Build a small performance system

One channel needs one final decision

A performance may request background motion, a triggered nod and an operator look direction simultaneously. If each writes directly to the same joint, the last writer wins unpredictably. Put them through one director with documented priority and channel ownership.

A useful design is: stop/fault handler first; commissioned robot controller next; then allowed operator and show references. The exact ordering within the allowed reference layer is a product choice. Do not let a low-priority idle animation overwrite balance or a fault response.

Transitions are motion too

A clip authored from zero cannot simply begin when the joint is elsewhere. Blend from the current reference to the new entry pose over a planned interval. At interruption, start from the current evaluated pose, not the original clip’s first key. Check derivatives of the combined result; smooth individual clips do not guarantee a smooth blend.

For a basic crossfade, q = (1−w)qA + wqB. Its speed also contains a term from changing w, so a fast crossfade between distant poses can still demand a large velocity. Apply this only in a verified compatible reference space, not blindly to two policies’ raw leg actions.

Use time, not the speed of the program

A timeline should advance from a monotonic clock. Keep show cues timestamped and avoid blocking the control loop while loading audio or writing files. Log requested versus applied reference, actual state and missed deadlines with timestamps.

Freshness matters. Define what happens when the operator input, perception result or clip player stops updating. A watchdog must lead to the already commissioned fallback; “freeze all joints” is not a universally safe answer for a balancing robot.

After a stop is explicitly reset, enter the commissioned recovery or idle path and wait for a fresh request. Clear the interrupted show request instead of automatically resuming it. This keeps an old gesture from restarting merely because the stop condition ended.

Sound and LEDs should support the action

After a gesture is readable without effects, add a brief original sound or a subtle light cue at the main beat. Sound, light and motion need a shared timeline, but their power and data interfaces remain separate. Follow the LED power-budget module before wiring anything.

A speaker in the parts list is not proof that the runtime has an audio scheduler. Likewise the optional ears have no independent commands in the audited 14-actuator runtime. Treat absent channels as planned extensions, not hidden features.

From a desktop director to a hardware adapter

The expression kit intentionally has no hardware transport. Its CSV channels are not accepted deployment commands. Before physical playback, create a revision-specific adapter that translates only supported references, enforces the verified envelope and respects feedback freshness and the existing stop system.

If you cannot identify a supported reference path, return to the simulator and implement/test one there. Running a random upstream deploy script is not a substitute. This is a real integration milestone, and it is reasonable to work through it with help using your exact source revision and controller configuration.