Hardware & Robotics Integration

Architecture Overview

OrcBot is software-first but makes an excellent brain for hardware systems. The recommended pattern keeps real-world control in a dedicated hardware bridge while OrcBot handles planning, reasoning, and high-level decisions.

Why Use a Hardware Bridge?

Safety
Separation
Flexibility

Bridge enforces safety regardless of AI decisions:

Speed limits (max PWM duty cycle)
Duration limits (max time per command)
Obstacle detection (auto-stop)
Emergency stop (overrides everything)
Watchdog timer (auto-stop if no commands)

Reference Architecture

Based on the robotics blog example:

Component Layers

OrcBot Core - Planning, memory, autonomy, decision pipeline
Hardware Bridge Service - Translates intents into robot-specific commands
Message Bus - ROS2 topics, MQTT, REST, or serial gateway
Safety Layer - Rate limits, e-stop, command validation
Physical Hardware - Motors, sensors, actuators

Integration Patterns

Pattern 1: REST API Bridge

Best for: Simple robots, prototyping, web-based control

# hardware-bridge.py
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

app = Flask(__name__)

# GPIO setup
MOTOR_LEFT = {'IN1': 17, 'IN2': 27, 'ENA': 18}
MOTOR_RIGHT = {'IN3': 22, 'IN4': 10, 'ENB': 25}
MAX_SPEED = 80  # Safety limit

@app.route('/move', methods=['POST'])
def move():
    data = request.json
    direction = data.get('direction', 'forward')
    speed = min(int(data.get('speed', 40)), MAX_SPEED)
    duration = min(float(data.get('duration', 1.0)), 5.0)
    
    # Set motor directions
    if direction == 'forward':
        GPIO.output(MOTOR_LEFT['IN1'], GPIO.HIGH)
        GPIO.output(MOTOR_RIGHT['IN3'], GPIO.HIGH)
    elif direction == 'backward':
        GPIO.output(MOTOR_LEFT['IN2'], GPIO.HIGH)
        GPIO.output(MOTOR_RIGHT['IN4'], GPIO.HIGH)
    
    # Set speed via PWM
    pwm_left.ChangeDutyCycle(speed)
    pwm_right.ChangeDutyCycle(speed)
    
    # Auto-stop after duration
    time.sleep(duration)
    stop_motors()
    
    return jsonify({'status': 'success', 'direction': direction})

@app.route('/sensor/distance', methods=['GET'])
def get_distance():
    distance = measure_ultrasonic_distance()
    return jsonify({'distance_cm': distance})

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5050)

OrcBot Plugin:

// ~/.orcbot/plugins/robot-control/index.js

const BRIDGE_URL = process.env.ROBOT_BRIDGE_URL || 'http://localhost:5050';

module.exports = [
  {
    name: 'robot_move',
    description: 'Move the robot in a direction',
    usage: 'robot_move(direction, speed?, duration?)',
    handler: async (args) => {
      const response = await fetch(`${BRIDGE_URL}/move`, {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
        body: JSON.stringify({
          direction: args.direction,
          speed: args.speed || 40,
          duration: args.duration || 1.0
        })
      });
      return await response.json();
    }
  },
  {
    name: 'robot_distance',
    description: 'Measure distance to nearest obstacle',
    usage: 'robot_distance()',
    handler: async () => {
      const response = await fetch(`${BRIDGE_URL}/sensor/distance`);
      return await response.json();
    }
  }
];

Pattern 2: ROS2 Integration

Best for: Complex robots, SLAM, navigation, multi-sensor fusion

# ros2_bridge.py
import rclpy
from rclpy.node import Node
from geometry_msgs.msg import Twist
from sensor_msgs.msg import LaserScan
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
import threading

class OrcBotBridge(Node):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__('orcbot_bridge')
        self.cmd_vel_pub = self.create_publisher(Twist, '/cmd_vel', 10)
        self.scan_sub = self.create_subscription(
            LaserScan, '/scan', self.scan_callback, 10
        )
        self.latest_scan = None
    
    def scan_callback(self, msg):
        self.latest_scan = msg
    
    def move(self, linear, angular, duration):
        twist = Twist()
        twist.linear.x = linear
        twist.angular.z = angular
        
        # Publish for duration
        rate = self.create_rate(10)
        start = self.get_clock().now()
        while (self.get_clock().now() - start).nanoseconds < duration * 1e9:
            self.cmd_vel_pub.publish(twist)
            rate.sleep()
        
        # Stop
        self.cmd_vel_pub.publish(Twist())

app = Flask(__name__)
bridge = None

@app.route('/move', methods=['POST'])
def move():
    data = request.json
    direction = data.get('direction')
    speed = data.get('speed', 0.3)
    duration = data.get('duration', 1.0)
    
    # Convert direction to linear/angular
    if direction == 'forward':
        bridge.move(speed, 0.0, duration)
    elif direction == 'left':
        bridge.move(0.0, 0.5, duration)
    
    return jsonify({'status': 'success'})

@app.route('/scan', methods=['GET'])
def get_scan():
    if bridge.latest_scan:
        ranges = bridge.latest_scan.ranges
        min_distance = min(ranges)
        return jsonify({'min_distance': min_distance})
    return jsonify({'error': 'No scan data'})

def run_ros():
    rclpy.init()
    global bridge
    bridge = OrcBotBridge()
    rclpy.spin(bridge)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Run ROS2 in separate thread
    ros_thread = threading.Thread(target=run_ros, daemon=True)
    ros_thread.start()
    
    # Run Flask
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5050)

Pattern 3: MQTT for Multi-Robot Fleets

Best for: Multiple robots, distributed systems, cloud coordination

# mqtt_bridge.py
import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
import json
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO

MQTT_BROKER = 'localhost'
MQTT_PORT = 1883
ROBOT_ID = 'robot-001'

def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, rc):
    print(f"Connected to MQTT broker")
    client.subscribe(f'orcbot/{ROBOT_ID}/command')

def on_message(client, userdata, msg):
    command = json.loads(msg.payload)
    
    if command['action'] == 'move':
        move_robot(command['direction'], command['speed'])
        
        # Publish status
        client.publish(f'orcbot/{ROBOT_ID}/status', json.dumps({
            'status': 'moving',
            'direction': command['direction']
        }))
    
    elif command['action'] == 'stop':
        stop_motors()
        client.publish(f'orcbot/{ROBOT_ID}/status', json.dumps({
            'status': 'stopped'
        }))

client = mqtt.Client()
client.on_connect = on_connect
client.on_message = on_message

client.connect(MQTT_BROKER, MQTT_PORT, 60)
client.loop_forever()

OrcBot Plugin:

// ~/.orcbot/plugins/mqtt-robot/index.js

const mqtt = require('mqtt');
const client = mqtt.connect('mqtt://localhost:1883');

module.exports = [
  {
    name: 'fleet_move',
    description: 'Send move command to robot fleet',
    usage: 'fleet_move(robotId, direction, speed)',
    handler: async (args) => {
      return new Promise((resolve) => {
        const topic = `orcbot/${args.robotId}/command`;
        const payload = JSON.stringify({
          action: 'move',
          direction: args.direction,
          speed: args.speed || 40
        });
        
        client.publish(topic, payload);
        
        // Wait for status update
        const statusTopic = `orcbot/${args.robotId}/status`;
        client.once('message', (topic, message) => {
          if (topic === statusTopic) {
            resolve({
              success: true,
              status: JSON.parse(message.toString())
            });
          }
        });
        
        client.subscribe(statusTopic);
      });
    }
  }
];

Safety Patterns

Layer 1: Hardware Bridge Safety

Built into bridge service:

# Safety constants
MAX_SPEED = 80          # Max PWM duty cycle (0-100)
MIN_SPEED = 20          # Below this, motors stall
MAX_DURATION = 5.0      # Max seconds per command
WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT = 10   # Auto-stop if no command in N seconds
OBSTACLE_MIN_CM = 15    # Stop if obstacle closer than this

def validate_command(speed, duration):
    """Clamp values to safe ranges"""
    speed = max(MIN_SPEED, min(speed, MAX_SPEED))
    duration = max(0.1, min(duration, MAX_DURATION))
    return speed, duration

def check_obstacle():
    """Block forward movement if obstacle detected"""
    distance = measure_distance()
    if distance != -1 and distance < OBSTACLE_MIN_CM:
        return False  # Blocked
    return True  # Safe to proceed

def watchdog_loop():
    """Auto-stop if no commands received"""
    while True:
        time.sleep(1)
        if state['moving'] and time.time() - state['last_command'] > WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT:
            stop_motors()
            logger.warning("Watchdog triggered: auto-stop")

Layer 2: OrcBot Guard Rails

Built-in safety features:

# ~/.orcbot/orcbot.config.yaml

# Limit how many times same skill can be called
messageDedupWindow: 15  # Prevent spamming robot_move 20 times

# Pattern loop detection
# Detects and breaks repetitive action cycles

# Step limits
maxStepsPerAction: 20  # Prevent runaway actions

# Termination review
# Second LLM pass confirms task completion

Layer 3: Physical Safety

Highly recommended:

Physical E-Stop Button

Battery + ── FUSE ── [E-STOP] ── Motor Driver

Normally closed button in series with motor power
Press = instant power cut (no software involved)

Battery Inline Fuse
- 5A fuse between battery and motor driver
- Prevents fires from shorts
Bumper Switches
- Microswitch on front of robot
- Triggers software stop on physical contact
- Backup to ultrasonic sensor

Layer 4: Testing Discipline

Follow this order - no exceptions:

Test Bridge API

# No motors connected
curl http://robot.local:5050/health
curl -X POST http://robot.local:5050/move \
  -d '{"direction":"forward","speed":0}'

Test Motors Individually

# Robot lifted off ground
python test_motors.py

Test OrcBot→Bridge

# Robot still lifted
"Move the robot forward at speed 30 for 1 second"

Test on Ground (Confined)

Place robot in cardboard box arenaTest obstacle avoidance

Normal Operation

Only after all tests passAlways supervised initially

Hardware Examples

Raspberry Pi Robot

See the complete guide in robotics blog including:

Bill of materials ($120-160)
Wiring diagrams
Complete Python bridge code
OrcBot plugin implementation
Safety systems
Testing procedures

Arduino Integration

// arduino_bridge.ino

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(MOTOR_A_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MOTOR_B_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available()) {
    String command = Serial.readStringUntil('\n');
    
    if (command.startsWith("MOVE")) {
      int speed = command.substring(5).toInt();
      analogWrite(MOTOR_A_PIN, speed);
      analogWrite(MOTOR_B_PIN, speed);
      Serial.println("OK");
    }
    else if (command == "STOP") {
      analogWrite(MOTOR_A_PIN, 0);
      analogWrite(MOTOR_B_PIN, 0);
      Serial.println("STOPPED");
    }
  }
}

Bridge:

# serial_bridge.py
import serial
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify

app = Flask(__name__)
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 9600)

@app.route('/move', methods=['POST'])
def move():
    speed = request.json.get('speed', 128)
    ser.write(f"MOVE {speed}\n".encode())
    response = ser.readline().decode().strip()
    return jsonify({'status': response})

app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5050)

ESP32 WiFi Robot

// esp32_robot.ino
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <WebServer.h>

WebServer server(80);

void handleMove() {
  if (server.hasArg("direction")) {
    String dir = server.arg("direction");
    if (dir == "forward") moveForward();
    else if (dir == "left") turnLeft();
    server.send(200, "application/json", "{\"status\":\"ok\"}");
  }
}

void setup() {
  WiFi.begin("YourSSID", "password");
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) delay(500);
  
  server.on("/move", handleMove);
  server.begin();
}

void loop() {
  server.handleClient();
}

OrcBot connects directly (no bridge needed):

// Plugin
const ESP32_IP = '192.168.1.100';

module.exports = [{
  name: 'esp32_move',
  handler: async (args) => {
    const response = await fetch(`http://${ESP32_IP}/move?direction=${args.direction}`);
    return await response.json();
  }
}];

IoT Device Integration

Smart Home Devices

// ~/.orcbot/plugins/homeassistant/index.js

const HA_URL = process.env.HOMEASSISTANT_URL;
const HA_TOKEN = process.env.HOMEASSISTANT_TOKEN;

async function callService(domain, service, entity_id, data = {}) {
  const response = await fetch(`${HA_URL}/api/services/${domain}/${service}`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${HA_TOKEN}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ entity_id, ...data })
  });
  return await response.json();
}

module.exports = [
  {
    name: 'turn_on_lights',
    description: 'Turn on smart lights',
    usage: 'turn_on_lights(room)',
    handler: async (args) => {
      const entity = `light.${args.room}`;
      await callService('light', 'turn_on', entity);
      return { success: true, message: `Turned on lights in ${args.room}` };
    }
  },
  {
    name: 'set_thermostat',
    description: 'Set thermostat temperature',
    usage: 'set_thermostat(temperature)',
    handler: async (args) => {
      await callService('climate', 'set_temperature', 'climate.thermostat', {
        temperature: args.temperature
      });
      return { success: true, temperature: args.temperature };
    }
  }
];

Industrial Equipment

# modbus_bridge.py
from pymodbus.client import ModbusTcpClient
from flask import Flask, jsonify

app = Flask(__name__)
client = ModbusTcpClient('192.168.1.50', port=502)

@app.route('/conveyor/start', methods=['POST'])
def start_conveyor():
    # Write to holding register
    client.write_register(0x1000, 1)  # Start
    return jsonify({'status': 'started'})

@app.route('/sensor/temperature', methods=['GET'])
def get_temperature():
    # Read input register
    result = client.read_input_registers(0x2000, 1)
    temp = result.registers[0] / 10.0  # Scale
    return jsonify({'temperature_c': temp})

app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5050)

Best Practices

Safety First

Always implement hardware e-stop
Test in simulation before real hardware
Start with low speeds and short durations
Monitor all operations initially
Implement watchdog timers

Separation of Concerns

Keep OrcBot for high-level planning
Keep bridge for hardware specifics
Use message bus for decoupling
Test components independently

Error Handling

Bridge should validate all commands
Return detailed error messages
Log all hardware operations
Implement graceful degradation

Monitoring

Track command success/failure rates
Monitor sensor readings
Log all movements
Alert on anomalies

Troubleshooting

Bridge Connection Issues

# Test bridge directly
curl http://robot.local:5050/health

# Check if bridge is running
sudo systemctl status robot-bridge

# View bridge logs
sudo journalctl -u robot-bridge -f

Motors Not Responding

Check Power

Battery voltage sufficient?
Connections tight?
Fuse intact?

Check Wiring

GPIO pins correct?
Motor driver connections?
PWM signals working?

Test Manually

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(18, GPIO.OUT)
pwm = GPIO.PWM(18, 1000)
pwm.start(50)
# Motor should spin

Sensors Not Reading

# Test ultrasonic sensor
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

TRIG = 23
ECHO = 24

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(TRIG, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(ECHO, GPIO.IN)

GPIO.output(TRIG, True)
time.sleep(0.00001)
GPIO.output(TRIG, False)

while GPIO.input(ECHO) == 0:
    start = time.time()

while GPIO.input(ECHO) == 1:
    stop = time.time()

distance = (stop - start) * 34300 / 2
print(f"Distance: {distance}cm")

Example Workflows

Autonomous Patrol

User: "Patrol the hallway and report any obstacles"

OrcBot Planning:
1. robot_move(direction="forward", duration=3)
2. robot_distance()
3. If obstacle < 30cm: robot_rotate(angle=90)
4. Repeat patrol pattern
5. Report findings via Telegram

Execution:
[Moving forward...]
[Distance: 45cm]
[Moving forward...]
[Distance: 12cm - OBSTACLE!]
[Rotating 90 degrees...]
[Obstacle detected at 2.3m from start point]

Bot (Telegram): ⚠️ Patrol Report:
- Patrolled 2.3 meters
- Obstacle detected (12cm away)
- Rotated to avoid
- Patrol continuing

Scheduled Inspections

# Config
autonomyEnabled: true

# Schedule
heartbeat_schedule(
  schedule: "0 */2 * * *",  # Every 2 hours
  task: "Robot: patrol perimeter and check all sensors"
)

Multi-Robot Coordination

User: "Deploy all robots to search the warehouse"

OrcBot:
1. fleet_move(robotId="robot-001", direction="north")
2. fleet_move(robotId="robot-002", direction="south")
3. fleet_move(robotId="robot-003", direction="east")
4. Monitor all robot statuses
5. Aggregate findings
6. Report results

Bot: 🤖 Search Results:

Robot-001 (North sector):
- Clear, no anomalies

Robot-002 (South sector):
- Detected movement near door

Robot-003 (East sector):  
- Temperature sensor: 28°C (elevated)
- Investigating further

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Advanced

Hardware & Robotics Integration

Architecture Overview

Why Use a Hardware Bridge?

Reference Architecture

Component Layers

Integration Patterns

Pattern 1: REST API Bridge

Pattern 2: ROS2 Integration

Pattern 3: MQTT for Multi-Robot Fleets

Safety Patterns

Layer 1: Hardware Bridge Safety

Layer 2: OrcBot Guard Rails

Layer 3: Physical Safety

Layer 4: Testing Discipline

Hardware Examples

Raspberry Pi Robot

Arduino Integration

ESP32 WiFi Robot

IoT Device Integration

Smart Home Devices

Industrial Equipment

Best Practices

Safety First

Separation of Concerns

Error Handling

Monitoring

Troubleshooting

Bridge Connection Issues

Motors Not Responding

Sensors Not Reading

Example Workflows

Autonomous Patrol

Scheduled Inspections

Multi-Robot Coordination

Resources

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Advanced

​Architecture Overview

​Why Use a Hardware Bridge?

​Reference Architecture

​Component Layers

​Integration Patterns

​Pattern 1: REST API Bridge

​Pattern 2: ROS2 Integration

​Pattern 3: MQTT for Multi-Robot Fleets

​Safety Patterns

​Layer 1: Hardware Bridge Safety

​Layer 2: OrcBot Guard Rails

​Layer 3: Physical Safety

​Layer 4: Testing Discipline

​Hardware Examples

​Raspberry Pi Robot

​Arduino Integration

​ESP32 WiFi Robot

​IoT Device Integration

​Smart Home Devices

​Industrial Equipment

​Best Practices

Safety First

Separation of Concerns

Error Handling

Monitoring

​Troubleshooting

​Bridge Connection Issues

​Motors Not Responding

​Sensors Not Reading

​Example Workflows

​Autonomous Patrol

​Scheduled Inspections

​Multi-Robot Coordination

​Resources

Architecture Overview

Why Use a Hardware Bridge?

Reference Architecture

Component Layers

Integration Patterns

Pattern 1: REST API Bridge

Pattern 2: ROS2 Integration

Pattern 3: MQTT for Multi-Robot Fleets

Safety Patterns

Layer 1: Hardware Bridge Safety

Layer 2: OrcBot Guard Rails

Layer 3: Physical Safety

Layer 4: Testing Discipline

Hardware Examples

Raspberry Pi Robot

Arduino Integration

ESP32 WiFi Robot

IoT Device Integration

Smart Home Devices

Industrial Equipment

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Bridge Connection Issues

Motors Not Responding

Sensors Not Reading

Example Workflows

Autonomous Patrol

Scheduled Inspections

Multi-Robot Coordination

Resources