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Getting Started

Quick start guide for RoboVM development and deployment.

Prerequisites​

Required Software​

  • Node.js 20.0+ and npm
  • Python 3.10+
  • Docker and Docker Compose
  • Git

Blockchain Setup​

  • MetaMask or compatible wallet
  • BSC Testnet ETH (for gas fees)
  • Hardhat or Foundry for contract development

Robotics Setup​

  • ROS2 Humble (Ubuntu 22.04)
  • Gazebo or Webots for simulation
  • Python web3.py for blockchain integration

Quick Start​

1. Clone Repository​

git clone https://github.com/robovm/robovm.git
cd robovm

2. Setup Blockchain Contracts​

cd chain
npm install
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your private key and RPC URL
npx hardhat compile
npx hardhat test

3. Deploy Contracts​

# Deploy to BSC Testnet
npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network bscTestnet

# Save contract addresses to .env
ROBOVM_TOKEN_ADDRESS=0x...
ROBO_TASK_ADDRESS=0x...
REPUTATION_ADDRESS=0x...

4. Setup Robot Environment​

cd robot
# Create ROS2 workspace
mkdir -p robot_ws/src
cd robot_ws/src

# Clone robot packages
git clone <robot-packages-repo>
cd ..

# Build
colcon build
source install/setup.bash

5. Configure Robot​

# Edit robot configuration
cp config/robot_config.example.yaml config/robot_config.yaml

# Set your robot's wallet
ROBOT_WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=0x...
ROBOT_BLOCKCHAIN_ADDRESS=0x...

6. Start Infrastructure​

cd ops
docker-compose up -d

# This starts:
# - ROS2 container
# - IPFS node
# - Monitoring services

7. Run Robot​

# In ROS2 workspace
ros2 run robot_agent node
ros2 run task_listener listener

Project Structure​

RoboVM/
 ├─ chain/           # Solidity contracts, Hardhat, tests
 ├─ robot/           # ROS2 packages
 ├─ ops/              # Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD
 └─ web/              # Dashboard (React + ethers.js)

First Task​

Create a Task​

// Using web3.js or ethers.js
const roboTask = new ethers.Contract(
    ROBO_TASK_ADDRESS,
    ROBO_TASK_ABI,
    signer
);

const tx = await roboTask.createTask(
    "Test mapping task",
    ethers.utils.parseEther("10") // 10 RVM
);
await tx.wait();

Robot Accepts Task​

# Robot automatically detects and accepts
# See robot/task_listener/listener.py

Complete Task​

# Robot executes task
result = execute_mapping_task()

# Upload to IPFS
cid = ipfs_client.add_json(result)

# Submit to blockchain
tx = robo_task.functions.submitResult(
    task_id,
    cid
).build_transaction({...})

Next Steps​

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Problem: Contracts not deploying

  • Solution: Check RPC URL and private key in .env

Problem: Robot not connecting to blockchain

  • Solution: Verify network ID matches BSC Testnet (97)

Problem: IPFS not accessible

  • Solution: Check Docker container is running: docker ps

Problem: ROS2 nodes not communicating

  • Solution: Verify ROS2 environment is sourced: source install/setup.bash

Getting Help​

Ready to dive deeper? Check out the Architecture Overview!