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Use Spot Autowalk to record robot maps (missions) and replay them with Spot walking autonomously. A robot map is a set of navigation waypoints that confine the space where the robot can operate. You must create and upload a robot map to Cognite Data Fusion (CDF) to let a robot perform missions autonomously within the InRobot application. With the tablet provided and the Autowalk functionality, you can:
  • Record a map by placing waypoints.
  • Replay the recorded movements.
  • Upload the scanned area to CDF.
Test the Autowalk functionality by creating a test robot map before going on-site.

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Connect to a robot

Use a tablet to navigate Spot and create maps. To connect the tablet to the robot:
1

Turn on the robot and tablet

Confirm that you’ve turned on the robot and the tablet.
2

Open the Spot application

Open the Spot application, which is pre-loaded onto the tablet.
3

Select the appropriate network

Select the appropriate network as directed by your system administrator. For most initial configurations, this is Spot’s built-in access point.
4

Add the robot

Select the robot from the list of available WiFi networks or select Add robot to add the robot to the network.
5

Enter credentials

Enter a username and password. You can find the credentials on the robot where you’ve placed the battery.
6

Power on the robot

Select Power On on the tablet, then turn on the motor power.
Learn more about Spot start procedure.

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Create a robot map

Creating a robot map means manually controlling the robot while it records its movement for the mission by placing waypoints. After the recording stops, you can replay the map, and the robot will walk autonomously from waypoint to waypoint. Remember to upload all recorded maps to CDF to create custom missions with contextualized data and actions in InRobot.

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Record a map

Before you start recording a robot’s map, make sure that:
  • The area is without obstacles.
  • The docking station has its associated fiducial.
  • There’s a fiducial at the map’s starting location. Place more fiducials on the route with little information, such as long white walls, for the robot to locate itself. Learn more about placing fiducials.
  • Record maps as loops so that the robot sees the same fiducial at the start and end of the map. You can also use the docking station fiducial as the beginning and end of the map.
  • Power cycle Spot at the beginning of the map recording if the robot has been on for a while. Power cycle resets Spot to its internal position.
  • Don’t pose Spot while creating the map. It’s not supported in InRobot and will require creating a new map.
To record a robot’s map:
1

Optional. Take control

Take control over the robot.
2

Undock and position the robot

Undock the robot and move it to the position where its cameras can read the starting fiducial. All maps must start at a fiducial. Record maps as loops so that the robot sees the same fiducial at the start and end of the map.
3

Optional. Select Walk mode

Select Walk to navigate the robot. If the robot is in the Stand mode, you can move the robot only in place.
4

Start recording

In the top left corner, select Drive > Autowalk > Record.
5

Name the map

Name the map and select Continue. This name will also be the name of the map uploaded to Cognite Data Fusion. You can’t edit the map once you confirmed it.
6

Record and navigate

Select Start recording and navigate the robot with the controllers. During the recording, the robot places navigation waypoints along its path every 2 meters.
  • To visit a specific location in the route, rotate the robot 90 degrees and back. It’s not required but is helpful for gauge inspection routes.
  • Avoid visiting the same location twice and walk the map in one go.
  • If necessary, make the robot go back and forth several times to increase the accuracy of the waypoints placed on the map.
7

Optional. Perform PTZ actions

For hard-to-reach inspection points, stop the robot, make sure that the object is in line of sight, and perform a PTZ action. Don’t pose as posing isn’t saved, and you might lose line of sight.
8

Finish recording

Once you’re ready to stop recording, select Finish recording. You can also tap the red (+) button and select Dock & finish recording if you want to dock the robot.
9

Optional. Replay the map

Select Play now to replay the recorded map and verify that the robot can follow the route autonomously.
You’ve recorded the map and can upload it to CDF.

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Upload a robot map to CDF

To upload a map to CDF:
1

Select Drive

Select Drive from the dropdown list.
2

Open menu

Select the red (+) button.
3

Upload the mission

Select Upload mission to CDF.
4

Confirm the upload

Leave the map name as is and Confirm the upload. The name isn’t used anywhere.
The map uploads to CDF and becomes available in the InRobot application.
You can confirm the map’s upload to CDF in two ways:
  • In CDF
  • In InRobot
1

Sign in to CDF

Sign in to CDF and select Explore data.
2

Find the zip file

Under Files, find a zip file of the uploaded map.

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Dock a robot

After you’ve uploaded the robot map to CDF, you can dock it. To dock the robot:
1

Select Drive

Select Drive from the dropdown list.
2

Select Dock

Select the red (+) button, and then select Dock.
3

Navigate to the docking station

Navigate the robot to the green docking fiducial, tap it, and select Dock here.
4

Release the emergency stop

Release the emergency stop from the tablet once you finish controlling the robot.

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Align a map in InRobot

Aligning the map you’ve recorded and its navigation waypoints with the 3D map in InRobot lets you verify that the robot has no issues performing autonomous walking. You can also have a real-time visual feedback in the 3D view of the robot’s position in relation to your 3D / 2D maps.
Before you begin, make sure that you’ve uploaded the robot map to CDF for it to be available in InRobot.
To align the map with waypoints:
1

Open 3D

In InRobot, select the 3D screen.
2

Select the map

Select Waypoint map and select the robot map to work with.
3

Optional. Slice the model

Select Slice model to remove or add layers on the map. It helps you find waypoints, the robot, and assets on the map.
4

Open alignment settings

Select Align waypoint map. If you don’t see this panel, you still need to upload a map to CDF.
5

Align the waypoints

Update the values and use sliders to align the waypoints in the map with the 3D model.
  • Position X: Move waypoints right or left. The higher the number, the more you move waypoints to the left on the map.
  • Position Y: Move waypoints up and down. The higher the number, the higher the waypoints are on the map.
  • Position Z: Move waypoints closer to or farther from the map.
Select Drag and drop to move all waypoints from right to left and up and down.
  • Rotation X: Move waypoints horizontally.
  • Rotation Y: Move waypoints vertically.
  • Rotation Z: Move waypoints clockwise and counterclockwise.
6

Save the alignment

Select Save alignment once you’ve completed the alignment.