v0.2.0 (Carbon Dev Kit Shipment)

Release Date: June 24, 2025

We’re excited to announce v0.2.0 of the Voyant Photonics SDK, the API release accompanying the first shipment of the Voyant Carbon Development Kit (aka Meadowlark)! This release expands the SDK’s capabilities with new tools, improved data handling, and enhanced device management features.

Carbon Development Kit Launch

This release coincides with the launch of the Voyant Carbon Development Kit, our flagship LiDAR development platform. The Carbon Development Kit provides developers with cutting-edge FMCW LiDAR technology and the complete toolchain needed to build next-generation sensing applications.

Major New Features

Device Configuration & Management

HTTP Client Tools: New suite of HTTP-based tools for comprehensive device management:

  • Device calibration upload and management
  • LiDAR service start/stop control
  • Firmware update capabilities
  • SDL configuration management
  • Dynamic IP address configuration

Enhanced Device Support: Added device ID string parsing and improved support for the Lark Development Kit (LDK) device class.

Expanded CLI Tool Suite

The SDK now includes a comprehensive set of command-line tools organized by functionality:

Core Workflow Tools

  • voyant_foxglove_bridge - Connect live sensor data streams to Foxglove Studio for real-time visualization
  • voyant_lidar_client - Configure and control your Voyant LiDAR device through its HTTP interface
  • voyant_logger_binary - Record sensor data to binary format file (recommended for preserving native data)

Playback & Analysis Tools

  • voyant_playback_check - Validate recorded data integrity and display frame metadata
  • voyant_playback_foxglove - Replay recorded data in Foxglove Studio for visualization and analysis

Data Conversion Tools

  • voyant_bin_to_csv - Convert binary logged point clouds to CSV format for data analysis

Utilities & Development Tools

  • voyant_hello_world - Simple example application to verify installation
  • voyant_ip_client - Configure custom IP addresses for Voyant LiDAR devices
  • voyant_points_mock_stream - Generate mock point cloud data for testing without a physical sensor
  • voyant_points_receiver_check - Debug tool to verify data stream reception and print basic frame metadata

For detailed documentation and usage examples for all tools, see the CLI Tools Reference.

Data Quality & Performance Improvements

Intelligent Point Filtering: Points are now filtered for validity by default during both live streaming and playback, ensuring higher data quality and reducing processing overhead.

Enhanced Drop Detection: Improved tracking and warning system for dropped messages from devices, providing better insight into data acquisition performance.

Clean Shutdown Handling: Added proper shutdown handlers for clean application exits and resource management.

Network Configuration Updates

New Default IP Address: The default device IP address has been changed from the previous setting to 192.168.20.20 for improved network compatibility and standardization.

Protocol & Compatibility

Enhanced Version Compatibility: Protocol version compatibility is now based only on major and minor versions, providing more flexible compatibility while maintaining stability.

Developer Experience Improvements

Data Recording & Playback

  • VoyantRecorder Struct: Refactored recording logic into a dedicated structure for better code organization
  • CSV-to-Binary Converter: Added tools for converting CSV format data to the more efficient binary format

Enhanced Logging & Debugging

  • Improved error reporting and diagnostic capabilities
  • Better frame-level metadata access during playback
  • Enhanced debugging output for development workflows

Breaking Changes

  • Default IP address changed to 192.168.20.20
  • Invalid points are now filtered by default (can be disabled with filtering options -k or --keep-invalid-points)
  • Some legacy CSV-based tools have been deprecated in favor of more efficient binary format workflows

Migration from v0.1.0

Most applications should continue to work with minimal changes. Key considerations:

  1. IP Address: Update any hardcoded IP addresses to 192.168.20.20 or use the new IP configuration tools
  2. Point Filtering: If your application depends on receiving invalid points, use the --no-filter-points option where available
  3. Tool Names: Some utility tools have been renamed for consistency - check the CLI tools documentation for current names

Known Limitations

  • Some experimental tools (voyant_csv_to_bin, voyant_logger_mcap) are now in unsupported status
  • Advanced sensor configuration capabilities continue to be developed for future releases

ROS2 Integration

The Official ROS drivers for Voyant LiDARs remain available at Voyant-Photonics/voyant-ros, with continued support for ROS2 Humble (Ubuntu 22.04) and Docker support for Humble, Iron, Rolling, and Jazzy distributions.

Feedback and Support

We value your feedback! If you encounter issues or have suggestions for improvements, please see our troubleshooting guide for the best options for getting in touch with us.

The Carbon Development Kit represents a major milestone in making FMCW LiDAR technology accessible to developers. We’re excited to see what you build with it!

Copyright © Voyant Photonics, Inc.