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# What This Tool Does

An agent for robotics and electronics builds. Describe the robot; Hardbot plans the files the project needs, produces each one with a real tool — its own design check, KiCad, arduino-cli, OpenSCAD, Excalidraw — and streams every file into its Computer the moment it is written.

# Works Right Now (No ROS Required)

Graph Editor

  • -Add nodes from the left palette
  • -Drag nodes to position them
  • -Click [+] on a node, then click another to connect
  • -Press Delete to remove selected node/edge

Code View

  • -Click 'Code' tab to view controller code
  • -Edit and save to browser storage
  • -Switch between C++, YAML, Python files

Launch Export

  • -Click 'Launch' tab in right sidebar
  • -Click 'Generate Launch File'
  • -Download valid ROS2 .launch.py file

URDF Viewer

  • -Click 'URDF' tab in right sidebar
  • -Paste your robot's URDF XML
  • -View link/joint hierarchy

# Requires ROS2 + rosbridge

# Start rosbridge first:

ros2 launch rosbridge_server rosbridge_websocket_launch.xml

Live Topics

  • -View all published ROS topics
  • -Subscribe to see live messages
  • -Monitor message frequency (Hz)

Node Management

  • -View running ROS nodes
  • -Launch new nodes
  • -Kill running nodes

Parameter Server

  • -View all ROS parameters
  • -Edit parameter values live
  • -Changes apply immediately

Bag Recording

  • -Record topics to rosbag
  • -Playback recorded bags
  • -Seek and control playback rate

# Quick Start

  1. Describe the robot in the composer: the board, the parts you have, what it should do
  2. Answer the one clarifying question, if Hardbot asks one
  3. Watch the plan fill the Computer's to-do list and the files land one by one
  4. Open any file in the Files tab, or download the whole build
  5. Ask for a change in the same chat — Hardbot runs again against the files it made

# Keyboard Shortcuts

Delete / Backspace
Remove selected node or edge
Escape
Cancel connection / Deselect

# Limitations

  • Nodes are visual only - they don't execute code
  • Code editor doesn't compile - it's for reference/export
  • Without ROS connection, all metrics are mock data
  • No direct hardware control from this interface