Vincross HEXA User manual

Table of Contents
Part 1: Getting Started
Say hi to HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02
Introducing HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02
HEXA profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03
Activate HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05
Download the HEXA App to activate HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05
Activate more HEXAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Troubleshooting for unsuccessful HEXA activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connect to HEXA with your mobile device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using Wi-Fi mode to connect HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Troubleshooting for unsuccessful Wi-Fi mode connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Use Direct Link mode to connect to HEXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Troubleshooting for unsuccessful Direct Link mode connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
HEXA pre-installed Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Use Skills in Launcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Play around with pre-installed Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Download more Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
If you want to transfer HEXA ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
How to transfer HEXA ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Table of Contents 01

Part 2: Becoming a HEXA Developer
HEXA is an open platform for robot developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
MIND SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Developer Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Developer Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Part 3: HEXA’s Features and Parameters
Signal light on HEXA's head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Visual system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Explore, take pictures and videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Power and charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Low battery display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Specs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Part 4: Services and System Updates
Services and support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
System update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Update “HEXA User Guide” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Table of Contents02

Part 1
Getting Started

Say hi to HEXA
Introducing HEXA
HEXA is an all-terrain hexapod robot designed and developed by Vincross
Inc. It comes equipped with basic motion capacities such as walking,
climbing, and passing through caves. It is also equipped with multiform
interfaces such as a built-in camera, infrared transmitter, and a distance
measuring sensor. Furthermore, HEXA is running Vincross MIND, a
Linux-based OS, which allows developers to easily program their robot.
Various hardware ports including USB, audio input and output, I²C, ADC,
GPIO, and 5V/3.3V power output are standard.
Getting Started02

HEXA profile
Head shell
Signal light
Infrared transmitter
Hardware interfaces
AC/DC adapter×1Wireless charging dock ×1
Camera
Distance measuring
sensor
HEXA×1
Getting Started 03

Always use the original AC/DC adapter in order to prevent serious
damage to HEXA and/or fire.
Hardware interfaces
The hardware interfaces are hidden under the head shell.
(Pull up from the back of the head to remove shell.)
USB 2.0
I2C-SDA
I2C-SCL GND
+5V-OUT
5V-ADCGPIO
+3.3V-OUT
GND-ADC
GND
3.5mm
LINE OUT
3.5mm
LINE IN
Getting Started04

Activate HEXA
Download the HEXA App to activate HEXA
In order to activate your HEXA, you must first download the HEXA App. You
will then be guided through setup. The activation requires a Wi-Fi network
with internet connection for your HEXA and mobile device.
Instructions for activating HEXA
1. Download HEXA App.
For iOS users: Search "Vincross HEXA" in the App Store and download.
For Android users: Search "Vincross HEXA" on Google Play or directly download the
App APK at https://www.vincross.com/download-hexa-app
Getting Started 05

2. Open HEXA App while your mobile device is connected to a
Wi-Fi network, and press "Let's get started!"
Getting Started06

3. You will see the signal light on the top side is
blinking yellow.
Getting Started 07

4. Click ”Next” in HEXA App. Choose a Wi-Fi network
for HEXA and enter the password.
Getting Started08

5. Place the QR code in front of HEXA's camera. Wait 30-60 seconds until
the signal light turns blue and stops blinking. When the activation process is
complete, the HEXA App will automatically display the Launcher. (Please go
to Page 27 to see how to use Skills in Launcher.)
Getting Started 09

Activate more HEXAs
The more HEXAs, the merrier. Follow these instructions for activating
additional robots.
1. Open HEXA App and login to your Vincross account.
Press "Add a HEXA" .
Getting Started10

2. Press "Activate a new HEXA".
Getting Started 11

3. Finish the activation process by following the activation
instructions shown on Page 5.
Getting Started12

Troubleshooting for unsuccessful HEXA activation
If the problem still cannot be solved, please contact [email protected].
Possible reasons
HEXA failed to scan
QR code.
Place the screen of your mobile phone with a vertical
angle to the camera of HEXA, then adjust the distance
between your phone and the camera.
Connection time out. Move to a location with a better Wi-Fi signal.
You’ve entered an incorrect
password.
Return to Step 2 and connect to Wi-Fi again. Make sure
you are entering the correct password.
The Wi-Fi you joined doesn’t
have access to the internet.
Join another Wi-Fi, which is able to connect to the
internet.
HEXA has been activated
before.
This situation only happens when there is no Wi-Fi
available. Signal light turning purple means the
connection mode has been converted to Direct Link
mode. Please contact the owner and get authorization
if you want to connect.
Solutions
Getting Started 13

Connect to HEXA with your mobile
device
There are two ways to connect HEXA to your mobile device.
1. Wi-Fi mode (connect through the internet or LAN)
2. Direct Link mode
Using Wi-Fi mode to connect HEXA
When your mobile device is connecting to HEXA using Wi-Fi, HEXA will
automatically determine whether the current network environment is LAN
or internet.
1. When HEXA and your mobile device are connected to the same Wi-Fi
network, HEXA will appear as a LAN connection.
2. When HEXA and your mobile device are connected to different Wi-Fi
networks, HEXA will appear as an internet connection.
Getting Started14

How to connect to HEXA using Wi-Fi mode
1. Turn on HEXA’s power button. Its signal light will
blink blue, which shows it is connecting to Wi-Fi.
Getting Started 15

2. Connect mobile device to Wi-Fi network with internet access, and
then open the HEXA App.
Getting Started16

3. Find HEXA. If you do not see an icon, it means HEXA is not connected to
a network. You might want to add a Wi-Fi for HEXA or switch to Direct Link
mode.
Getting Started 17

4. Click HEXA to open the prompt view. Follow the prompt and click
"Connect with Wi-Fi". Then choose a Wi-Fi network for HEXA. Enter
Wi-Fi password.
Getting Started18