Skip to content
Sodero Docs
Sodero Docs Sodero Docs

    Install Isaac Bridge

    Isaac Bridge is the Isaac Sim extension that connects Isaac Sim to the gateways of Stellar Station. Install it once on the computer that runs Isaac Sim.

    1. Download the Extension

    The source of Isaac Bridge is published on GitHub. Download release v1.0.0, the version this documentation is verified with (Compatibility):

    git clone --branch v1.0.0 https://github.com/Sodero-labs/isaac_bridge.git

    Or download the source ZIP file of release v1.0.0 from the repository's Releases page, extract it, and rename the extracted folder isaac_bridge-1.0.0 to isaac_bridge. Either way you get a folder isaac_bridge. Remember the folder that contains it, for example ~/isaac_extensions when the extension is in ~/isaac_extensions/isaac_bridge.

    2. Add the Extension to Isaac Sim

    1. Start Isaac Sim.
    2. Open Window › Extensions.
    3. Open the Extensions window's settings (the menu icon next to the search field) and add the folder that contains isaac_bridge to Extension Search Paths.
    4. Search for isaac bridge ①.
    5. Switch the extension on ②.
    6. Tick AUTOLOAD ③, so the extension starts with Isaac Sim from now on.
    Isaac Bridge in the Extensions window
    ① search ② enable ③ autoload

    When the extension starts the first time, Isaac Sim installs the Python package pyzmq from the internet. For a computer without internet access, download the package on a computer that has internet access and the same operating system and Isaac Sim version, copy the wheels folder to the Isaac Sim computer, and install it from there. Run the commands in Isaac Sim's installation folder:

    # On the computer with internet access
./python.sh -m pip download pyzmq -d wheels
# On the Isaac Sim computer, with the copied wheels folder
./python.sh -m pip install --no-index --find-links wheels pyzmq

    REM On the computer with internet access
python.bat -m pip download pyzmq -d wheels
REM On the Isaac Sim computer, with the copied wheels folder
python.bat -m pip install --no-index --find-links wheels pyzmq

    You can also start Isaac Sim with the extension from a command line: isaac-sim.sh --ext-folder ~/isaac_extensions --enable isaac_bridge (isaac-sim.bat on Windows).

    3. Open the Status Window

    Open Window › Isaac Bridge. The window shows what the bridge serves. Before a scene plays it is mostly empty; press Play in Isaac Sim and it fills in:

    Isaac Bridge window
    The Isaac Bridge status window while a scene plays
    No. Line Meaning
    1 Ports The command (53333), state (53334) and camera (53335) ports, and serving when the gateways can connect. The line below shows the scene's physics and render rates.
    2 Robots Every robot of the scene: its name, its prim path, bound when the bridge controls it, and its number of joints (DOF)
    3 Cameras Every camera served: name, resolution, frame rate and frames sent
    4 Rescan Looks for robots and cameras again after you changed the scene while it plays

    The command and state ports (53333, 53334) open at the first Play and stay open until the scene is closed. The camera port (53335) opens at each Play when the scene has cameras, and closes at Stop.

    4. Allow the Ports in the Firewall

    Stellar X connects to the Isaac Sim computer on TCP ports 53333, 53334 and 53335. Allow them for incoming connections from Stellar X.

    sudo ufw allow from <Stellar X IP address> to any port 53333:53335 proto tcp

    Open Windows Defender Firewall › Advanced settings › Inbound Rules › New Rule…, choose Port, TCP, ports 53333-53335, and allow the connection for your private network.

    The bridge does not authenticate its clients: any computer that reaches these ports can command the robots of the scene. Use it on a trusted network only, and do not open the ports to the internet.

    5. Update or Remove

    • Update: put the new release into the same isaac_bridge folder: run git fetch --tags and git checkout RELEASE_TAG in the folder (a clone of a release tag cannot git pull), or replace the folder with the new release's ZIP as in step 1. Restart Isaac Sim and check the connection again: the status window shows the ports serving and your robots bound, and each simulation gateway logs Simulator connected. Check Compatibility for the versions this documentation is verified with.
    • Remove: switch the extension off in Window › Extensions, untick AUTOLOAD, and remove its folder from Extension Search Paths.

    The extension's README describes advanced settings, such as camera sizes and rates, which cameras to publish, and the ports.

    Next: Prepare the Robot.