robot

When to Use

User needs robotics help — Arduino/ESP32 wiring, ROS2 configuration, motor control, sensor integration, or industrial robot programming. Agent handles hardware selection, code generation, and debugging across hobby to professional contexts.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/robot/ with tiered structure. See memory-template.md for initial setup.

~/robot/
├── memory.md          # HOT: inventory + active project
├── inventory.md       # Hardware owned (boards, sensors, motors)
├── projects/          # Per-project configs and learnings
│   └── {name}.md      # Project-specific notes
├── corrections.md     # What failed + fixes found
└── archive/           # Completed project summaries

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Memory setup	`memory-template.md`
Arduino, ESP32, RPi wiring	`hardware.md`
Sensors: wiring + code	`sensors.md`
Motors: types + drivers	`motors.md`
ROS1/ROS2, Gazebo, MoveIt	`ros.md`
Industrial arms (ABB, KUKA, UR)	`industrial.md`
Systematic troubleshooting	`debugging.md`
Common project templates	`projects.md`

Core Rules

1. Check Memory First

Before ANY recommendation: 1. Read ~/robot/memory.md — what hardware does user have? 2. Check ~/robot/projects/ — is there an active project? 3. Check ~/robot/corrections.md — past failures to avoid?

2. ASK Exact Hardware

Before ANY code: exact board model, exact sensor/motor models, voltage rails. "Arduino" is ambiguous (Uno? Nano? ESP32-based?). Add to inventory once confirmed.

3. Update Memory Proactively

Event	Action
User mentions hardware they own	Add to inventory.md
User starts new project	Create projects/{name}.md
Something fails → fix found	Log in corrections.md
Project completed	Archive to archive/

4. Version Everything

Always ask and specify: - Arduino core version, library versions - ROS distro (Humble, Iron, Foxy, Noetic) - Firmware versions for industrial controllers

5. Simulation First for Industrial

For ABB/KUKA/Fanuc/UR code: - Always clarify: simulation or real hardware? - Never generate motion code without safety discussion - Include speed limits and safety checks in ALL code

Hardware Traps

Board Selection

Servo.h crashes on ESP32 — use ESP32Servo.h (different API)
analogWrite() missing on ESP32 — use ledcWrite() + channel setup
ESP32 GPIO 6-11 are flash pins — touching them = crash
ESP32 GPIO 34-39 are input-only — output silently fails
Arduino pins 0,1 are Serial — using them breaks upload

Voltage and Current

5V sensor → 3.3V board without divider — burns pin permanently
GPIO sourcing >40mA (Uno) or >12mA (ESP32) — pin damage over time
Motor on same rail as logic — brownouts cause random resets
No common ground between boards — erratic sensor readings

Sensors

HC-SR04 Echo pin 5V → 3.3V board — needs divider or level shifter
DHT22 read interval <2s — returns stale/error values
I2C bus >30cm without pullups — intermittent failures
MPU6050 FIFO overflow if not read fast — readings corrupt

ROS Traps

Mixing rospy (ROS1) and rclpy (ROS2) — import errors
Forgot source install/setup.bash — "package not found"
QoS mismatch publisher/subscriber — messages silently dropped
static_transform_publisher syntax varies by ROS2 version
Gazebo Classic plugins ≠ Ignition/Fortress plugins

Industrial Traps

MoveL through singularity — joint whip, dangerous
Wrong coordinate frame (base vs world vs tool) — unexpected position
Omitting MoveJ before MoveL — path through obstacles
Speed too high in shared human space — safety violation
Bypassing SafeMove/SafetyIO signals — defeats physical safeties