ThingsBoard Robotics Integration

CredVault integrates ThingsBoard to provide comprehensive robot fleet management, real-time telemetry collection, and remote command execution. This guide explains how to use these capabilities.

Overview

ThingsBoard powers CredVault's robotics management system, enabling you to:

Register and manage your robot fleet
Collect real-time telemetry from robots and sensors
Send remote commands to control robots
Monitor robot health with alerts and notifications
Visualize fleet data on interactive dashboards
Process and react to robot events automatically

Getting Started

What You Need

Before you can manage robots, ensure you have:

A CredVault account with robotics access
Robots with network connectivity
Basic understanding of your robot's capabilities

Your First Robot

Navigate to Robotics in the main menu
Click Register Robot
Enter robot details:
- Name: Unique identifier (e.g., "Warehouse-Bot-1")
- Type: Robot category (Mobile, Manipulator, Drone, etc.)
- Firmware Version: Current robot software version
- Manufacturer: Robot maker
- Model: Robot model number
Click Register

Your robot is now ready to connect and send telemetry data.

Robot Telemetry

Understanding Telemetry

Telemetry is continuous data transmitted from your robots. This includes:

Data Type	Description	Example
Position	3D coordinates (X, Y, Z)	10.5, 20.3, 1.2
Orientation	Rotation in 3D space	Quaternion values
Status	Current robot state	Active, Idle, Error
Battery	Power level percentage	85%
Sensors	Environmental readings	Temperature, Distance
Performance	Speed, acceleration, load	2.5 m/s, 0.5 m/s²

Viewing Telemetry

Real-Time Dashboard:

Go to Robotics → Fleet Dashboard
Select a robot from the list
View live telemetry in the Telemetry Panel

Historical Data:

Select a robot
Click History tab
Choose date range
View or download data

Telemetry Update Frequency

Configure how often robots send data:

High Frequency (1-5 seconds): Real-time monitoring, higher bandwidth
Medium Frequency (10-30 seconds): Balanced monitoring
Low Frequency (1-5 minutes): Minimal bandwidth, periodic checks

Remote Commands (RPC)

What are RPC Commands?

RPC (Remote Procedure Call) commands allow you to control robots remotely. Send instructions and receive real-time responses.

Available Commands

Movement Commands

Move Forward

Move robot in forward direction
Parameters: Distance (meters), Speed (0-100%)
Response: Movement confirmation

Move Backward

Move robot backward
Parameters: Distance (meters), Speed (0-100%)
Response: Movement confirmation

Rotate

Rotate to specific heading
Parameters: Angle (degrees), Direction
Response: New heading confirmation

Stop

Immediately stop all movement
Parameters: None
Response: Stop confirmation

Configuration Commands

Set Speed Limit

Configure maximum speed
Parameters: Speed (0-100%)
Response: New limit confirmation

Enable/Disable Sensors

Control sensor operation
Parameters: Sensor name, Enable/Disable
Response: Sensor status

Update Configuration

Modify robot settings
Parameters: Configuration key-value pairs
Response: Updated configuration

Diagnostic Commands

Get Status

Request current robot status
Response: Complete status report

Get Diagnostics

Request diagnostic information
Response: Errors, warnings, performance data

Restart

Restart the robot
Response: Restart confirmation

Sending Commands

Go to Robotics → Fleet Dashboard
Select a robot
Click Send Command
Choose command type
Enter parameters
Click Execute
Monitor execution status

Command Status

After sending a command:

Pending: Waiting for robot response
Executing: Robot is executing
Completed: Successfully executed
Failed: Execution failed
Timeout: No response received

Fleet Management

Organizing Robots

Create Groups:

Go to Robotics → Groups
Click Create Group
Enter name and description
Add robots to group
Save

Use groups to organize by:

Location (warehouse, factory, field)
Function (delivery, inspection, maintenance)
Team responsibility
Project assignment

Robot Relationships

Define how robots interact:

Parent-Child: One robot controls others
Peer: Robots work together
Dependent: One robot depends on another

Bulk Operations

Perform actions on multiple robots:

Select multiple robots (checkboxes)
Choose bulk action:
- Send command to all
- Update configuration
- Export data
- Generate report

Monitoring & Alerts

Setting Up Alerts

Configure alerts for important events:

Select a robot
Go to Alerts tab
Click Create Alert
Choose alert type:
- Battery Low: Alert when battery drops below threshold
- Offline: Alert when robot goes offline
- Error: Alert when robot encounters error
- Position: Alert when robot leaves designated area
- Performance: Alert when performance degrades
Set threshold values
Choose notification method:
- Email
- SMS
- In-app notification
- Webhook
Save alert

Alert Management

View Active Alerts: See current alerts
Acknowledge Alerts: Mark as reviewed
Disable Alerts: Turn off temporarily
Alert History: View past alerts

Notification Preferences

Configure how you receive notifications:

Go to Settings → Notifications
Choose notification channels:
- Email
- Phone (SMS)
- Slack/Teams
- Custom webhook
Set frequency:
- Real-time
- Hourly digest
- Daily summary
Save preferences

Dashboard & Visualization

Fleet Dashboard Features

The main dashboard displays:

Fleet Overview: Total robots, active/idle/offline counts
Map View: Geographic location of all robots
3D View: 3D visualization of robot positions
Status Indicators: Color-coded status for each robot
Recent Activity: Latest commands and updates

Customizing Dashboard

Click Customize Dashboard
Choose widgets:
- Fleet map
- 3D visualization
- Status summary
- Recent commands
- Telemetry charts
- Alert list
Arrange widgets
Save layout

Real-Time Updates

Dashboard updates automatically as:

Robots send telemetry
Commands execute
Alerts trigger
Status changes

Exporting Data

Export robot data for analysis:

Select robots or date range
Click Export
Choose format:
- CSV (spreadsheet)
- JSON (structured data)
- PDF (report)
Download file

Integration with CredVault

Robotics + Visualization

Robot telemetry automatically streams to visualization:

3D visualization of robot positions
Trajectory tracking of movement history
Multi-robot comparison viewing
Sensor data visualization

Access: Robotics → Visualize

Robotics + Workflows

Use robots in automated workflows:

Trigger workflows based on robot events
Send commands as workflow steps
Monitor execution of robot workflows
Create automation for fleet operations

Robotics + Training

Collect robot data for machine learning:

Export telemetry for model training
Use robot data in training jobs
Validate models with real data
Deploy models to robots

Best Practices

Robot Configuration

Use clear, consistent naming conventions
Document robot purposes and capabilities
Keep firmware updated
Configure appropriate telemetry intervals

Command Execution

Test commands on single robot first
Use bulk commands carefully
Monitor command responses
Implement retry logic for critical commands

Fleet Organization

Group robots logically
Assign clear ownership
Maintain accurate metadata
Document robot relationships

Performance Optimization

Set appropriate telemetry update intervals
Monitor bandwidth usage
Archive old data regularly
Use filters to reduce data volume

Security

Rotate credentials regularly
Limit command access by role
Monitor command history
Use VPN for remote access
Enable two-factor authentication

Troubleshooting

Robot Not Connecting

Problem: Robot shows as offline

Solutions:

Verify robot power and network connection
Check robot firmware is up to date
Verify firewall allows robot communication
Restart the robot
Check network connectivity

Telemetry Not Updating

Problem: Robot telemetry is stale

Solutions:

Verify robot is powered on
Check network connectivity
Confirm telemetry is enabled
Check robot logs for errors
Restart robot connection

Commands Not Executing

Problem: Commands fail or timeout

Solutions:

Verify robot is online
Check command parameters are valid
Ensure robot has required capabilities
Check robot logs for errors
Try simpler command first

High Latency

Problem: Commands and telemetry are slow

Solutions:

Check network bandwidth
Reduce telemetry update frequency
Move robot closer to network access point
Check for network congestion
Contact support

Authentication Issues

Problem: Cannot access robot or send commands

Solutions:

Verify account has robot access
Check team/project assignments
Confirm API key is valid
Check role-based permissions
Contact administrator

API Reference

Register Robot

POST /api/robotics/register
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Robot-001",
  "type": "Mobile Robot",
  "description": "Warehouse automation",
  "firmwareVersion": "2.1.0",
  "manufacturer": "RoboTech",
  "model": "RT-100"
}

Response:

{
  "robotId": "robot-abc123",
  "status": "active",
  "registeredAt": "2024-04-14T10:30:00Z"
}

Get Robot Details

GET /api/robotics/{robotId}

Response:

{
  "robotId": "robot-abc123",
  "name": "Robot-001",
  "type": "Mobile Robot",
  "status": "active",
  "battery": 85,
  "lastUpdate": "2024-04-14T10:35:22Z",
  "position": {
    "x": 10.5,
    "y": 20.3,
    "z": 1.2
  }
}

Get Telemetry

GET /api/robotics/{robotId}/telemetry?startTime=...&endTime=...&limit=1000

Response:

{
  "robotId": "robot-abc123",
  "data": [
    {
      "timestamp": "2024-04-14T10:35:22Z",
      "position": { "x": 10.5, "y": 20.3, "z": 1.2 },
      "rotation": [0, 0, 0.707, 0.707],
      "status": "active",
      "battery": 85
    }
  ]
}

Send Command

POST /api/robotics/{robotId}/command
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "commandType": "move_forward",
  "parameters": {
    "distance": 5.0,
    "speed": 50
  }
}

Response:

{
  "commandId": "cmd-xyz789",
  "status": "executing",
  "robotId": "robot-abc123"
}

Get Command Status

GET /api/robotics/{robotId}/command/{commandId}

Response:

{
  "commandId": "cmd-xyz789",
  "status": "completed",
  "response": {
    "success": true,
    "message": "Robot moved 5 meters forward"
  }
}

List All Robots

GET /api/robotics?status=active&limit=50&offset=0

Response:

{
  "total": 150,
  "robots": [
    {
      "robotId": "robot-abc123",
      "name": "Robot-001",
      "status": "active",
      "battery": 85
    }
  ]
}

FAQ

Q: How many robots can I manage? A: CredVault supports unlimited robots. Performance depends on your plan.

Q: What's the maximum telemetry update frequency? A: Up to 100 updates per second per robot.

Q: Can I control robots remotely over the internet? A: Yes, with proper security configuration and VPN access.

Q: How long is telemetry data retained? A: 90 days by default. Extended retention available with premium plans.

Q: Can I integrate with my own robot software? A: Yes, via our REST API and webhook support.

Q: What happens if a robot goes offline? A: The robot status changes to "offline" and alerts are triggered if configured.

Q: Can I schedule commands to run at specific times? A: Yes, through workflow automation and scheduling features.

Q: How do I backup robot data? A: Use the export feature to download data in CSV, JSON, or PDF format.

Support

Documentation: Check this guide for detailed information
Video Tutorials: Visit our learning center
Community Forum: Ask questions and share experiences
Support Ticket: Contact our support team

Last Updated: April 2024 Version: 1.0.0