SoftBank Robotics documentation What's new in NAOqi 2.8?

Upgrading my NAO

Setting an automatic update

Once your SoftBank Robotics robot has been updated with a 2.x release, you can use the new SoftBank Robotics Cloud to set an automatic system update.

For further details, see: Setting automatic system update.

Upgrading my NAO manually

To upgrade your NAO follow these steps:

1/4 - Making NAO ready for upgrade

Step Action

Check the battery level.

Important: make sure the robot battery is fully charged: a power shortage during upgrading could leave the robot in a fatal state.

Tips: if your battery has a limited capacity, you should leave the charger plugged during the upgrade. However it could be wise to order a new battery.

Make sure the sound level is high.

A very sensitive step will be prompted by a sound, you need to hear it.

Factory reset Option: if you plan to ask a Factory reset option, get an Ethernet cable, and make sure you have all relevant information to restore the WiFi connection settings afterward.

For further details, see: Setting NAO’s WiFi connection.

2/4 - Uploading the release

Step Action

Retrieve the NAO system image:

nao-atom-system-image-x.x.opn or

opennao-atom-system-image-x.x.opn

In Choregraphe, choose Connection > Advanced > Update robot system.
A wizard opens asking for your robot password.

Type the password of your robot.

Then click the Next button.

Select the system image to upload.

Then click the Next button.

Choose between a simple update or a factory reset.

For further details, see: Factory reset option.

Then click the Update button.

A progression bar is displayed.

Warning

Do not switch the robot off while the flashing process is running.

Then a message let you know you can shut down and restart your robot.

Click the Finish or Restart robot now button.

Troubleshooting

  • If something goes wrong during the system update process, and Choregraphe ends it prematurely, an error message is given in the wizard.

    For further details, see: Robot system update failure.

  • For specific cases, if you cannot use Choregraphe to upload the system, you may also use NAOFlasher.

    Note that this method, is more complex and requires a USB key and sometimes an Ethernet cable. For further details, see: Upgrading using NAOFlasher.

Factory reset option

The Factory reset option resets the whole system in a similar state as if the robot was just out of the factory.

Warning

After a Factory reset:

  • all user’s data put on the robot will be irreparably lost;
  • all settings will be reset to their default values.

When should I do a Factory reset

When:

  • You need to downgrade to a former NAOqi software release.
  • Something goes wrong, and NAO does not boot normally anymore.
  • You have lost the password of your robot.
  • You want to completely reset NAO to a known state.

When should I simply upgrade

When:

  • NAO boots normally,
  • you do not want to use a release older than the current one, and
  • you want to keep all user’s data and settings.

3/4 - Restarting NAO to launch the upgrade

To restart NAO after a system update:

Step Action

Press and hold the robot Chest button for about 5 seconds until it gets blue.

Ear LEDs shows the progression.

For further details, see: nao Upgrading.

Remain alert: a strong beep sound (echoing), indicates that one of the cards has its firmware updated. This could occur once or several times according to the release content (i.e. the number of firmwares to update).

Warning: it may occur, on some robots, that the upgrade of the card controlling the Inertial sensor gets disturbed when the charger is plugged. In that case, the upgrade will be retried, up to 6 times, so you should hear the sound many times.

Tips: in order to avoid this problem, simply unplug the charger once you have heard the first sound.

Optionally, in case of persistent disturbances SoftBank Robotics robot may say: “To complete my upgrade, please make sure that I am well charged, unplug my charger and re-boot me”.

When the upgrade process is completed, SoftBank Robotics robot may ask you to perform an auto-diagnostic by saying: “put me in an open space on the floor and touch my head or my bumper ...”.

Warning

During this auto-diagnostic, all safety reflexes are intentionally removed: do not shake nor push your SoftBank Robotics robot and make sure it is in a safe place.

If you don’t feel confident about the upgrade, for example if a repeated sound makes you think that the inertial sensor card may not be properly updated, do not proceed as asked and shutdown the robot: It gives you another chance to perform the upgrade properly.

NAOFlasher option: do not forget to remove the USB stick from SoftBank Robotics robot’s head and to close the Hatch behind the head of the robot.

Factory reset option: if you have requested a Factory reset option, then all settings have been reset, therefore you need to restore the WiFi connection settings.

For further details, see: Setting NAO’s WiFi connection.

4/4 - Last checking

The tricky upgrade of the Inertial sensor card could put your robot in danger, so better double-check that everything went well before performing acrobatics!

So make sure the Fall Manager reflex is activated or at least available on the nao opennao-web-page-settings_nao.