgement only): {remaining_subtasks}
+
+Update the memory. Drop irrelevant detail. Compress completed steps.
+Keep WHAT happened, drop HOW. Shorter is better.
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{ "memory": "<one or two short sentences>" }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_1_plan.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+You are the high-level planner for a robot demonstrating: "{episode_task}".
+
+Given the subtask decomposition below, write a concise hierarchical PLAN
+the robot should follow. Format the plan as a numbered list, one line per
+high-level step. The plan describes the full task; subtasks are the atomic
+skills used to execute it.
+
+Subtasks for context:
+{subtasks_text}
+
+Authoring rules:
+- 3 to {plan_max_steps} steps.
+- Each step describes one logical chunk of the task, not one motion.
+- Steps must be in execution order.
+- Plain prose, no JSON, no markdown headers.
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{ "plan": "1. ...\n2. ...\n3. ..." }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_1_subtasks.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+You are labeling a teleoperated robot demonstration.
+
+The user originally asked: "{episode_task}"
+
+You are shown the entire demonstration as a single video. Watch the
+whole clip, then segment it into a list of consecutive atomic subtasks
+the robot performs.
+
+Authoring rules — based on Hi Robot (Shi 2025) atom granularity and
+Pi0.7 (Physical Intelligence 2025) "how, not what" detail:
+
+- Each subtask is one atomic skill the low-level policy can execute,
+  e.g. "pick up one piece of lettuce", "place the bowl into the box",
+  "move the right arm to the left".
+- Capture HOW the subtask is performed, not only WHAT — e.g. prefer
+  "grasp the handle of the sponge with the left hand" to "pick up the
+  sponge".
+- Subtasks are non-overlapping and cover the full episode in order.
+  Choose the cut points yourself based on what you see in the video
+  (gripper open/close events, contact, regrasps, transitions).
+- Each subtask spans at least {min_subtask_seconds} seconds.
+- Do not exceed {max_steps} subtasks total.
+- Every subtask's [start_time, end_time] must lie within
+  [0.0, {episode_duration}] seconds.
+
+Output strictly valid JSON of shape:
+
+  {{
+    "subtasks": [
+      {{"text": "<how-not-what>", "start": <float>, "end": <float>}},
+      ...
+    ]
+  }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_1_task_rephrasings.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+You are generating training data for a Hi Robot-style policy. We need
+{n} alternative phrasings of the same robot task so the policy sees
+diverse user prompts during training instead of the same canonical
+string repeated every frame.
+
+Original task:
+"{base_task}"
+
+Generate exactly {n} alternative phrasings of the same task. Vary:
+
+- formality (casual / polite / curt)
+- verbosity (short imperative vs longer polite request)
+- word choice (synonyms, different verbs)
+- sentence structure (imperative / question / suggestion)
+
+Hard rules:
+- Each phrasing MUST preserve the exact meaning of the original task.
+  Do not change which object is involved, the destination, or the
+  action. Do not add extra steps. Do not invent new objects.
+- Each phrasing must be a single short sentence, plain prose, no
+  markdown, no quotes, no list numbers.
+- Phrasings must be distinct — no near-duplicates.
+- Output exactly {n} entries.
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{
+    "rephrasings": [
+      "<phrasing 1>",
+      "<phrasing 2>",
+      ...
+    ]
+  }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_1_video_task.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+The video above shows a robot manipulation episode in full. Look at
+the entire video and describe in ONE concise sentence what the robot
+is doing.
+
+Rules:
+- One sentence, in natural English, like a user instruction.
+- Capture the goal of the demonstration, not low-level motions.
+  Example: "place the yellow cube into the red bin" — not "move the
+  end-effector down 5cm and close the gripper".
+- 4 to 15 words. Plain prose, no markdown, no bullets, no quotes.
+- Do not invent objects or actions that aren't visible.
+- Do not output anything other than the JSON object below.
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{
+    "task": "<single concise sentence describing what the robot does in this video>"
+  }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_2_initial_speech.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+The user just asked the robot: "{episode_task}".
+
+Generate a short verbal acknowledgement the robot would speak back before
+beginning the task. Style: confident, friendly, single short sentence.
+
+Examples (Hi Robot, Shi 2025): "Sure, I won't put cheese on it.",
+"OK, starting with the sponge.", "Got it.".
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{ "text": "<the spoken acknowledgement>" }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_2_interjection.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+You are generating training data for a Hi Robot-style hierarchical
+robot policy. The robot in this demonstration has ALREADY executed
+every step shown in the video — we cannot retroactively change the
+action stream. To keep training data consistent with the video, the
+"interjection" must align with what the robot is *about to do next* in
+the demonstration, framed as a natural mid-task user request.
+
+The episode's overall task: "{episode_task}".
+
+The images above show roughly {window_seconds:.1f} seconds straddling a
+subtask boundary in the demonstration:
+
+- Subtask the robot just finished: "{prev_subtask}"
+- Subtask the robot is about to start: "{next_subtask}"
+- Time into episode: {timestamp:.2f}s
+
+Write ONE interjection the user would naturally say at this moment to
+prompt / confirm / encourage the robot to do "{next_subtask}". Phrase it
+like a real human mid-task remark — conversational, varied, sometimes
+just a nudge, sometimes a clarification, sometimes a small constraint
+that the upcoming motion happens to satisfy. Plus the robot's verbal
+acknowledgement.
+
+Hard rules:
+
+- The interjection MUST be consistent with the next subtask. The user
+  cannot ask for something different from what the robot then does in
+  the video. If you're tempted to say "actually skip X" or "do Y
+  instead", DO NOT — those would contradict the demonstration.
+- The interjection must reference an object, location, or action that
+  is plausible given the visible scene and the next subtask text.
+- One sentence each. Conversational, not robotic.
+
+Style examples (vary the phrasing — don't reuse these verbatim):
+  - "Now go ahead and {next_subtask}."
+  - "Great, can you {next_subtask} next?"
+  - "{next_subtask}, please."
+  - "Before you continue, please {next_subtask}."
+  - "Looking good — {next_subtask} now."
+  - "Okay, {next_subtask}."
+
+Output strictly valid JSON:
+  {{
+    "interjection": "<single sentence the user says, asking for the next subtask>",
+    "speech":       "<single sentence the robot speaks back, confirming and starting>"
+  }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/prompts/module_3_vqa.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+You are generating a frame-grounded visual question/answer pair for
+chain-of-thought training. Reference: ECoT (Zawalski 2024) and Steerable
+Policies — both train policies on grounded features such as bounding box
+pixel coordinates, keypoints, counts, attributes, and spatial relations.
+
+The frame shows a robot working on: "{episode_task}".
+
+Question types and the EXACT answer JSON shape required for each:
+
+  bbox       => {{"detections": [{{"label": "<obj>", "bbox_format": "xyxy",
+                                    "bbox": [x1, y1, x2, y2]}}, ...]}}
+                bbox is in pixel coordinates (x_min, y_min, x_max, y_max).
+                ECoT example: "a white cup [124, 25, 176, 113]".
+
+  keypoint   => {{"label": "<point>", "point_format": "xy",
+                  "point": [x, y]}}
+
+  count      => {{"label": "<obj>", "count": <int>,
+                  "note": "<optional short note>"}}
+
+  attribute  => {{"label": "<obj>", "attribute": "<color|shape|state|...>",
+                  "value": "<observed value>"}}
+
+  spatial    => {{"subject": "<obj>", "relation": "<left_of|right_of|on|in|"
+                  "above|below|near>", "object": "<obj>"}}
+
+Generate a question of type "{question_type}". Output strictly valid JSON:
+
+  {{
+    "question": "<short, frame-grounded question>",
+    "answer":   <object whose shape matches the schema above>
+  }}

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/reader.py

@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Datatrove-shaped reader.
+
+The reader walks ``data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`` and yields one record per
+episode containing:
+
+- ``episode_index``: int
+- ``frame_timestamps``: tuple[float, ...]
+- ``frame_indices``: tuple[int, ...]
+- ``episode_task``: str (canonical task from ``meta/tasks.parquet``)
+- ``data_path``: pathlib.Path of the source parquet shard
+- ``frames_df``: pandas.DataFrame slice for the episode (only loaded on demand)
+
+This shape lets each module operate per-episode without loading all parquet
+rows into memory at once. It deliberately does not depend on datatrove —
+datatrove integration wraps this generator inside a ``PipelineStep`` in
+:mod:`.executor`.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Iterator
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import pyarrow.parquet as pq
+
+from lerobot.datasets.utils import DEFAULT_TASKS_PATH
+
+
+@dataclass
+class EpisodeRecord:
+    """Per-episode record yielded by the reader."""
+
+    episode_index: int
+    episode_task: str
+    frame_timestamps: tuple[float, ...]
+    frame_indices: tuple[int, ...]
+    data_path: Path
+    row_offset: int  # row offset within the parquet file where this episode starts
+    row_count: int  # number of rows for this episode
+
+    def frames_df(self):  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
+        """Lazy-load the pandas slice for this episode."""
+        import pandas as pd  # noqa: PLC0415  - deferred for optional dataset extra
+
+        table = pq.read_table(self.data_path)
+        df: pd.DataFrame = table.to_pandas()
+        slice_ = df.iloc[self.row_offset : self.row_offset + self.row_count].reset_index(drop=True)
+        return slice_
+
+
+def _load_tasks_lookup(root: Path) -> dict[int, str]:
+    tasks_path = root / DEFAULT_TASKS_PATH
+    if not tasks_path.exists():
+        return {}
+    table = pq.read_table(tasks_path)
+    cols = {name: table.column(name).to_pylist() for name in table.column_names}
+    if "task_index" in cols and "task" in cols:
+        return dict(zip(cols["task_index"], cols["task"], strict=True))
+    raise ValueError(f"meta/tasks.parquet at {tasks_path} missing 'task_index' or 'task'")
+
+
+def iter_episodes(root: Path, *, only_episodes: tuple[int, ...] | None = None) -> Iterator[EpisodeRecord]:
+    """Yield :class:`EpisodeRecord` for every episode under ``root/data/``.
+
+    Episodes are yielded in ascending ``episode_index`` order. The reader does
+    not assume a specific chunk/file layout: it scans every ``*.parquet``
+    under ``data/`` and groups by ``episode_index``.
+    """
+    tasks = _load_tasks_lookup(root)
+    data_dir = root / "data"
+    parquet_files = sorted(data_dir.rglob("*.parquet"))
+
+    only_set = set(only_episodes) if only_episodes is not None else None
+
+    for path in parquet_files:
+        yield from _iter_one_path(path, tasks, only_set)
+
+
+def _iter_one_path(path: Path, tasks: dict[int, str], only_set: set[int] | None) -> Iterator[EpisodeRecord]:
+    table = pq.read_table(path)
+    names = table.column_names
+    if "episode_index" not in names:
+        return
+    episode_col = table.column("episode_index").to_pylist()
+    timestamp_col = (
+        table.column("timestamp").to_pylist() if "timestamp" in names else [0.0] * len(episode_col)
+    )
+    frame_col = (
+        table.column("frame_index").to_pylist() if "frame_index" in names else list(range(len(episode_col)))
+    )
+    task_col = table.column("task_index").to_pylist() if "task_index" in names else None
+
+    def _build(
+        ep: int,
+        start: int,
+        end: int,
+        task_idx: int | None,
+        ts_buf: list[float],
+        fi_buf: list[int],
+    ) -> EpisodeRecord | None:
+        if only_set is not None and ep not in only_set:
+            return None
+        task = tasks.get(task_idx, "") if task_idx is not None else ""
+        return EpisodeRecord(
+            episode_index=ep,
+            episode_task=task,
+            frame_timestamps=tuple(ts_buf),
+            frame_indices=tuple(fi_buf),
+            data_path=path,
+            row_offset=start,
+            row_count=end - start,
+        )
+
+    cur_ep: int | None = None
+    start_offset = 0
+    ts_buf: list[float] = []
+    fi_buf: list[int] = []
+    cur_task_idx: int | None = None
+
+    for i, ep in enumerate(episode_col):
+        if cur_ep is None:
+            cur_ep = ep
+            start_offset = i
+            ts_buf = [timestamp_col[i]]
+            fi_buf = [frame_col[i]]
+            cur_task_idx = task_col[i] if task_col is not None else None
+            continue
+        if ep != cur_ep:
+            rec = _build(cur_ep, start_offset, i, cur_task_idx, ts_buf, fi_buf)
+            if rec is not None:
+                yield rec
+            cur_ep = ep
+            start_offset = i
+            ts_buf = [timestamp_col[i]]
+            fi_buf = [frame_col[i]]
+            cur_task_idx = task_col[i] if task_col is not None else None
+        else:
+            ts_buf.append(timestamp_col[i])
+            fi_buf.append(frame_col[i])
+
+    if cur_ep is not None:
+        rec = _build(cur_ep, start_offset, len(episode_col), cur_task_idx, ts_buf, fi_buf)
+        if rec is not None:
+            yield rec
+
+
+def gather_data_paths(root: Path) -> list[Path]:
+    """Return every ``data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`` path under ``root``."""
+    return sorted((root / "data").rglob("*.parquet"))
+
+
+def episode_offsets_per_path(path: Path) -> dict[int, tuple[int, int]]:
+    """Return ``{episode_index: (row_offset, row_count)}`` for one parquet."""
+    table = pq.read_table(path, columns=["episode_index"])
+    episode_col = table.column("episode_index").to_pylist()
+    out: dict[int, tuple[int, int]] = {}
+    cur_ep: int | None = None
+    start = 0
+    for i, ep in enumerate(episode_col):
+        if cur_ep is None:
+            cur_ep = ep
+            start = i
+            continue
+        if ep != cur_ep:
+            out[cur_ep] = (start, i - start)
+            cur_ep = ep
+            start = i
+    if cur_ep is not None:
+        out[cur_ep] = (start, len(episode_col) - start)
+    return out
+
+
+def keyframe_indices(record: EpisodeRecord, k: int) -> list[int]:
+    """Return ``k`` evenly spaced row indices into the episode (relative)."""
+    n = record.row_count
+    if k <= 0 or n == 0:
+        return []
+    if k >= n:
+        return list(range(n))
+    step = (n - 1) / (k - 1) if k > 1 else 0.0
+    return [int(round(i * step)) for i in range(k)] if k > 1 else [n // 2]
+
+
+def lookup_data_path(root: Path, episode_index: int) -> tuple[Path, int, int] | None:
+    """Find the parquet file containing ``episode_index`` and its slice bounds."""
+    for path in gather_data_paths(root):
+        offsets = episode_offsets_per_path(path)
+        if episode_index in offsets:
+            start, count = offsets[episode_index]
+            return path, start, count
+    return None
+
+
+def episode_frame_timestamps(root: Path, episode_index: int) -> tuple[Any, list[float]]:
+    """Return the parquet path and per-frame timestamps for ``episode_index``."""
+    found = lookup_data_path(root, episode_index)
+    if found is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"Episode {episode_index} not found under {root}/data/")
+    path, start, count = found
+    table = pq.read_table(path, columns=["timestamp"])
+    timestamps = table.column("timestamp").to_pylist()[start : start + count]
+    return path, [float(t) for t in timestamps]

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/staging.py

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Per-episode staging.
+
+Each module writes its raw output as a JSONL file under
+``<staging_dir>/episode_{ep:06d}/<module>.jsonl``. The writer reads back this
+staging tree and partitions rows into the two language columns.
+
+JSONL is preferred over parquet here because the staging artifact is meant to
+be human-inspectable, easy to diff between prompt iterations, and trivially
+appended to. The final dataset format is parquet; staging is just an
+intermediate.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+from collections.abc import Iterable, Iterator
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+ModuleName = str
+
+_MODULES: tuple[ModuleName, ...] = (
+    "module_1",
+    "module_2",
+    "module_3",
+)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class EpisodeStaging:
+    """Filesystem layout for a single episode's staged module outputs."""
+
+    root: Path
+    episode_index: int
+
+    @property
+    def episode_dir(self) -> Path:
+        return self.root / f"episode_{self.episode_index:06d}"
+
+    def path_for(self, module: ModuleName) -> Path:
+        if module not in _MODULES:
+            raise ValueError(f"Unknown module {module!r}; expected one of {_MODULES}")
+        return self.episode_dir / f"{module}.jsonl"
+
+    def write(self, module: ModuleName, rows: Iterable[dict[str, Any]]) -> Path:
+        path = self.path_for(module)
+        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        with path.open("w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            for row in rows:
+                f.write(json.dumps(row, ensure_ascii=False, sort_keys=True))
+                f.write("\n")
+        return path
+
+    def read(self, module: ModuleName) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        path = self.path_for(module)
+        if not path.exists():
+            return []
+        out: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        with path.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            for line in f:
+                line = line.strip()
+                if line:
+                    out.append(json.loads(line))
+        return out
+
+    def read_all(self) -> dict[ModuleName, list[dict[str, Any]]]:
+        return {m: self.read(m) for m in _MODULES}
+
+    def has(self, module: ModuleName) -> bool:
+        return self.path_for(module).exists()
+
+
+def iter_staged_episodes(root: Path) -> Iterator[int]:
+    """Yield episode indices for which any staging artifact exists."""
+    if not root.exists():
+        return
+    for child in sorted(root.iterdir()):
+        if child.is_dir() and child.name.startswith("episode_"):
+            try:
+                yield int(child.name.removeprefix("episode_"))
+            except ValueError:
+                continue

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/validator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,334 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Pre-write validation against staged outputs.
+
+Runs after Modules 1–3 have all written their per-episode artifacts but
+*before* the writer rewrites parquet shards. The validator never touches
+parquet; it only inspects the staging tree and the source frame timestamps
+exposed by :class:`EpisodeRecord`.
+
+Checks (per the plan's "Intermediate staging and validation" section):
+
+- exact timestamp alignment against source frame timestamps
+- no orphan speech / interjection pairs
+- plan / memory emission consistency (events have a paired persistent row)
+- VQA assistant ``content`` is valid JSON (one of bbox / keypoint / count /
+  attribute / spatial)
+- every row maps to its correct column under :func:`column_for_style`
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import logging
+from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+from lerobot.datasets.language import (
+    LANGUAGE_EVENTS,
+    LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT,
+    column_for_style,
+    is_view_dependent_style,
+    validate_camera_field,
+)
+
+from .reader import EpisodeRecord
+from .staging import EpisodeStaging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ValidationReport:
+    """Outcome of one validation pass across all episodes."""
+
+    errors: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
+    warnings: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
+    episodes_checked: int = 0
+
+    @property
+    def ok(self) -> bool:
+        return not self.errors
+
+    def add_error(self, message: str) -> None:
+        self.errors.append(message)
+
+    def add_warning(self, message: str) -> None:
+        self.warnings.append(message)
+
+    def summary(self) -> str:
+        return f"checked={self.episodes_checked} errors={len(self.errors)} warnings={len(self.warnings)}"
+
+
+VQA_ANSWER_SHAPES: dict[str, set[str]] = {
+    "bbox": {"detections"},
+    "keypoint": {"label", "point_format", "point"},
+    "count": {"label", "count"},
+    "attribute": {"label", "attribute", "value"},
+    "spatial": {"subject", "relation", "object"},
+}
+
+
+def classify_vqa_answer(payload: Any) -> str | None:
+    """Best-effort classification of a VQA answer payload to a question type."""
+    if not isinstance(payload, dict):
+        return None
+    keys = set(payload.keys())
+    for kind, required in VQA_ANSWER_SHAPES.items():
+        if required.issubset(keys):
+            return kind
+    return None
+
+
+@dataclass
+class StagingValidator:
+    """Walks the staging tree and produces a :class:`ValidationReport`."""
+
+    timestamp_atol: float = 0.0  # exact-match by default
+    dataset_camera_keys: tuple[str, ...] | None = None
+    """Known ``observation.images.*`` keys on the dataset. When set, the
+    validator additionally enforces that every view-dependent row's
+    ``camera`` field references one of these keys. Pass ``None`` (default)
+    to skip that cross-check (e.g. in unit tests with no real dataset)."""
+
+    def validate(
+        self,
+        records: Sequence[EpisodeRecord],
+        staging_dir: Path,
+    ) -> ValidationReport:
+        report = ValidationReport()
+        for record in records:
+            self._validate_episode(record, staging_dir, report)
+            report.episodes_checked += 1
+        return report
+
+    def _validate_episode(
+        self,
+        record: EpisodeRecord,
+        staging_dir: Path,
+        report: ValidationReport,
+    ) -> None:
+        staging = EpisodeStaging(staging_dir, record.episode_index)
+        staged = staging.read_all()
+        all_rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for module_name, rows in staged.items():
+            for row in rows:
+                row = {**row, "_module": module_name}
+                all_rows.append(row)
+
+        frame_ts = set(record.frame_timestamps)
+
+        events: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        persistent: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for row in all_rows:
+            self._check_column_routing(row, report, record.episode_index)
+            self._check_camera_field(
+                row, report, record.episode_index, self.dataset_camera_keys
+            )
+            if column_for_style(row.get("style")) == LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT:
+                persistent.append(row)
+            else:
+                events.append(row)
+
+        for row in events:
+            self._check_event_timestamp_alignment(row, frame_ts, report, record.episode_index)
+
+        self._check_speech_interjection_pairs(events, report, record.episode_index)
+        self._check_plan_memory_consistency(persistent, events, report, record.episode_index)
+        self._check_vqa_json(events, report, record.episode_index)
+        self._check_vqa_uniqueness_per_frame_camera(events, report, record.episode_index)
+
+    def _check_camera_field(
+        self,
+        row: dict[str, Any],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+        dataset_camera_keys: Sequence[str] | None,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Enforce the camera invariant + that the key matches the dataset's cameras."""
+        style = row.get("style")
+        camera = row.get("camera")
+        try:
+            validate_camera_field(style, camera)
+        except ValueError as exc:
+            report.add_error(
+                f"ep={episode_index} module={row.get('_module')}: {exc}"
+            )
+            return
+        if (
+            is_view_dependent_style(style)
+            and dataset_camera_keys
+            and camera not in dataset_camera_keys
+        ):
+            report.add_error(
+                f"ep={episode_index} module={row.get('_module')}: camera {camera!r} on style "
+                f"{style!r} is not one of the dataset's video keys {sorted(dataset_camera_keys)!r}"
+            )
+
+    def _check_vqa_uniqueness_per_frame_camera(
+        self,
+        events: Iterable[dict[str, Any]],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Ensure at most one (vqa, user) and one (vqa, assistant) per (t, camera)."""
+        counts: dict[tuple[float, str, str], int] = {}
+        for row in events:
+            if row.get("style") != "vqa":
+                continue
+            ts = row.get("timestamp")
+            camera = row.get("camera")
+            role = row.get("role")
+            if ts is None or camera is None or role is None:
+                continue  # other validators flag these
+            key = (float(ts), str(camera), str(role))
+            counts[key] = counts.get(key, 0) + 1
+        for (ts, camera, role), n in counts.items():
+            if n > 1:
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: {n} duplicate vqa rows at t={ts} "
+                    f"camera={camera!r} role={role!r}; expected at most one per (t, camera, role)"
+                )
+
+    def _check_column_routing(
+        self,
+        row: dict[str, Any],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        style = row.get("style")
+        module = row.get("_module")
+        try:
+            target_col = column_for_style(style)
+        except ValueError:
+            report.add_error(f"ep={episode_index} module={module}: unknown style {style!r}")
+            return
+        if module == "module_1" and target_col != LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT:
+            report.add_error(
+                f"ep={episode_index} module=module_1 emitted style {style!r} that routes to {target_col} (must be persistent)"
+            )
+        if module in {"module_2", "module_3"} and target_col != LANGUAGE_EVENTS:
+            report.add_error(
+                f"ep={episode_index} module={module} emitted style {style!r} that routes to {target_col} (must be events)"
+            )
+
+    def _check_event_timestamp_alignment(
+        self,
+        row: dict[str, Any],
+        frame_ts: set[float],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        ts = row.get("timestamp")
+        if ts is None:
+            report.add_error(f"ep={episode_index}: event row missing timestamp: {row!r}")
+            return
+        if self.timestamp_atol == 0.0:
+            if float(ts) not in frame_ts:
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: event row timestamp {ts!r} does not match any source frame timestamp"
+                )
+        else:
+            if not any(abs(float(ts) - f) <= self.timestamp_atol for f in frame_ts):
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: event row timestamp {ts!r} not within {self.timestamp_atol}s of any frame"
+                )
+
+    def _check_speech_interjection_pairs(
+        self,
+        events: Iterable[dict[str, Any]],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        speech_ts: dict[float, int] = {}
+        interjection_ts: dict[float, int] = {}
+        for row in events:
+            ts = row.get("timestamp")
+            if ts is None:
+                continue
+            ts_f = float(ts)
+            if row.get("style") is None and row.get("role") == "assistant":
+                speech_ts[ts_f] = speech_ts.get(ts_f, 0) + 1
+            if row.get("style") == "interjection":
+                interjection_ts[ts_f] = interjection_ts.get(ts_f, 0) + 1
+
+        for ts in interjection_ts:
+            if ts not in speech_ts:
+                report.add_error(f"ep={episode_index}: interjection at t={ts} has no paired speech atom")
+
+    def _check_plan_memory_consistency(
+        self,
+        persistent: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+        events: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        plan_ts = sorted({float(r["timestamp"]) for r in persistent if r.get("style") == "plan"})
+        memory_ts = sorted({float(r["timestamp"]) for r in persistent if r.get("style") == "memory"})
+        subtask_ts = sorted({float(r["timestamp"]) for r in persistent if r.get("style") == "subtask"})
+        interjection_ts = sorted(
+            {
+                float(r["timestamp"])
+                for r in events
+                if r.get("style") == "interjection" and r.get("timestamp") is not None
+            }
+        )
+
+        if persistent and not plan_ts:
+            report.add_warning(f"ep={episode_index}: persistent rows present but no plan emitted")
+        # every interjection should have a same-timestamp plan refresh
+        for ts in interjection_ts:
+            if ts not in set(plan_ts):
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: interjection at t={ts} has no co-timestamped plan update"
+                )
+        # memory should be emitted at subtask boundaries (subset relation)
+        if memory_ts and subtask_ts:
+            mem_set = set(memory_ts)
+            sub_set = set(subtask_ts)
+            stray = sorted(mem_set - sub_set)
+            if stray:
+                report.add_warning(f"ep={episode_index}: memory rows at {stray} not at any subtask boundary")
+
+    def _check_vqa_json(
+        self,
+        events: Iterable[dict[str, Any]],
+        report: ValidationReport,
+        episode_index: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        for row in events:
+            if row.get("style") != "vqa" or row.get("role") != "assistant":
+                continue
+            content = row.get("content")
+            if content is None:
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: VQA assistant row at t={row.get('timestamp')} has null content"
+                )
+                continue
+            try:
+                payload = json.loads(content)
+            except (TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: VQA assistant content not valid JSON at t={row.get('timestamp')}: {exc}"
+                )
+                continue
+            shape = classify_vqa_answer(payload)
+            if shape is None:
+                report.add_error(
+                    f"ep={episode_index}: VQA assistant payload at t={row.get('timestamp')} does not match any known shape: keys={list(payload) if isinstance(payload, dict) else type(payload).__name__}"
+                )

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/vlm_client.py

@@ -0,0 +1,741 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Shared Qwen-VL client.
+
+The pipeline uses a single shared VLM across modules. vLLM is preferred when
+available (high throughput, JSON-guided decoding); transformers is the
+fallback. A ``stub`` backend is used for unit tests so fixtures never call
+into a real model.
+
+The client speaks one method, :meth:`VlmClient.generate_json`, which:
+
+- accepts a list of OpenAI/HF-style multimodal messages,
+- requests JSON output (``json_mode=True`` enables guided decoding when the
+  backend supports it),
+- batches requests transparently,
+- and reprompts once on a JSON parse failure with an inline correction
+  message before raising.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import threading
+from collections.abc import Callable, Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any, Protocol
+
+from .config import VlmConfig
+
+
+class VlmClient(Protocol):
+    """Protocol every backend must implement."""
+
+    def generate_json(
+        self,
+        messages_batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]],
+        *,
+        max_new_tokens: int | None = None,
+        temperature: float | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        """Generate one JSON-decoded response per messages list."""
+
+
+@dataclass
+class StubVlmClient:
+    """Deterministic stub used in unit tests.
+
+    A test passes a callable that maps the *last user message text* (or, if
+    that is empty, the full message list) to a JSON-serializable response.
+    """
+
+    responder: Callable[[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]], Any]
+
+    def generate_json(
+        self,
+        messages_batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]],
+        *,
+        max_new_tokens: int | None = None,
+        temperature: float | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        return [self.responder(list(messages)) for messages in messages_batch]
+
+
+def _strip_to_json(text: str) -> Any:
+    text = text.strip()
+    # Strip <think>...</think> blocks (Qwen3 Thinking style)
+    while "<think>" in text and "</think>" in text:
+        start = text.find("<think>")
+        end = text.find("</think>", start) + len("</think>")
+        text = (text[:start] + text[end:]).strip()
+    # Strip ```json ... ``` fences from chat-tuned backbones
+    if text.startswith("```"):
+        first = text.find("\n")
+        last = text.rfind("```")
+        if first != -1 and last != -1 and last > first:
+            text = text[first + 1 : last].strip()
+    try:
+        return json.loads(text)
+    except (ValueError, json.JSONDecodeError):
+        pass
+    # Fall back to extracting the first balanced {...} block.
+    obj_text = _extract_first_json_object(text)
+    if obj_text is None:
+        raise json.JSONDecodeError("No JSON object found", text, 0)
+    return json.loads(obj_text)
+
+
+def _extract_first_json_object(text: str) -> str | None:
+    """Return the first balanced ``{...}`` substring, ignoring braces in
+    string literals. Returns ``None`` if no balanced block is found."""
+    start = text.find("{")
+    if start < 0:
+        return None
+    depth = 0
+    in_string = False
+    escape = False
+    for i in range(start, len(text)):
+        ch = text[i]
+        if escape:
+            escape = False
+            continue
+        if ch == "\\":
+            escape = True
+            continue
+        if ch == '"' and not escape:
+            in_string = not in_string
+            continue
+        if in_string:
+            continue
+        if ch == "{":
+            depth += 1
+        elif ch == "}":
+            depth -= 1
+            if depth == 0:
+                return text[start : i + 1]
+    return None
+
+
+@dataclass
+class _GenericTextClient:
+    """Wraps any text-generation callable in JSON-mode + one-retry semantics."""
+
+    generate_text: Callable[[Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]], int, float], list[str]]
+    config: VlmConfig
+
+    def generate_json(
+        self,
+        messages_batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]],
+        *,
+        max_new_tokens: int | None = None,
+        temperature: float | None = None,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        max_tok = max_new_tokens if max_new_tokens is not None else self.config.max_new_tokens
+        temp = temperature if temperature is not None else self.config.temperature
+        raw = self.generate_text(messages_batch, max_tok, temp)
+        out: list[Any] = []
+        for messages, text in zip(messages_batch, raw, strict=True):
+            try:
+                out.append(_strip_to_json(text))
+                continue
+            except (ValueError, json.JSONDecodeError):
+                pass
+            retry = list(messages) + [
+                {"role": "assistant", "content": text},
+                {
+                    "role": "user",
+                    "content": (
+                        "Your previous reply was not valid JSON. "
+                        "Reply with strictly valid JSON, no prose, no fences."
+                    ),
+                },
+            ]
+            retry_text = self.generate_text([retry], max_tok, temp)[0]
+            try:
+                out.append(_strip_to_json(retry_text))
+            except (ValueError, json.JSONDecodeError):
+                # After retry: log preview and return None instead of crashing
+                # the whole pipeline. Modules treat None as "skip".
+                preview = retry_text.strip().replace("\n", " ")[:200]
+                print(
+                    f"[vlm] WARNING: failed to parse JSON after retry; preview: {preview!r}",
+                    flush=True,
+                )
+                out.append(None)
+        return out
+
+
+def make_vlm_client(config: VlmConfig) -> VlmClient:
+    """Build the shared VLM client per the configured backend.
+
+    For ``stub``, callers should construct :class:`StubVlmClient` directly with
+    a responder callable. ``stub`` here is rejected to make accidental misuse
+    obvious.
+    """
+    if config.backend == "stub":
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Use StubVlmClient(...) directly for the stub backend; make_vlm_client builds real clients."
+        )
+    if config.backend == "vllm":
+        return _make_vllm_client(config)
+    if config.backend == "transformers":
+        return _make_transformers_client(config)
+    if config.backend == "openai":
+        return _make_openai_client(config)
+    raise ValueError(f"Unknown VLM backend: {config.backend!r}")
+
+
+def _make_vllm_client(config: VlmConfig) -> VlmClient:
+    try:
+        from vllm import LLM, SamplingParams  # type: ignore[import-not-found]
+    except ImportError as exc:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "vllm is required for backend='vllm'. Install with `pip install lerobot[annotations]`."
+        ) from exc
+    # Workaround for cuDNN 9.x + torch 2.8 conv3d regression that surfaces
+    # as CUDNN_STATUS_NOT_INITIALIZED in Qwen-VL vision-tower patch
+    # embedders. Setting LEROBOT_DISABLE_CUDNN=1 forces native PyTorch
+    # convolution kernels — slower but functional.
+    import os as _os  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    if _os.environ.get("LEROBOT_DISABLE_CUDNN", "").lower() in {"1", "true", "yes"}:
+        import torch as _torch  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        _torch.backends.cudnn.enabled = False
+    llm_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {
+        "model": config.model_id,
+        "tensor_parallel_size": config.tensor_parallel_size,
+        "gpu_memory_utilization": config.gpu_memory_utilization,
+        "trust_remote_code": config.trust_remote_code,
+    }
+    if config.max_model_len is not None:
+        llm_kwargs["max_model_len"] = config.max_model_len
+    llm = LLM(**llm_kwargs)
+
+    def _gen(batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]], max_tok: int, temp: float) -> list[str]:
+        # ``guided_decoding`` would speed up parsing but its API differs across
+        # vllm releases (dict vs GuidedDecodingParams). The _GenericTextClient
+        # wrapper already has a one-retry JSON-recovery path, so we skip it.
+        params = SamplingParams(max_tokens=max_tok, temperature=temp)
+        # ``llm.chat`` handles chat-template application + multimodal input
+        # extraction (image/video blocks) internally, which ``llm.generate``
+        # does not.
+        outputs = llm.chat([list(m) for m in batch], params)
+        return [o.outputs[0].text for o in outputs]
+
+    return _GenericTextClient(_gen, config)
+
+
+def _make_transformers_client(config: VlmConfig) -> VlmClient:
+    try:
+        import torch  # type: ignore[import-not-found]
+        import transformers  # type: ignore[import-not-found]
+        from transformers import AutoProcessor  # type: ignore[import-not-found]
+    except ImportError as exc:
+        raise ImportError("transformers + torch are required for backend='transformers'.") from exc
+    auto_cls = (
+        getattr(transformers, "AutoModelForImageTextToText", None)
+        or getattr(transformers, "AutoModelForVision2Seq", None)
+    )
+    if auto_cls is None:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "Neither AutoModelForImageTextToText nor AutoModelForVision2Seq is available in this "
+            "transformers version. Install transformers>=4.45 (which has AutoModelForImageTextToText) "
+            "for VL models."
+        )
+    processor = AutoProcessor.from_pretrained(
+        config.model_id, trust_remote_code=config.trust_remote_code
+    )
+    import os as _os  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    use_accelerate = _os.environ.get("LEROBOT_TRANSFORMERS_DEVICE_MAP", "manual") != "manual"
+    # ``device_map='auto'`` triggers a known std::bad_alloc on the Qwen3-VL
+    # post-load dispatch path (the alloc fails in accelerate's hook setup
+    # even with TBs of host RAM). Default to manual: load on CPU with
+    # ``low_cpu_mem_usage=True``, then ``.to("cuda")``. Set
+    # ``LEROBOT_TRANSFORMERS_DEVICE_MAP=auto`` to opt back into the old path.
+    if use_accelerate:
+        model = auto_cls.from_pretrained(
+            config.model_id,
+            torch_dtype="auto",
+            device_map="auto",
+            low_cpu_mem_usage=True,
+            trust_remote_code=config.trust_remote_code,
+        )
+    else:
+        import torch as _torch  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        model = auto_cls.from_pretrained(
+            config.model_id,
+            torch_dtype=_torch.bfloat16,
+            low_cpu_mem_usage=True,
+            trust_remote_code=config.trust_remote_code,
+        )
+        model = model.to("cuda")
+    model.eval()
+
+    def _gen(batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]], max_tok: int, temp: float) -> list[str]:
+        outs: list[str] = []
+        for messages in batch:
+            text = processor.apply_chat_template(messages, add_generation_prompt=True, tokenize=False)
+            inputs = processor(text=[text], return_tensors="pt").to(model.device)
+            with torch.no_grad():
+                gen = model.generate(
+                    **inputs,
+                    max_new_tokens=max_tok,
+                    temperature=temp,
+                    do_sample=temp > 0.0,
+                )
+            decoded = processor.batch_decode(
+                gen[:, inputs["input_ids"].shape[-1] :], skip_special_tokens=True
+            )[0]
+            outs.append(decoded)
+        return outs
+
+    return _GenericTextClient(_gen, config)
+
+
+def _make_openai_client(config: VlmConfig) -> VlmClient:
+    """Backend that talks to any OpenAI-compatible server.
+
+    Compatible with ``vllm serve``, ``transformers serve``,
+    ``ktransformers serve``, and hosted endpoints. By default the server
+    is expected to be already running. Set ``auto_serve=True`` to have
+    this client spawn one (default: ``transformers serve``), wait until
+    it's ready, and tear it down on process exit.
+
+    Image blocks ``{"type":"image", "image":<PIL.Image>}`` are
+    auto-converted to ``image_url`` data-URLs. Video blocks
+    ``{"type":"video", "video":[<PIL>...]}`` are forwarded as
+    multi-frame ``video_url`` items where supported.
+    """
+    try:
+        from openai import OpenAI  # type: ignore[import-not-found]
+    except ImportError as exc:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "openai package is required for backend='openai'. "
+            "Install with `pip install openai`."
+        ) from exc
+
+    api_base = config.api_base
+    api_key = config.api_key
+    auto_serve = config.auto_serve
+    api_bases: list[str] = [api_base]
+
+    print(
+        f"[lerobot-annotate] backend=openai model={config.model_id} "
+        f"api_base={api_base} auto_serve={auto_serve}",
+        flush=True,
+    )
+    if auto_serve:
+        if config.parallel_servers > 1:
+            print(
+                f"[lerobot-annotate] spawning {config.parallel_servers} parallel servers",
+                flush=True,
+            )
+            api_bases = _spawn_parallel_inference_servers(config)
+        elif _server_is_up(api_base):
+            print(f"[lerobot-annotate] reusing server already up at {api_base}", flush=True)
+        else:
+            print("[lerobot-annotate] no server reachable; spawning one", flush=True)
+            api_base = _spawn_inference_server(config)
+            api_bases = [api_base]
+            print(f"[lerobot-annotate] server ready at {api_base}", flush=True)
+
+    clients = [OpenAI(base_url=base, api_key=api_key) for base in api_bases]
+    client = clients[0]
+    # round-robin counter for parallel mode
+    rr_counter = {"i": 0}
+
+    # ``mm_processor_kwargs`` is a vllm-specific extra; transformers serve
+    # rejects it with HTTP 422. Send it only when explicitly opted in via
+    # an env var (e.g. ``LEROBOT_OPENAI_SEND_MM_KWARGS=1`` for vllm).
+    send_mm_kwargs = os.environ.get(
+        "LEROBOT_OPENAI_SEND_MM_KWARGS", ""
+    ).lower() in {"1", "true", "yes"}
+
+    rr_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+    def _one_call(
+        messages: Sequence[dict[str, Any]], max_tok: int, temp: float
+    ) -> str:
+        api_messages, mm_kwargs = _to_openai_messages(messages)
+        kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "model": config.model_id,
+            "messages": api_messages,
+            "max_tokens": max_tok,
+            "temperature": temp,
+        }
+        extra_body: dict[str, Any] = {}
+        if send_mm_kwargs and mm_kwargs:
+            extra_body["mm_processor_kwargs"] = {**mm_kwargs, "do_sample_frames": True}
+        if config.chat_template_kwargs:
+            extra_body["chat_template_kwargs"] = config.chat_template_kwargs
+        if extra_body:
+            kwargs["extra_body"] = extra_body
+        with rr_lock:
+            chosen = clients[rr_counter["i"] % len(clients)]
+            rr_counter["i"] += 1
+        response = chosen.chat.completions.create(**kwargs)
+        return response.choices[0].message.content or ""
+
+    def _gen(
+        batch: Sequence[Sequence[dict[str, Any]]], max_tok: int, temp: float
+    ) -> list[str]:
+        if len(batch) <= 1 or config.client_concurrency <= 1:
+            return [_one_call(messages, max_tok, temp) for messages in batch]
+        # Parallel fan-out — vllm batches these on the server side.
+        from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        max_workers = min(config.client_concurrency, len(batch))
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=max_workers) as pool:
+            futures = [
+                pool.submit(_one_call, messages, max_tok, temp) for messages in batch
+            ]
+            return [f.result() for f in futures]
+
+    return _GenericTextClient(_gen, config)
+
+
+def _spawn_parallel_inference_servers(config: VlmConfig) -> list[str]:
+    """Spawn ``config.parallel_servers`` independent vllm replicas.
+
+    Each replica:
+    - is pinned to a single GPU via ``CUDA_VISIBLE_DEVICES``
+    - listens on ``serve_port + i``
+    - is shut down via the same atexit hook as the single-server path
+
+    Returns the list of ``api_base`` URLs the client should round-robin
+    across.
+    """
+    import atexit  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import os as _os  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import shlex  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import signal  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import subprocess  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import sys  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import threading  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import time  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    n = config.parallel_servers
+    api_bases: list[str] = []
+    procs: list[subprocess.Popen] = []
+    ready_events: list[threading.Event] = []
+    # Multiple readiness signals — uvicorn's own banner is suppressed at
+    # ``--uvicorn-log-level warning``, so we also accept vllm's own
+    # "Starting vLLM API server" line and the route-listing line. The
+    # HTTP probe below is the ultimate fallback.
+    ready_markers = (
+        "Uvicorn running",
+        "Application startup complete",
+        "Starting vLLM API server",
+        "Available routes are",
+    )
+    # Single lock for all server-stream threads so multibyte chars from
+    # different servers don't interleave and tear UTF-8 sequences.
+    print_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+    base_cmd = config.serve_command or (
+        f"vllm serve {shlex.quote(config.model_id)} "
+        f"--tensor-parallel-size 1 "
+        f"--max-model-len {config.max_model_len or 32768} "
+        f"--uvicorn-log-level warning"
+    )
+
+    num_gpus = config.num_gpus if config.num_gpus > 0 else n
+    for i in range(n):
+        port = config.serve_port + i
+        gpu = i % num_gpus
+        env = _os.environ.copy()
+        env["CUDA_VISIBLE_DEVICES"] = str(gpu)
+        cmd = base_cmd
+        if "{port}" in cmd:
+            cmd = cmd.replace("{port}", str(port))
+        else:
+            cmd = f"{cmd} --port {port}"
+        api_base = f"http://localhost:{port}/v1"
+        api_bases.append(api_base)
+        print(f"[server-{i}] launching on GPU {gpu} port {port}: {cmd}", flush=True)
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            shlex.split(cmd),
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+            text=True,
+            bufsize=1,
+            env=env,
+        )
+        procs.append(proc)
+        ready = threading.Event()
+        ready_events.append(ready)
+
+        def _stream(idx: int, p: subprocess.Popen, ev: threading.Event) -> None:
+            # Read whole lines and emit each line atomically under the
+            # shared print_lock so output from N servers stays readable.
+            assert p.stdout is not None
+            for line in iter(p.stdout.readline, ""):
+                with print_lock:
+                    sys.stdout.write(f"[server-{idx}] {line}")
+                    if not line.endswith(("\n", "\r")):
+                        sys.stdout.write("\n")
+                    sys.stdout.flush()
+                if any(m in line for m in ready_markers):
+                    ev.set()
+
+        threading.Thread(target=_stream, args=(i, proc, ready), daemon=True).start()
+
+        def _probe(idx: int, base: str, ev: threading.Event, p: subprocess.Popen) -> None:
+            while not ev.is_set() and p.poll() is None:
+                if _server_is_up(base):
+                    print(f"[server-{idx}] ready (http probe)", flush=True)
+                    ev.set()
+                    return
+                time.sleep(2)
+
+        threading.Thread(target=_probe, args=(i, api_base, ready, proc), daemon=True).start()
+
+    def _shutdown() -> None:
+        for i, p in enumerate(procs):
+            if p.poll() is None:
+                print(f"[server-{i}] stopping pid={p.pid}", flush=True)
+                p.send_signal(signal.SIGINT)
+        for p in procs:
+            try:
+                p.wait(timeout=15)
+            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                p.kill()
+                p.wait(timeout=5)
+
+    atexit.register(_shutdown)
+
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + config.serve_ready_timeout_s
+    while any(not ev.is_set() for ev in ready_events) and time.monotonic() < deadline:
+        for i, p in enumerate(procs):
+            if p.poll() is not None:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"[server-{i}] inference server exited unexpectedly with rc={p.returncode}"
+                )
+        time.sleep(2)
+    if any(not ev.is_set() for ev in ready_events):
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"[server] not all replicas became ready within {config.serve_ready_timeout_s}s"
+        )
+    print(f"[lerobot-annotate] all {n} servers ready: {api_bases}", flush=True)
+    return api_bases
+
+
+def _server_is_up(api_base: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True if ``api_base/models`` answers 200 within 2 seconds."""
+    import urllib.request  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    url = api_base.rstrip("/") + "/models"
+    try:
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=2) as resp:
+            return resp.status == 200
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+        return False
+
+
+def _spawn_inference_server(config: VlmConfig) -> str:
+    """Spawn ``transformers serve`` (or ``serve_command``), wait until it
+    accepts ``/v1/models``, and register a shutdown hook.
+
+    Streams the server's stdout/stderr to the parent terminal in
+    real-time on a background thread so users can see model-load
+    progress and errors as they happen.
+
+    Returns the full ``api_base`` URL the OpenAI client should use.
+    """
+    import atexit  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import shlex  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import signal  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import subprocess  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import sys  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import threading  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import time  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import urllib.request  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    cmd = config.serve_command
+    if not cmd:
+        cmd = (
+            f"transformers serve {shlex.quote(config.model_id)} "
+            f"--port {config.serve_port} --continuous-batching"
+        )
+    api_base = f"http://localhost:{config.serve_port}/v1"
+    print(f"[server] launching: {cmd}", flush=True)
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        shlex.split(cmd),
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+        text=True,
+        bufsize=1,
+    )
+
+    # Watch the server output for the uvicorn readiness banner. This is
+    # more reliable than polling /v1/models because transformers serve
+    # rescans its cache on every model-list request, which can exceed
+    # the urllib timeout and trigger an infinite probe loop.
+    ready_event = threading.Event()
+    # See _spawn_parallel_inference_servers for why we accept these.
+    ready_markers = (
+        "Uvicorn running",
+        "Application startup complete",
+        "Starting vLLM API server",
+        "Available routes are",
+    )
+
+    def _probe() -> None:
+        while not ready_event.is_set() and proc.poll() is None:
+            if _server_is_up(api_base):
+                print("[server] ready (http probe)", flush=True)
+                ready_event.set()
+                return
+            time.sleep(2)
+
+    threading.Thread(target=_probe, daemon=True).start()
+
+    def _stream_output() -> None:
+        # Read raw chunks instead of iterating lines so tqdm progress
+        # bars (which overwrite using \r) flush in real time.
+        assert proc.stdout is not None
+        buf = ""
+        prefix_started = False
+        while True:
+            ch = proc.stdout.read(1)
+            if ch == "":
+                # process exited; flush any tail
+                if buf:
+                    sys.stdout.write(buf)
+                    sys.stdout.flush()
+                return
+            if not prefix_started:
+                sys.stdout.write("[server] ")
+                prefix_started = True
+            sys.stdout.write(ch)
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+            buf += ch
+            if ch in ("\n", "\r"):
+                if any(marker in buf for marker in ready_markers):
+                    ready_event.set()
+                buf = ""
+                prefix_started = False
+
+    threading.Thread(target=_stream_output, daemon=True).start()
+
+    def _shutdown() -> None:
+        if proc.poll() is None:
+            print(f"[server] stopping pid={proc.pid}", flush=True)
+            proc.send_signal(signal.SIGINT)
+            try:
+                proc.wait(timeout=15)
+            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                proc.kill()
+                proc.wait(timeout=5)
+
+    atexit.register(_shutdown)
+
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + config.serve_ready_timeout_s
+    while time.monotonic() < deadline:
+        if proc.poll() is not None:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"[server] inference server exited unexpectedly with rc={proc.returncode}. "
+                f"See [server] log lines above for the cause."
+            )
+        if ready_event.wait(timeout=2):
+            return api_base
+    proc.terminate()
+    raise RuntimeError(
+        f"[server] did not become ready within {config.serve_ready_timeout_s}s"
+    )
+
+
+def _to_openai_messages(
+    messages: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+) -> tuple[list[dict[str, Any]], dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Convert internal messages to OpenAI chat format.
+
+    Returns ``(api_messages, mm_kwargs)``. Multimodal-processor kwargs
+    (``fps`` from ``video_url`` blocks) are extracted out so the caller
+    can pass them via ``extra_body.mm_processor_kwargs`` rather than
+    inside the content blocks (which transformers serve rejects).
+
+    File-URL video blocks are inlined as base64 data URLs.
+    """
+    out_messages: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+    mm_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
+    for message in messages:
+        content = message.get("content")
+        if not isinstance(content, list):
+            out_messages.append({"role": message["role"], "content": content})
+            continue
+        out_blocks: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for block in content:
+            block_type = block.get("type") if isinstance(block, dict) else None
+            if block_type == "text":
+                out_blocks.append({"type": "text", "text": block.get("text", "")})
+            elif block_type == "image":
+                out_blocks.append(
+                    {"type": "image_url", "image_url": {"url": _pil_to_data_url(block["image"])}}
+                )
+            elif block_type == "video":
+                frames = block.get("video", [])
+                for img in frames:
+                    out_blocks.append(
+                        {"type": "image_url", "image_url": {"url": _pil_to_data_url(img)}}
+                    )
+            elif block_type == "video_url":
+                video_url = dict(block["video_url"])
+                url = video_url.get("url", "")
+                if url.startswith("file://"):
+                    video_url["url"] = _file_to_data_url(url[len("file://") :])
+                out_blocks.append({"type": "video_url", "video_url": video_url})
+                fps = block.get("fps")
+                if fps is not None:
+                    mm_kwargs["fps"] = fps
+            else:
+                out_blocks.append(block)
+        out_messages.append({"role": message["role"], "content": out_blocks})
+    return out_messages, mm_kwargs
+
+
+def _file_to_data_url(path: str) -> str:
+    """Read a local video file and return a base64 ``data:video/mp4`` URL."""
+    import base64  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    with open(path, "rb") as f:
+        b64 = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode("ascii")
+    return f"data:video/mp4;base64,{b64}"
+
+
+def _pil_to_data_url(image: Any) -> str:
+    """Encode a PIL.Image as a base64 data URL."""
+    import base64  # noqa: PLC0415
+    import io  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    image.save(buf, format="PNG")
+    b64 = base64.b64encode(buf.getvalue()).decode("ascii")
+    return f"data:image/png;base64,{b64}"
+
+
+def _messages_to_prompt(messages: Sequence[dict[str, Any]]) -> Any:
+    """Pass-through hook used by the vllm backend.
+
+    vllm exposes its own multimodal entry points that vary by version; for the
+    base flow we simply forward the raw message list and let the caller's
+    custom backend handle templating. Real deployments override this.
+    """
+    return list(messages)

src/lerobot/annotations/steerable_pipeline/writer.py

@@ -0,0 +1,341 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2026 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+"""Final parquet rewrite.
+
+For every episode the writer:
+
+1. reads the staged module outputs,
+2. partitions them into a persistent slice (PERSISTENT_STYLES) and an event
+   slice (EVENT_ONLY_STYLES + style=None tool-call atoms),
+3. sorts each slice deterministically,
+4. broadcasts the persistent slice across every frame in the episode,
+5. for each frame, materializes the sublist of event rows whose timestamp
+   exactly equals that frame's timestamp,
+6. drops the legacy ``subtask_index`` column,
+7. writes the parquet shard back in place.
+
+The writer does NOT add a dataset-level ``tools`` column. Tool *calls* are
+emitted per-row via the existing ``tool_calls`` field on the v3.1 row
+struct (PR 1) for every speech atom. The tool *schema* (the description
+of the ``say`` function and its parameters) is a fixed code constant —
+``SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA`` below — and downstream chat-template consumers import
+it directly rather than reading a redundant per-row column.
+
+Invariants enforced here (and re-checked by the validator):
+
+- per-episode persistent slice is byte-identical across every frame;
+- ``language_events`` rows on a frame all have ``timestamp == frame_ts``
+  (timestamps come straight from the source parquet — never recomputed);
+- every row passes ``column_for_style(style)``.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+from collections import defaultdict
+from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import pyarrow as pa
+import pyarrow.parquet as pq
+
+from lerobot.datasets.language import (
+    EVENT_ONLY_STYLES,
+    LANGUAGE_EVENTS,
+    LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT,
+    PERSISTENT_STYLES,
+    column_for_style,
+    validate_camera_field,
+)
+
+from .reader import EpisodeRecord
+from .staging import EpisodeStaging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# Tool schema constants moved to lerobot.datasets.language in PR 1 — single
+# source of truth. Re-exported here so existing imports
+# (``from lerobot.annotations.steerable_pipeline.writer import SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA``)
+# keep working.
+from lerobot.datasets.language import DEFAULT_TOOLS, SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA  # noqa: F401, E402
+
+
+def _row_persistent_sort_key(row: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple:
+    return (float(row["timestamp"]), row.get("style") or "", row.get("role") or "")
+
+
+def _row_event_sort_key(row: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple:
+    # events are bucketed per-frame, but within a frame we still want determinism
+    return (
+        row.get("style") or "",
+        row.get("role") or "",
+        row.get("camera") or "",
+    )
+
+
+def _normalize_persistent_row(row: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Coerce a staged row into the persistent column's struct shape."""
+    style = row.get("style")
+    if style not in PERSISTENT_STYLES:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"persistent slice contains row with non-persistent style {style!r}; "
+            "row would be misrouted under column_for_style()"
+        )
+    if "timestamp" not in row:
+        raise ValueError(f"persistent row missing timestamp: {row!r}")
+    camera = row.get("camera")
+    validate_camera_field(style, camera)
+    return {
+        "role": str(row["role"]),
+        "content": None if row.get("content") is None else str(row["content"]),
+        "style": style,
+        "timestamp": float(row["timestamp"]),
+        "camera": None if camera is None else str(camera),
+        "tool_calls": _normalize_tool_calls(row.get("tool_calls")),
+    }
+
+
+def _normalize_event_row(row: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Coerce a staged row into the event column's struct shape (no timestamp)."""
+    style = row.get("style")
+    if style is not None and style not in EVENT_ONLY_STYLES:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"event slice contains row with style {style!r}; expected None or one of {EVENT_ONLY_STYLES}"
+        )
+    if column_for_style(style) != LANGUAGE_EVENTS:
+        raise ValueError(f"event row with style {style!r} would not route to language_events")
+    camera = row.get("camera")
+    validate_camera_field(style, camera)
+    return {
+        "role": str(row["role"]),
+        "content": None if row.get("content") is None else str(row["content"]),
+        "style": style,
+        "camera": None if camera is None else str(camera),
+        "tool_calls": _normalize_tool_calls(row.get("tool_calls")),
+    }
+
+
+def _normalize_tool_calls(value: Any) -> list[Any] | None:
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    if not isinstance(value, list):
+        raise ValueError(f"tool_calls must be a list or None, got {type(value).__name__}")
+    return list(value)
+
+
+def _validate_atom_invariants(row: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """At-least-one of content/tool_calls; style=None implies tool_calls."""
+    has_content = row.get("content") is not None
+    has_tools = row.get("tool_calls") is not None
+    if not (has_content or has_tools):
+        raise ValueError(f"row has neither content nor tool_calls: {row!r}")
+    if row.get("style") is None and not has_tools:
+        raise ValueError(f"style=None requires tool_calls: {row!r}")
+
+
+def _validate_speech_atom(row: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """Speech atoms: role=assistant, style=None, content=None, say tool call."""
+    if row.get("style") is not None:
+        return  # not a speech atom
+    if row.get("role") != "assistant":
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom must have role=assistant: {row!r}")
+    if row.get("content") is not None:
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom must have content=null: {row!r}")
+    tool_calls = row.get("tool_calls")
+    if not tool_calls or not isinstance(tool_calls, list):
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom must have non-empty tool_calls list: {row!r}")
+    first = tool_calls[0]
+    if not isinstance(first, dict):
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom tool_calls[0] must be a dict: {row!r}")
+    if first.get("type") != "function":
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom tool_calls[0].type must be 'function': {row!r}")
+    fn = first.get("function") or {}
+    if fn.get("name") != "say":
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom tool_calls[0].function.name must be 'say': {row!r}")
+    args = fn.get("arguments") or {}
+    if not isinstance(args, dict) or "text" not in args or not isinstance(args["text"], str):
+        raise ValueError(f"speech atom must carry 'text' string in arguments: {row!r}")
+
+
+@dataclass
+class LanguageColumnsWriter:
+    """Rewrite ``data/chunk-*/file-*.parquet`` with the two language columns."""
+
+    drop_existing_subtask_index: bool = True
+
+    def write_all(
+        self,
+        records: Sequence[EpisodeRecord],
+        staging_dir: Path,
+        root: Path,
+    ) -> list[Path]:
+        episodes_by_path: dict[Path, list[EpisodeRecord]] = defaultdict(list)
+        for record in records:
+            episodes_by_path[record.data_path].append(record)
+
+        written: list[Path] = []
+        for path, eps in episodes_by_path.items():
+            self._rewrite_one(path, eps, staging_dir, root)
+            written.append(path)
+        return written
+
+    def _rewrite_one(
+        self,
+        path: Path,
+        episodes: Sequence[EpisodeRecord],
+        staging_dir: Path,
+        root: Path,
+    ) -> None:
+        table = pq.read_table(path)
+        n_rows = table.num_rows
+
+        # Ensure we cover every episode in the file. Episodes that don't have
+        # staging artifacts are passed through with empty annotation lists —
+        # this keeps the writer idempotent and safe for partial reruns.
+        staged_per_ep: dict[int, dict[str, list[dict[str, Any]]]] = {}
+        for record in episodes:
+            staging = EpisodeStaging(staging_dir, record.episode_index)
+            staged_per_ep[record.episode_index] = staging.read_all()
+
+        persistent_by_ep: dict[int, list[dict[str, Any]]] = {}
+        events_by_ep_ts: dict[int, dict[float, list[dict[str, Any]]]] = {}
+
+        for ep_index, ep_staged in staged_per_ep.items():
+            persistent_rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+            event_rows: list[dict[str, Any]] = []  # carry timestamp until bucketed
+            for _module_name, rows in ep_staged.items():
+                for row in rows:
+                    style = row.get("style")
+                    if column_for_style(style) == LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT:
+                        persistent_rows.append(row)
+                    else:
+                        event_rows.append(row)
+
+            persistent_rows.sort(key=_row_persistent_sort_key)
+            normalized_persistent = []
+            for r in persistent_rows:
+                _validate_atom_invariants(r)
+                _validate_speech_atom(r)
+                normalized_persistent.append(_normalize_persistent_row(r))
+            persistent_by_ep[ep_index] = normalized_persistent
+
+            buckets: dict[float, list[dict[str, Any]]] = defaultdict(list)
+            for r in event_rows:
+                _validate_atom_invariants(r)
+                _validate_speech_atom(r)
+                ts = float(r["timestamp"])
+                buckets[ts].append(_normalize_event_row(r))
+            for ts in list(buckets.keys()):
+                buckets[ts].sort(key=_row_event_sort_key)
+            events_by_ep_ts[ep_index] = buckets
+
+        episode_col = (
+            table.column("episode_index").to_pylist() if "episode_index" in table.column_names else None
+        )
+        ts_col = table.column("timestamp").to_pylist() if "timestamp" in table.column_names else None
+        if episode_col is None or ts_col is None:
+            raise ValueError(f"{path} is missing 'episode_index' or 'timestamp' — required by the writer.")
+
+        per_row_persistent: list[list[dict[str, Any]]] = []
+        per_row_events: list[list[dict[str, Any]]] = []
+        for i in range(n_rows):
+            ep = episode_col[i]
+            ts = float(ts_col[i])
+            per_row_persistent.append(persistent_by_ep.get(ep, []))
+            buckets = events_by_ep_ts.get(ep, {})
+            per_row_events.append(buckets.get(ts, []))
+
+        new_table = self._materialize_table(
+            table, per_row_persistent, per_row_events, drop_old=self.drop_existing_subtask_index
+        )
+        pq.write_table(new_table, path)
+
+    def _materialize_table(
+        self,
+        table: pa.Table,
+        persistent: list[list[dict[str, Any]]],
+        events: list[list[dict[str, Any]]],
+        *,
+        drop_old: bool,
+    ) -> pa.Table:
+        cols = []
+        names = []
+        for name in table.column_names:
+            if drop_old and name == "subtask_index":
+                continue
+            if name in (LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT, LANGUAGE_EVENTS):
+                continue  # we'll re-add canonical versions
+            # Strip any legacy ``tools`` column previously emitted by older
+            # writers — the schema no longer uses it (constant lives in
+            # SAY_TOOL_SCHEMA / DEFAULT_TOOLS).
+            if name == "tools":
+                continue
+            cols.append(table.column(name))
+            names.append(name)
+
+        # We let pyarrow infer struct/list schema rather than passing the
+        # canonical type from `lerobot.datasets.language` directly: that type
+        # uses `pa.json_()` for the `tool_calls` element type, which
+        # `pa.array(..., type=...)` cannot materialize from Python lists on
+        # current pyarrow versions. The inferred schema round-trips through
+        # parquet and `LeRobotDataset` correctly — see PR 1's
+        # `tests/datasets/test_language.py` which exercises the same flow.
+        persistent_arr = pa.array(persistent)
+        events_arr = pa.array(events)
+
+        cols.extend([persistent_arr, events_arr])
+        names.extend([LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT, LANGUAGE_EVENTS])
+
+        return pa.Table.from_arrays(cols, names=names)
+
+
+def speech_atom(timestamp: float, text: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Build a canonical speech tool-call atom for the events column."""
+    return {
+        "role": "assistant",
+        "content": None,
+        "style": None,
+        "timestamp": float(timestamp),
+        "camera": None,
+        "tool_calls": [
+            {
+                "type": "function",
+                "function": {
+                    "name": "say",
+                    "arguments": {"text": text},
+                },
+            }
+        ],
+    }
+
+
+def normalize_rows_for_writer(
+    rows: Iterable[dict[str, Any]],
+) -> tuple[list[dict[str, Any]], list[dict[str, Any]]]:
+    """Helper used by tests/validators to partition a flat row list into
+    (persistent_rows, event_rows) using ``column_for_style``.
+    """
+    persistent: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+    events: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+    for row in rows:
+        if column_for_style(row.get("style")) == LANGUAGE_PERSISTENT:
+            persistent.append(row)
+        else:
+            events.append(row)
+    return persistent, events

src/lerobot/cameras/opencv/camera_opencv.py

@@ -199,13 +199,12 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
             DeviceNotConnectedError: If the camera is not connected.
         """
 
+        # Set FOURCC first (if specified) as it can affect available FPS/resolution options
+        if self.config.fourcc is not None:
+            self._validate_fourcc()
         if self.videocapture is None:
             raise DeviceNotConnectedError(f"{self} videocapture is not initialized")
 
-        set_fourcc_after_size_and_fps = platform.system() == "Windows"
-        if self.config.fourcc is not None and not set_fourcc_after_size_and_fps:
-            self._validate_fourcc()
-
         default_width = int(round(self.videocapture.get(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_WIDTH)))
         default_height = int(round(self.videocapture.get(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_HEIGHT)))
 
@@ -223,11 +222,6 @@ class OpenCVCamera(Camera):
         else:
             self._validate_fps()
 
-        if self.config.fourcc is not None and set_fourcc_after_size_and_fps:
-            # On Windows with DSHOW, changing the resolution can silently override the FOURCC setting.
-            # Set FOURCC last to make sure the requested pixel format is actually enforced.
-            self._validate_fourcc()
-
     def _validate_fps(self) -> None:
         """Validates and sets the camera's frames per second (FPS)."""
 

src/lerobot/cameras/realsense/camera_realsense.py

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ Provides the RealSenseCamera class for capturing frames from Intel RealSense cam
 """
 
 import logging
-import sys
 import time
 from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ from ..utils import get_cv2_rotation
 from .configuration_realsense import RealSenseCameraConfig
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-pkg_name = "pyrealsense2-macosx" if sys.platform == "darwin" else "pyrealsense2"
 
 
 class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
@@ -116,7 +114,7 @@ class RealSenseCamera(Camera):
         Args:
             config: The configuration settings for the camera.
         """
-        require_package(pkg_name, extra="intelrealsense", import_name="pyrealsense2")
+        require_package("pyrealsense2", extra="intelrealsense")
         super().__init__(config)
 
         self.config = config

src/lerobot/common/train_utils.py

@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ def save_checkpoint(
         optimizer (Optimizer | None, optional): The optimizer to save the state from. Defaults to None.
         scheduler (LRScheduler | None, optional): The scheduler to save the state from. Defaults to None.
         preprocessor: The preprocessor/pipeline to save. Defaults to None.
-        postprocessor: The postprocessor/pipeline to save. Defaults to None.
     """
     pretrained_dir = checkpoint_dir / PRETRAINED_MODEL_DIR
     policy.save_pretrained(pretrained_dir)

src/lerobot/common/wandb_utils.py

@@ -41,12 +41,8 @@ def cfg_to_group(
             return tag
         return tag[:max_tag_length]
 
-    if cfg.is_reward_model_training:
-        trainable_tag = f"reward_model:{cfg.reward_model.type}"
-    else:
-        trainable_tag = f"policy:{cfg.policy.type}"
     lst = [
-        trainable_tag,
+        f"policy:{cfg.policy.type}",
         f"seed:{cfg.seed}",
     ]
     if cfg.dataset is not None:

src/lerobot/configs/__init__.py

@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ are intentionally NOT re-exported here to avoid circular dependencies
 Import them directly: ``from lerobot.configs.train import TrainPipelineConfig``
 """
 
-from .dataset import DatasetRecordConfig
 from .default import DatasetConfig, EvalConfig, PeftConfig, WandBConfig
 from .policies import PreTrainedConfig
 from .recipe import MessageTurn, TrainingRecipe, load_recipe
@@ -32,12 +31,6 @@ from .types import (
     PolicyFeature,
     RTCAttentionSchedule,
 )
-from .video import (
-    VALID_VIDEO_CODECS,
-    VIDEO_ENCODER_INFO_KEYS,
-    VideoEncoderConfig,
-    camera_encoder_defaults,
-)
 
 __all__ = [
     # Types
@@ -47,7 +40,6 @@ __all__ = [
     "PolicyFeature",
     "RTCAttentionSchedule",
     # Config classes
-    "DatasetRecordConfig",
     "DatasetConfig",
     "EvalConfig",
     "MessageTurn",
@@ -56,10 +48,4 @@ __all__ = [
     "TrainingRecipe",
     "WandBConfig",
     "load_recipe",
-    "VideoEncoderConfig",
-    # Defaults
-    "camera_encoder_defaults",
-    # Constants
-    "VALID_VIDEO_CODECS",
-    "VIDEO_ENCODER_INFO_KEYS",
 ]

src/lerobot/configs/dataset.py

@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright 2024 The HuggingFace Inc. team. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-
-"""Shared dataset recording configuration used by both ``lerobot-record`` and ``lerobot-rollout``."""
-
-from dataclasses import dataclass, field
-from datetime import datetime
-from pathlib import Path
-
-from .video import VideoEncoderConfig, camera_encoder_defaults
-
-
-@dataclass
-class DatasetRecordConfig:
-    # Dataset identifier. By convention it should match '{hf_username}/{dataset_name}' (e.g. `lerobot/test`).
-    repo_id: str = ""
-    # A short but accurate description of the task performed during the recording (e.g. "Pick the Lego block and drop it in the box on the right.")
-    single_task: str = ""
-    # Root directory where the dataset will be stored (e.g. 'dataset/path'). If None, defaults to $HF_LEROBOT_HOME/repo_id.
-    root: str | Path | None = None
-    # Limit the frames per second.
-    fps: int = 30
-    # Number of seconds for data recording for each episode.
-    episode_time_s: int | float = 60
-    # Number of seconds for resetting the environment after each episode.
-    reset_time_s: int | float = 60
-    # Number of episodes to record.
-    num_episodes: int = 50
-    # Encode frames in the dataset into video
-    video: bool = True
-    # Upload dataset to Hugging Face hub.
-    push_to_hub: bool = True
-    # Upload on private repository on the Hugging Face hub.
-    private: bool = False
-    # Add tags to your dataset on the hub.
-    tags: list[str] | None = None
-    # Number of subprocesses handling the saving of frames as PNG. Set to 0 to use threads only;
-    # set to ≥1 to use subprocesses, each using threads to write images. The best number of processes
-    # and threads depends on your system. We recommend 4 threads per camera with 0 processes.
-    # If fps is unstable, adjust the thread count. If still unstable, try using 1 or more subprocesses.
-    num_image_writer_processes: int = 0
-    # Number of threads writing the frames as png images on disk, per camera.
-    # Too many threads might cause unstable teleoperation fps due to main thread being blocked.
-    # Not enough threads might cause low camera fps.
-    num_image_writer_threads_per_camera: int = 4
-    # Number of episodes to record before batch encoding videos
-    # Set to 1 for immediate encoding (default behavior), or higher for batched encoding
-    video_encoding_batch_size: int = 1
-    # Video encoder settings for camera MP4s (codec, quality, GOP, etc.). Tuned via CLI nested keys,
-    # e.g. ``--dataset.camera_encoder.vcodec=h264`` (see ``VideoEncoderConfig``).
-    camera_encoder: VideoEncoderConfig = field(default_factory=camera_encoder_defaults)
-    # Enable streaming video encoding: encode frames in real-time during capture instead
-    # of writing PNG images first. Makes save_episode() near-instant. More info in the documentation: https://huggingface.co/docs/lerobot/streaming_video_encoding
-    streaming_encoding: bool = False
-    # Maximum number of frames to buffer per camera when using streaming encoding.
-    # ~1s buffer at 30fps. Provides backpressure if the encoder can't keep up.
-    encoder_queue_maxsize: int = 30
-    # Number of threads per encoder instance. None = auto (codec default).
-    # Lower values reduce CPU usage, maps to 'lp' (via svtav1-params) for libsvtav1 and 'threads' for h264/hevc..
-    encoder_threads: int | None = None
-
-    def stamp_repo_id(self) -> None:
-        """Append a date-time tag to ``repo_id`` so each recording session gets a unique name.
-
-        Must be called explicitly at dataset *creation* time — not on resume,
-        where the existing ``repo_id`` (already stamped) must be preserved.
-        """
-        if self.repo_id:
-            timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
-            self.repo_id = f"{self.repo_id}_{timestamp}"

src/lerobot/configs/default.py

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 
 from lerobot.transforms import ImageTransformsConfig
-from lerobot.utils.import_utils import get_safe_default_video_backend
+from lerobot.utils.import_utils import get_safe_default_codec
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class DatasetConfig:
     image_transforms: ImageTransformsConfig = field(default_factory=ImageTransformsConfig)
     revision: str | None = None
     use_imagenet_stats: bool = True
-    video_backend: str = field(default_factory=get_safe_default_video_backend)
+    video_backend: str = field(default_factory=get_safe_default_codec)
     # When True, video frames are returned as uint8 tensors (0-255) instead of float32 (0.0-1.0).
     # This reduces memory and speeds up DataLoader IPC. The training pipeline handles the conversion.
     return_uint8: bool = False
@@ -117,9 +117,3 @@ class PeftConfig:
     # the rank used for the adapter. In general a higher rank means more trainable parameters and closer to full
     # fine-tuning.
     r: int = 16
-
-    # Alpha parameter for LoRA scaling (scaling = lora_alpha / r).
-    # In general, a higher alpha means stronger adaptation signal.
-    # If None, the PEFT library defaults to alpha=8, which may dampen high-rank adapters.
-    # Common values are r (alpha == rank) or 2*r.
-    lora_alpha: int | None = None

src/lerobot/configs/eval.py

@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ from logging import getLogger
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from lerobot import envs, policies  # noqa: F401
+from lerobot.configs import parser
 
-from . import parser
 from .default import EvalConfig
 from .policies import PreTrainedConfig
 
@@ -46,11 +46,8 @@ class EvalPipelineConfig:
         # HACK: We parse again the cli args here to get the pretrained path if there was one.
         policy_path = parser.get_path_arg("policy")
         if policy_path:
-            yaml_overrides = parser.get_yaml_overrides("policy")
-            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy") or []
-            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(
-                policy_path, cli_overrides=yaml_overrides + cli_overrides
-            )
+            cli_overrides = parser.get_cli_overrides("policy")
+            self.policy = PreTrainedConfig.from_pretrained(policy_path, cli_overrides=cli_overrides)
             self.policy.pretrained_path = Path(policy_path)
 
         else:

src/lerobot/configs/parser.py

@@ -13,10 +13,8 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 import importlib
 import inspect
-import json
 import pkgutil
 import sys
-import tempfile
 from argparse import ArgumentError
 from collections.abc import Callable, Iterable, Sequence
 from functools import wraps
@@ -26,7 +24,6 @@ from types import ModuleType
 from typing import Any, TypeVar, cast
 
 import draccus
-import yaml  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
 
 from lerobot.utils.utils import has_method
 
@@ -35,29 +32,6 @@ F = TypeVar("F", bound=Callable[..., object])
 PATH_KEY = "path"
 PLUGIN_DISCOVERY_SUFFIX = "discover_packages_path"
 
-# Storage for path args extracted from YAML/JSON config files, so that
-# get_path_arg() can find them even when they weren't passed via CLI.
-_config_path_args: dict[str, str] = {}
-
-# Storage for non-path YAML overrides so validate() can pass them to from_pretrained.
-_config_yaml_overrides: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
-
-
-def _flatten_to_cli_args(d: dict, prefix: str = "") -> list[str]:
-    """Recursively flatten a nested dict to CLI-style args (e.g. {"lr": 1e-4} -> ["--lr=0.0001"])."""
-    args = []
-    for key, value in d.items():
-        if key in (PATH_KEY, draccus.CHOICE_TYPE_KEY):
-            continue
-        full_key = f"{prefix}.{key}" if prefix else key
-        if isinstance(value, bool):
-            value = str(value).lower()
-        if isinstance(value, dict):
-            args.extend(_flatten_to_cli_args(value, full_key))
-        elif value is not None and not isinstance(value, list):
-            args.append(f"--{full_key}={value}")
-    return args
-
 
 def get_cli_overrides(field_name: str, args: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> list[str] | None:
     """Parses arguments from cli at a given nested attribute level.
@@ -171,14 +145,7 @@ def load_plugin(plugin_path: str) -> None:
 
 
 def get_path_arg(field_name: str, args: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> str | None:
-    result = parse_arg(f"{field_name}.{PATH_KEY}", args)
-    if result is None:
-        result = _config_path_args.get(field_name)
-    return result
-
-
-def get_yaml_overrides(field_name: str) -> list[str]:
-    return _config_yaml_overrides.get(field_name, [])
+    return parse_arg(f"{field_name}.{PATH_KEY}", args)
 
 
 def get_type_arg(field_name: str, args: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> str | None:
@@ -225,52 +192,6 @@ def filter_path_args(fields_to_filter: str | list[str], args: Sequence[str] | No
     return filtered_args
 
 
-def extract_path_fields_from_config(config_path: str, path_fields: list[str]) -> str:
-    """Extract `path` fields from a YAML/JSON config before draccus processes it.
-
-    When a user specifies e.g. ``policy.path: lerobot/smolvla_base`` in a YAML config,
-    draccus will fail because ``path`` is not a valid field on policy config classes.
-    This function extracts those path values, stores them in ``_config_path_args`` for
-    later retrieval by ``get_path_arg()``, and returns a cleaned temp config file path.
-    """
-    config_file = Path(config_path)
-    suffix = config_file.suffix.lower()
-
-    if suffix in (".yaml", ".yml"):
-        with open(config_file) as f:
-            config_data = yaml.safe_load(f)
-    elif suffix == ".json":
-        with open(config_file) as f:
-            config_data = json.load(f)
-    else:
-        return config_path
-
-    if not isinstance(config_data, dict):
-        return config_path
-
-    modified = False
-    for field in path_fields:
-        if field in config_data and isinstance(config_data[field], dict) and PATH_KEY in config_data[field]:
-            _config_path_args[field] = str(config_data[field].pop(PATH_KEY))
-            remaining = config_data[field]
-            if remaining:
-                _config_yaml_overrides[field] = _flatten_to_cli_args(remaining)
-            else:
-                del config_data[field]
-            modified = True
-
-    if not modified:
-        return config_path
-
-    # Write cleaned config to a temp file
-    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", suffix=suffix, delete=False) as tmp:
-        if suffix in (".yaml", ".yml"):
-            yaml.dump(config_data, tmp, default_flow_style=False)
-        else:
-            json.dump(config_data, tmp, indent=2)
-    return tmp.name
-
-
 def wrap(config_path: Path | None = None) -> Callable[[F], F]:
     """
     HACK: Similar to draccus.wrap but does three additional things:
@@ -304,9 +225,6 @@ def wrap(config_path: Path | None = None) -> Callable[[F], F]:
                 if has_method(argtype, "__get_path_fields__"):
                     path_fields = argtype.__get_path_fields__()
                     cli_args = filter_path_args(path_fields, cli_args)
-                    # Also extract path fields from the YAML/JSON config file
-                    if config_path_cli:
-                        config_path_cli = extract_path_fields_from_config(config_path_cli, path_fields)
                 if has_method(argtype, "from_pretrained") and config_path_cli:
                     cli_args = filter_arg("config_path", cli_args)
                     cfg = argtype.from_pretrained(config_path_cli, cli_args=cli_args)