diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 316f7df..c07c93b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.14.4)
 
 project(urinterfaces)
 
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ set(msg_files
   "msg/ControlCycle.msg"
   "msg/Current.msg"
   "msg/Digital.msg"
+  "msg/DigitalStamped.msg"
   "msg/DigitalIO.msg"
   "msg/DigitalIOStateStamped.msg"
-  "msg/DigitalStamped.msg"
   "msg/DoubleMultiArrayStamped.msg"
   "msg/Float32Stamped.msg"
   "msg/Float64Stamped.msg"
@@ -44,12 +44,17 @@ set(msg_files
   "msg/ToolOutputMode.msg"
   "msg/VoltageCurrentStamped.msg"
   "msg/WorldModelNames.msg"
+  "msg/JsonStringType.msg"
+  "msg/VariableUpdate.msg"
+  "msg/SharedVariablesEditResponse.msg"
 )
 
 set(srv_files
   "srv/SetAnalogOutput.srv"
   "srv/SetDigitalOutput.srv"
   "srv/SetSpeedFraction.srv"
+  "srv/SharedVariablesEditor.srv"
+  "srv/VariablesViewer.srv"
 )
 
 set(action_files
diff --git a/action/SetMode.action b/action/SetMode.action
index 1ca6b37..3d589db 100644
--- a/action/SetMode.action
+++ b/action/SetMode.action
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ bool stop_program
 # faulty motion, etc.) If you want to be safe, set the 'stop_program' flag below and manually play
 # the program after robot state is returned to normal.
 # This flag will only be used when requesting mode RUNNING
-bool play_program
+bool play_program false
 
 ---
 # result
diff --git a/msg/JsonStringType.msg b/msg/JsonStringType.msg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..673b10c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg/JsonStringType.msg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+std_msgs/String json_string
diff --git a/msg/SharedVariablesEditResponse.msg b/msg/SharedVariablesEditResponse.msg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1553300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg/SharedVariablesEditResponse.msg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bool success
+std_msgs/String result_message # contains the error message if 'success' is False
diff --git a/msg/ToolOutputMode.msg b/msg/ToolOutputMode.msg
index 7258413..3bd171c 100644
--- a/msg/ToolOutputMode.msg
+++ b/msg/ToolOutputMode.msg
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 std_msgs/Header header
 uint8 TOOL_OUTPUT=0
 uint8 TOOL_POWER=1
+uint8 TOOL_SAFE=2
 
 uint8 output_mode
 
diff --git a/msg/VariableUpdate.msg b/msg/VariableUpdate.msg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c60b89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg/VariableUpdate.msg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+std_msgs/Header header
+JsonStringType data
diff --git a/srv/SharedVariablesEditor.srv b/srv/SharedVariablesEditor.srv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d6eb4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/srv/SharedVariablesEditor.srv
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+JsonStringType request # json string with new values, null will delete the variable
+---
+SharedVariablesEditResponse response
diff --git a/srv/VariablesViewer.srv b/srv/VariablesViewer.srv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cdb21b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/srv/VariablesViewer.srv
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# empty request
+---
+VariableUpdate response # a full variables update