YARP 3.12.3

YARP 3.12.3 Release Notes

THIS IS THE LAST RELEASE OF YARP 3.x SERIES

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

libYARP_sig

• added Pose6D, ColorRGB datatypes
• Improved the speed of reading MP3 files from disk

libYARP_dev

• added ISimulatedWorld interface: an interface to control a simulation (e.g. Gazebo), enabling real-time creation and movement of objects.

libYARP_os

• improved log colors

devices

• added simulatedWorld_nws_yarp device
• added simulatedWorld_nwc_yarp device
• added fakeSimulatedWorld device
• enabled buffering for input port of audioPlayerWrapper device
• Fixed FrameGrabberControls_Responder/Forwarder silently reporting RPC
  transport success instead of the underlying device operation result for
  setFeature, setActive, setMode, and setOnePush. These calls now
  correctly return false when the device rejects the request, matching
  the existing RgbVisualParams/DepthVisualParams behavior (#3352).

Bindings

• Added bindings for yarp::dev::INavigation2D, yarp::dev::IMap2D, yarp::dev::ILocalization2D interfaces
• Issue with bindings on and YARP_NO_MATH defined fixed (it was affecting the newly added bindings as ell as thealready present yarp::dev::IFrameTransform ones)
• Added bindings for yarp::dev::ISimulatedWorld interfaces

Commands

yarpAudioPlayer

• Added new executable yarpAudioPlayer

yarprobotinterface

• The parser now generates the macro ${portprefixnoslash} and ${robotname}, starting from the name and portprefix attribute of the robot
  tag in the configuration file. The ${portprefix} macro is unchanged. See the updated yarprobotinterface documentation for details.

GUIs

yarpmanager

• Added an option (to be passed as launch arg) to disable apps autoreload

> yarpmanager --disable_autoreload

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.12.2..v3.12.3):

    19	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
    10	Ettore Landini <ettore.landini@iit.it>
     2	gauraansh <gauraansh2002@gmail.com>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Giovanni Fregonese <giotherobot@gmail.com>
     1	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>

YARP 3.12.2

YARP 3.12.2 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

libYARP_dev

• Fixed linker error in `yarp::dev:: IJacobianCoupling interface

• Added new methods to the interface yarp::dev::Nav2D::IMap2D
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue reloadMapsCollection() override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue reloadLocationsAndExtras() override;
  Implemented in devices: Map2D_nwc_yarp, Navigation2D_nwc_yarp

• Added new method to the interface yarp::dev::Nav2D::INavigation2DExtraActions
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue inWhichAreaIAm(std::string& area_name, Nav2D::Map2DArea& area)Implemented in devices:Navigation2D_nwc_yarp`

• Added new datatype: yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DObject

• Added new methods to the interface yarp::dev::Nav2D::IMap2D
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue storeObject(std::string object_name, yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DObject obj) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue getObject(std::string object_name, yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DObject& obj) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue getObjectsList(std::vectorstd::string & locations) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue getAllObjects(std::vectoryarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DObject& obj) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue renameObject(std::string original_name, std::string new_name) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue deleteObject(std::string object_name) override;
  yarp::dev::ReturnValue clearAllObjects() override;
  Implemented in devices: Map2DStorage, Map2D_nwc_yarp, Navigation2D_nwc_yarp

Devices

MultipleAnalogSensorsRemapper

• Fixed bug in ReturnValue

Tests

• Improved tests for device Map2DStorage, ControlBoardRemapper, ILLM interface

Commands

yarpActionsPlayer

• Improvements

Bindings

• Improved yarp.i
• Added bindings for yarp::dev::IBattery interface

Other

• Improved Bash completion script
• Yarpmanager now uses fast_tcp as default carrier instead of tcp
  Contributors

---

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.12.1..v3.12.2):

    23	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
     4	Ettore Landini <ettore.landini@iit.it>
     3	Beniamino Squitieri <beniamino.squitieri@iit.it>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Bartek Łukawski <bwmn.peter@gmail.com>
     1	Davide <davidegorbani@gmail.com>
     1	Giovanni Fregonese <giotherobot@gmail.com>
     1	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>
     1	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>

YARP 3.12.1

YARP 3.12.1 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

New Features

yarpRerun

• Added new executable tool yarpRerun.
  The tool log data received on yarp port using rerun.io framework)

yarpRobotDescriptionInfo

• Added new executable yarpRobotDescriptionInfo.
  This tool generate a .dot file which describes a graph representing all the devices used by yarpobotinterface
  and their connections.

Library

libYARP_os

• LogForwarder: added new method getLogPortName()
• Added new test LogForwarderTest to check that all forwarded messages are caught by the logger engine.

Portmonitor

• Added new portmonitor simulated_network_delay to add a delay in the network communication.
• Used by LogForwarderTest to test the logger under various network delay conditions.

libYARP_dev

• Added new tests to check IImpedanceControl interface.

Fixes

Bindings

• Added bindings for IJointCoupling interface.
• Added bindings for yarp::dev::LLM_Message.
• Added bindings for yarp::dev::ReturnValue.
• Fixed bindings for Python callbacks. Added examples.
• Strip trailing newline from CMAKE_INSTALL_PYTHON3DIR.

Executables

• yarpActionsPlayer Fixed erratic behavior during the first movement of each sequence.

GUIs

yarpmotorgui

• Improved yarpmotorgui to handle forceOffset of IImpedanceControl interface: the value is sent only if the table has changed.

Devices

• ControlBoardRemapper: fixed wrong buffer resize in resizeSubControlBoardBuffers.

Library

libYARP_os

• LogForwarder: now using a separated thread (class ThreadedPort) to prevent the loss of log messages during stress condition.

libYARP_robotinterface

• libYARP_robotinterface: does not show error message if device does not derive from IDeviceDriverParams.

Breaking Changes

GUIs

yarpmotorgui

• Add timers and callbacks for pwm and current control to keep sending references.

Library

libYARP_dev

• SensorMeasurments datatype moved from multipleAnalogSensorsMsgs to lib libYARP_dev

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.12.0..v3.12.1):

    19	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
     3	Jacopo Losi <jacopo.losi@iit.it>
     2	Bartek Łukawski <bwmn.peter@gmail.com>
     2	Jacopo <jacopo.losi@iit.it>
     2	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>
     2	Pasquale <pasquale.marra.pro@gmail.com>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Bartek Łukawski <PeterBowman@users.noreply.github.com>
     1	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>

YARP 3.12.0

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

New Features

Thrift

• Improved yarp thrift compiler to generate the following new methods for yarp services:
  • getLocalProtocolVersion()
  • getRemoteProtocolVersion()
  • checkProtocolVersion()
    These methods allow to test the compatibility in the network protocol for nws/nwc communication.
    To specify a new protocol version modify (or add if missing) the line const i16 protocol_version = <xxx> in the .thrift file.
    See fakeTestMsgs.thrift and FakeDevice_nwc_yarp for an example.

Library

libYARP_os

• Added new portable datatype yarp:os::ApplicationNetworkProtocolVersion

Devices

• Added new devices:
  • FakeDevice_nws_yarp
  • FakeDevice_nwc_yarp
FakeDevice_nwc_yarp also uses the new checkProtocolVersion() to verify the communication with FakeDevice_nws_yarp
  • RobotDescriptionStorage
  • fakeFrameWriter
  • openCVWriter
  • frameWriter_nws_yarp
• Added new methods getParamValue(), getConfiguration() to IDeviceDriverParams interface.
• Updated yarpDeviceParamParserGenerator tool
• All device params parsers have been regenerated

yarprobotinterface

• Added new option autocloseAfterStart which automatically terminates the module after opening and attaching all devices (used bor CI and debug)
• yarprobotinterface now opens internally a device RobotDescriptionStorage and register all other opened devices inside it.
• User can open a RobotDescription_nws_yarp and attach it to the RobotDescriptionStorage to obtain info about opened devices. See example:
  yarp\src\yarprobotinterface\tests\robotDescription

yarpmotorgui

• It now uses RobotDescription_nwc_yarp to ask to a RobotDescription_nws_yarp opened by a yarprobotinterface the name of the parts to which connect to.
  If the connection fails, the yarpmotorgui will continue to use the previous strategy (via parameters provided by command line or via file yarpmotorgui.ini)
• the new parameter remoteRobotDescriptionPort allows to select the RobotDescription_nws_yarp port. Default value is /yarpRobotInterface/devices/rpc

Breaking Changes

libYARP_dev

• The following interfaces have been modified to use yarp::dev::ReturnValue:
  • IRangeFinder2D
  • ILLM
  • IChatBot

Devices

• The following devices haven been modified to use yarp::dev::ReturnValue:
  • Rangefinder2DTranformer
  • FakeLaser
  • FakeLaserWithMotor
  • Rangefinder2D_nws_yarp
  • Rangefinder2D_nwc_yarp
  • fakeChatBotDevice
  • chatBot_nws_yarp
  • chatBot_nwc_yarp
  • fakeLLMDevice
  • LLM_nwc_yarp
  • LLM_nws_yarp
  • RobotDescriptionServer refactored to RobotDescription_nws_yarp
  • RobotDescriptionClient refactored to RobotDescription_nwc_yarp
• The attachAll() mechanism used to keep track of the devices opened by yarprobotinterface (previously implemented by RobotDescriptionServer)
  has been transferred to RobotDescriptionStorage.
• device opencv_grabber has been renamed to openCVGrabber
• device audioRecorderWrapper, deprecated in yarp 3.9 has been completely removed

Other

• all yarp command line executables are now located under the folder commands similar to the folder guis/
• yarp documentation was improved.
• expose bindings for IFrameGrabberControls::getFeature(int, double*, double*)
• Added `IRGBDSensor interface to python bindings.
  Contributors

---

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.11.0..v3.12.0):

    60	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
     7	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
     7	Stefano Bernagozzi <stefano.bernagozzi@iit.it>
     6	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     3	Stefano Berti <berti.ste@hotmail.it>
     2	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>
     1	Alvaro14 <124141465+alvarosang14@users.noreply.github.com>
     1	Bartek Łukawski <bwmn.peter@gmail.com>
     1	Pasquale <pasquale.marra.pro@gmail.com>
     1	Stefano Dafarra <stefano.dafarra@iit.it>
     1	dependabot[bot] <49699333+dependabot[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

YARP 3.11.2

YARP 3.11.2 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Fixes

GUIs

YarpDataplayer

• Added missing #include

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.11.1..v3.11.2):

     2	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>

YARP 3.11.1

YARP 3.11.1 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Changes

Compiler features

The PUBLIC and INTERFACE values set by target_compile_features have been changed back from cxx_std_20 to cxx_std_17, to permit
to continue to compile downstream projects with C++17. This is not a long term decision, and in future the minimum C++ version required
to compile headers could be increased again.

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.11.0..v3.11.1):

     3	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>

YARP 3.11.0

YARP <yarp-3.11> Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Breaking Changes

Library

libYARP_dev

The signature of methods IFrameTransform::frameExists(const std::string &frame_id) and IFrameTransform::canTransform(const std::string &target_frame, const std::string &source_frame) change to IFrameTransform::frameExists(const std::string &frame_id, bool& exits) and IFrameTransform::canTransform(const std::string &target_frame, const std::string &source_frame, bool& exists).

Tests

The set of tests for individual plugins, previously called harness_dev_xxx has been renamed to harness_devices_xxx

Compiler features

target_compile_features updated from cxx_std_17 to cxx_std_20

Fixes

New Features

devices

multiplenalogsensorremapper

• The angular acceleration and linear velocity values measured by a sensor can now be extracted and used via the sensor remapper.
• Also involves multipleanalogsensorclient and multipleanalogsensorserver as a breaking change.

GUIs

yarpopencvdisplay

• yarpopencvdisplay is now able to display a yarp::sig::LayeredImage

yarpmanager

• Added time info to libYARP_manager logger and to yarpmanager GUI.
• The time info can be displayed as the current time (obtained from std::chrono::system_clock::now()) or as time elapsed since yarpmanager GUI launch

Libraries

libYARP_sig

• added new datatype yarp::sig::LayeredImage
• added yarp::sig::utils::sum() to transform yarp::sig::LayeredImage to yarp::sig::Image
• modified signature of method yarp::sig::utils::depthToPC and yarp::sig::utils::depthRgbToPC.
  They now accept step_x and step_y parameters to perform pointcloud decimation.
  They also accept a new parameter output_order which allows to swap the axis of the output point cloud (see code documentation)
• added method yarp::sig::Vector::erase()

libYARP_dev

• added new class yarp::dev::ReturnValue
• The following interfaces have been modified to the new class ReturnValue:
  ISpeechSynthesizer
  ISpeechTranscription
  ILocalization2D
  IMap2D
  INavigation2D
  IOdometry2D

devices

• Updated all devices which use the interfaces employing the new class ReturnValue:
  FakeSpeechSynthesizer
  FakeSpeechTranscription
  FakeNavigation
  FakeLocalizer
  FakeOdometry2D
  Map2DStorage
  SpeechTranscription_nws_yarp
  SpeechTranscription_nwc_yarp
  SpeechSynthesizer_nws_yarp
  SpeechSynthesizer_nwc_yarp
  Localization2D_nws_yarp
  Localization2D_nwc_yarp
  Map2D_nws_yarp
  Map2D_nwc_yarp
  MobileBaseVelocityControl_nws_yarp
  MobileBaseVelocityControl_nwc_yarp
  Navigation2D_nwc_yarp
  Navigation2D_nws_yarp
  Odometry2D_nws_yarp

Other

• Added new CLI executable yarpActionPlayer to playback trajectories on robot.
  See the related documentation included in the README.md file
• Updated to SWIG 4.3.0

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.10.0..v3.11.0):

    54	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
    13	Nick Tremaroli <nicholas.tremaroli@iit.it>
     5	Ettore Landini <ettore.landini@iit.it>
     4	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     3	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
     3	Stefano Dafarra <stefano.dafarra@iit.it>
     1	Francesco Brand <francesco.brand@iit.it>
     1	Ines Sorrentino <43743081+isorrentino@users.noreply.github.com>

YARP 3.10.1

YARP 3.10.1 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Fixes

bindings

• Fixed regression bug in yarp.i: the file swig_python_windows_preable.i is no more included when a downstream
  project (like icub-main) includes the file in its own .i swig binding file. See #3148

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.10.0..v3.10.1):

     2	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
     2	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     1	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>

YARP 3.10.0

YARP 3.10.0 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Major Behaviour Changes

• ROS1 support removed from github repo https://github.com/robotology/yarp and moved to legacy repo https://github.com/robotology/yarp-ros
• Removed support for CMake 3.16/3.17. CMake minimum version is now 3.19

Deprecations and removals

• Removed xmlrpc and tcpros carriers.
• Removed yarpidl_rosmsg.
• Removed library libYARP_wire_rep_utils.
• Removed extern/md5
• Removed extern/ros messages and examples.
• The syntax yarpdev --device xxx --subdevice yyy has been deprecated. See discussion: #3078

Fixes

• Configuration files installed by the yarp_configure_plugins_installation CMake macro are now relocatable (#2445, ).
• Improved ffmpeg port monitor to allow using different couples of coders/decodes
• yarpbatterygui now compatible with battery_nwc_yarp.
• Fixed compilation of portmonitor carrier when a custom non-system swig is used
• Fixed compatibility with ffmpeg 7 (#3109).
• Fixed compilation with graphviz 10 (#3115).
• Fix sending empty yarp::sig::Vector when building in Debug (#3123).

New Features

• Added new command line tool yarpDeviceParamParserGenerator. See official yarp documentation (cmd_yarpDeviceParamParserGenerator.dox)

Docker

• Added two parameters to yarp Dockerfile:
  • base_img to allow starting from different parent images
  • yarp_branch to set the yarp version the users might need in their image

Carriers

• Removed h264 Carrier
• Added gstreamer carrier with extended functionalities.
• Added new gstreamers plugins: yarpvideosource, yarpvidepassthrough, yarpvideosink
• Fixed segfault on disconnection with shmem carrier.

Devices

• Most yarp devices now use yarpDeviceParamParserGenerator to generate parameters documentation.

controlboardremapper

• Aligned to controlBoard_nws_yarp in terms of required interfaces. See #3095.

deviceBundler

• Added new device deviceBundler which can be useful to open two devices and attach them while using a single yarpdev command line.
  See #3078

llmDevice

• Added LLM_Message data type to propagate LLM answers
• Added refreshConversation feature in the interface to allow users to restart the conversation mantaining the same prompt.

Navigation2D

• Added followPath functionality
• Added paths as possible arguments in gotoLocation in Navigation2D_nwc

Rangefinder2DTransformer

• Removed deprecated device Rangerfinder2DClient
• Added device Rangerfinder2DTransformer, with similar functionalities to Rangerfinder2DClient.

Rangefinder2D_nwc_yarp, Rangefinder2D_nws_yarp

• Network protocol now uses IDL thrift

ffmpeg_grabber

• Deprecated device

ffmpeg_writer

• Deprecated device

portaudio

• Portaudio device, previously marked as deprecated, has been definitely removed from devices' CMakeLists.txt

FakePythonSpeechTranscription

• Added new device FakePythonSpeechTranscription. The device is also an example which demonstrates the encapsulation of python code inside a c++ device implementing a Yarp interface.

multipleanalogsensorsclient

• Always establish the rpc connection with the tcp carrier, instead of using the carrier option as done in YARP <= 3.9 .

GUIs

yarpopencvdisplay

• added new executable yarpopencvdisplay. Similarly to yarpview, it's a basic window to display video streams. It also allows to save to .avi files.

Libraries

lib_yarp_dev

• Drivers.cpp If the user requests for a not existing plugin, the system now prints a message suggesting devices with similar names
• The following data types have been migrated from yarp_dev to yarp_sig library: AudioPlayerStatus, AudioRecorderStatus, AudioBufferSize, AudioBufferSizeData, LaserMeasurementData, LaserScan2D.

lib_yarp_sig

• Improvements to serialization class yarp::sig::Sound (breaking change)
• yarp_sig can now use IDL thrift to generate custom data types.
• The following data types have been migrated from yarp_dev to yarp_sig library: AudioPlayerStatus, AudioRecorderStatus, AudioBufferSize, AudioBufferSizeData, LaserMeasurementData, LaserScan2D.

Bindings

Python

• Fix loading of Python bindings on Windows when installed in arbitrary directory.

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.9.0..v3.10.0):

   146	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
    24	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
    12	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>
    10	Stefano Dafarra <stefano.dafarra@iit.it>
     7	fbrand-new <francesco.brand@iit.it>
     3	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     2	Ettore Landini <ettore.landini@iit.it>
     1	Alessandro Croci <57228872+xela-95@users.noreply.github.com>
     1	Alessandro Croci <alessandro.croci@iit.it>
     1	Bartek Łukawski <PeterBowman@users.noreply.github.com>
     1	Bartek Łukawski <bwmn.peter@gmail.com>
     1	Giovanni Fregonese <giotherobot@gmail.com>
     1	elisabeth-ms <emenende@ing.uc3m.es>

YARP 3.9.0

YARP 3.9.0 Release Notes

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Major Behaviour Changes

• Yarp now supports C++20 standard.
• Catch2 library updated to version: 3.4.0
• YCM library updated to 0.15.3

Deprecations and removals

• Removed yarp companion command TopicTest.
• Removed unnecessary rosmsg dependencies in yarpdataplayer.
• Removed UNMAINTAINED executable yarpfs.
• Removed UNMAINTAINED library libyarpc.
• Removed deprecated device controlboardwrapper2.

Fixes

• General improvement to yarp github CI to support Ubuntu22.04+clang17, Windows2022+VS17
• Fixed segfault in audioRecorderDeviceBase device.
• Added missing doxygen tags to several interfaces and devices.
• Fixed segfault when reading a mono .wav file from disk in SoundFileWav.cpp.
• Fixed stdin in yarprun --cmd <cmd> --stdio.
• Removed robot and iCubGui inertial ports from the example app as the GUI is unable to handle the MAS client.
• Fix bug that forces images to be sent through RPC calls in frameGrabber_nwc_yarp.
• The error message upon inconsistent encoder timestamps has been throttled in controlBoard_nws_yarp.
• Fixed issue regarding windows/linux timestamps synchronization: yarp::os::SystemClock::nowSystem() now maps to std::chrono::system_clock instead of std::chrono::high_resolution_clock

New Features

Docker

Added new experimental docker image for Ubuntu22.04 http://github.com/robotology/yarp/docker

GUIs

yarpaudiocontrolgui

Added new gui yarpaudiocontrolgui to start/stop an audioRecorder_nwc_yarp or an audioPlayer_nwc_yarp device.

yarpllmgui

Added new gui yarpllmgui to control IChatbot devices.

Libraries

libYARP_sig

• The class yarp::sig::sound has refactored to avoid the internal use (private implementation) of yarp::sig::Image data type.

libYARP_companion

• Added companion command yarp split. The command splits an heterogeneous nested bottle received from a port into multiple ports.

libYARP_dev

• Added new interface: IJointCoupling, an interface for handling coupled joints.
• Added new interfaces: ISpeechSynthesizer, ISpeechTranscription.
• Added new interface: IChatBot to interact with chatbots.
• The interface ITorqueControl now supports four a new friction parameters: velocityThresh.
  These parameters are used to enable the new torque control law and fine tune the the friction compensation at FW level.

Devices

frameTransformStorage + frameTransformClient + frameTransformServer

• Added a timeout related parameter (FrameTransform_container_timeout) to change the refresh interval for old timed frame transforms.
• The parameter has also been added to the frameTransformClient and frameTransformServer configuration files. The extern-name for this parameter is:
  ftc_storage_timeout for frameTransformClient files; fts_storage_timeout for frameTransformServer files

chatBot

• Added nwc device chatBot_nwc_yarp for the IChatBot interface and the corresponding test
• Added nws device chatBot_nws_yarp
• Added fake device fakeChatBotDevice

speechSynthesizer

• Added nwc device speechSynthesizer_nwc_yarp for the ISpeechSynthesizer interface and the corresponding test
• Added nws device speechSynthesizer_nws_yarp
• Added fake device fakeSpeechSynthesizer

speechTranscription

• Added nwc device speechTranscription_nwc_yarp for the ISpeechTranscription interface and the corresponding test
• Added nws device speechTranscription_nws_yarp
• Added fake device fakeSpeechTranscription

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.8.0..v3.9.0):

   127	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@iit.it>
    37	Ettore Landini <ettore.landini@iit.it>
    14	Nicolò Genesio <nicolo.genesio@iit.it>
    14	fbrand-new <francesco.brand@iit.it>
     7	Silvio Traversaro <silvio.traversaro@iit.it>
     6	Arren Glover <arren.glover@iit.it>
     4	robotology-bot (Tag Repository Action) <robotology@iit.it>
     3	Bartek Łukawski <bwmn.peter@gmail.com>
     2	Davide <davidegorbani@gmail.com>
     2	Ugo Pattacini <ugo.pattacini@iit.it>
     1	Davide Gorbani <101326942+davidegorbani@users.noreply.github.com>
     1	Marco Randazzo <marco.randazzo@.iit.it>
     1	Simone <simone.girardi@iit.it>
     1	Simone Girardi <simone.girardi@iit.it>
     1	Stefano Dafarra <stefano.dafarra@iit.it>