Installing the Pepper SDK plug-in

To develop an Android robot application, you need to set up your development environment as follows.

Check Compatibility

Make sure your computer runs one of the supported Operating System:

OS Version
Linux Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus - 64-bit only
Windows Microsoft Windows 10 - 64-bit only
Mac Mac OS X 10.12 Sierra

Overview

Step Version
Install Android Studio 3.4 or Higher
Get Android SDK and Build-Tools

The latest (recommended)

– minimum 6.0 (API 23) –
Enable Virtualization  
Check Bonjour version 2.0.2.0 or later
Windows only: check C++ Redistributable Packages  
Get Pepper SDK Plugin The latest
Get Robot SDK and tools The latest

Install Android Studio

Robot application runs on the built-in Android tablet of the robot and therefore to develop the application, Android Studio must be installed.

Requirements
Android Studio

Version 3.4 or Higher

We recommend installing the latest stable version.
Java Development Kit (JDK) Version 1.8 or Higher

To install Android Studio, follow the installation guide available here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

Get Android SDK and Build-Tools

To develop an Android application, you need to install Android SDK and its Build-Tools:

Step Action

From Android Studio:

  • Choose Configure > SDK Manager, or
  • Choose Tools > SDK Manager.

The SDK Manager appears.

../_images/sdk_manager_win.png
Check the Show Package Details.

Select the latest Android SDK Platform, then click the Apply button, and confirm the change.

When prompted, accept the license agreement and let the Component Installer process the installation.

../_images/android_sdk_install.png

Note

Here we chose the Android 10.0 > Android SDK Platform 29, you could choose a higher version if any, the latest the better.

The minimum required version is Android SDK Platform 23.

Click the SDK Tools tab, check the Show Package Details, and select Android SDK Build-Tools with the same version, then click the Apply button.

../_images/android_build_tools_install.png

Enable Virtualization

Warning

Virtualization is required to launch the Robot Emulator.

Make sure Virtualization Technology is enabled in BIOS.

Check Bonjour version

You will need Bonjour to easily connect to a robot.

Make sure Bonjour version 2.0.2.0 or later is installed on your computer. On Mac and Ubuntu, it should be installed by default, but it is not the case on Windows.

On Windows, make sure you follow the Additional steps for Windows section.

Additional steps for Windows

Windows configuration requires additional actions:

Windows only: install Bonjour 2.0.2.0

To download and install Bonjour for Windows, please visit its official site: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL999

Windows only: check C++ Redistributable Packages

On windows 10, make sure you have installed:

Step Action

Microsoft Visual Studio C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable Package

You can download the vcredist_x64.exe package here:: Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x64)

Microsoft Visual Studio C++ 2013 Redistributable Package (x64)

You can download the vcredist_x64.exe package here: Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013

Get Pepper SDK Plugin

This section shows how to install Pepper SDK Plugin in Android Studio for developing robot applications.

Note

Before installing Pepper SDK Plugin, you should have completed the previous steps, i.e. downloaded and installed: Android Studio, Java Development Kit (JDK), Android Tools and Bonjour.

Step Action
From Android Studio choose File > Settings….

Select Plugins sub-menu.

../_images/plugins_step1.png
Enter “Pepper” in the search bar, in order to find Pepper SDK.

Select Pepper SDK and click the Install button.

../_images/plugins_step2.png

Troubleshooting - China only: Pepper SDK does not appear, so Get Pepper SDK Plugin from disk.
Restart Android Studio.

Check the result: browsing Android Studio’s menu, you should see the following options:

  • File > New > Robot Application….
  • Tools > Pepper SDK > Robot SDK Manager.

Robot SDK Manager image7 should also appear in the toolbar.

Note

Can’t see the Robot SDK Manager image7 icon?

Choose View > Toolbar and make sure it is checked.

Get Robot SDK and tools

Once Pepper SDK Plugin is installed, your last step for setting up the environment is to download the tools for developing robot application.

China only: make sure you have Set the local options.

Step Action

Choose Tools > Pepper SDK > Robot SDK Manager.

You can also click the Robot SDK Manager image7 tool.

Note

Can’t see the Robot SDK Manager image7 icon?

Choose View > Toolbar and make sure it is checked.

Check the target API version you want to develop your robot application in and click the Apply button.

../_images/robot_sdk_manager_win.png

Warning

Each time you download a new target API version, you must robotify your project again.

For further details, see: Creating a robot application.

Note

Windows only

To ensure compatibility, Emulator.29.0.11 is automatically installed.

Robot SDK Content

AVD

(Android Virtual Device):

AVD system image same as the robot tablet image. Provides x86 and armeabi architectures.
Tools Robot Emulator and tools for developing robot application, such as Robot Viewer, Robots Browser, Trajectory, etc.

You are ready!

It is now time to create a robot application.

Troubleshooting

On Ubuntu

  • The message /dev/kvm is not found appears.

    Go into the BIOS and enable virtualization Technology.

    For further details, see: Enable Virtualization.

On Windows 10

  • The following message appears:

    C:\Users\jdoe\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\emulator\emulator-x86.exe: invalid option -- '-enable-whpx'

    Workaround

    1. In the C:\Users\[yourUserName]\.android folder, find or create a file called advancedFeatures.ini.

    2. Add the following line to advancedFeatures.ini:

      WindowsHypervisorPlatform = off

  • Connection to a real or virtual robot is impossible and log contains:

    java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: C:\Users\[yourUserName]\AppData\Local\Temp\qi.dll

    The error may be caused by space character your session name [yourUserName].

    Workaround

    Make sure that your session name [yourUserName] doesn’t contain any space character.

  • Black screen on AVD (virtual tablet)

    Workaround

    If the virtual tablet of the emulated robot displays a black screen, try: Modifying the AVD graphical acceleration type.

On Mac OS

  • Black screen on AVD (virtual tablet)

    Workaround

    Make sure that you have installed:

    • the latest plugin version
    • the latest AVD in Robot SDK Manager

Get Pepper SDK Plugin from disk

China only

Step Action

Download the plugin 1.3.7 on your local disk.

https://qisdk.softbankrobotics.com.cn/sdk/extra/peppersdk-1.3.7.zip
From Android Studio choose File > Settings….

Select Plugins sub-menu.

../_images/plugins_disk_step1.png

Click the Install plugin from disk… button.

../_images/plugins_disk_step2.png
Select peppersdk-1.3.7.zip and click the OK button.
Restart Android Studio.

Check the result: browsing Android Studio’s menu, you should see the following options:

  • File > New > Robot Application….
  • Tools > Pepper SDK > Robot SDK Manager.
../_images/plugins_step3.png

Robot SDK Manager image7 should also appear in the toolbar.

Note

Can’t see the Robot SDK Manager image7 icon?

Choose View > Toolbar and make sure it is checked.

Set the local options

China only

Step Action
From Android Studio choose File > Settings….

Select Tools > Pepper Plugin Settings sub-menu.

../_images/install_select_china.png
Set the Location to China.

Next step: Get Robot SDK and tools.

Modifying the AVD graphical acceleration type

If your computer hardware seems not able to display the emulator:

Step Action
From Android Studio choose File > Settings….

Select Tools > Pepper Plugin Settings sub-menu.

../_images/install_select_china.png
Set the Graphics option to Software.