Here is the updated status:
The Sanbot website currently has outdated information @ http://en.sanbot.com/product/sanbot-nano/performance
Here is the information I’ve been able to gather over last last two months about the Sanbot Nano status in 2024, as I have a brand new Sanbot Nano, straight out of the box that I bought for $50 from someone who got them when a company went into liquidation earlier this year. I also have many years of programming skills.
The robot is meant to be talked to in three ways:
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Talking to it by saying “Hi Sanbot” or “Hi Sanbao”. Does not work. Company connection to their server does not work. See more info below.
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Talking to it via Alexa. Does not work since March 2023 and due to reason one above and due to Alexa hands free being shutdown on March 31 2023 for all Android and iOS devices (meaning Alexa will not work unless it is open on the screen - before March 31 3023, Alexa used to listen for commands whilst running in the background: AKA Alexa Handsfree). See more below.
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Via apps:
A) 3 out of 4 3D camera Orbecc apps crash. The 4th opens but the 3D camera does not detect you. This is because the Orbbec 3D camera requires all apps to have a current SDK license (and these apps are outdated, designed for an old SDK) or purchase a license.
B) The Sanbot app store does not work.
C) The security / roving robot app works. The robot sentry app does use the 3D camera and body sensors to detect objects / hazards.
D) The dancing app is really just a robot programmed to move to music that is installed as MP3 on the device.
E) Sanbots head has touch sensors, so if you out or stroke him the cat / boy/ girl face app called Launcher1 will react with face movements and offer to shake your hand with one if it’s arm.
F) The return to robot charger app won’t work, but you can charge him by placing him next to the charger or via just the cable plugged into the robot.
G) Apps can only be installed via a USB in the back of his head but only with a special command (the normal one doesn’t work) and only if you know how to use ADB. Then you can install anything but… Nano’s head is an Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Armeabi v7a tablet, so only old versions of apps can be installed. Google Play will install but not work.
H) The robot will not follow you around the house or respond to commands, so it is not a companion bot as advertised on their website and on the robot’s screen when you turn it on.
So Step 1 in detail:
- Scan the QR code from the robot using the Q-Link app which is meant to set up your phone to be the administrator of the robot.
When doing so:
A) I get a message on my phone number via text message from the Sanbot company’s phone verification.
I use their code, my unique robot name, something like MQ123, appears on my screen, then it says “Admin requested”.
Sadly my Q-link app that I first used to scan the qr code never lists my robot after I close it and admin access never seems to be granted.
No-one I know in Australia or around the world can successfully get admin access to control Nano by using the Q-Link app.
So failure on step 1: be able to control the robot via:
A) My phone’s app, and potentially
B) Say “Hey Sanbot…” or “Hey Sanbao…” to use voice commands.
Step 2: Alexa:
Enroll the robot with amazon. The link does not load as the inbuilt browser is called Android 6.0 Browser. Very old.
I managed to, after 30 hours, get an old version of Chrome onto it, pasted the link in Chrome and it registered the robot to Amazon!.. but wait… In March 2023, Amazon turned off 'Alexa hands free. Essentially on all iOS and Android devices, Alexa used to listen for “Alexa” and then open the app when it heard it. Aka hands free.
So since March 2023, you must have Alexa open in front of you on your iPhone, iPad or Android device, otherwise it can’t hear you say “Alexa”.
So now that Sanbot Nano’s face is an Android Tablet (Android 6: Marshmallow, Armeabi v7a), Alexa won’t work, and won’t do the final enrollment step it used to do since Amazon shut down hands free in March 2023.
So now:
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Hey Sanbot: No connection to the Sanbot company. And they are p*ssed off and unfriendly. Why? See reason 2:
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Hey Alexa: Now no longer working since March 2023, including hundreds of specially designed phones around the world designed for old people who used to use Alexa hands free for help…
So then I contacted Sanbot customer service. They are very rude. Their messages included:
“NANO was discontinued many many many years ago. We no longer sell NANO products. If you purchased NANO in the last two years, please contact your seller to return it or have them fix the problem.”
And
"Even if I provide you with the SDK, you will still not be able to restore NANO service through the SDK, nor will you be able to develop software. "
The SDK is Software Development Kit, that is meant to be for free, to develop apps for the robot. API is another related thing for developing apps.
Then I contacted Amazon. They confirmed Android will never work hands free again. They confirmed I successfully enrolled my robot. But said the failure of the last step of enrollment was either due to the March 2023 decision or the Sanbot company not being connected via the Q-link app.
With ADB access, I can install a very old version of Alexa for Android 6, but of course the Alexa app must be open. And even then it has a 30% success rate of of hearing my commands.
- Movement Apps
I own an Orbbec Persee camera. Apps for Orbbec cameras are hard to find.
The Orbbec company and Sanbot company currently won’t reveal if the 3D camera is an Orbbec Persee or another Orbbec camera model.
I installed a testing app for any 3D camera called Nuitrack and it proved the camera is working. Another app that a programming student designed to work on the next robot, the Sanbot Elf, also worked. So it is an issue with the installed Orbecc apps, not with the camera
- Installing other apps:
As stated earlier:
A) Their app store link on the robot is dead.
B) Strong coding skills are needed to eventually install apps, originally via PC, then later via USB, once Device Admin and Developer Mode is achieved.
C) Google Play will not work, even if installed correctly via a complicated and
Proven method I’ve used before.
Hopefully this information helps you.
The android app can be downloaded from the Sanbot website here (Sanbot APP Q-Link, App Controlled Robot | Sanbot Robotics) or here (http://blue.sanbotcloud.com:98/index/index/download.html?lang=en-us), but they might be for the Sanbot Elf.
