Consequential Robotics MiRo-E User manual

MiRo-E Owner’s Guide
Throughout, we refer to MiRo-E including all supplied equipment as “the
robot” (“its”, etc. , to the user as “you” (“your”, etc. , and to ourselves –
Consequential Robotics – as “we” (“us”, etc. .
This guide covers safe operation, basic husbandry, warranty, disposal, and
regulatory information. Please ensure you have read and understood the
whole of the guide before handling or operating the robot.
Failure to follow the guidance herein (or in the general documentation, as
applicable may jeopardise the safety of people, animals, and/or property
and may, in addition, void your warranty.
This guide is not and could not be exhaustive—it aims only to alert you to the
sort of hazards raised by working with the robot, some of which may be
unfamiliar and/or unexpected. You must perform your own risk assessment to
determine how to operate the robot safely in your environment.
If you are in ANY DOUBT about safe operation of the robot, disconnect and
remove battery, disconnect charger, etc., and contact support for advice.
Start at http://labs.consequentialrobotics.com/miro-e, which you should also
visit to obtain the most up-to-date version of this guide.
Please take safety seriously—but do not be afraid: the robot is engineered to
be very safe if handled and managed as intended. This robot is intended to
be touched, to be stroked, and to be loved.
Nothing in this guide is intended to modify the terms of the LICENSE agreement
under which the robot is supplied to and used by you.
1 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

Emergency procedures
In case of emergency (e.g. fire, spillage, etc. or when instructed to do so by
this guide, and provided that it is safe to do so, you should immediately
MAKE THE EQUIPMENT SAFE as follows (perform only applicable steps :
◦Use the local circuit breaker to withdraw power from the outlet into which
the charger is plugged.
◦Disconnect the charger from the outlet.
◦De-power the robot immediately by rapidly cycling the power switch
through the emergency sequence “OFF→ON→OFF”.
◦Disconnect the charging cable from the robot.
◦Disconnect and remove the battery pack from inside the robot.
◦Move all equipment to a place of safety such as outside well away from
people, animals, or property.
If there is no immediate risk to safety, you can turn the robot off underneath
and wait for a normal shutdown before disconnecting the charger and
removing the battery pack.
◦If the robot fails to shutdown in the usual way, leave the switch off and
power will be withdrawn automatically after two minutes. Please note
that during this two minute period the robot may be able to move.
Proceed to disconnect the charger and remove the battery pack.
◦To de-power the robot immediately, rapidly cycle the power switch
through the emergency sequence “OFF→ON→OFF”.
Since emergency procedures may require removing the battery pack, you
should have the necessary tools close to hand when working with the robot.
Practice these procedures in advance to ensure you can complete them
safely and quickly if required to do so in an emergency.
You should always follow your local security and emergency procedures
before following advice in this document that is specific to the robot.
General advice
The robot is safe for use only by persons who have been given instructions
concerning its safe use and who understand the hazards it poses and who
are prioritizing safety above all else. Please take safety seriously!
2 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

The robot is safe for use only in applications for which it was intended.
The robot is NOT A TOY and should not be allowed to be used in play. The
robot should not be handled at all by children under 3 and children under 14
should be allowed to handle it only with close supervision.
The robot is NOT A MEDICAL DEVICE.
Some hazards may only be raised, or may be elevated, if the robot is used by
or around untrained members of the public or vulnerable persons.
Some hazards may be unexpected or unfamiliar to some users—many
people have not experienced robots before. In addition, animals may be
particularly disturbed by the robot’s operation.
The robot poses at least the following specific classes of hazard:
◦The robot is a battery-operated device and poses a fire hazard and a
chemical leakage hazard.
◦The robot’s charger is a mains-operated device and poses an
electrocution hazard and a fire hazard.
◦The robot is a mobile interactive physical device and poses hazards of
physical and emotional harm.
◦The robot exchanges data with the local network and poses an
information security hazard.
Do not use any supplied equipment (robot, charger, etc. that shows any
sign of damage, or that has previously overheated or exhibited other
unexpected behaviour (such as making noise, generating smoke or
unexpected odours, etc. , or if you suspect that any damage has occurred,
or if you suspect that the equipment has been compromised by user
intervention, by age, etc.
If you detect or suspect any damage or compromise, and if it is safe to do
so, immediately MAKE THE EQUIPMENT SAFE as described above and contact
support.
Do not use the robot in an environment that poses additional hazards. For
example, do not use the equipment outdoors, or in areas where it could
have liquids spilled on it, etc.
Misuse of the robot (use for any purpose or in any way other than as required
by the product’s intended application may pose unexpected hazards and
may, in addition, void the product warranty.
3 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

The robot is intended to be extended in some constrained ways by the end
user—for example, it is reasonable to connect additional components via
the expansion ports. Besides such reasonable expansion, you should not
allow foreign objects into the robot.
All equipment is designed for use in reasonable indoor conditions (the robot
should NOT be used outdoors . It may be damaged and/or may cause a
hazard if operated at temperatures below 10C or above 30C, or in humidity
of less than 20% or greater than 80%, or in direct sunlight or near to a heat
source such as a radiator, or near to a source of ignition.
DO NOT allow the robot to be unattended when in a powered state.
Electrical safety
The robot is a battery-operated device and poses a fire hazard and a
chemical leakage hazard.
Only use the supplied battery pack to power the robot.
Care must be taken in handling the batteries. Misuse could lead to short
circuit or puncture which could, in turn, lead to overheating, fire, or leakage
of chemicals.
Do not force the connection between the battery and the robot—
connection with incorrect polarity may cause a short circuit. If it is difficult to
connect the battery pack to the robot, contact support.
Do not allow the robot to be powered when any cover is removed; do not
allow foreign objects (such as screwdrivers into the robot when it is powered.
There is a risk of short circuit.
The robot’s charger is a mains-operated device and poses an electric shock
and electrocution hazard and a fire hazard.
Take the usual precautions that apply when using any mains-operated
equipment: disconnect the charger from the outlet in case of a storm, do
not touch any part of the robot with wet hands, do not misuse extension
cables and multi-outlet adapters, be vigilant against cable damage,
consider and comply with region-specific regulations, and so on.
Only use the supplied charger to charge the robot or the battery pack, and
only charge the robot or the battery pack with the supplied charger. In
addition, only use the supplied mains cable with the charger.
4 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

The charger does not have a power switch—maintain easy access to the
mains plug whenever the charger is plugged in, so that it can be
disconnected quickly and safely in an emergency.
When charging, ensure the charger and the robot (or battery pack are in a
well-ventilated area far from from any flammable materials and that a fire
management strategy is in place (including that an appropriate fire
extinguisher is close to hand and that you are trained in its use .
DO NOT leave the charger unattended when plugged in—you must be
available to handle any hazards that should occur during charging.
When charging is complete (charger light turns green remove the charging
cable from the robot or the battery pack and unplug the charger
immediately.
If any liquids are spilled onto any part of the robot, including the battery
pack or the charger, you should, if it is safe to do so, immediately MAKE THE
EQUIPMENT SAFE as described above and contact support. DO NOT take
chances—if you are in ANY DOUBT follow your local emergency procedures
that apply in case of an electrical and fire hazard.
If a battery pack begins to hold charge for less time than it did when it was
new it should be replaced without delay.
You should charge any battery pack at least every three months to avoid
premature deterioration.
Disconnect and remove the battery pack from the robot when leaving it
unattended for any length of time.
Physical and emotional safety
The robot is a mobile interactive physical device and poses a tripping hazard
and a falling hazard and a pinch point hazard and a general hazard of
harm to vulnerable persons or animals.
The robot is low to the ground and may not be seen—it poses a trip hazard.
The robot may drive itself off edges and fall on someone or something below
—it poses a falling object hazard.
◦Please note: The robot is equipped with “cliff sensors” which are intended
to reduce the chance of driving off edges (“cliffs” . However, these
sensors can provide incorrect information under certain conditions so you
5 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

cannot rely on them to prevent the robot from driving off edges. They also
do not protect the robot from driving backwards off an edge.
◦It is recommended that the falling object hazard be mitigated by only
operating the robot on solid floors without accessible cliffs, or on raised
surfaces that are wholly and securely “fenced” to prevent falling.
If the robot is operated with any parts removed (such as the collar, or any
plastic casing then it has “pinch points”, where body parts could be caught
and crushed—it poses a pinch point hazard. The robot should not be
operated unless all covers and other parts are in place.
The robot may move or make noises or flash lights on its own and
unexpectedly which may lead to negative and/or unexpected responses in
vulnerable persons or animals. Due consideration should be given to
whether and how the robot is introduced to these groups, and to what
harms may result from such an introduction.
The robot’s behaviour may be misinterpreted. For instance, in demonstration
mode it may approach the same location repeatedly, which might be
interpreted by some persons as aggressive or frustrating behaviour, for
example. Such behaviour may therefore pose a hazard of negative
responses from and/or harms to vulnerable persons or animals.
DO NOT leave the robot unattended when it is switched on.
The packing materials included with the robot as supplied may pose, for
example, choking or suffocation hazards. Ensure all packing materials are
safely put away out of reach of children or disposed of appropriately.
Small parts supplied with the robot as spares may also pose hazards to
children, and these should also be safely put away.
Information security
The robot offers general purpose computation, posing a general information
security hazard, and publishes information recorded from sensors, posing a
hazard of leakage of that sensor data.
The robot includes an “on-board computer” (Raspberry Pi running Raspbian
which is intended to connect to the local wireless network, posing the same
information security hazards common to any networked computer. The robot
should only be used in a network environment that has been secured by a
competent person.
6 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

The on-board computer ships with a standard (default user login password
—you should change this password immediately as the on-board computer
is first connected to the network (i.e. when you provide network credentials .
The operating system of the on-board computer must be regularly updated
to ensure that newly-available security patches are applied in good time.
Failure to keep the system updated will increase the risk of compromise. You
are responsible for keeping the on-board computer system secure—a big
part of that will usually be to ensure that security fixes are applied promptly.
◦As shipped, the on-board computer is configured with the Debian
package unattended-upgrades which is intended to perform default
security updates automatically and as required. You should ensure that
this system is configured correctly and able to function normally in its
network environment, or—alternatively—follow your own preferred policy
to maintain system security.
◦Once software release R190828 (published 28th August 2019 or any later
software release has been installed on the robot, the unattended
upgrades system is disabled, and future system updates will be performed
when a robot software update is invoked. You should therefore perform a
robot software update regularly—please see the robot software update
page of the general documentation for details.
◦Whichever software release is installed, you may manually update the
operating system at any time, in the usual way.
The on-board computer exposes various network interfaces. You should
operate the robot only within a secure network environment—e.g. not
connected to the public internet—until and unless you are satisfied that the
risks of doing so have been managed satisfactorily. Some of these interfaces
are listed below, for information.
◦The on-board computer exposes a ROS interface to the network. This
interface can be used to access robot sensor data—including camera
and microphone streams—without pro iding further credentials, which
risks leaking video and audio data to unintended recipients. You should
take appropriate steps to secure this ROS network against access to suit
the needs of your application. Information on preventing unwanted
access to a ROS network is available at http://wiki.ros.org/Security.
▪If running only on-board controllers (such as the demo controller you
do not need to expose the ROS interface to the network—use the
7 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

value “loopback” for the setting “network address mode” to avoid
exposing this interface.
◦The on-board computer runs an SSH server (sshd to allow secure remote
login. This server is configured using only the system-provided tools and
can be reviewed in the usual way.
◦The on-board computer runs a Bottle Web Server to allow uploading of
control scripts to the robot from the MEI. This server may unintentionally
present broader access to the system. All code associated with our
instantiation of this server is available for review on board in the directory
at ~/mdk/share/web.
◦The on-board computer may expose other interfaces not listed here,
including some authored by third parties, which may pose unknown
hazards; you should review the on-board computer to assess these.
DO NOT ignore the possibility of compromise of sensor data. The hazard
posed is that video and audio streams recorded by the robot’s eyes and
ears may be delivered to unintended recipients. This hazard may be
especially serious if the robot is used by or around vulnerable persons
(including, but not limited to, children . You should ensure that a competent
person has secured these data streams against such unintended delivery
BEFORE allowing the robot to connect to a network.
The on-board computer includes a micro-SD card on which user data may
be stored. There is always a risk of loss of this data (for instance, the card itself
may fail, or the power supply may fail leading to corruption of the card . This
poses a data loss hazard so you should never store data only on the on-
board card.
◦Do not plug in the charger cable when the computer is running—this will
cut the power to the computer without warning, and may lead to data
corruption.
Because of the significant hazards to information security posed by
connecting the robot to the network, it is safer not to make this connection
unless it is required by your application (you can operate the robot in
demonstration mode, for example, without a network connection .
Husbandry
This section is more about protecting the robot rather than protecting you, but a
damaged or compromised robot may pose additional or elevated ha ards, also.
8 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

Use common sense when handling the robot. It is not especially fragile, but
neither is it intended to be treated roughly.
Lift the robot only by the body shell, supporting its weight from underneath—
do not pick up the robot by the head, this may damage the robot.
Do not drop the robot from any height—it is not designed to absorb the
shock of falling.
Do not force any of the robot’s joints to move when they are under power or
the robot may be damaged. If the joints are unpowered (for example, when
the robot is powered off you can gently move the joints as required.
Do not otherwise apply force to or pull on any of the robot’s appendages
(head, nose, ears, tail, eyelids, etc. at any time. Doing so may damage
internal components and will void the warranty.
Do not push the robot along on a surface (or manually turn the drive wheels
at any time. Doing so may damage internal components and will void the
warranty. Rather, if you need to move the robot, lift it as described above.
Do not adorn the robot in any clothing or materials other than those
supplied. Adding additional thermal insulation may lead to overheating,
which might pose a fire hazard as well as being damaging to the robot.
Blocking the operation of any sensors may exacerbate other hazards.
Do not operate the robot in a dirty environment—including, for example, on
carpets or rugs that have any kind of detritus in them. Material may be
drawn up into the robot’s mechanisms, and any damage that occurs as a
result of such operation may not be covered by the warranty.
Operate the robot only on a solid, level, smooth (non-abrasive , surface to
avoid damage to the drive motors, wheels, tail slider or roller, or associated
mechanisms. Thin carpet should not pose a problem, but thick carpets or
rugs may overload the motors and lead to damage or failure. Operation on
typical exterior surfaces (e.g. tarmac, concrete is likely to damage the
ground-contacting parts of the robot and such damage will not be covered
by the warranty.
Do not allow any liquids into contact with the robot.
Keep the robot clean, but do not use abrasives, aerosols, or any cleaning
fluids in contact with the robot (a quick wipe with a slightly damp cloth is
fine, but ensure the robot is powered off and the charger is not connected
first, and allow sufficient time for all of the robot’s parts to dry completely
before using the charger or the robot again after cleaning .
9 Revision date 17 Feb 2021

Store the robot with its battery pack disconnected and removed.
◦However, as indicated above, charge the battery pack at least every
three months during storage, to maintain its condition and lifetime. You
can use the included adapter to charge the battery “off robot”, if
desired.
Look out for signs that the batteries are running low and stop and recharge
them when this happens to avoid any reduction of their lifetime. Signs of a
low battery are (i the low battery alarm sounds (see documentation , (ii the
robot makes “long blinks” often when in demonstration mode, (iii any joint is
particularly noisy during movement.
Do not lubricate any joint, modify the robot, disassemble any part of the
robot, or attempt any repair, except exactly as indicated in the
Maintenance section of the documentation.
Do not mistreat the robot in general—for example, do not place objects on
top of it, do not paint it or subject it to high temperatures, do not strike it or
apply high pressures to it. Any damage may pose additional or elevated
hazards and so it is critical to safety that the robot remain in good order. As
indicated above, if you suspect that the robot is damaged in any way, and if
it is safe to do so, you should immediately MAKE THE EQUIPMENT SAFE and
then contact support.
Transport the robot in its original packaging.
And, whatever you do, don’t feed the robot after midnight.
Warranty
We provide a one-year warranty covering manufacturing defects only,
provided that the robot has only been used in the application for which it is
intended and that it has not been subjected to misuse or abuse or subjected
to an unreasonable lack of care (for specific exclusions, see below .
During the warranty period, which begins on the shipping date, we will repair
or replace (at our option the robot free of charge utilising new or
refurbished replacement parts.
To take advantage of this warranty, the robot must be returned to us in its
original packaging for inspection at your cost. We will return the robot to you
following repair, or otherwise supply a replacement robot, at our cost, and in
a reasonable time.
10 Revision date 17 Feb 2021