Navigating the robot

The user can either edit the map or move the robot and/or view the camera. Both are not possible at the same time. To edit the map, tap the icon md construct in the bottom-right corner of the page.

Tap the icon logo game controller a to show the movement-controls.

openmovementcontrols

Tapping this option will show added controls and options for viewing the map and navigating the robot. However, editing the map and using POIs to move the robot will no longer be possible.

Tap the icon md construct to return to editing the map.

Controls for manually moving the robot

Additional controls will be shown for moving the robot and tilting the head of the robot. The movement-controls will only be shown if the map is shown, while the head-controls will only be shown if the camera-controls are active.

movementcontrols

Tap the icon logo game controller a to switch between analog and digital controls for moving the robot or the head.

Analog Digital
analogcontrols
digitalcontrols

For more information on using the movement-controls, see the chapter movement controls on the steering-page.

Toggle additional views

At the bottom of the app, controls are shown to toggle other views.

switchingviews

The buttons contain the following actions:

viewedit

Tap this button to return to the editing-mode and hide all movement- and camera-controls from this page.

viewcamera

Tap this button to toggle the camera and head-motion controls.

viewmap

Tap this button to toggle the map and movement-controls.

viewrotation

Tap this button to rotate the positions of the camera- and map-screen.

  • If only the camera-screen is shown, the option to toggle the camera-screen will be disabled. The same applies for the map-screen.

  • The option to rotate the controls will only be shown if both the camera- and map-screen are active.

Controls for automatically moving the robot

If a route to the destination cannot be calculated from the robot’s current position (e.g. walls are blocking the route, a passageway is too narrow) on the map, the robot will not move.

Other than manually moving the robot, the automatic navigation system can also move the robot to specified points on the map. There are 2 main methods for this:

  • Go to a POI

  • Go to a location on the map

Go to a POI

There are several ways of moving the robot to a specified POI, specifically:

  • Use the voice-command on the robot 'Go to <name of the POI>' (e.g. 'Go to Kitchen').

  • Tap the POI in the designated folder of the Kiosk.

  • Use the List of POIs in ZBOS Control to move the robot to the POI. (1)

  • Use the Localisation and mapping-page in ZBOS Control to move the robot to the POI.

(1): See the chapter POI for more information.

Go to charging station

The charging station is a special case amongst POIs. The voice-command Go to charging station will make the robot move to the closest charging station, regardless of the name of the POI.

Therefore, special commands have been provided in ZBOS Control as well.

The options for moving James to a POI also apply to the charging station.

Tap the option Go to charging station in the menu Navigate to move the robot to the nearest available charging station.

menunavigatechargingstation

Leave charging station

An additional option is shown when the robot is connected to the charging station:

menunavigateleavechargingstation

Tap the option 'Leave charging station' to move the robot about one meter in front of the charging station.

Go to a location on the map

Other than constantly defining POIs for the robot to move to, James can also move to any point on the map without needing to define it as a Point-of-Interest.

Tap the option Go to location in the menu Navigate to start the navigation.

menunavigategoto

Tap anywhere on the map to make James (try to) move there.

This option cannot be used to dock a robot to the charging station. Use the option Go to charging station in the menu Navigate instead.
If no route can be calculated (due to incomplete maps, detected obstacles or walls), James will not move.