Moorebot Scout Installation guide

Moorebot Scout FAQ
What is Scout?
Scout is an security mobile robot with four-wheel drive and mecanum
wheels that lets you monitor, discover, and explore the world around
you.
Does Scout require WiFi?
Yes. Scout supports both WiFi direct and AP mode. In WiFi direct mode,
the user may connect directly to Scout with mobile phones. In AP
mode, Scout connects to your home router as an IoT device.
Is Scout waterproof?
No. Scout is not waterproof and for indoor use only.
What are the main functions of Scout?
Scout is a consumer-grade security mobile robot that can also serve
as a moving IP camera. Scout can be programmed to automatically
patrol an area, transmitting video and images to the user’s phone and
mobile devices. Scout’s batteries can last for about two hours of active
use. As it nears running out of power, it always goes back to its
charging port.
Scout also supports Scratch Language for programming additional
functionality and for learning simple programming skills for STEM
education. Advanced developers can execute C/C++ programs on
Scout. More extension tools can be designed as add-on skills to the
robot. Much more can be done on this platform.
Can I see the video remotely?
The Moorebot Scout App allows you to monitor your home from
anywhere in the world up to 1080P image quality on both Android and
IOS devices. Two-way voice is also supported. Scout must be set up
on your Home Wi-fi network to enable this feature.
How can I power up Scout?

Press and hold the power button for >3 seconds until the power LED
indicator is on. The boot up process can take up to one minutes.
Placing Scout onto the charging station will also power on the device.
How do I charge? How long will Scout work before needing to
recharge?
Scout requires a USB 2.0 Type A adapter with 5V / >2A output. Scout
is not compatible with USB Type C fast chargers. The battery can last
over 2 hours, 1 hour using night vision, and will take up to 3 hours to
charge from a completely depleted state.
I cannot setup Scout using my Apple iPhone?
For iOS users in WiFi direct mode:
1) You must grant Local Access (or Local Network) to the Scout App.
2) With some iPhone models you will need to close down mobile data and
use Airplane Mode in order to connect in Wi-Fi Direct Mode. We are
working to correct this.
What are the AI features of Scout?
Scout runs on Linux + ROS. It can recognize objects such as the
human body, dogs, cats, and more with Google's TensorFlow. It also
runs a Monocular SLAM algorithm to achieve security patrol and to
find its charging port.
Does Scout connect to Alexa or Google Home?
Yes. Scout is compliant with Amazon Alexa and Google Home in
English language. You can expect to stream Scout's visual to Alexa
Show, to send voice commands to control the robot movement, and to
trigger patrol with smart home devices such as door sensors. Only
one patrol path can be triggered. Pairing can be done in Android and
iOS apps from Alexa and Google home.
Why do I need an App? Where to download?
Scout App is required to set up the robot and pair it with your Amazon
and Google accounts. The App is available at the Apple App Store,
Google Play, and Amazon Appstore. Search “Moorebot Scout”.
How do I set up Scout?
Scout is a WiFi-connected device. The WiFi connection and quality are
important for Scout to work well. To set it up, please follow the below
procedure:

i) Open the Scout App, register with username and password, and
confirm with your email address.
ii) Turn on Scout and wait until the LED stops blinking. Out of
factory condition, the Scout is set to WiFi direct mode.
iii) Use the mobile phone to connect directly to Scout. Once
connected you can control the robot and view its video image on the
phone and other mobile devices.
iv) Send your home WiFi SSID and password to Scout. Scout will
automatically switch to WiFi router mode (WiFi AP mode) and connect
to your home WiFi and become online. Scout supports dual-band,
2.4GHz, and 5GHz. Once configured the WiFi router mode, pressing
the WiFi button can switch between WiFi direct mode and the WiFi
router mode.
I can’t connect to my home WiFi router. What should I do?
If WiFi direct mode works, but users fail to configure home WiFi router,
please check the following:
i) Make sure there is no special character in the WiFi SSID/password.
Make sure the information is correct.
ii) VPN, firewall in the home WiFi router and gateway can block Scout
to access its AWS server which is located in the east coast.
iii) After the phone configures Scout, the WiFi direct connection will
drop. Make sure the phone can obtain internet access through home
WiFi router.
Place Scout near the home WiFi router and try again.
How do I reset Scout?
There is one aperture at the very back of Scout. Use a needle to
long-press for 8 seconds, Scout will reset to factory condition
automatically. The process takes up to 2 minutes. Once reset, you
need to set up WiFi and pair your Amazon account again.
How to monitor through Scout?
Use the Moorebot Scout App to view the image up to 1080P quality.
Scout supports most of the IP camera features. It allows you to
monitor your home from anywhere in the world. Two-way voice is also
supported. Both Android and iOS App are available.

The video screen is black and the data rate goes down to 0KB.
What shall I do?
When Scout is still connected and the data rate goes down to 0KB with
no video, it could mean WiFi bandwidth can’t support video
transmission. Set the video resolution and frame low to see if it is
bandwidth related.
Does Scout support motion detection?
Yes. Scout supports most of the IP camera features. Motion detect is
available when Scout is in its charging station.
Does Scout support sound detection?
The software has yet to release for this feature.
What do Mecanum wheels enable Scout to do?
Mecanum wheels are Omnidirectional. Scout can move in any
direction on the surface.
Can Scout be controlled in real-time? Can it be driven (via a
phone, laptop, or game controller) or does its movement need
to be programmed?
Yes. Scout's movement can be controlled in real time from App.
Scratch programming also allows users to control the movement of
Scout.
What is the view angle of Scout?
Scout has a 120-degree camera with 1920 x 1080 FHD resolution. The
orientation is landscape. The camera uptilts 18 degrees and expects
to see a full-body around a one-meter distance.
Can I save Scout videos?
Yes. Scout's video can be saved to the onboard flash. During the
patrol, if the event is triggered, such as a human body or pets are
detected, the 13-second video clip can be saved to the cloud server if
cloud storage service is available.
Does Scout have night vision?
Yes, Scout has night vision. The IR light source is at the front row of
the robot. Please make sure that nothing blocks IR light for night
usage.

What is Scout's AI-based recognition?
Scout can recognize many objects. In the current version, only human
body, dogs and cats detections are open to users.
How to add Scout Alexa skill?
Simply add Moorebot Scout skill to your Amazon account. The
Moorebot Scout skill enables you to further control the robot, such as
move around, record video.
Does Scout have a Microphone and Speaker?
Yes. Scout has a microphone in the front and a 1W speaker in the
back.
Can Scout be used on carpet?
Scout is for indoor use and optimized for hard floor. The max
operating height is 0.6 inches. Scout will work on Low to Medium Pile
(up to 1/2 inch) carpet depending on the density of the weave. Scout
will not operate on Hi-Pile or Shag carpeting.
How do I set up a patrol path?
Scout doesn't scan and build map due to privacy reasons. It follows
pre-programmed path by user using Scout's App. Open space has
higher chance to complete patrol. If too many obstacles, the bot could
give up and try to return to the charger.
Go to the patrol path set up in the App. Name a new patrol
path. Scout needs to start from its charging station. Control Scout to
move along the desired path. Either use auto-return to save the path
automatically or use manual save option. Only when Scout sees the
charging station at the end, the path can be saved. This is to make
sure that Scout can go back for charging. During patrol, if interests
are detected, such as human body or pets, Scout would alert, record
a 13-second video, and store the clip-on cloud server.
What affects patrol accuracy?
Here are some tips to improve patrol accuracy.
i) Scout’s Mecanum wheels are optimized for hard floors. It may drift
on some soft carpets.
ii) The initial angle is critical. During patrol path setup and each patrol,
the first thing the bot would do is to calibrate. That includes

comparing the front view to determine the launch angle. Please make
sure that you don’t step in front of the camera during patrol setup and
patrol. If both patrol setup and the patrol are in the same lighting
condition, e.g. both in night vision, the initial angle is calibrated with
better accuracy.
iii) Patrol in open space. The team is still improving the algorithm. For
now, each time the bot performs obstacle avoidance, the accuracy
drops down. Fewer obstacles, the bot can be more accurate to follow
the pre-programmed path.
iv) Always start with simple patrol loops. End the patrol path setup 3ft
in front of the charger so that the bot won’t run behind the charger.
v) Calibrate the IMU sensors from time to time via the App. Setup ->
Control -> Calibrate IMU Sensor. During calibration, the bot should be
on a leveled surface, so that gravity won’t affect other planes. Each
time the bot is reset, the IMU is calibrated on the first power up. It is
recommended to lay down the bot on a leveled surface during power
up.
Why doesn’t Scout build an indoor map?
Scout doesn’t build a map and patrol in fully autonomous mode. This
is mainly due to privacy concerns. Unlike vacuums, Scout is an IP
camera that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Letting it
wander around the house and building an indoor map may cause
security issues. Robot developers can do more with open-source. The
Mono-SLAM is developed on Scout’s platform. At the default product
level, Scout doesn’t build a map and doesn’t conduct patrol in fully
autonomous mode.
What is Scout's top speed?
Scout can move up to 2km/hr speed.
What is the maximum obstacle that a Scout can cross?
The maximum height of obstacles to cross is 15mm.
What is the maximum slope that Scout can climb?
The maximum slope to climb is 25 degrees.
How long can the battery last?

Once fully charged, the battery can last over two hours without night
vision
Can Scout climb stairs?
No. Scout cannot climb stairs but can travel slopes up to 25 degrees
and traverse obstacles ~ ½ inch high.
Can Scout fall off tables or stairs?
Yes. The ToF (Time to Flight) laser sensor is 9 degree pointing
downward. The algorithm of “cliff detect” is not robust enough to
protect Scout from falling off edges. When setting up patrol, please
stay away from falling edges like stairs.
Why can’t Scout detect small obstacles with low threshold?
Scout relies on the ToF (Time to Flight) laster sensor to detect
obstacles in the front. This senor is about 2.3 inch high and pointing
downward at 9 degrees. If the obstacle is too low comparing to this
height, Scout may have difficulties to detect. This may cause Scout
not being able to navigate between rooms due to the threshold of the
door.
What is Scratch?
Scratch is a graphical programming language. It is suitable for the
entry-level programmer. Scout supports Scratch and STEM education.
You can explore and let Scout do more with customized
programming.
Is Scout open source?
Yes. Scout is a robotic development platform. Scout's robotic control
layer is open source which allows serious developers to write C/C++
programs to enable more functionalities, including interfacing with
other AR games.
How is my privacy protected?
Your privacy is our top priority. Scout's streaming video is based on
TUTK's Peer-to-peer connection. This is the most secure P2P link. If
the user uses Scout as an IoT device (always connected), the
microphone and the camera can be disabled in the App. The camera
can have a physical blinder to cover it.
What's Scout's warranty?

Scout is covered by a 12-month warranty. Our warranty period begins
on the date which your product is received.
Will you be able to control Scout via internal network, wifi
access, secured private connection directly from our internal
network to the robot without relaying data to some server
linked to any 3rd party?
Yes. Scout supports "WiFi direct" mode, where the smartphone
connects to the bot directly. Even going through the "WiFi router"
mode (in this mode, the bot can be accessed worldwide), the
connection is secured peer-to-peer. The video stream doesn't go
through any servers.
Will this product be able to be controlled on a PC or are we
limited to phones and tablets?
Scout doesn't support Windows PC. It supports iOS, Android devices.
It can also stream videos to Alexa screen devices, like Echo show.
Is Scout Homekit enabled?
Scout can be controlled by Siri. We have not qualified HomeKit
integration yet. Once those features can be updated via the web with
an Over-the-air update.
Can scout be controlled from a PC/MAC, without any
intermediary servers such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home?
The product itself doesn't support control from PC/MAC unless you
want to build the entire project from the open-source database. The
easiest way is to use an Android PAD or iPad and run WiFi direct mode,
if you want to completely avoid the internet.
Where is Scout made?
Our manufacturing partners are Hongkong-based companies. Scout is
currently being produced in their southern China factory.
How long will the battery last using Night Vision?
Approximately 1 hour.
Does Scout have Facial Recognition?
Facial recognition will not be on the standard product primarily due to
privacy concerns. But developers and programmers are welcome to

do it from the open-source database. For the standard product, we
tend to make it as simple as possible for non-techie users.
Will it be able to sense stairs or edges so as not to fall off?
The hardware is designed to have this ability. However, the software
is not released in production. Please avoid stairs and edges.
What is the size of the local flash?
The onboard flash is 8GB. However, the user space is about 2 to 3 GB.
Is the Memory upgradable?
No it is not user upgradable.
Does Scout have a SD Card Slot?
No it does not but you can save videos and pictures to an external
drive over an internal network.
Does Scout use a closed API?
Scout is an open-source project. Amazon Alexa and Google Home are
already integrated and users can access them from our Ios or Android
App. For those with programming skills additional SDKs can be
integrated into the open-source database.
Is it safe to leave Scout left alone in the charging station?
Scout's battery is a 18650, one of the safest Li-ion batteries. When
Scout is in its charging station, it is just like a static IP camera.
However, please do not place Scout and its charging station near heat
or other hazardous environment.
When Scout is on Patrol can it move objects?
We tested for Scout to carry 1.6Kg weight. In the auto patrol the
software was designed for obstacle avoidance not to move objects.
Because a closed door will be seen as an obstacle, it will try to avoid it,
and search for another path. Also the camera and several sensors are
in the front so we did design for Scout to push hard objects from the
front.
Where are Scouts servers located?
Scout uses Amazon Web Services with servers in the United States.
Most of Scout's features don't require use of servers and can be

operated locally with Wi-Fi direct. Scout supports local NAS storage.
The value adds of the external server include Alexa/Google Home
interoperability, maintenance and OTA, and cloud storage of video
and pictures.
What about the cloud subscription?
Most of Scout's cloud server features are free. For example, the Alexa
and Google Home interoperability. The cloud storage feature and
push notification will need a monthly subscription. It is free for our
users for the first three months from activation. It is an option for
users since Scout also supports storing video files locally onboard as
well as FTP to local NAS (Still in qualification). Cloud storage is a
standard feature of a surveillance camera. It is available on Scout as
well.
My Scout is connected. Why can’t I update the firmware?
If Scout is connected and there is a newer firmware version online,
user can OTA (over-the-air) update the firmware. When the local disk
is full, sometimes it may cause OTA to fail. Please delete some media
files on the local flash.
How many degrees of view does the camera lens have?
The camera view is 120 degrees. It points up about 18 degrees from
horizontal to better capture people and pets. On the floor, it can see
an adult's full body in 1 - 1.5 meter range.
Can you operate several scouts on the same network? (e.g. 1
per floor)
One account can control multiple Scouts. In the App, users can select
which Scout is active for control.
Does Scout come in any other color than black?
Not at this time. Future versions may be offered in different colors.
How does Scout work with Google Home?
The work-with-Google-Home supports three main features:

1) Voice control. Use voice commands to control Scout, like start
patrol, move forward by 2 inches, etc.
2) Interaction with smart other connected home devices. For example,
use a connected door sensor to trigger patrol.
How do I set up Scout to work with Amazon Alexa?
Search for Moorebot Scout in the search bar of the Amazon Skill
library.
1) When set up on your selected Amazon device you can speak
"Alexa, show my camera” The name can be changed to your personal
preference. Alexa will stream video in real time directly to your
device.
2) Any input event in the Amazon Alexa Routine can be used to trigger
patrol. For example, when a connected smoke detector goes off it will
send Scout on Patrol. When Scout detects the human body it will
upload a 30 second video to the cloud.
3) Use Voice commands to control the movement of Scout.
Is the Scout UI multilingual?
Scout App currently supports English, Spanish, French and Japanese.
More languages will follow.
What is the default password to access Scout?
The default SSID of Scout is "robot_scout_xxxxxx". The default
password is "r0123456". Once login, users are required to change the
default password.
Where and how do I place the charging station?
Scout goes back to its cradle for charging. It is recommended to place
the charging station in an open space (e.g. 3 ft on each side) with
good lighting conditions. When Scout is in the charging station, that is
the initial pose for patrol. It is better to affix the cradle to the floor so
that it doesn't move around. The Mecanum wheels are optimized for
hard floors. Carpets may have negative impact on return accuracy.
How does Scout find its charging station?
Scout finds its charging station based on vision. It is trained to
recognize the charging station within 6.5ft (~2 meters) range. It is

recommended to place the charging station in open space, with no
obstacles 3 ft in the front and to the sides.
What happens if the charging station does not have power?
When Scout backs into its charging station and doesn't obtain power,
it comes out of the charging station and retries a couple of times, then
sends out an SOS message to the user's phone. When the charging
station doesn’t have power, turn off Scout and place it onto the
charging station, it will not power on.
What happens if Scout can't find its way back to the charging
station?
Scout should stay on the patrol path and return to its cradle when the
patrol is complete. Sometimes, it may have difficulty due to changes
in surroundings. It sends out an SOS message to the user's phone
asking for assistance.
If Scout is unable to find way around an object in its path what
happens?
Scout using the built in avoidance AI will try multiple times to find a
close path around the object. If not successful Scout will return to the
base.
How long does it take to charge the battery and how do you
tell if it’s fully charged?
The battery can take up to 3 hours to fully charge from a completely
depleted state. When Scout returns or is placed in the charging base
you will see 4 blue flashing LEDs on the top of Scout will the battery is
charging. Once fully charged all 4 LEDs will remain lit.
Can I connect the camera of the Scout to the network video
recorder?
Currently, Scout only supports Alexa video streaming which is based
on RTSP. The video stream can be displayed on devices like Echo
Show.
How do you delete patrols?

To delete the patrol path, long press any of the path names, a small
"X" will show on each name. Click "X" will delete the previous path.
I use magnetic strips on the floor to set boundaries for my
robot vacuum cleaner. Will these strips affect the operations
of the Moorebot Scout?
No. Scout doesn't detect these strips. It relies on vision.
Is Scout safe to use with Pets?
With any new device, your pets may need time to adjust to the noise
and motion. It is recommended to get your pets familiar with Scout
while you are at home and introduce a new device into their
environment.
My dog chewed up my Scout. Do you offer a replacement like
Ring does if their doorbell is stolen?
Moorebot does not offer replacement for damaged units caused by
pets or other circumstances. It is recommended to get your pets
familiar with Scout while you are at home and introduce a new device
into their environment.
I hit the On button but nothing is happening?
Make sure you hold the start button for 3 seconds. Scout takes up to
30 seconds to fully boot from a cold start. You will hear a series of
tones and the blue LED’s will momentarily flash. When Scout is fully
operational the LED’s next to the start button and Wi-Fi/router button
will remain lit.
I hit the reset button and can no longer get my Scout to turn
back on?
Please conduct a recovery (set to factory conditions). Using a
paperclip press and hold the reset button ( the middle hole at the top
back end of Scout) for 6 seconds. Scout’s LED’s will blink and Scout
will fully shut down. Scout takes up to 60 seconds to fully boot from
reset. You will hear a series of tones and the blue LED’s will
momentarily flash. When Scout is fully operational the LED’s next to
the start button and Wi-Fi/router button will remain lit.