Setting up software for Robotont

Prerequisites:

* Robotont
* Mouse
* Empty memory stick (at least 8Gb)
* Keyboard
* Internet connection (WiFi or cable)

Installation instructions:

1. Create ubuntu installation memory stick and plug it into the computer on the robot
2. Power on the computer and enter the boot menu (for Intel NUC press F10 on the keyoard)
3. In the appeared menu select the boot device: USB
4. Install ubuntu:
   • Connect to the internet over WIFI or LAN
   • Setup your username as peko. If you want to use a different one also follow the additional step after step 6
   • Create a password and don't forget it
   • Follow installation steps
5. Download installation repository on the robot. For that open terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T and paste there line by line:

sudo apt install git

git clone https://github.com/robotont/robotont-setup

6. Adjust the file hosts in the ansible folder of the repository. Repository is the robotont-setup folder you've downloaded with a command. Edit the second line and enter the password of the access point you would like to have wifi_pass= your_password. The robot will become a WiFi access point after configuration is finished with the password specified by you.

   • Additional step for custom username(if you are using peko skip it). Modify the first line in hosts file ansible_user=peko and replace peko with your username

   • You must also specify the WiFi interface used for the access point. to find out which interfaces are available, use the following command.

     nmcli --get-values GENERAL.DEVICE,GENERAL.TYPE device show
     

     replace the wifi_interface=wlo1 with the interface name you want to use.

7. Run the following command to install ansible:

sudo apt install ansible

8. Change the terminal working directory to the one containing the configuration files:

cd robotont-setup/ansible

9. Run ansible and enter user password in the BECOME field when it appears:

ansible-playbook robots-local.yaml -K

10. If there is an error in the last reboot step then reboot manually and your robot is ready.

Truobleshooting:

• If there is an error at some point repeat step 9
• If the computer is frozen then reboot the computer and then open the terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T repeat steps 8-9 but first
• If there's an error on the Apply connection step run:

nmcli connection up netplan-wlp58s0-robotont-1

• If there is an error activating or starting the Wifi Check if the Ubuntu desktop Manager if the Wifi Interface is enabled. The Ansible installation also installs on a server installation a minimal Desktop environment.

Laptop setup: 2 laptops and two memory sticks are needed

Boot linux in trial mode from the installation memory stick

Then copy scripts from main laptop to the one which installs ubuntu

scp -r ~/robotont-setup/partitioning/* ubuntu@<ip addr>:.

Then first run partitioning

It prompts for disk name. If something fails unplug target memory stick and plug back again.

sudo ./pa

After that install ubuntu and select not to reboot

During installation, when the Installation type window comes up choose Something else, then choose your device, change its type to Ext4 journaling file system with mount point /. In the same window for Device for boot loader installation field choose the same device.

And then run copying script after which it can be rebooted

sudo ./copying

After that run ansible for laptops(with the correct laptop ip in hosts file)

ansible-playbook laptops.yaml -K

SSH part outdated

Installing ssh on robot

sudo apt install -y openssh-server

Generating keys

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/robotont_ed25519

Copying ssh keys

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/robotont_ed25519 peko@[ip_address]

First configure ip in hosts file and then run

ansible-playbook robots.yaml -K

Old robotont-setup

Scripts and other stuff that does not belong to the catkin workspace

How to update robotont

Connecting to internet

Before updating we need to connect a LAN cable to the robot. Open a terminal and ssh into robot. Use the command in form of

ssh <USERNAME>@<ROBOT_IP_ADDRESS>

For example:

ssh clearbot@192.168.200.1

Obtain an IP address for the LAN interface:

sudo dhclient -v

Check for connection:

ping google.com

Updating the system

To update all ubuntu packages run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Setting up catkin workspace for the robot using a .ROSINSTALL file

Make sure the latest vcstool is installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-vcstool

Create a new catkin workspace

mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build

Download .rosinstall that lists a standard set of Robotont ROS packages.

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
wget -O .rosinstall https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robotont/robotont-setup/noetic-devel/ansible/roles/catkin/files_for_robots/.rosinstall

Optionally, modify the package list using a text editor

nano .rosinstall

Import the listed packages to the created workspace

vcs import < .rosinstall

Build the imported packages.

catkin build