Introduction
| This manual requires the following versions to be installed on the robot: Kiosk v1.3; RAIL v1.2 |
James is an autonomously moving robot, that listens to voice-commands and responds or acts accordingly. It can move to a location or say the current weather report for example. The software for James has been designed to respond to the voice(s) of user(s), to let the robot move to specified locations or Points-Of-Interests (POI’s) and/or show information on the display.
James can also be used to control certain parts of a smart home (i.e. turn the lights on or off, open doors, …). These advanced features require customisation of the smart home and will therefore not be detailed in this manual.
James will continuously scan the immediate environment using laser-detection (called LIDAR-system). This system is installed in the base of the robot and the generated map can be adjusted using the ZBOS Control App (available for Android- or iOS-systems) or using the online cloud-control website (1), meaning the owner can add areas where James is not allowed to enter or to place James in the correct position on the map.
James can also display the map on the tablet-screen by using the SLAM app, which is installed by default. This feature is provided so the user can follow the route that James will take to a POI.
James will try to position itself on the loaded map when it is booted up. By connecting James to the charging station whenever the robot is (re-)started, the robot’s position will be re-calibrated to a fixed point, thus improving the reliability of the mapping system.
The ZBOS Control App is available for Android and iOS-systems. These tablets or smartphones are not included in this package and need to be bought separately. For more information on the required specifications for the tablets, see the chapter 'Recommended system requirements'.
To provide the latest installations on the robot, updates will be installed periodically if/when the robot is connected to the internet.
Terminology
The following terminology is used throughout this document:
Tablet |
A tablet or smartphone where the ZBOS Control App has been installed. |
App |
An application to be installed (usually on the robot). |
User-data |
Custom-made data unique for each user/device (such as compositions or datasets). |
Kiosk |
An application showing other applications that will be run on the robot. |
RAIL |
An application installed on the robot to allow communication between the different apps. |
Quiet hours |
The quiet hours are the times when the robot should not be in use, and certain automatic features are disabled during this time (such as notifications). |
Getting started
This section will describe how to start using James straight out-of-the-box.
| The original box is needed should the robot need maintenance. |
Assembly
Out of the box
First of all, how to get the robot out of the box?
Lift the cover
Lift the outer cardboard cover up so the styrofoam protection is shown.
Place it to the side before continuing.
Remove the accessories
Remove the charging station (1), power-cable (2) and quick guide (3) from the top of the box.
Put them aside for now.
Remove the styrofoam cover
The following steps should be used to unpack James.
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Lift the cover off the robot
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Split the middle styrofoam cover to reveal James
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Lift James out of the base-styrofoam
Re-assemble the box
Use the earlier steps in reverse to re-assemble the box.
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Re-attach the middle cover(s) on the base of the box
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Place the styrofoam cover on top
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Cover the styrofoam with the cardboard cover
Charging James
Once removed from its protective cover, the robot needs to be fully charged before it’s first use. It is recommended to use the charging station.
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The following precautions should be taken into account when using the charging station:
The 'eye' on top of the charging station needs to be spotted by the robot to find the charging station. In case the socket is on the other side of the charging station, make sure the cable is behind the sensor on top of the charging station. |
Placing the charging station
Before placing the charging station, ensure the intended location meets the following requirements:
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Plenty of clear space for the robot to safely dock with the charging station
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A flat floor, so the robot can dock with the charging station
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A flat back-surface for the charging station to lean against (no tilting)
For example:
Once the location has beeen validated, the charging station can be placed.
Charging James on the charging station
For James to always have its correct position on the loaded map, the robot should always be started while on its charging station.
Move the robot by hand when it is still turned off so the connectors at the back of the robot connect to the connectors on the charging station.
Recharging James
You can tell James to go to the charging station, press "Go to charging station" on the battery icon in Kiosk, or use ZBOS Control to go to a charging station.
Alternatively, if you want to manually move James to the charging station:
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Turn the robot off
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Connect the robot to the charging station
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Turn the robot back on
This is to ensure that James does not lose its current position on the map.
Initial setup
Once the robot has been connected to the charging station and is charging, the initial setup can be performed. Push the power-button to turn James on.
Once the robot has been turned on for the first time, the initial setup will start.
Language Selection
The first step is to select the language the robot will use. By default English, French and Dutch are available.
This language will be used for:
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The remaining setup-display (display-language)
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The language James will listen to (voice-commands)
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The default language when rebooting the robot (initial microphone configuration and display)
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The subsequent default-language for starting kiosks and/or voice-commands (These options can be changed later in the settings).
Microphone Calibration
The next step is to calibrate the microphone. The microphone needs to be calibrated every time the robot is booted.
Calibrate the microphone by following the instructions shown on the screen.
Configure the WiFi
The next step is to configure the WiFi and/or hotspot.
Tap the option Hotspot (1) to calibrate the password for the hotspot of the robot.
Tap the name of the network (2) to enter the password for the local wifi-network.
Connecting to the robot
Finally, a page containing the information to connect to the robot is shown.
Scan the QR-code shown in the connection-page of ZBOS Control to connect to the robot. For more information, see the manual for ZBOS Control.
Hardware
James is a humanoid robot built by Siasun and equiped with ZoraBots operating system (ZBOS). The main focus when developing James was to make a robot that can guide users to specific locations.
James will interact with the user using the tablet and the microphones and speakers installed in the head and body of the robot. James will also continuously scan the environment using the SLAM-system installed in the base of the robot.
Specifications
General
James has the following specifications:
Dimensions |
420 mm x 420 mm x 800 mm (LxWxH) |
Weight |
17 kg (including the packaging) |
Base station |
240 mm x 85 mm x 95 mm (LxWxH) |
Operating temp |
0 - 40 °C |
Operating humidity |
20 - 90% |
Maximum operating time |
9 à 12h |
Tablet
The tablet mounted in the "head" of James has the following specifications:
CPU Model |
MSM8953 |
Number of cores |
8 (Qualcomm MSM8953) |
Clock speed |
2.0 GHz |
RAM |
3 GB |
Internal Storage |
32 GB |
Touch-screen |
10" capacitive high sensitivity screen |
Camera-resolution |
13 MP |
Peripherals
The following peripherals have been connected to the tablet:
Name |
Description |
Location |
Microphone array |
6 microphone ring-array |
At the top of the robot |
Speaker |
5W hifi speakers (x2) |
At the side of the main body |
Features
The peripherals contain the following specifications:
Audio-detection range |
360° |
Echo cancellation |
Supported (available) |
Speech enhancement |
Supported (available) |
Voice wake-up |
Supported (available) |
Connectivity
James can connect to other devices using the following specifications:
WIFI |
2.4G / 5G Dual Band (802.11 b/g/n) |
4/5G |
Unsupported |
Bluetooth |
Bluetooth Version 4.0 |
Wifi specifications
The wifi-router (installed in the main body of the robot) has the following specifications:
Chipset |
MT7628AN + MT7612E |
Main frequency |
580MHz |
Wireless transmission rate |
1167Mbps |
2.4GHz channel selection |
1-13 |
2.4GHz channel bandwidth optional |
20M 40M |
5GHz channel selection |
36 40 44 48 149 153 157 161 165 |
5GHz channel bandwidth optional |
20M 40M 80M |
SLAM
The SLAM-system in the base of the robot has the following specifications:
Lidar |
|
Bumpers |
2 (at the side of the base) |
Scanner |
1 (scanning to the front) |
Power connector |
1 (at the back of the base) |
Power button |
1 (at the back of the base) |
Microswitches (1) |
2 (at the back) |
IR-detector (1) |
1 (at the back) |
Wheels |
Omnidirectional |
(1): These are needed to make the robot dock with the charging station.
Lidar
The installed Lidar-unit has the following specifications:
| Item | Unit | Min | Typical | Max | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Distance range |
Meter (m) |
0.15 |
- |
8 |
Based on white objects with 70% reflectivity |
Angular range |
Degree |
0 |
- |
360 |
|
Distance Resolution |
mm |
- |
<0.5 |
- |
<1.5 meters |
Sample Frequency |
Hz |
2000 |
8000 |
8010 |
|
Sample Duration |
Millisecond(ms) |
- |
0.125 |
- |
- |
Scan Rate |
Hz |
5 |
10 |
15 |
The rate is for a round of scan. The typical value is measured when RPLIDAR takes 400 samples per scan. |
Laser wavelength |
Nanometer(nm) |
775 |
785 |
795 |
Infrared Light Band |
Laser power |
Milliwatt (mW) |
- |
3 |
5 |
Peak power |
Pulse length |
Microsecond (us) |
60 |
87 |
90 |
- |
Battery
The battery installed in James has the following specifications:
Type |
Lithium-Ion 18650 |
Voltage |
14.4V |
Capacity |
13Ah |
Energy |
187.2 Wh |
Interacting with James
The user can give James instructions or ask questions using the following methods:
Voice Commands
James can be controlled by using voice-commands.
James will listen to pre-programmed voice commands after the wakeword "OK James" has been understood. Stand in front of the robot for the best results.
Supported languages
The currently supported languages on James are the following:
| Language | ASR / Listening | TTS / Speaking |
|---|---|---|
Japanese |
No |
Yes |
Thai (th-TH) |
Yes |
Yes |
Hungarian |
Yes |
Yes |
Arabic (ar-WW) |
Yes |
Yes |
French (fr-FR) |
Yes |
Yes |
English (en-US) |
Yes |
Yes |
English (en-GB) |
Yes |
No |
Dutch (nl-NL) |
Yes |
Yes |
German (de-DE) |
Yes |
Yes |
Russian |
Yes |
Yes |
Chinese (zh-CN) |
Yes |
Yes |
French (canadian) |
Yes |
Yes |
| The language the robot will listen to can be set in the option speech language of the kiosk. When connecting ZBOS Control and stating messages, only the TTS languages that the robot can speak will be shown. |
Settings
The following speech-related settings can be found in the advanced-section of the settings.
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Listen to voice-commands
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Rotate the robot when hotword is recognized
These options can be toggled on or off to suit the user’s needs.
Indicator
The microphone at the bottom of the home-screen on the tablet can also be used as an indicator to see if James is listening.
Not listening |
Listening |
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Prerequisites for the voice commands
Not all voice commands can be used all of the time. Some voice-commands will only be available once the following conditions have been met:
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Settings of the robot
The setting 'Spoken commands' in the general settings needs to be turned ON before the robot will respond to the wakeword "OK James" and start listening.
| If the option 'Spoken commands' is off, the option 'Rotate the robot when hotword is recognized' will be greyed out and unable to be changed. |
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Internet
Certain features require an active internet-connection to retrieve the latest data and to keep up-to-date.
For example:
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Weather
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Verklizan or VoIP/SIP
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Installed apps
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VoIP
In addition to having a connection to the internet, a stable connection is needed to make calls using VoIP-services (the minimum bandwidth needed for a VoIP-call is between 85 and 100 kpbs).
The section VoIP / SIP in the settings has been created to enter the account-information needed to call the Verklizan helpcenter (or any other VoIP-service). A SIP-account needs to be registered at Verklizan before any VoIP-calls to their help-center can be made.
Voice Commands
The following is (an extract of) the list of voice-commands.
| Command | Actions taken by the robot |
|---|---|
Call help |
Triggers an alarm at Verklizan. (1) (2) |
I need/want help |
|
What is the date of today |
The robot states the date according to location specifications. |
What year is it? |
The robot states the current year. |
What’s the day? |
The robot states the day of the week. |
What time is it? |
The robot states the time as hour + date. |
Hello |
The robot states a self-introduction. |
Goodbye |
The robot says goodbye. |
Introduce yourself |
The robot introduces itself |
What will the weather be like this morning/afternoon/evening? |
The robot states the weather forecast for the specified time of day. |
What is the weather for today |
The robot states the weather forecast for the day. |
What will the weather be like (the day after) tomorrow |
The robot states the weather forecast for the specified date. |
Go to <Point-Of-Interest> |
The robot will move to the registered POI (3). |
Enable/disable offer more help feature |
The robot will (no longer) state the message ‘Can I help you with something else’. |
(1): This option is only available for robots where this option has been installed and configured.
(2): Confirmation is required before the alarm will be triggered and is only available if a valid SIP- and VoIP is configured in the settings of James.
(3): The correct map needs to be loaded on the robot.
Advanced features
James can be further customized so the following options can be used:
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Turn to the source of the voice
James will turn to the direction of the voice if the wake-word has been understood and the option ‘Rotate the robot when hotword is recognized’ is enabled.
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Display the command in the kiosk
If the kiosk-app (home screen) is active, the recognized command will be displayed on the tablet.
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Start an activity when no input has been detected (inactivity)
James can start an activity (composition, moving to charging station, …) if no input has been detected by the user for some time. This action can then be stopped by any user-interaction (speech, tapping the tablet, …)
Tablet
Kiosk app
The Kiosk app is the default launcher for Android-powered ZoraBots-robots (e.g. James/Cruzr). This app is used as:
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Main display
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User-interface to configure features
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Platform to launch other apps
For more information, see the Kiosk-manual
ZBOS Control App
Please refer to the ZBOS Control manual (hosted online) for more information on using ZBOS Control to interact with James.
Safety
This chapter describes the safety precautions that should be taken when using James.
Charging station
The following setup should be used to connect the charging station to the power grid:
| Insert the power adapter into the power outlet before connecting the charging station to the power adapter. |
Make sure there is at least 40cm on each side of the charging station and 1m in front of it.
The following precautions must be taken when setting up the charging station:
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Charging station must be stable.
The charging station must be placed on a level floor, with straight baseboards (± 10cm).
| Incorrect | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
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Do NOT expose the base station to direct sunlight. This may cause the robot to be unable to find the charging station.
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Make sure the robot can clearly see the eye on top of the charging station.
The eye on top of the charging station needs to be spotted by the robot to find the charging station. In case the socket is on the other side of the charging station, make sure the cable is behind the sensor on top of the charging station.
Safety guidelines
General precautions
| James is not a toy, do not leave children (<8 years) unattended with the robot. |
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Do not spill water or other fluids on the robot. This may cause a short in the internal circuitry, and completely disable the robot.
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Do not move the robot by hand while it is on. This may cause the operations of the LIDAR-detection system to fail or malfunction. Always turn the robot OFF before moving the robot by hand.
|
Do not place James directly next to a radiator or other heat sources. |
|
Indoor use only. |
|
Operating temperature between 5°C and 35°C. |
|
Operating humidity level between 20% and 80%. |
Pinching hazards
Do not touch the following zones unless the robot is turned off:
Within the indicated zone, your fingers or hand may get stuck if the robot is in operation.
Lithium-Ion battery
|
The cells/batteries should not be short circuited, punctured, incinerated, crushed, immersed in water, over-discharged, or exposed to temperatures above the declared operation temperature range of the cell or battery. Risk of fire or explosion may occur in the above condition of abuse. In case of a fire with the batteries, do not use water to extinguish it, use a foam or CO2 extinguisher. |
Disposal
Please follow your local regulation and do not dispose of this product with everyday household waste. The correct disposal of your old product will help the environment and human health.
Cleaning the robot
Before cleaning the robot, make sure it is turned off and not plugged into the power grid (charging station or otherwise). ONLY when the robot is completely dry, place it on the charging station and turn it back on.
Cleaning the tablet-screen
To clean the screen on the tablet, use a soft, lint-free cloth, preferably microfiber cloth. Never use a paper towel or other paper-based towels as they can leave scratches on the screen. For fingerprint smudges, dust, and lint, wipe the screen gently using a dry microfiber cloth.
For more stubborn contaminants or stains, lightly dampen a section of a microfiber cloth with water and gently wipe the screen, then go over it again with a dry section of the cloth to wipe away any moisture. Avoid getting moisture in any openings like the speaker or microphone. If the stain remains, you can also try using a mild soap-and-water solution.
Cleaning the plastic surfaces of the robot
Make sure no water can leak into the robot (i.e. base of the robot, microphones, speakers, …). Use a dry microfiber cloth to gently clean the hard-plastic surfaces and use a slightly moist cloth (with general, nonabrasive cleaning agent if needed) to clean harder stains.
Changelog
v0.1:
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Added basic versioning for the manual;
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Updated screenshots with volume Control;
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Changed references to RAIL app (more apt description);
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Fixed link to Advanced settings;
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Updated the basic kiosk to match the correct version, including:
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Added Volume Control section
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Re-structuring to update to the latest format
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Improved the additional icons-page
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Updated settings-page
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Re-structuring the settings-page(s) to match the new format
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Updated current pages
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Re-structured the chapter Settings to match the current list of settings
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Contact and legal notices
We sincerely hope James will provide a valuable service to your home or business. Hopefully you will continue to provide us with the desired features or bugs which occurred in the workplace, so we can keep improving and expanding the product.
In case you need to contact us, please use the contact-information below.
Documentation Portal |
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Website |
|
Ticketing |
|
Telephone |
+32 59 20 03 11 |
Address |
Archimedesstraat 17 |
Legal Notices
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Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google LLC.
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App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
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iOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.