Hardware Setup

This guide covers the physical setup and connection of your Waveshare RoArm robot arm.

Supported Models

RoArm Elixir supports the following Waveshare robot arm models:

Physical Setup

1. Power Connection

1. Power Supply: Use a 12V 5A DC power adapter (included)
2. Power Port: Connect to the DC power jack on the driver board
3. Power Switch: Locate the power switch on the base of the robot
   • ON Position: Robot is powered and operational
   • OFF Position: Robot is powered down

⚠️ Important: Always ensure the power switch is in the ON position before attempting communication.

2. USB Connection

The RoArm has two USB-C ports - it's crucial to use the correct one:

✅ Correct Port (Middle USB-C)

• Location: Middle of the driver board
• Purpose: ESP32 communication interface
• Use for: Serial communication with your computer
• Baud Rate: 115200

❌ Wrong Port (Edge USB-C)

• Location: Edge of the driver board
• Purpose: Radar communication (if equipped)
• Do not use: For robot arm control

3. Connection Steps

1. Connect the 12V power adapter to the DC port
2. Turn the power switch to ON
3. Connect USB-C cable to the middle USB-C port
4. Connect the other end to your computer
5. The device should appear as a serial port:
   • macOS: /dev/cu.usbserial-* or /dev/tty.usbserial-*
   • Linux: /dev/ttyUSB* or /dev/ttyACM*
   • Windows: COM*

Port Detection

Finding Your Robot's Port

# List all available serial ports
ports = Roarm.Communication.list_ports()
IO.inspect(ports)

# On macOS, look for something like:
# %{"/dev/cu.usbserial-110" => %{...}}

# On Linux, look for something like:
# %{"/dev/ttyUSB0" => %{...}}

Device Recognition

When properly connected, you should see:

• macOS: Device appears in System Information under USB
• Linux: lsusb shows "CP210x UART Bridge" or similar
• Windows: Device Manager shows "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge"

Testing Connection

Use the built-in test function to verify your setup:

# Test connection (replace with your port)
case Roarm.test_connection("/dev/cu.usbserial-110") do
  {:ok, position} ->
    Logger.info("✅ Connection successful!")
    IO.inspect(position)

  {:error, reason} ->
    Logger.info("❌ Connection failed: #{inspect(reason)}")
end

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Port not found" or "Connection refused"

Causes:

• Wrong USB-C port (using edge port instead of middle port)
• Power switch is OFF
• USB cable issue
• Driver problems

Solutions:

1. Verify you're using the middle USB-C port
2. Check power switch is ON
3. Try a different USB-C cable
4. Restart the robot (power OFF → wait 5 seconds → power ON)

"Permission denied" (Linux/macOS)

# Add your user to the dialout group (Linux)
sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER

# Or temporarily change permissions
sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyUSB0

Device not recognized

Windows:

1. Install CP210x USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers
2. Download from Silicon Labs website
3. Restart computer after installation

macOS:

• Drivers usually install automatically
• If issues persist, install CP210x VCP drivers manually

Linux:

• Most distributions include drivers by default
• For older systems: sudo apt-get install linux-modules-extra-$(uname -r)

Verification Checklist

• [ ] Power adapter connected to DC port
• [ ] Power switch in ON position
• [ ] USB-C cable connected to middle port (not edge port)
• [ ] Device appears in system's port list
• [ ] No permission issues with serial port access
• [ ] Baud rate set to 115200

Multiple Robot Setup

For controlling multiple robots simultaneously:

# Start separate communication channels
{:ok, _} = Roarm.Communication.start_link(name: :comm1)
{:ok, _} = Roarm.Communication.start_link(name: :comm2)

# Connect each robot to its own communication channel
Roarm.Communication.connect("/dev/ttyUSB0", server_name: :comm1)
Roarm.Communication.connect("/dev/ttyUSB1", server_name: :comm2)

# Start robot controllers
{:ok, _} = Roarm.Robot.start_link([
  name: :robot1,
  robot_type: :roarm_m2,
  port: "/dev/ttyUSB0"
])

{:ok, _} = Roarm.Robot.start_link([
  name: :robot2,
  robot_type: :roarm_m3,
  port: "/dev/ttyUSB1"
])

Safety Considerations

⚠️ Safety First

• Always ensure adequate workspace around the robot
• Keep fingers and objects clear of the robot's range of motion
• Use the emergency stop (power switch) if needed
• Start with slow movements when testing
• Ensure the robot is properly secured to the work surface

Next Steps

Once your hardware is properly connected:

1. Follow the Getting Started guide for basic usage
2. Explore the Command Reference for advanced features
3. Check out the demo functions for interactive control