Wireless
(Optional)

Serial Control

PC Control

The Virtual Commander software is a piece of software designed to mimic the ArbotiX Commander. This is a small demo application written in Processing/Java. This application allows you to control InterbotiX robots as if it were connected to a real ArbotiX Commander as if it were connected to a real ArbotiX Commander. This can be very handy for rapid development, as you can program and control the ArbotiX over the same USB-FTDI connection, switching back and forth between the Arduino IDE and the Virtual Commander

The Virtual Commander is designed for use with any of the following ArbotiX-M Robocontroller based InterbotiX Robots. It will also work with any ArbotiX Commander compatible robot.

• 1 x PhantomX Robot Turret Kit
• 1 x WidowX Robot Turret Kit
• 1 x ScoprionX Robot Turret Kit
• 1 x PhantomX Pincher RobotArm Kit
• 1 x PhantomX Reactor RobotArm Kit
• 1 x WidowX RobotArm Kit
• 1 x PhantomX Quarduped Kit
• 1 x PhantomX Hexapod Kit

The wiring of the DYNAMIXEL servos and power supply will vary based on which robot you are working with - see your assembly guide for details. You will need to connect your ArbotiX-M Robocontroller to your computer via the FTDI-USB cable, and keep it plugged in while controlling the robot.

Download Virtual Commander Software for PC/Mac/Linux

Each InterbotiX Robot has special firmware that will allow it to receive commands from an ArbotiX Commander. Whether the commander is a real ArbotiX Commander or the Virtual Commander, the firmware for the robot will always be the same. Download the Commander-Compatible firmware for your robot from the list below.

• PhantomX Robot Turret Commander Firmware
• WidowX/ScorpionX Robot Turret Commander Firmware
• PhantomX Pincher Robot Arm Commander Firmware
• PhantomX Reactor Robot Arm Commander Firmware
• WidowX Robot Arm Commander Firmware
• PhantomX Hexapod Commander Firmware
• PhantomX Quadruped Commander Firmware

Unzip the file and open the sketch in the Arduino IDE. Now load the sketch onto the ArbotiX-M Robocontroller. If you have problems loading your code onto your ArbotiX-M, see the ArbotiX Getting Started Guide

Once you've downloaded the Virtual Commander zip file, find the appropriate version for your computer (application.windows32 for Windows users, applications.macosx for mac users, applications.linux32 for linux users)

Before you launch the application, make sure that you have your USB-FTDI Cable plugged into your computer. The Virtual Commander will not recognize the Cable/Robot if you plug it in after you start the program: you will need to re-start the program.

Once your robot is plugged into your computer, you can launch the Virtual Commander Application. From the drop-down menu, choose the serial port associated with your Robot Turret (the same port used to program the ArbotiX-M).

Once connected, you can press on one of the 8 pushbuttons to activate those functions. You can press on different points on the 'joysticks' to pan/tilt the turret.

When you are done controlling the turret, hit the disconnect button. You will not be able to program the ArbotiX as long as the Virtual Commander is connected.

For information on how the commander buttons/joysticks move the robot, see the corresponding guide in the normal Commander Guide for your robot.

• PhantomX Robot Turret Commander Page
• WidowX/ScorpionX Robot Turret Commander Page
• PhantomX Pincher Robot Arm Commander Page
• PhantomX Reactor Robot Arm Commander Page
• WidowX Robot Arm Commander Page
• PhantomX Hexapod Commander Page
• PhantomX Quadruped Commander Page

If you have problems opening the application, make sure you have Java installed. Alternativley, you may wish to build the application in the Processing Environment. You will need to download

• Processing
• Control P5 Library

Install the Control P5 Library and the open the .pde file in the Virtual Commander File

Please see this note if you are using this program on a Mac OS computer.