Start Usage

Step 1: Create a Bonic.ai Account

To begin using your BonicBot A2, you must create a Bonic.ai account that will later be linked with your robot.If you are registering on behalf of a company or institution, please contact our designated contact person. They will create your account.

Go to Bonic.ai → https://bonic.ai/login  Click Sign Up and register using:

• Email and Password, or
• Google Sign-In

After creating your account, send an email to:

support@autobonics.com

Request them to link your BonicBot A2 to your Bonic.ai profile.

Step 2: Verify Your Robot in the Bonic.ai Dashboard

Once the admin links your bot:

1. Log in to Bonic.ai
2. Open the Dashboard
3. Navigate to My Robots Your assigned BonicBot A2 will be visible here.

Tap View Details on the corresponding bot to see its full profile.

Add Robot Instructions

Inside the robot profile, open the Instructions tab. This is where you can add and update instructions that define robot behaviour, movement logic, responses, and interaction styles.

Step 3: Install the BonicBot Mobile App

After your Bonic.ai account is active and your robot is linked:

1. Go to the Google Play Store (Coming soon on Apple App Store)
2. Download and install: BonicBot – Robot Controller
3. Log in using the same email ID used on Bonic.ai.

Once logged in, you will see the Robot Selection page.

Then you will be directed to the Home Page, where all robot control features are available.

Step 4: Turning the Robot On and Off

4.1 Turning On the Robot

Follow these steps to power on your BonicBot A2:

1. Activate the Emergency Switch Rotate the emergency switch at the bottom of the robot in a clockwise direction until the red button is pulled out (standard emergency switch activation mechanism).

2. Power On the Robot Press and hold the push button on the upper side of the back portion of the robot until the ring light turns on.

4.2 Turning Off the Robot

Follow these steps to safely power down your BonicBot A2:

1. Initiate Shutdown Press and hold the push button until the ring light starts blinking.

2. Deactivate Power Press the emergency switch to kill the power.

Step 5: Connect the Bot to the App

Follow these steps to connect your phone with BonicBot A2:

1. Ensure the robot is powered on
2. Enable Bluetooth on your smartphone
3. In the app, open the Bluetooth section
4. Pair your device with the robot

Step 6: Calibrate Your Robot

Calibration ensures that all arm and head servo positions are aligned correctly.

6.1 Power On and Connect

• Turn on your BonicBot A2
• Open the BonicBot Mobile App

6.2 Open Calibration Settings

• Go to Settings -> Calibration -> Calibrate Servos
• Tap Begin Calibration

6.3 Release All Servos

• Tap Release so all joints move freely
• Manually adjust all joints to neutral posture
• Keep arms straight and head centered

6.4 Final Calibration

• Tap Set Middle to set the reset position of the servo motors

• Tap Complete Calibration to complete the setup process.

Then the robot will save this as neutral posture.

Figure: Calibrated BonicBot A2

Step 7: Test Your Robot

After calibration, verify robot movement and functionality through Manual Mode or AI Mode.

7.1 Manual Mode

Manual Mode allows you to validate motion control of wheels, arms, and head.

7.1.1 Wheel Movement

• Forward
• Backward
• Left Turn
• Right Turn
• Stop

Increase acceleration gradually for smoother movement.

7.1.2 Arm Movement

• Shoulder Pitch
• Elbow Movement

7.1.3 Head Movement

• Head Pan (left ↔ right)

7.1.4 Eye Display

The eye display supports six emotion and animation modes, which can be selected to visually express the robot’s state and interactions.

7.1.5 AI Voice & Function Setup

Set Up AI Voice:

• Go to Settings -> AI Voice
• Select your preferred voice model

AI Functions

• Go to Settings -> AI Functions

7.2 AI Mode

Use AI Mode to test interactive behaviour and voice response.

To begin: Open AI Mode → Tap Start Voice Chat Speak to the robot and verify audio output and response.

Example Questions

• “Hello BonicBot”
• “Hey BonicBot”
• “What is photosynthesis?”
• “Can you wave your hand?”
• “Tell me a joke”

Step 8: Configuring Raspberry Pi

8.1 Introduction

This section provides step-by-step instructions for configuring the Raspberry Pi for ROS Mode operation with BonicBot A2. It covers enabling ROS Mode, network configuration, and connection verification.

8.2 Enabling ROS Mode

8.2.1 Access ROS Mode

1. Open the application and go to the Home Screen.
2. Tap ROS Mode.

8.2.2 Enable RPI Monitoring

1. Locate the toggle switch labeled RPI Monitoring.

Once the BLE connection is active, the application performs a status check to determine whether the robot is connected to a local network.

8.2.3 Enter Wi-Fi Details

1. Enter the Wi-Fi name (SSID).
2. Enter the Wi-Fi password.
3. Tap Send.

After a successful connection, the Raspberry Pi responds with its local IP address, which is displayed in the connection section.

Step 9: ROS-Based Operation

9.1 Connect to Robot

1. Tap Connect to Robot.

2. Tap Open Settings to proceed.

The Prerequisites section displays:

• RPI Connected: Indicates whether the Raspberry Pi is connected.
• Wi-Fi Connected: Displays the connected Wi-Fi network.
• IP Address: Shows the current IP address.

9.2 Launching ROS

1. Tap Launch ROS.
2. Tap OK to confirm.

3. Tap Connect to Robot.

9.3 ROS Interface Overview

The ROS interface consists of various control pipelines. Select a tab below to explore each interface:

9.3.1 Movement & Precise Motion

When the ROS interface opens, the Movement Control page is displayed by default.

• Movement Controls Use the on-screen controls to move the robot.

• Speed Values Adjust the following parameters:

• Linear Speed: Forward and backward movement speed

• Angular Speed: Rotational movement speed

• Precise Motion Switch to the Precise Motion page to gain fine-tuned, exact control over individual joints and motors.

Available control points:

• Left Shoulder
• Right Shoulder
• Left Elbow
• Right Elbow
• Left Gripper
• Right Gripper
• Neck

Precise Motion features:

• Individual servo position adjustment with high accuracy
• Real-time angular position feedback
• Exact, repeatable control for complex movements and custom gestures

9.3.2 Vision & AI

The Vision and AI interface allows you to access the real-time camera feed and advanced computer vision pipelines.

1. Tap Start Vision to activate the robot’s visual sensors.

2. Expand the Camera Feed toggle. The real-time video feed will appear on your screen.

3. Toggle the Vision Pipeline to enable AI processing. You can select different modes such as Pose, Face, Gesture, and ArUco markers.

4. Scroll down to view the Detection Results in real-time, including bounding boxes and tracking data on the camera feed.

5. Utilize the Object Follower to command the robot to automatically track and follow specific detected classes.

9.3.3 Map Generation

The Mapping and Navigation section appears below the speed controls.

• Start Mapping

1. Tap Map View.

2. Tap Start Map to begin creating a map of your environment

3. Move the robot using the joystick or the BonicBot Controller App.

4. Scan the Area: Drive the robot around the entire area you wish to map. Continue driving until the map on your screen looks complete and all boundaries/obstacles are clearly visible.

5. Save the Map: Once the scan is complete, tap the Save Map button. This securely stores the current map data.

6. Stop Mapping: After saving, tap Stop Map to finalize the mapping process.

7. Switch to Navigation: Simply tap Start Nav to begin navigating within the map you just created.

9.3.4 Autonomous Navigation

• Prerequisite Ensure the mapping process is completed before starting autonomous navigation.

• Initialize Navigation

1. Tap Start Nav.

• Set a Target

1. Select Destination: Tap on the map or drag the target marker to your desired location within the blue zone.
2. Initiate Movement: Release the marker to confirm the position. The robot will automatically calculate the route and begin moving.

• Monitor Progress A green line represents the planned navigation path, and the robot icon moves along this path in real time.

• Arrival and Completion When the robot reaches the destination, a Goal Reached message is displayed. Tap Stop Nav to end navigation.

• Adding Named Locations

1. Navigate the robot to the desired location.
2. Enter a name for the location.
3. Tap Add Location.

9.3.5 AI Voice-Controlled Navigation

BonicBot A2 can navigate to any previously saved map location using a spoken voice command in AI Mode — no manual tapping required. This requires the Navigate to saved location AI Function to be enabled first.

1. Enable the function

Scroll down in the AI Functions list and enable the “Navigate to saved location” toggle.

2. Save and confirm

Tap Save AI Functions to apply the change.

3. Navigate using your voice

Open AI Mode from the Home Screen and tap Start Voice Chat.

Example Commands

• “Go to the reception”
• “Navigate to the meeting room”
• “Take me to the hall”