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In this guide, we will unbox and set up the first version of the phospho dev kit (DK1).
We no longer sell these dev kits. If you have the DK2, see the DK2 unboxing guide.
packshot phospho dev kit dk1

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What’s in the box?

phospho dev kits come with EU power plugs.
  • Robot arm
    • 1x SO-100 robot arm
    • 1x 12V power source (for the arm)
    • 1x USB-C to USB-C cable
    • 1x USB-C to USB adapter
    • 2x Table clamps
  • Camera
    • 1x Stereoscopic camera
    • 1x USB-C to USB cable
    • 1x Camera stand
  • Control module
    • 1x Control module
    • 1x Raspberry Pi USB-C power supply
    • 1x Micro SD card adapter

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1. Attach the SO-100 arm

Find a table and fix the SO-100 robot arm using the 2 table clamps in the kit (see image below).
Make sure the arm is securely fastened and won’t move. Clear away any clutter that could get in the way of the arm’s movement.
SO-100 fixed using clamps

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2. Plug everything together

In this order:
  1. Plug the SO-100 robot arm into the power supply using the black 12V power supply.
  2. Plug one end of the USB-C cable into the SO-100 robot arm and the other into any front USB port on the control module (use the USB-C to USB adapter in the kit).
  3. Attach the stereoscopic camera to the camera stand and place it next to the robot arm.
  4. Plug the stereoscopic camera into one of the control module front USB ports.
  5. Plug the control module into the white power supply (this goes into the USB-C port on the side of the control module).
Full setup

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3. Connect your control module to your home WiFi

After plugging in the control module, look at the LED indicator: it should blink four times quickly and then pause. This means it is in hotspot mode (ready for setup). Now, let’s connect the control module to your home WiFi so it can communicate with your devices.

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Connect to the control module hotspot

Using your computer or phone, connect to the control module’s WiFi network:
  • Open the WiFi settings on your device
  • Look for a network called phosphobot in your WiFi list and connect to it.
  • Enter the password: phosphobot123.

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Access the control module dashboard

In your browser, go to phosphobot.local. This is the dashboard to control and set up your control module. On Android, we recommend using the Chrome browser.

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Connect to your home WiFi

  1. On phosphobot.local, go to Network Management. Enter the network name (WiFi SSID) and password of your WiFi network.
The network name is cAsE sEnSiTiVe and should be exactly as seen on your device/router. Double-check for typos.
  1. The control module will now connect to your WiFi network. If the connection is successful, the LED becomes solid green.
If the LED blinks slowly (1-second intervals), it means the connection failed. Try these steps:
  • Restart the control module by long-pressing the button next to the LED.
  • Reconnect to the phosphobot WiFi network and try again.
  1. Connect your computer back to your home WiFi network (the one you entered in the dashboard).
  2. Reload the page phosphobot.local to access the control module dashboard.
  3. You’re done! Click on Keyboard Control and then on Start Moving Robot. Follow the instructions to control the robot with your keyboard. If this works, you’re ready to send your first commands.
If this fails, restart the control module by long-pressing the button next to the LED. Then, start over this section.
Every time the control module is powered on, it will check for updates and install them automatically. They will be available the next time you power it on.
Using the BTBerryWiFi app, you can use Bluetooth to connect the control module to your home WiFi.Special thanks to its creator Norm Frenette for this awesome app!

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Step 1: Download the BTBerryWiFi app

Download the BTBerryWiFi app for your smartphone:

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Step 2: Reboot the control module

  1. Long press the power button of the control module until the LED turns red.
  2. Press the power button again and keep it pressed until the LED turns green.
  3. Wait for the control module to boot up. When the LED blinks green slowly and regularly, your control module is ready for pairing.
Make sure no device is connected to the control module through WiFi.

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Step 3: Connect to WiFi with BTBerryWiFi

For reference, here’s the link to the full user guide.
  1. Launch BTBerryWiFi. Accept the authorization request to use Bluetooth. Click on the button “Scan for Raspberry Pi”.
  2. Wait for phosphobot to show up in the list below, then select it.
Sometimes, you can see no_name instead of phosphobot in the list. If so, select no name and carry on.
Select phosphobotIf no device shows up: close the app, turn Bluetooth off and on on your smartphone, and reboot the control module. Then start again.
  1. Wait for your smartphone to pair with the control module, then for the WiFi access points to appear. This can take up to a minute.
Wait for connectionIf you stay stuck on this screen for longer than 2 minutes, close the app, turn Bluetooth off and on on your smartphone, and reboot the control module. Then start again.
  1. Select your home WiFi in the list. Then, enter the WiFi password. This will connect the control module to the WiFi network.
Select a WiFi networkThen enter the WiFi password and press connect.Enter password
This step may fail if you’re trying to connect to a WiFi hotspot. If this happens to you, learn how to flash your own SD card using this guide.
  1. The control module is now connected to WiFi. Access the control module dashboard on the URL phosphobot.local.
  2. You’re done! Click on “Keyboard Control” and then on “Start Moving Robot” to test the connection. Everything works? Great! You can follow the instruction and control your robot with your keyboard.

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What’s next?

Control your robot

Teleoperate a real robot

Record a dataset

How to record a dataset with your robot

Train an AI model

How to train an AI model from a dataset you recorded

Discord

Join the Discord to ask questions, get help from others and get updates
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