We designed the Cozmo SDK to be as simple to use as possible, while also giving you access to powerful computer vision and robotics technologies such as facial recognition and path planning. If you have some experience programming or are comfortable using a command-line interface, getting the SDK up and running should be quick and easy.
Required Hardware
- A Cozmo robot.
- A compatible mobile device to run the Cozmo mobile app.
- A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux (ideally Ubuntu).
It’s helpful to understand how the SDK works before getting started. First, the SDK itself runs on a host computer. Second, your mobile device runs what we refer to as Cozmo’s engine (think of it as his “brains”), and must be connected to your computer via USB. Finally, Cozmo connects to your mobile device via his own secure WiFi network. The following diagram illustrates the full SDK setup:
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Hardware setup for the Cozmo SDK.
One benefit of this arrangement is that is allows you to connect Cozmo to any number of third-party libraries, via your computer’s network connection. You can run our own Twitter example program to see an example of this.
The full installation instructions will vary depending on your specific hardware setup. The video below guides you through a Windows / Android installation, but you can find other desktop and mobile OS tutorials on our official developer YouTube channel.
Android / Windows installation tutorial.
Once you’ve installed the SDK, we highly recommend running the official example programs to confirm that the SDK installed correctly, and as a way to check out many of the SDK’s features. If you don’t already have a favorite Python integrated development environment (IDE), many of us here at Anki use PyCharm Community edition. It’s free, open source, and has all of the features you need to develop using the SDK.
Next Steps
Some SDK users come in with a clear idea of what they want to create, while others simply want to utilize projects made by the community. That’s the great thing about the SDK — it can be a sophisticated development platform, or a way to augment your personal Cozmo experience through others’ creativity and work.
Anki Cozmo App Setup
One SDK program that’s especially useful for both developers and casual users is the Cozmo Explorer Tool. It provides a simple interface to, among other things, see Cozmo’s camera view in real time, play any of Cozmo’s hundreds of animations, and control his movement / motors via a traditional WASD keyboard control scheme. This should help you get a sense of Cozmo’s capabilities very quickly.
The Cozmo Explorer Tool by @GrinningHermit.
After getting acquainted with Cozmo and the SDK, it’s really up to you where to go next. You could create a new game, use Cozmo as an actor for your YouTube films, or even tweak our example programs as a way to dive deeper into Cozmo’s advanced features. Whatever you do end up creating, be sure to show it off in our Showcase forum. Good luck!
SDK Resources
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- Installation Videos — Full video walkthroughs for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
- SDK Forums — Have a question or feedback about the SDK? Simply want to show off your new project? The forums are the place to talk directly to us and the rest of the community.
- User Projects — Want to see what people have been doing with the SDK? Our curated playlists have everything from short films to new games.
- Documentation — Official technical documentation for the SDK. Includes a complete API reference, links for example programs, and much more.
- F.A.Q. — We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions regarding the SDK.
- PyPI — The Python Package Index is a massive repository of third-party Python software.