Franka Emika Panda simulated hand — 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 robots/justagist__panda_simulator

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 robots/justagist__panda_simulator --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": {
    "panda-simulator": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "mhs",
        "serve",
        "robots/justagist__panda_simulator",
        "--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

finger_positions

Adjusts

Nothing declared.

Actions

move_gripper: Send one franka_gripper/MoveAction goal with a finger opening and speed; the receipt reports the upstream action's terminal success, not a separately measured contact force
grasp_gripper: Send one franka_gripper/GraspAction goal; the pinned handler performs the same position move as MoveAction and ignores force and epsilon
stop_gripper: Fixed, input-free franka_gripper/StopAction request; the upstream handler buffers a hold of the measured opening at zero speed and acknowledges success before the controller applies it

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 robots/justagist__panda_simulator
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: justagist/panda_simulator
Pinned commit: 6cec91dcc739
Licence: Apache-2.0
Stars: 225
Evidence: contract_checked on the fake backend
Backends: fake

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