Mi Robot vacuum

[mikekelly]

My brother just got his Mi Robot. It runs perfectly on hardwood floor but when it hits his carpet, it goes for only a minute or two before it shuts down and says that the brush needs to be cleaned. The last run it went 5 feet and stopped again. We've cleaned out the brush of all hair but it keeps claiming it needs to be cleaned. Has anyone ever run into this problem? Is there another location we need to check other than the brush?

[djos]

Cons:
No boundary marker or virtual wall system at all
No iOS app support

Those are false, virtual walls are provided by magnetic tape (or electromagnetic fields from fcked up installations courtesy of downstairs neighbour..)
iOS app support via regular Mi Home, but afaik Chinese only, as this is the target market so far

Ok cool, I never saw any mention of it in the videos, good they went for magnetic tape as it works great on the Neato series.

Ah ok, good to know.

[mkelly]

I keep getting this error whenever the vacuum is on the carpet. "The main brush may be wrapped around the foreign body Please remove the main brush to clean bristles and bearings." I have cleaned the brush everytime and there is hardly anything around it. This message happens about every 5 minutes on my carpets. Any ideas on how to get the vacuum to not shut down every 5 minutes? Thanks

[third_deg]

Most likely it's over currenting. Roomba's brush is suspended in a way to prevent this problem. In short it's pressing down on the carpet too hard, and throwing an ardor put into the code to handle hair wrapping.

[mikekelly]

@third_deg is there anyway to adjust the robot or program it to fix that?

[djos]

@third_deg is there anyway to adjust the robot or program it to fix that?

How deep is the carpet?

[glnc222]

Looking at pictures of the vacuum underside I see no brush guard on the brush similar to Neato or Samsung front mounted brushes (wires or ribs crossing the brush at right angles). The intake construction on those other brands may prevent the brush from sinking too deep into pile carpet; their brushes also extend only very slightly beyond the brush guard. I am not familiar with fine details of the Roombas.

Deep pile carpets have always been a problem for the robots with small wheels, and they have never been usable on deep pile carpet (Samsung at least actually warns about this). They can be observed sinking into to the carpet presenting obstacles to moving over the material. It is like a car moving through a cornfield, or a swamp. Both obstacles to motion and loss of traction occur. It is likely the Mi brush extends too far into the pile the way the bottom is constructed so that a pile too deep affects the brush as well as the drive wheels affected on other brands.

if the robot is seen to move on the carpet well before it stops on an error, so the drive wheels at least handle the material, there might be a possibility of adding some lift to the bottom to slide over the carpet, attaching some cardboard preventing sinking too deeply. Only experiments or close examination could tell. This technique works in some cases for Neato robots, thread "slick carpet effect" in Neato forum.

I have to wonder if Mi designers are fully informed of the subtle details in vacuum cleaner construction. It is like in the car industry, being a "car man", deeply immersed in the engineering for the particular product compared to the latest advances in the technologies used.

[mkazakov]

I tried to contact rockrobo guys about your issue, but they are out of office for week, or something like that

Jesi, can you please contact the guys from Rockrobo about my problem again

[Elias]

Hello everyone,

i have received this wonderful robot today, and just tried to hack it because of this awful chinese voices. I have done following:

1. Connected it trough USB to my Ubuntu pc
2. Got this Output:

Code: Select all

[  792.083671] usb 1-3: New USB device found, idVendor=1f3a, idProduct=1001
[  792.083676] usb 1-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[  792.083678] usb 1-3: Product: Rockrobo ruby
[  792.083681] usb 1-3: Manufacturer: Rockrobo USB Developer
[  792.083683] usb 1-3: SerialNumber: 865XXXXXXXXXXXXX

3. Wondered about the VID and PID, googled a bit and found out that it might belong to a Android Device. Yes it is actually an Android Device Used this Tutorial to get access trough ADB:
http://support.jide.com/hc/en-us/commun ... /209887617

4. ADB works , but there is still no access to the system. Cant login cause it returns "1060" when i try to "adb shell" inside it.

5. Have found out that there is an Allwinner Chip inside:
http://dl.linux-sunxi.org/A31/A3x_relea ... ID_PID.pdf

6. Have tried to boot it into FEL-Mode, but was unlucky.
http://linux-sunxi.org/FEL

Tried to access the FEL mode using pressing various combinations of keys(it has only 3: reset, power and "home").

I suppose that Power and Reset are on the same GPIO, cause i cannot boot it in any mode if i hold both.

I think that it should be possible to boot FEL, after you take the battery out.

7. Investigated this Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FlZgIHOodM

The used Processor is an Allwinner R16, which is also featured in the Nintendo Classic System:
https://linux-sunxi.org/R16


Next Steps:

I think that it should be possible to boot it into "FEL-Mode" somehow, after that you can boot into directly under linux for further investigations:
http://linux-sunxi.org/FEL/USBBoot
( Booting the whole system over USB (U-Boot + kernel + initramfs))
After you are have a running Linux, you can just get a NAND Backup and try to put it apart for installing new Sounds etc.

[Clémentine]

Hi,

I did a review of the Xiaomi Mi robot.
My English is not very good but i hope you will understand.

To my mind, this is the best Chinese robot vacuum cleaner.
http://avis-express.com/en/xiaomi-mi-robot-review/

I have also tried the vey famous and very cheap iLife V7S.
That's the one i am using every day
http://avis-express.com/en/chuwi-ilife- ... ot-vacuum/

If you have a few minutes to read the reviews, do not hesitate to tell my if it is understandable
Thx
Clem

[glnc222]

Sent you PM on English translation.

[Flole]

Elias, have you also tried using the two bumper switches to enter FEL Mode? On the NES Classic it was the reset button needed to enter FEL Mode. I have provided some insights of the app on german "roboter-forum" and i would love to access the linux running on the robot. Has anybody taken high resolution pictures of the pcb? Maybe there is a UART somewhere on the pcb or we can see to which switch the button required to enter FEL mode is connected.

[Elias]

Elias, have you also tried using the two bumper switches to enter FEL Mode? On the NES Classic it was the reset button needed to enter FEL Mode. I have provided some insights of the app on german "roboter-forum" and i would love to access the linux running on the robot. Has anybody taken high resolution pictures of the pcb? Maybe there is a UART somewhere on the pcb or we can see to which switch the button required to enter FEL mode is connected.

Hello Flole,

I have tried several methods to get the robot into the FEL-Mode, but it hasnt worked out yet. Havent tried the Bumpers, cause i assumed that they are not connected to the Allwinner but to some of the other boards. I also tried to disassembly the robot and made some pictures of its PCB:
https://github.com/EliasKotlyar/XiaomiVacuumDisassembly

Unfortunately there are no obvious TTL-Connection Headers. But i have seen a lot of Testpoints which maybe helpful.

By trying enter the FEL-Mode, i have found that you actually can "reset" the robot, by holding the "Home-Button" and pressing the "reset" button. It will reset it to the Firmware which was onto it when you have bought it. You will have to update it afterwards to the newest firmware.

PS: Do you also own this Robot?

[glnc222]

promotional price $279 + shipping globally Feb.2017 seen
https://www.zapals.com/xiaomi-mijia-sma ... QodZo8K9w#
Zapals: London office, global shipping, service centers Australia, Hong Kong, China. (see in cart page)
--reviews on web of this dealer.
(items imported to the U.S. are not eligible for Square Trade extended warranties.)

[RageDev]

Hey Guys,

@Elias: Thank you, for the wonderful pictures.
I was also on the search to enter FEL-MODE ... and I also reseted the device to an older firmware. (Hard 10min!!! I thought I broke it ... she sounded so angry )

Now after I checked your pics, it is no wonder that the buttons can't trigger FEL-mode. The Buttons are connected to the arm32f.

Is your robot still dissembled? If yes, could you give me the Name of the two ICs on the left side from the R19?

I will update my robot today, and try to sniff the Firmware-Package. But as I know Xiaomi, the Package will be crypted + signed….

[Elias]

Hey Guys,

@Elias: Thank you, for the wonderful pictures.
I was also on the search to enter FEL-MODE ... and I also reseted the device to an older firmware. (Hard 10min!!! I thought I broke it ... she sounded so angry )

Now after I checked your pics, it is no wonder that the buttons can't trigger FEL-mode. The Buttons are connected to the arm32f.

Is your robot still dissembled? If yes, could you give me the Name of the two ICs on the left side from the R19?

I will update my robot today, and try to sniff the Firmware-Package. But as I know Xiaomi, the Package will be crypted + signed….

Hello Ragedev,

Unfortunately , i have broken a screw by assemblying it back. This screw cannot be unscrewed now. I have to search a special "screwdriver",which is able to unscrew it(cause i broken thread of it). But i will make a better photograph as soon as i get it unscrewed.

I suppose that it should be possible to get into FEL-Mode by using one of the testpoints. There are a lot of them on the board

[Elias]

Hey Guys,

@Elias: Thank you, for the wonderful pictures.
I was also on the search to enter FEL-MODE ... and I also reseted the device to an older firmware. (Hard 10min!!! I thought I broke it ... she sounded so angry )

Now after I checked your pics, it is no wonder that the buttons can't trigger FEL-mode. The Buttons are connected to the arm32f.

Is your robot still dissembled? If yes, could you give me the Name of the two ICs on the left side from the R19?

I will update my robot today, and try to sniff the Firmware-Package. But as I know Xiaomi, the Package will be crypted + signed….

Hello everyone,

I found a complete Review of the inner parts of this robot:
http://bbs.bblqs.com/thread-11299-1-1.html

It cotains a lot of really good pictures of all parts. I hope it will help someone.

Also here are another pictures:
http://shopper.life/xiaomi-mi-robot-vac ... 10970.html

[RageDev]

Thanks for the Pics!

Ok left IC's are Flash + Power Mgmt. for the R19

The Wlan Chip : http://www.datasheetspdf.com/mobile/864 ... 13-W2.html

*thinking about wiretapping the flash =/*

[Elias]

Thanks for the Pics!

Ok left IC's are Flash + Power Mgmt. for the R19

The Wlan Chip : http://www.datasheetspdf.com/mobile/864 ... 13-W2.html

*thinking about wiretapping the flash =/*

Thanks for the Info.

I suppose there should be a possibility of dumping the flash using the testpoints.

[ReX83]

I got that information directly from manufacturer, rockrobo.

Hi Jesi,

Could you contact Rockrobo and ask to include also an English version of their Xiaomi Mi plugin?

I know that the author of this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L194Hezyoo4) already sent the translated files to Xiaomi, but maybe it is up to Rockrobo do deliver a translated plugin.

I would be glad if you could share Rockrobo contacts too (email, website, etc.).

Thanks,
ReX