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Robotics

Robotics — User Guide

Robotics — User Guide

What Is Robotics?

The Robotics section of OrbitingFox lets you control external devices — such as a robotic prosthetic hand or any other device that has a web API — directly from your browser. You register the device once, then use a console to send commands and see the results in real time.

Getting Started

  1. Go to Robotics from the navigation menu (or visit /robotics/).
  2. Click Add Device API to register your device. You'll need the device's URL (provided by whoever runs the device server).
  3. After saving, click Open Console next to your device.

The Command Console

The console is your control panel for a single device. It has three parts:

  • Preset buttons — One button per supported command (e.g. Open Hand, Close Hand, Pinch Grip). Click any button to send that command immediately.
  • Status bar — Shows what's happening right now: Ready, Sending…, or the result (OK/Error). A live timer counts up while the command is in-flight.
  • Command Log — The last 30 commands you've sent, with the HTTP status code, source (Console/OrbitPilot), time, and duration. Click the copy icon to copy the log to your clipboard.

Sending a Command

  1. Click any preset button (e.g. open hand).
  2. The status bar turns amber and the timer starts. The preset buttons are disabled while the command is in-flight.
  3. When the response arrives, the status bar shows a green tick (success) or red X (error), and the elapsed time.
  4. The result is also added to the Command Log at the bottom of the page.

Why Does It Take So Long Sometimes?

If the device is hosted on a free hosting plan (like Render's free tier), it goes to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity. The first command after a sleep period wakes the device up — this can take 30 to 50 seconds. The timer will turn amber, then red, while you wait. Subsequent commands sent within the next 15 minutes will be fast (usually under 1 second).

Command Log

Every command you send is saved in the log, whether it succeeded or failed. You can see:

  • The command name
  • HTTP status code (200 = success, 422 = unrecognised command, 500 = device error, etc.)
  • Source (Console = you clicked a button; OrbitPilot = sent via AI assistant)
  • When it was sent and how long it took (in milliseconds)
  • Any error message from the device

Click the copy icon in the log header to copy the full log as plain text.

Managing Your Devices

From /robotics/ you can:

  • Add a new device via Add Device API
  • Edit a device (change URL, command list, etc.)
  • Deactivate a device so it no longer appears in your console list (without losing its history)
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