Python language bindings for ev3dev

A high performance drop-in replacement for ev3dev-lang-python. It does not support all features (eg. onboard buttons and screen), but it can be loaded concurrently with the ev3dev-lang-python. Use ev3fast for your performance critical loops, and ev3dev-lang-python for everything else. As an added bonus, your Python program will load significantly faster if you use only ev3dev-lang-python-fast, and do not import ev3dev-lang-python.

If you are not familiar with ev3dev-lang-python, you should start there first.

Getting Started

Read the documents for ev3dev-lang-python. Whatever applies there, applies here.

Download ev3fast.py from this repository, and put it in the same directory as your python program. You can alternatively put it in one of the directories along your python import path, but this is not recommended.

Performance Comparison

Sensor Benchmark (Loops per second)

Sensor Type	ev3dev	ev3fast	Improvements
Touch	379	1886	5x
Color (Ambient)	179	2343	13x
Color (Color)	157	2375	15x
Color (Raw RGB)	118	1859	16x
Color (Reflected)	178	2021	11x
Ultrasonic (Distance)	48	1882	40x
Ultrasonic (Listen)	60	2094	35x
Gyro (Angle)	45	2314	51x
Gyro (Rate)	231	2174	9x
Gyro (Rate & Angle)	152	2130	14x

Line Follower Benchmark

Program Type	Loops per second
EV3-G	427
Python on ev3dev	32
Python on ev3dev with ev3fast	205

The benchmark program is provided here if you want to try it out yourself.

from time import perf_counter
from ev3dev.ev3 import *
#from ev3fast import *

lMotor = LargeMotor('outA')
rMotor = LargeMotor('outD')
lSensor = ColorSensor('in1')
rSensor = ColorSensor('in4')

LOOPS = 1000

startTime = perf_counter()
for a in range(0,LOOPS):
  valueL = lSensor.raw
  valueR = rSensor.raw
  totalL = (valueL[0] + valueL[1] + valueL[2])
  totalR = (valueR[0] + valueR[1] + valueR[2])
  error = totalL - totalR
  lMotor.speed_sp = 200 + error
  rMotor.speed_sp = 200 - error
  lMotor.run_forever()
  rMotor.run_forever()
endTime = perf_counter()

lMotor.stop()
rMotor.stop()

print(str(LOOPS / (endTime - startTime)))

To benchmark the ev3fast version, uncomment the line..

#from ev3fast import *

Supported Classes

class Sensor (address=None)

class TouchSensor (address=None)

class ColorSensor (address=None)

class UltrasonicSensor (address=None)

class GyroSensor (address=None)

class Motor (address=None)

class LargeMotor (address=None)

class MediumMotor (address=None)

These are replacements for ev3dev-lang-python, and all properties and methods documented in the ev3dev-lang-python Read the Docs page are supported. If address isn’t specified, the first device matching the class will be loaded.

Usage Examples

Add the following to the top of your file:

import ev3fast

If you're loading ev3dev-lang-python concurrently, you can either import them under their own name...

import ev3dev.ev3 as ev3
import ev3fast

slow = ev3.LargeMotor('outA')
fast = ev3fast.LargeMotor('outB')

...or override ev3dev-lang-python...

import ev3dev.ev3 as ev3
import ev3fast as ev3

fast = ev3.LargeMotor('outA')

User Resources

Library Documentation

Class documentation for this library can be found on the ev3dev-lang-python Read the Docs page . If it's a supported class in ev3dev-lang-python-fast, it should (...probably) work identically to ev3dev-lang-python.