Android App

The Android application is used to remotely control the KUKA youBot via an Android smartphone . It was implemented by Rhama Dwiputra in a students project at Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences. You can control the KUKA youBot base by selecting different controller modes, like "shift mode", "acceleration mode" etc. It uses the BlueZ library and a Bluetooth interface is also required. Two applications must be installed. On the one hand the application on your Android smartphone. On the other hand the youBot Android client on the PC, which controls the youBot base.

Requirements

Before you can use these applications the following conditions must be satisfied. 

This description assumes that the OODL driver is installed correctly. For more information see OODL description.
If you are using the remastered Ubuntu, this is done automatically.

The PC which is used to control the youBot base must have a bluetooth interface. If you are using the internal PC of the youBot, you have to add an USB-Bluetooth-Dongle, which is running on Linux. Also your Android smartphone needs a Bluetooth interface.

Additionally the BlueZ library must be installed on the PC. You can find the sources on the following page. We recommended to use version 3.36. http://www.bluez.org/download/

Download the library tar-files and extract the folder.

$ tar -xvf bluez-libs-3.36.tar.gz
$ cd bluez-libs-3.36

Now install the BlueZ library

$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install

Installation of the PC client

If you are using the remastered youBot Ubuntu distribution, you can find the youBot Android PC client in the applications folder. Ohterwise you can download it from the git repository. 

$ git clone https://github.com/youbot/youbot_applications.git applications

The Android PC client installation is similar with the installation of other KUKA youBot applications. Change to the "android_app_pc_client" directory, create the build folder and start installation.

$ cd ~/applications/android_app_pc_client
$ mkdir build
$ cd build
$ cmake ..
$ make

A binary called "youBotAndroid" should be created in the ../bin folder.

Installation of the App on an Android smartphone

Your smartphone must be configured in a way so that unknown sources can be installed. To install an "apk" file (Android Package) you need an app installer or a file browser like OI-Filemanager (can be acquired in Android Market)

• download the YouBot.apk from here
• copy it to the SD card of your smartphone
• run the app installer or the file browser
• select and install YouBot.apk

Prepairing the Bluetooth connection

First of all, the Bluetooth interface of your PC and smartphone must be paired. Activate the Bluetooth interface on your smartphone and make it visible (see manual of your smartphone manufacturer).  

For your PC we recommended to install the tool blueman.

$ sudo apt-get install blueman

Start the applet, if not started automatically.  A new Icon in the panel should be seen.

$ blueman-applet

Left click with the mouse on this Icon. A new window "Bluetooth Devices" will be opened and go to Adapter -> preferences. Make your PC always visible.  Now go back to the window for bluetooth devices and follow these instructions

• select "Search". Your smartphone should be shown in the list
• select your device and press setup
• select a pairing method and press forward
• now you should get a pairing request on your smartphone
• enter the passkey on your smartphone
• if done successfully, your devices should be paired

Usage

After installation and pairing your devices, you can run the applications. Start the Android client on your PC first

$ cd ~/applications/android_app_pc_client/bin
$ sudo ./youBotAndroid

Now start the youBot App on your smartphone. The main menu consists of four items

• Select Device
• Controller
• Help
• ..Quit..

First of all, you have to select a device, which you will use for the Bluetooth communication. Press on "Select Device". In the list of paired devices you should see the PC which you have paired before. Select this device. You will get automatically back to the main menu. 

Now select "Controller".  Here you can choose between different modes to control the youBot base. Test them all.

Support

• get help
• mail to users@youbot-community.org (or click here to subscribe)