Thorlabs Kinesis motor controller (pylablib KinesisMotor) — device market

Install

Three ways to run this device. Each one serves its fake backend: no instrument, no simulator install and no upstream checkout.

OpenAI4S (one command)

shell

openai4s lab add labs/alexshkarin__pylablib

Installs the device into the OpenAI4S Lab on its fake backend and starts it. First time? See setup below.

Or, in the workbench, open the Lab tab → Market → Install.

Standalone MHS endpoint

shell

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/PKU-YuanGroup/OpenMHS.git && cd OpenMHS
PYTHONPATH=MHS/sdk/src python3 -m mhs serve labs/alexshkarin__pylablib --port 7400
# in a second terminal, from the same directory:
PYTHONPATH=MHS/sdk/src python3 -m mhs describe --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:7400

Serves the device as an MHS endpoint on port 7400 from an OpenMHS clone (Python 3.10 or later, standard library only); describe prints what it offers.

Any MCP host (Claude Desktop, Cursor, …)

mcp configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pylablib": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "mhs",
        "serve",
        "labs/alexshkarin__pylablib",
        "--mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PYTHONPATH": "/path/to/OpenMHS/MHS/sdk/src"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add this server to the host's MCP configuration and replace /path/to/OpenMHS with the path of your OpenMHS clone. The host starts the server and talks to it on stdin and stdout.

What it does

Measures

position
moving
homed
status
controller_model
channel_count

Adjusts

max_velocity

Actions

home_axis: Home the axis with the native MOT_HOME and report the homed bit; it takes no input
stop_motion: Stop all motion on the resource with a declared deceleration profile and report the stopping position. This capability is always cancellable=false and is exempt from rate limiting.
move_to_absolute: Move the axis to an absolute position in device encoder steps and wait until it stops

Names as the driver declares them. Units, limits and the safety declaration are in the package's REFERENCE.md.

First-time setup

The OpenAI4S workbench with the OpenMHS lab, from a source checkout:

shell

# OpenAI4S workbench with the OpenMHS lab (source checkout)
git clone --recursive https://github.com/PKU-YuanGroup/OpenAI4S.git
cd OpenAI4S && ./setup.sh && source .venv/bin/activate
openai4s lab add labs/alexshkarin__pylablib
openai4s serve        # open the Lab tab

The standalone endpoint and the MCP server need only an OpenMHS clone and Python 3.10 or later. More in the market's getting-started guide and on the OpenAI4S host page.

Source and evidence

Upstream: alexshkarin/pylablib
Pinned commit: 96d9504d3e66
Licence: GPL-3.0
Stars: 214
Evidence: contract_checked on the fake backend
Backends: fake, hardware

The driver package MHS/drivers/labs/alexshkarin__pylablib wraps the upstream code at the pinned commit. Its REFERENCE.md documents the full contract: every value, action, unit, limit and the safety declaration.