Robonomics on Substrate

Table of Contents

• 1. Intro
• 2. Try it out
• 3. Install node
  • 3.1. Building from source
  • 3.2. Building with Nix
• 4. Network maintaining
  • 4.1. Full node
  • 4.2. Become a validator
• 5. Robotics integration
  • 5.1. Building with ROS feature
  • 5.2. Launch ROS node

1. Intro

AIRA (Autonomous Intelligent Robot Agent) project implements the standard of economic interaction between human-robot and robot-robot via liability smart contract. AIRA makes it possible to connect a variety of different robots to the market of robot liabilities for the direct sale of data from robot sensors, ordering of logistics services, and organization ordering of personalized products at fully automated enterprises.

This source is a part of AIRA project. It implements their purposes using Substrate technologies.

2. Try it out

1. Import custom data types at Substrate UI: Developer settings

2. Open Substrate UI: General settings

3. Set custom node endpoint to wss://substrate.robonomics.network

4. Save and reload

5. Get test tokens at https://faucets.blockxlabs.com

When connection is success you can explore Robonomics testnet using Substrate UI.

• Accounts management: https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/accounts

• Looking for network events: https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/explorer

• Transfer test XRT: https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/transfer

• Send extrinsics to robonomics module: https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/extrinsics

3. Install node

Robonomics on Substrate binary blobs available as an assets in releases. Latest version you can try to build from source code.

3.1. Building from source

Ensure you have Rust and the support software installed:

curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh
# on Windows download and run rustup-init.exe
# from https://rustup.rs instead

rustup update nightly
rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown --toolchain nightly
rustup update stable
cargo install --git https://github.com/alexcrichton/wasm-gc

You will also need to install the following packages:

• Linux:

  sudo apt install cmake pkg-config libssl-dev git clang libclang-dev

• Mac:

  brew install cmake pkg-config openssl git llvm

• Windows (PowerShell):

  # Install LLVM
  # Download and install the Pre Build Windows binaries
  # of LLVM  from http://releases.llvm.org/download.html
  
  # Install OpenSSL (through vcpkg)
  mkdir \Tools
  cd \Tools
  git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg.git
  cd vcpkg
  .\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
  .\vcpkg.exe install openssl:x64-windows-static
  
  $env:OPENSSL_DIR = 'C:\Tools\vcpkg\installed\x64-windows-static'
  $env:OPENSSL_STATIC = 'Yes'
  [System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('OPENSSL_DIR', $env:OPENSSL_DIR, [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::User)
  [System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('OPENSSL_STATIC', $env:OPENSSL_STATIC, [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::User)

Install robonomics node from git source:

cargo install --force --git https://github.com/airalab/substrate-node-robonomics --tag v0.10.2

Run node in Robonomics testnet:

robonomics

Or run your local development network:

robonomics --dev

3.2. Building with Nix

Install Nix package manager:

curl https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh

Run in Nix shell:

git clone https://github.com/airalab/substrate-node-robonomics && cd substrate-node-robonomics
nix-shell --run "cargo run --release"

4. Network maintaining

Currently Robonomics on Substrate testnet is maintained by developers but anyone can support the project by several ways described below.

4.1. Full node

You can support the network just by launch the node. Every additional full node of blockchain helps it to be more sustainable and fault tolerant. Robonomics node binaries is available on releases or could be build from source.

4.2. Become a validator

For nodes that can be online 24/7 also available most important role on chain - block producers or briefly validator. Robonomics on Substrate use NPoS algorithm for choosing block production accounts. For this reason if you have any stake in testnet XRT then you can try self in block production.

1. Launch node and wait for synchronization.

   robonomics

2. Open Settings and switch UI to Local Node mode (don’t foget import Custom Types on Developer Settings).

3. Generate session keys during RPC call at Toolbox page:

   1. Submit RPC call author:rotateKeys() and copy result, it will be required later.

4. Restart node in validator mode.

   robonomics --validator

5. Generate accounts at Account page:

   1. create stash usign Schnorrkel (sr25519) crypto;

   2. create controller using Schnorrkel (sr25519) crypto.

6. Request testnet XRT in our Matrix room or use Faucet.

7. Transfer testnet XRT to stash and a little bit to controller account.

8. Staking actions:

   1. call New stake for stash and controller accounts;

   2. call Set Session Key for result account pair and paste session key given in step before;

   3. call Validate action.

9. Check Validator List, at new Era validator set will updated.

5. Robotics integration

Special feature ros helps to use Robonomics Substrate modules in ROS-enabled cyber-physical systems.

5.1. Building with ROS feature

1. Install ROS using instruction.

2. Import ROS environment:

   source /opt/ros/melodic/setup.bash

3. Build with ros feature:

   cargo build --release --features ros

5.2. Launch ROS node

1. Start ROS core service

   roscore

2. Start node:

   cargo run --release --features ros

3. Subscribe for best block number:

   rostopic echo /blockchain/best_number