da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK)
Based on published sources · Not tested by us ·
License: CISST Software License Agreement v1.0 (Johns Hopkins University) · no license identified for electronics · Details by part
Overview
Open controller electronics, FPGA firmware and cisst/SAW software for research systems built from retired da Vinci arms and consoles; the arms themselves are supplied hardware, not an open design. [S006] [S010]
The dVRK is an "open-source mechatronics" system: electronics, firmware and software used to control research systems built from retired da Vinci surgical robots. Upstream reports deployment at more than 40 institutions. The arms, consoles and setup joints are not an open design. They come from retired clinical systems, and the documentation notes that each group's kit differs with the hardware it receives. [S006]
Specifications
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Teleoperated research system: surgeon-side MTMs and patient-side PSM and ECM arms (with setup joints) from retired da Vinci systems, driven by dVRK controllers. Reported by source [S009] [S013] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
| Intended users | Research institutions that already hold, or can obtain, retired da Vinci arms or consoles and can configure Linux, ROS, controllers and calibration Editorial assessment [S006] [S007] [S008] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
| Assembly | Not a turnkey system. Controllers are normally obtained through the Intuitive Foundation route or the dVRK developers; upstream calls self-manufacture from the open designs much more difficult. PC setup, configuration and calibration are performed by the owner. Reported by source [S006] [S007] [S008] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
| Calibration | Performed by each dVRK owner for their own hardware. Reported by source [S006] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
| Operating system | Ubuntu 24.04 (recommended), 22.04 or 20.04 for dVRK 2.4 and main with ROS 2; Ubuntu 20.04 for ROS 1 Noetic The computers page lists requirements for "dVRK 2.4 and main"; a separate 2.5.0 OS statement was not identified. Reported by source [S012] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
| Computer needed | Linux PC; documentation recommends at least 8 cores, 16 GB RAM (32 GB recommended), an SSD and a dedicated FireWire controller, with a second PC suggested for video or heavy computation. Reported by source [S012] · Checked 2026-10-05 |
3D preview
Preview not available yet. The reviewed sources did not establish a supported 3D payload for a hosted preview. The design may be supplied as drawings, an external CAD document or a separate download.
Model sources
The reviewed sources did not establish a supported 3D payload for a hosted preview. The design may be supplied as drawings, an external CAD document or a separate download.
Assembly and use
Who can realistically use it
Most groups received their retired arms through the Intuitive Foundation, and some salvaged systems from hospitals; upstream also names auction sites as a possible source. Controllers come through the Foundation route or the dVRK developers. Building your own controllers from the open designs is possible, but upstream calls it "by far, a much more difficult approach" and knows of one group that did it. [S007] Check your arms against the support list first: Classic and S MTMs and Classic PSMs, ECMs and setup joints use QLA-based controllers, Si PSMs and ECMs use dRAC-based controllers, and X, Xi and 5 hardware is not supported. [S013]
The group then does the integration itself: PCs are bought separately, and setup, configuration and calibration are the owner's job, which upstream says requires software, mechanical and robotic knowledge. [S006] [S008] Upstream also states that the dVRK is not FDA approved, must not be used on patients, carries no warranty and is not a turnkey system. [S008] This catalog makes no safety, clinical or medical-suitability assessment.
Configuration covered
This entry covers software release 2.5.0 (published 2026-08-23), which adds native Si setup-joint support, alternate master devices including Haply for ECM teleoperation, and Qt6 builds. Since 2.4.0, upstream recommends ROS 2 on Ubuntu 24.04. [S002] [S003] The computers page asks for a Linux PC with at least 8 cores, 16 GB RAM (32 GB recommended) and a dedicated FireWire controller; a full Classic system with 13 boards can share one FireWire port. Its OS list is labelled "dVRK 2.4 and main", so confirm 2.5.0 support before installing. [S012]
Each controller pairs an FPGA1394 logic board with a QLA board (Classic) or a dRAC board (Si); the 2026 Classic build CA10 lists FPGA 3.2 with QLA 1.6. [S010] [S011] The preserved QLA and FPGA1394V3 repositories contain Altium projects, PDF schematics, BOM spreadsheets and Gerber and assembly archives. Firmware release Rev10 covers FPGA1394 Rev 1.x to 3.x. [S014] [S015] [S016]
Licenses by layer
- Software: the README and source headers apply the cisst license from Johns Hopkins University. It grants a royalty-free license with a required notice preface and marking of modified versions, and says clinical use is neither recommended nor advised. [S001] [S004] [S005] [S017]
- Electronics and firmware: no license file was identified in the inspected QLA, FPGA1394V3 or firmware archives; firmware headers carry a Johns Hopkins copyright line. The documentation's statement that designs are "freely available on GitHub" describes access, not reuse terms, so redistribution and manufacturing permissions remain unresolved. [S010] [S014] [S015] [S016]
- Documentation: pages carry a Johns Hopkins copyright line; no documentation license was identified. [S006]
Cost and what remains unknown
No price for controllers, retired arms or a complete system was identified, so the cost is not established. The dRAC and adapter-board designs and the cisst, sawRobotIO1394 and sawControllers dependencies were not preserved or inspected. [S001] [S007] No installation, controller build, calibration or hardware test was performed for this entry.
Cost
No current, complete configuration-specific build cost has been established for this profile.
Source files and licenses
Controllers, firmware and software are published and actively released, but the robot arms are retired proprietary hardware and the electronics and firmware carry no identified license file. Covered as a research platform whose open layers are the controllers and software.
| Layer | Availability / license |
|---|---|
| mechanical design | unavailable · License not fully assessed Arms, consoles and setup joints are retired Intuitive Surgical hardware obtained through the Intuitive Foundation, hospitals or resale. No open mechanical design for the manipulators was identified in the inspected sources. [S006] [S007] |
| electronics | available · No license identified QLA and FPGA1394V3 Altium projects, PDF schematics, BOM spreadsheets and Gerber/assembly archives preserved. No license file identified in the inspected QLA or FPGA1394V3 archives; the documentation says the designs are freely available on GitHub, which is not a stated license grant. dRAC (Si) and adapter-board repositories not preserved. [S010] [S014] [S015] |
| firmware | available · License not fully assessed Verilog for FPGA1394 Rev 1.x-3.x with QLA, DQLA and DRAC companions; files carry Johns Hopkins University copyright headers. No license file or license notice identified in the inspected archive. Builds use Xilinx tools per README. [S016] |
| software | available · CISST Software License Agreement v1.0 (Johns Hopkins University) README links the cisst license; source headers in sawIntuitiveResearchKit and mechatronics-software state it. Terms include a required notice preface, marking of modified versions and a clause that clinical use is neither recommended nor advised. Dependency repositories not preserved. [S001] [S004] [S005] [S017] |
| documentation | available · License not fully assessed Preserved pages show a Johns Hopkins University copyright line; no documentation license identified in the preserved pages. The documentation repository was not preserved. [S006] [S008] |
Control software; no learned model is part of the reviewed configuration.
No dataset is part of the reviewed configuration.
References
Links identify the documentation and revisions used in this profile. Access dates record when each source was retrieved.
- S001 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
sawIntuitiveResearchKit README
Accessed 2026-10-05 · README.md at release 2.5.0Source notes
Describes libraries and applications for the dVRK, links the cisst license, lists Linux-only and cisst/sawRobotIO1394/sawControllers dependencies.
- S002 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
sawIntuitiveResearchKit release 2.5.0 and repository metadata
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Tag 2.5.0, commit 92e5495254826cb32bdb927ebe3a75a8d4b4a0e8; GitHub repository API metadataSource notes
Latest stable release selected by acquisition; release and push dates; dated popularity counts.
- S003 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
sawIntuitiveResearchKit change log
Accessed 2026-10-05 · CHANGELOG.md, sections 2.5.0 and 2.4.0Source notes
Release notes for 2.5.0 (Si SUJ support, Haply alternate masters, Qt6 build) and 2.4.0 (ROS 2 and Ubuntu 24.04 recommendation, documentation move).
- S004 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
sawIntuitiveResearchKit license headers and package manifest
Accessed 2026-10-05 · core/CMakeLists.txt header; share/package.xmlSource notes
Source headers state the cisst license and point to license.txt; package.xml declares license "cisst" and names the maintainer.
- S005 · The Johns Hopkins University
CISST Software License Agreement v1.0
Accessed 2026-10-05 · license.txt at jhu-cisst/cisst commit 1abca8616b0cec0abf8a61f6c8da5fd067e87c09Source notes
Full license text: royalty-free non-exclusive license with sublicensing conditions; clinical use neither recommended nor advised.
- S006 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: What is the dVRK?
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 1.1 (readthedocs main)Source notes
Defines the dVRK as open electronics, firmware and software controlling research systems built on retired da Vinci systems; lists kit composition.
- S007 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: How to get a dVRK?
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 1.3Source notes
Sources for retired hardware and controllers; self-manufacture described as much more difficult.
- S008 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: Disclaimers
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 1.2Source notes
Not FDA approved, not for use on patients, no warranty, assembly required, dVRK is not equivalent to the clinical da Vinci.
- S009 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: da Vinci Classic components
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 2.1.1.1Source notes
Lists Classic/S components usable with the dVRK (MTMs, PSMs, ECM, SUJ, pedals, HRSV) and unsupported components.
- S010 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: controller boards introduction
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 2.2.1.1Source notes
Centralized PC control with distributed I/O; FPGA logic board paired with QLA (Classic) or dRAC (Si); board designs, BOMs and firmware described as freely available on GitHub.
- S011 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: controller versions
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 2.2.5 build tablesSource notes
Classic arm controller builds CA0-CA10 and Si builds SA1-SA2 with FPGA/QLA/dRAC versions; FireWire on all, Ethernet from FPGA 2+.
- S012 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: computers
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 2.3.1Source notes
Recommended Linux PC, FireWire adapter guidance and Ubuntu/ROS versions per dVRK release line.
- S013 · Johns Hopkins University dVRK group / project contributors
dVRK documentation: generations of da Vinci systems
Accessed 2026-10-05 · Section 13.2.2 dVRK supportSource notes
Supported and unsupported arm generations and controller pairings.
- S014 · Johns Hopkins University (jhu-cisst) / project contributors
QLA board design files
Accessed 2026-10-05 · README.md and archive inventory at commit dfb1b150b5ff5291f1f869dd5ccdfc8619a38fe6 (snapshot; no release)Source notes
Altium project, PDF schematics, BOM spreadsheet, Gerber and assembly archives; release notes through Rev 1.6; no license file in the 21-member archive.
- S015 · Johns Hopkins University (jhu-cisst) / project contributors
FPGA1394V3 board design files
Accessed 2026-10-05 · README.md and archive inventory at commit e0eb132bea81607cfb20d1a348e92d66ff823119 (snapshot; no release)Source notes
Zynq XC7Z020-based Rev 3.x logic board in Altium format with schematics PDF, BOM and panel fabrication files; no license file in the 22-member archive.
- S016 · Johns Hopkins University (jhu-cisst) / project contributors
FPGA firmware (mechatronics-firmware) release Rev10
Accessed 2026-10-05 · README.md, FPGA1394_QLA/Verilog/DRAC.v header and archive license-file check at tag Rev10 (3b80cc81f41066c256ca37075d237894893ba84a)Source notes
Verilog firmware for FPGA1394 Rev 1.x-3.x with QLA, DQLA and DRAC companions; JHU copyright headers; no license file found among 183 archive members.
- S017 · Johns Hopkins University (jhu-cisst) / project contributors
Mechatronics software (Amp1394) release 2.4.0
Accessed 2026-10-05 · README.md and CMakeLists.txt header at tag 2.4.0 (2fc5092d0f99e30193e423a5ef41ea471a294c18)Source notes
Low-level FPGA board interface library, programmer and tests; cisst license header.
Correction guidance · Discussion is not enabled · Profile format 0.7.0-draft.5
Change history
2026-10-05 — Initial intake from the Growbotics comparison lead; verified against upstream repositories and documentation.