ethercat_grant is a small ROS package (fork of pr2-grant) created and maintained by Shadow Robot Company. Its sole purpose is to allow running the EtherCAT main loop – `ros_ethercat_loop` – without requiring root (administrator) privileges.
It works through a setuid/sticky mechanism: after installation, the `/usr/local/bin/ethercat_grant` executable receives the sticky bit (`chmod +s`). This allows a process invoked by a regular user to temporarily obtain root permissions only for the duration of opening the network interface for EtherCAT.
Usage is minimal: in a ROS launch file, add `launch-prefix="ethercat_grant"` to the `ros_ethercat_loop` node. The package is distributed via apt (ROS apt repo) for melodic, noetic, and humble distributions.
While the package itself implements no control logic, it is an essential component for safe EtherCAT deployment in multi-user or containerized environments where running as root is not acceptable.
A CLI Tool (Command-Line Interface Tool) is a program run from a terminal or shell, used for administration, integration, configuration, testing, and diagnostics of robotic devices and software systems. CLI tools are common in robotics workflows for flashing firmware, configuring network settings, running diagnostics, launching processes, and automating repetitive tasks in CI/CD pipelines.
A Driver is a software layer responsible for communication with a specific hardware device or component. In robotics, drivers enable support for sensors (LiDARs, cameras, IMUs), actuators, motor controllers, grippers, and other modules at the hardware or low-level OS layer. They abstract device-specific protocols (USB, CAN, UART, EtherCAT) and expose a standardised interface to the middleware or application layer above.
Family of tools providing hard real-time capabilities in Linux and EtherCAT fieldbus communication – the foundation of industrial and robotic low-level control.
Shadow Hand – advanced robotic hand, ROS-Industrial systems using EtherCAT as the control bus.
Small, specialised community. 6 GitHub stars, 10 forks – niche tool but essential for the EtherCAT/ROS ecosystem.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 'Noble Numbat' — supported until April 2029. The host for ROS 2 Jazzy.
License family: Permissive
ROS 2 Humble support; CMakeLists update.
ROS Noetic support, postinst fixes.
