Unlock Checklist

This is a detailed checklist of the steps to follow in unlocking your robot. I recommend printing it out for each robot you unlock, and ticking off each item, in order. The sections after this checklist will describe how to perform each step in more detail.

Please Note

There will be some small changes due to contractual or legal requirements. Review these changes before proceeding:

  • It will not be possible to go back to a production robot. The unlock process is permanent.
  • Amazon Alexa mode is disabled. Due to contractual requirements we are unable to include Alexa on Vectors where users can modify the system without review by Amazon.

    • Preparation 1: Getting your QSN and submitting it to Digital Dream Labs

    • [ ] 1. Open in a Chrome browser
    • [ ] 2. Place Vector in its charging station and press the backpack button twice to enter pairing mode.
    • [ ] 3. Click "Pair with Vector" and select Vector from the popup.
    • [ ] 4. Click the Download Logs link at the top right
    • [ ] 5. Find your QSN and ESN in those logs
    • [ ] 6. Write down the QSN and ESN on this page -- we'll double check this below.
    • [ ] 7. Submit your QSN and ESN to Digital Dream Labs

    Preparation 2: Setting up your computer to upgrade Vector

    While you wait for your unlock OTA, you can set up your computer and prepare Vector. First, set up a HTTP server to deliver OTA files to your robot:

    • [ ] 8. Install python on your computer, if you haven't already
    • [ ] 9. Download the last production software from
    • [ ] 10. Start a simple webserver with the latest.ota
    • [ ] 11. Find the IP address for your computer
    • [ ] 12. Check that you can connect to this local webserver with Chrome.

    Preparation 3: Prepare Vector for the upgrade

    • [ ] 13. Fully charge your Robot
    • [ ] 14. Keep (or put) Vector on the charging dock

    Erase Vector's data: 

    • [ ] 15. Place Vector on its charging station. 
    • [ ] 16. Press his backpack button twice. 
    • [ ] 17. Lift Vector's forklift up and down. 
    • [ ] 18. Remove Vector from its charging station and spin one of the tank treads.
    • [ ] 19. Move the tread to select CLEAR USER DATA.
    • [ ] 20. Lift the forklift up and down to proceed.
    • [ ] 21. Spin the tank treads to select CONFIRM. Lift the forklift up and down.

    Enter Recovery Mode (aka a Factory Reset): 

    • [ ] 22. Place Vector on its charging station. 
    • [ ] 23. Hold Vector's backpack button down for 15 seconds, until you see the white light start to glow all the way on the back. 
    • [ ] 24. Wait for Vector to finish rebooting

    Connect to Vector: 

    • [ ] 25. Open in a Chrome browser 
    • [ ] 26. Place Vector in its charging station and press the backpack button twice to enter pairing mode. 
    • [ ] 27. Click "Pair with Vector" and select Vector from the popup. 
    • [ ] 28. You had to enter the PIN number into the Chrome webapp, right? If you connect, and it doesn't ask for you to enter your PIN, you are (probably) not in recovery mode. Go back to the steps to enter recovery mode. 
    • [ ] 29. Verify that the emulated console is working by typing help

    Connect to the Wi-Fi

    • [ ] 30. Run, in the emulated console, wifi-scan to check that Vector can see your wifi 
    • [ ] 31. Have Vector connect to your wifi with wifi-connect followed by your Wifi SSID and password

    Do not close the console in Chrome.

    Deploy 1: Test Deploying the latest Production Software OTA image

    Deploy the latest production software: 

    • [ ] 32. Copy the full link for latest.ota file from your computer (from step 12) 
    • [ ] 33. In the emulated console, Type ota-start followed by this link 
    • [ ] 34. Check that Vector successfully applied the production software

    Deploy 2: Deploying the Unlock OTA image

    When you receive your unlock OTA email, go to the next step

    • [ ] 35. Download the unlock OTA image from the email into your local server folder
    • [ ] 36. Check that your robot has the same ESN serial number as the one you submitted
      earlier, and wrote down above. The serial number is on the bottom. Here is how to find it.
      If the number does not match, you have the wrong bot.

    Prepare to server the unlock OTA file: 

    • [ ] 37. Open in a Chrome browser 
    • [ ] 38. Place Vector in its charging station and press the backpack button twice to enter pairing mode.
    • [ ] 39. Click "Pair with Vector" and select Vector from the popup. Enter the PIN code that appears. 
    • [ ] 40. Verify that the emulated console is working by typing help 
    • [ ] 41. Put a book or heavy block in front of Vector to keep him from driving off the charging station while updating.

    Deploy the unlock OTA software: 

    • - [ ] 42. Copy the full link for unlock .ota file with the QSN serial number (Example: 0060378a.ota) 
    • - [ ] 43. Type ota-start followed by this link 
    • - [ ] 44. Check that Vector successfully applied the unlock software

    Deploy 3: Deploying the latest OSKR Software OTA image

    • [ ] 45. If installing using a Python server, download the last production software from
      into your local server folder - otherwise skip to Step 46.

    Prepare installation of the latest unlocked OSKR OTA: 

    • [ ] 46. Using a Bluetooth-enabled computer or mobile device, open in a Chrome browser 
    • [ ] 47. Place Vector in its charging station and press the backpack button twice to enter pairing mode. 
    • [ ] 48. Click "Pair with Vector" and select Vector from the popup. Enter the PIN code that appears on the bottom of Vector's screen. - [ ] 49. Press Alt+2 or Alt+3 to open the emulated console. Verify that the emulated console is working by typing help.

    Deploy the latest OSKR software: 

    • [ ] 50. Copy the full link for OSKR .ota file: http://ota.global.anki-services.com/vic/oskr/full/latest.ota
    • [ ] 51. Type ota-start followed by this link. The full command should be: ota-start 
    • [ ] 52. Vector will apply the latest update OTA and then restart. Check that Vector successfully applied the OSKR software by double-tapping his back button. The software version will appear after "OS:"
    • [ ] 53. Using the mobile App, sign into Vector and add your account to him
    • Alternate Installation: Using a Secure Shell, issue the following command to kick off the update-engine script
      and pull the newest OTA: UPDATE_ENGINE_DEBUG=true UPDATE_ENGINE_URL=http://ota.global.anki-services.com/vic/oskr/full/latest.ota /anki/bin/update-engine
    • Vector will reboot into the new firmware.

    Getting Secure Shell

    • [ ] 54. Use in a Chrome browser to connect to and pair with your Vector
    • [ ] 55. Download logs from Vector using the "Download Logs" button at the top right.
    • [ ] 56. Extract the "id_rsa" key from the "/data/ssh" folder
    • [ ] 57. Put the RSA key into the right place (the "right place" varies depending on operating system)
    • [ ] 58. Get Vector's IP address
    • [ ] 59. Use PuTTY or a command line in Terminal to log in using SSH with the key

    Congratulations! Vector is unlocked!

    If you need to turn Vector into an Access Point to get the Key

    These should only be used as necessary.

    • [ ] 60. Use in a Chrome browser to pair your with Vector
    • [ ] 61. Issue the 'wifi-ap true' command
    • [ ] 62. Have your computer connect to the Vector's wifi access point
    • [ ] 63. Test a browser connection to
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