How to Set Up My GoPiGo with Raspberry Pi?

Hey guys… :wave:

I am happy to start my journey with robotics and recently purchased a GoPiGo kit. I am fairly new to working with Raspberry Pi and robotics, so I am looking for some guidance on getting everything set up correctly.

Could someone walk me through the initial setup process? Specifically, I’d like to know:

What’s the best way to install the GoPiGo software on my Raspberry Pi? Are there any specific commands I need to run in the terminal?

Once the software is installed, how do I properly connect the motors and sensors? Are there any diagrams or videos that would help visualize this rails process?

After everything is set up, what’s the easiest way to test the GoPiGo? I’d love to try a simple program to get it moving!

I also check this: https://forum.dexterindustries.com/t/using-servo-package-without-gopigo-connected-to-gpio-raspberry-pi-connecto But I have not found any solution. Could anyone guide me about this?

Thanks in advance!

Respected community member! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Congratulations on choosing the GoPiGo3 as your robot. You made a great choice.

Question: Where do you want your “journey” to take you?



Please reply with answers to the following questions:

  • What Raspberry Pi model are you installing on your robot?
  • Have you used a “Linux” type operating system before?
  • Have you taken a class in any programming language before?
  • What computer operating system { Windows, Mac, “Linux”} will you be using to connect to your robot?
  • Have you thought of a name for your robot?

Now to your questions:

The best process:

  1. Assemble the robot per the Getting Started Guide
    Follow the instructions carefully, and double check each step. Do not hurry.

When you reach this spot in the guide,

Ignore that “Learn how to launch DexterOS and Raspbian for Robots” link


Your GoPiGo3 kit came with an memory card with the GoPiGo OS already installed, and you have already installed it into your Raspberry Pi by following the guide

  1. Click on the "How to connect to GoPiGo" button and follow the instructions carefully and patiently

  2. Testing

When you get connected - Click the “Drive Button”


You can still take it for a test drive without a camera


  1. Programming

There are lots of ways to program the GoPiGo3 and choosing a path depends on your background, but success depends on four very important factors:

  • Learning the chosen programming language and programming tools
  • Learning the specific GoPiGo3 API (Application Program Interface) for the chosen language
  • Learning about robotics and ALL of the GoPiGo3 capabilities
  • Learning about the operating system

You mentioned “Ruby On Rails”:

Ruby is not one of the supported GoPiGo3 languages.

Python is the most supported programming language for the GoPiGo3. Are you interested in programming in Python?

There is a way to call Python code from Ruby, but it is not for beginners. No one here is going to be able to help you with that path (at this time).

ps. Meet Carl and Dave:

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WARNING!

When assembling the robot, do NOT tighten the screws on the acrylic parts too tight!

The acrylic WILL crack and you will have a jig-saw puzzle instead of a working robot!

I installed 0.5mm red fiber washers, (like the kind you use when assembling a motherboard in a computer), everywhere a screw or post touches the acrylic to prevent cracks.

 

I think he was talking about assembling the motor mounts, (“rails”) instead of programming Ruby on Rails.
 

 

The best way to get your feet wet depends on how much experience you’ve had programming and messing with robots.

I am assuming:

  1. This is your first robot.

  2. You know something about programming, though I don’t expect you to be a rocket scientist.

  3. You may or may not know languages like Python, C++, etc.

Even if you ARE a rocket scientist, (but are new to robots), I strongly suggest you start with Bloxter/Advanced Bloxter, if for no other reason that it will allow you to become familiar with the robot without having to go crazy with indenting, syntax, and the 99,000 other picky things that other programming languages toss at you.

As @cyclicalobsessive said, the first thing you will want to do is to use the “drive” page to verify that the robot works.  Check the eyes, blinkers, and try to get the robot to move around.

Later on, as you become more familiar with the robot and are more comfortable with Linux, you can “calibrate” the robot.  However this isn’t necessary unless you want crazy precision

Assuming you know relatively little about both programming AND robots, the first web page on the robot’s interface has a “Learning” tab that will walk you through programming in Bloxter and/or Python.  (I would start with Bloxter.)

As an aside, though I am, (somewhat), familiar with Python, and I do most of my work in that language now, I really like Bloxter because, even if you’re an expert, it lets you “sandbox” program ideas without having to worry about the details.  You can also flip the side-panel over to show you what the code looks like in Python.


Bottom line:
Get the robot built and working, play around with it a bit, then come back here and I will help you with the next steps.

Fair warning:
Robotics can be a lot of fun - and that’s the whole idea - but it isn’t always easy.  Like anything else in life, it will require a bit of effort to master, but once you’re more familiar with the robot, you’ll find it’s a LOT of fun.

This is Charlie.  His sisters Charlene and Cindy are busy doing the things that sisters do, so they’re not available.


 


P.S.
(This is my personal opinion)

Having seen a lot on the subject of robots and robotics, (and having seen @cyclicalobsessive’s struggles with other robots like the Create series from iRobot), it is my considered opinion that:

  1. The GoPiGo-3 robot is one of the best educational robots you can find anywhere, for any price.

  2. It’s designed to take you all the way from being an absolute beginner to a competent robot expert,.

  3. What you can do with it is limited only by your imagination and pocket-book.  I haven’t seen anyone program a GoPiGo to bring them a beer, but in the early days of the GoPiGo, an early experimental version was used to carry cold cans of soda from one place to another. :wink:

The bottom line is to have fun.  You will get frustrated and you will face challenges, but remember that they are solvable and we are here to help you with whatever problems you may have.

Welcome in!  I’m looking forward to hearing from you again!

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