Bot Basics!

databot™ Version 2.0

databot™ Version 1.0

databot™ Basic Training

Update Your databot™ Firmware Here!

databot™ capabilities are being added all the time.  Update your firmware to get the latest and greatest tools on board your favorite ‘bot!

Overview

Meet “the Brain”

The microcontroller, or “brain,” of databot™ is an ESP32 made by Espressif Systems.  It’s an awesome microcontroller with many capabilities and is used widely around the world for all kinds of exciting projects in robotics, IOT, automation, and more.  

Firmware Is Awesome!

Firmware is the set of instructions loaded into databot™s memory that defines the behavior of the device, for example using Vizeey™. It recognizes incoming requests from Vizeey™ and responds appropriately.  We can easily change the behavior of databot™ by changing its firmware to talk to Excel for example.

Team databot™ is constantly improving and enhancing databot™ firmware to add more functions and improve performance so you may need to update your firmware from time to time to keep databot™ tuned up and operating at maximum efficiency!

Meet the brain behind databot™ 2.0!  The ESP32 processor!

How to Update your Firmware

 Using this simple online tool (no need to install software), you will be able to connect directly to databot™’s ESP32 processor and flash new firmware to it.  Each time we add a new feature, for example we add on support for an external sensor, or a coding environment, it typically changes the firmware.  You will also need to “restore” the default Vizeey firmware if you use MicroBlocks® as this uses its own firmware.  You can check your current firmware version using the System Check experiment on Vizeey™. The process to update your firmware is simple:

  1. Plug in your databot to your computer and make sure it is turned on.
  2. Connect to it through the panel below by clicking on Install and looking for the device.
  3. Select the latest firmware version, and upload!
OS:  This web based firmware flasher will work on MacOS, Windows, and ChromeOS if you are using a Chromebook.  A Chrome browser is recommended.
Time: Updating the firmware takes about 2 minutes per databot™ but once updated no further changes are required until new firmware is required.
Updates: We will notify users in our regular email updates whenever there is a firmware change and how it will improve your databot™ performance.


Drivers

 If you experience problems with your firmware update you may need to install the appropriate drivers for your system. The drivers that enable serial communications with databot are quite common and will often be already installed.  However, if your system does not recognize databot when you begin the install process you will most likely need to install the drivers.  Check out the manufacturer driver page for your particular requirements to match your operating system.

If you experience any problems contact us and let us know how we can help.  We want your databot™ experience to be sublime!

Congratulations! 

Nice job updatig your firmware – your databot™ is now more powerful than ever!  Now go forth and explore!

To Lessons & More

Go!