ZoraBots

Billy-Billy Manual
Release 1.06

05/03/2018
support@zorabots.be
+32 (0)59 200 311

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
COPYRIGHT © 2018 Zora Robotics NV all rights reserved.

No part of this document may be used or copied without prior written permission from the copyright
holder. The contents of this document can always be modified without prior notice.
Billy-Billy Manual
1 About this document
This document explains the general procedures when using the Billy-Billy robot and briefly
explains the functionality of the current version of Billy-Billy.

Contents
1 About this document........................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2 Concept and mission of Billy-Billy ............................................................................................................................................4
3 Contents of the box ..............................................................................................................................................................................5
4 Preface.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
5 Communication ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Microphone .....................................................................................................................................................................................7
5.2 LED-lights ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
5.3 Speakers .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
5.4 Connections................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
6 Connectivity .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
6.1 Connecting to Billy-Billy ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
6.1.1 Wifi-connection .................................................................................................................................................................... 9
6.1.2 Connection with cable ................................................................................................................................................... 13
6.2 Local Management ................................................................................................................................................................ 14
6.2.1 Home screen......................................................................................................................................................................... 15
6.2.2 Menu bar .................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
6.2.3 Controls of Billy-Billy....................................................................................................................................................... 16
6.2.3.1 Summary of the sensors ....................................................................................................................................... 16
6.2.3.2 Device settings ............................................................................................................................................................ 17
6.2.3.3 Sending a message .................................................................................................................................................. 17
7 Website ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
7.1 Register or log in ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19
7.1.1 Register ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
7.1.2 Logging in................................................................................................................................................................................20
7.2 Online management of Billy-Billy ............................................................................................................................... 21
7.2.1 Garden ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
7.2.2 Content of a garden ......................................................................................................................................................... 21
7.2.3 Online Features ................................................................................................................................................................... 21
7.3 Managing gardens .................................................................................................................................................................. 22
7.3.1 Adding a garden ................................................................................................................................................................. 23
7.3.2 Adjusting the garden ....................................................................................................................................................... 23

2
 7.3.3 Adding a Billy-Billy to the garden.......................................................................................................................... 24
7.4 Online management ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
7.4.1 Homepage .............................................................................................................................................................................. 25
7.4.2 Status of the plant .............................................................................................................................................................26
7.4.3 Settings for Billy-Billy ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
7.4.3.1 Device settings ............................................................................................................................................................ 27
7.4.3.2 Edit name .........................................................................................................................................................................28
7.4.3.3 Update picture .............................................................................................................................................................28
7.4.3.4 Send a message .........................................................................................................................................................28
7.5 Online features ..........................................................................................................................................................................29
7.5.1 Account Settings ................................................................................................................................................................ 29
7.5.2 Changing the password ................................................................................................................................................29
7.5.3 Calendar .................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
7.5.4 Logging off ............................................................................................................................................................................. 34
8 Sensors ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
8.1 Sensor for the inner pot ...................................................................................................................................................... 35
8.2 Light-sensors .............................................................................................................................................................................. 35
8.3 Temperature-sensor ............................................................................................................................................................. 35
8.4 Soil moisture-sensors ......................................................................................................................................................... 36
8.5 Time-sensor ............................................................................................................................................................................... 36
9 Epilogue ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Appendix 1 – Voice commands ...........................................................................................................................................................38
Appendix 2 – Tutorials ................................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Appendix 3 – Technical specifications ........................................................................................................................................... 47

3
2 Concept and Mission of Billy-Billy

Thank you very much for your purchase of Billy-Billy. We hope you will have a lot of fun with your
Billy-Billy.

Billy-Billy is an interactive flower pot that was designed to make the lives of elderly people cosier
and more comfortable. With its sensors it captures – among other things – how hot or cold a room
is and the amount of light in the said room. By using this data, Billy-Billy can help elderly people
take care of plants or herbs. Billy-Billy can also easily be connected to the internet to look up the
latest news or the latest weather report. Billy-Billy is an added value not only for the elderly,
(grand)children can also interact with the robot.

By using a shared calendar, Billy-Billy can remind you that the healthcare professional will pay a
visit, or when a family event has been planned. Reading messages aloud is also a possibility. In
short, Billy-Billy will do anything in its power to make life easier.

Zorabots is using Billy-Billy to try to reduce the loneliness of elderly people so people can live
longer at home or to give people in residential care centres a daily activity.

4
3 Contents of the Box
Number Item Photo

1 Billy-Billy

1 Billy-Billy Inner Pot

1 Power Adapter with European Sockets(*)

1 Bag of Potting Soil

1 Bag of Seeds

1 USB stick with the Manual and Configuration

Software

1 Quick start guide

(*)
: Billy-Billy can be supplied with other sockets (depending on the region), so the adapter can be
adjusted if needed.

5
4 Preface
A brief explanation of (some) terms used throughout this document:

Pot or Inner Pot The flowerpot that can be inserted into the robot from the top.
or Flower Pot

Sensors Hardware designed specifically to collect data.

E.g.: Temperature Sensors measuring the current temperature.

Wake Word or The command used to have Billy-Billy listen to a command.

Wake-Word In this case: ‘Billy-Billy’.

Quiet Hours During the ‘Quiet Hours’ Billy-Billy will remain silent, unless the user specifically
asks a question (1).

LED lights The lights in Billy-Billy’s cheeks.

or LEDs

Cabled A network connection of Billy-Billy and the home router with an UTP cable.
Connection

Local Consulting the sensor data or adjusting (some) settings of Billy-Billy without
Management using the internet.
(1)
: This does not apply when inserting or removing the inner pot into/from Billy-Billy.

5 Communication
The robot has the following hardware to receive commands and provide feedback:

6
5.1 Microphone
The microphone is located at the front of the robot (in the right eye)
to ensure a smooth communication.

By speaking to the robot from the front, the best results can be
obtained.

- Wake Word
This term indicates the name of the robot (‘Billy-Billy’). By saying this term aloud, Billy-Billy will
start listening for specific commands.

- LEDs

Once the robot has recognized the ‘wake word’ command, the LEDs in the cheeks will turn blue.
This implies that the robot is listening for the commands.

- Commands

The robot only responds to pre-programmed sentences. For example: ‘Which day are we today?’
or ‘What’s today’s date?’.
Note: Future updates might add new features to this functionality.

- In practice:

The following example has Billy-Billy read out the state of the plant:

Step 1 – Billy-Billy is fully booted, and the The cheeks of Billy-Billy light up green.
inner pot has been detected.

Step 2 – The robot is turned to the person 1) The user states the command ‘Billy-Billy’.
asking the question. 2) The LEDs in the cheeks light up blue.
3) The command ‘How are you?’ is spoken

Step 3 – The robot answers the question
1) Depending on the type of question, the answer
can take a while (e.g. asking for the weather).
2) The robot replies with the sentence ‘Everything is
ok’ (or something similar).
If the sensors do not detect a safe value (see
chapter 9 - Sensors) the robot will notify you of this
as well.

7
5.2 LED Lights
The LED lights installed in the cheeks can light up in a variety of
colours depending on the state of the plant or robot.

For the full range of possible colours, see Appendix 3 – Technical information.

5.3 Speakers
The speakers are located at the side of the head.

The volume of the speakers can be adjusted on the Billy-Billy website

http://www.billybot.be .

5.4 Connections
Besides the hardware to communicate with humans, Billy-Billy also has the necessary hardware
to communicate with machines and the internet.
These connections can be found at the back of Billy-Billy.

The power connector is located at the top left of this panel.

This is where the power adapter needs to be plugged in.

To the right of the power connector, the power button can be

found. This button is used to power Billy-Billy on and off.

This button has the following functionality:

- Press once: Billy-Billy is safely turned off.
- Keep pressing with some force: Billy-Billy is shut down.
This option should only be used if the first option doesn’t
work. Avoid doing this unless there is no other option.

Below the power adapter, the network plug can be found. This
connection can be used when connecting Billy-Billy to a network
by using a UTP cable.

At the bottom-right, the USB-connections can be found. These

connections can be used to connect to external devices (e.g. a USB
drive with the configuration file for the wireless network).

8
6 Connectivity
The router at home and the pc have the following properties:

- Cabled connection: This connection always takes priority (a.o. when saying the IP address
and connecting to the website) due to the greater speeds when sending and receiving
data.
This connection works independently from the Wi-Fi connection.
- Router: The router at home must act as an IPv4 DHCP server.

6.1 Connecting to Billy-Billy

Billy-Billy has the following means to communicate with other devices or the internet:

- Wifi connection
- Network adapter (cable)

6.1.1 Wifi-connection
This setup has the advantage of wireless internet-access and mobility of Billy-Billy.

- Configuration:

As shown on the picture, both the other devices and Billy-Billy are connected to the same
network. Billy-Billy uses the same settings as the phone to connect to wifi.

- Setting up the connection (Windows)

Step 1 – Start the Program ‘BillyBillyConfig.exe’.

Plug the supplied USB stick into a USB slot of a Windows-

computer or download the program from the website
http://www.billybot.be/downloads.

To download the file, select the option ‘Downloads’ in the

section ‘Info’ at the bottom of the website.

By starting the program BillyBillyConfig.exe from the USB

stick or from the downloaded location, the settings for the
Wi-Fi network can be inputted and saved to an external
file.

9
Step 2 – Enter the Settings for the Selected Wi-Fi
Network.

In the top right corner of the program, the USB

devices that are compatible with Billy-Billy are
shown.

Select the USB-drive to use from this list.

The list on the left side shows the networks found

by the computer.

By selecting the network from the list, the name is

copied to the field titled ‘Wifi network name’.

If the network is not listed, it can be entered

manually in this field.

If the network or the connected USB device are

not detected, the program can search again by
clicking the button marked ‘Refresh’.

Step 3 – Creating the Configuration File.

After filling in the password for the network in the

field marked ‘Password’, the configuration file
needed by Billy-Billy can be generated.

By clicking the button marked ‘Generate File’, the

file is created and stored on the USB drive.

After clicking the OK button in the popup, the USB

stick may be safely removed from the computer.

Step 4 – Checking the File.

When verifying the contents of the USB stick, an extra file will be
visible in the root folder, namely ‘billy-billy.conf’.

This file contains the data needed by Billy-Billy to connect to the

specified network.

Once the files have been checked, the USB drive must be safely
removed from the computer.

Step 5 – Connecting Billy-Billy to the Network.

By plugging the USB stick into Billy-Billy (the protective rubber may
need to be removed from the slot), the generated file can be used to
connect Billy-Billy from the network.

When the cheeks turn blue after saying the wake word ‘Billy-Billy’, the
command “connect to Wi-Fi” can be spoken to have Billy-Billy
connect to the wireless network.

10
If your computer cannot run the program “BillyBillyConfig.exe”, it is also possible to manually
make a configuration file.

This requires a file titled “billy-billy.conf” (case sensitive) to be made on a USB stick formatted as
FAT32. This file needs to contain the following information:

wifi:
ssid: NETWORK_NAME
psk: YOUR_PASSWORD

Replace the generic terms YOUR_PASSWORD and NETWORK_NAME with the correct values for
the home network.

Note: The format used in the file is “YAML” (http://www.yaml.org) and its contents need to adhere to
this standard.

Below is the procedure to use when using Apple computers with a Mac OS X:

Step 1 – Open the Text Editor.

Open the application ‘TextEdit’ on the Mac. This can be found using the Spotlight search-function
of by using the following procedure:
From the ‘Finder’, select Go > Applications. Double click on TextEdit.

Step 2 – Format the Text as ‘Plain Text'.

The text editor opens a new document. The

first step is to convert this file to plain text.

This is done by selecting the option ‘Make Plain

Text’ in the ‘Format’ menu.

Step 3 – Enter the Necessary Data.

To enter the necessary data, the following

format must be used:

Use 2 spaces to indent the text:

wifi:
ssid: your_network_name
psk: your_network_password

11
Step 4 – Save the File on the USB stick.

Save the document. This is done by selecting

the option ‘Save’ in the menu ‘File’.

Name the file ‘billy-billy.conf’ and make sure

the extension is .conf and NOT .txt.

Select the supplied USB stick as the storage-

location and click the Save button.

Step 5 – Checking the File.

When verifying the contents of the USB stick, an extra file will be
visible in the root folder, namely ‘billy-billy.conf’.

This file contains the data needed by Billy-Billy to connect to the

specified network.

Once the files have been checked, the USB stick must be safely
removed from the computer.

Step 6 – Connecting Billy-Billy to the Network

By plugging the USB stick into Billy-Billy (the protective rubber may
need to be removed from the slot), the generated file can be used to
connect Billy-Billy from the network.

When the cheeks turn blue after saying the wake word ‘Billy-Billy’, the
command “connect to Wi-Fi” can be spoken to have Billy-Billy
connect to the wireless network.

12
6.1.2 Connection with Cable
This setup has the disadvantage that the UTP cable must be physically connected to Billy-Billy.
This means of course that Billy-Billy must be close to the router.

- Configuration

Billy-Billy is connected by a cable (UTP) with the router.

- Connecting the network cable

There is a slot to plug a UTP cable into at the back of Billy-Billy.

After plugging the cable into the slot, a click may be heard when
the cable is fully connected.

If the connection is active, the orange light next to the slot will light
up.

If data is being sent or received, the green light next to the slot will
blink on and off.

For more information on the cables to use, please refer to the

manual of your router at home.

13
6.2 Local Management
Billy-Billy can always be – somewhat – configured by using the local management website. To
enjoy the full range of service, however, it is advisable that Billy-Billy is connected to the internet
and managed by the Billybot website.

To configure Billy-Billy locally, use the following procedure:

Step 1 – Ask the IP Address of the Robot. After speaking the wake word ‘Billy-Billy’, the
following command must be used to find the IP
address of the robot: “What is your IP address?”.

Step 2 – Visit the Local Website in your By entering the IP address in a web browser (i.e.
Browser. Google Chrome), the local website will be shown.

E.g.:

Step 3 – Select the Option ‘Use Billy-Billy locally’ on the Website.

Note:

If Billy-Billy is connected to the internet, use the online website to connect to Billy-Billy.

14
6.2.1 Home Screen
After selecting the option ‘Use Billy-Billy locally’, the following screen appears:

This screen contains the following elements:

1. The menu bar at the top of the screen.

2. Controls on the left side of the main screen.
3. History of plants on the right side of the main screen.

6.2.2 Menu Bar

This section contains the following elements:

- Back button:

By clicking this button, the previously used web page will be shown.

- Home page button:

This button displays the home screen again.

- Language selection:

This button opens a menu with the supported languages on the local website for Billy-Billy. To set
a new language, click on the language.
To close this menu, the button can be clicked. By clicking somewhere else on the website, the
menu will be closed.

- Notifications: or

By clicking this button, a menu is shown with the notifications from Billy-Billy (e.g. Billy is thirsty). If
the list of notifications is shown, the icon is changed from the first option to the second. The new
icon can be clicked to close the menu. Alternatively, by clicking somewhere else on the page, the
menu will close.

15
6.2.3 Controls of Billy-Billy
This part of the web page shows the current sensor values, as well as links to the settings of Billy-
Billy (e.g. volume) and a link to send a message to Billy-Billy.

6.2.3.1 Summary of the Sensors

By clicking the photo of Billy-Billy (or the field ‘Check Details’), the following page is shown:

The first part of the page contains an

image of the registered plant as well
as the latest recorded values of the
sensors.

A second part of the page contains a

graphical reference to the recorded
values of a specific parameter (in this
case temperature) on the chosen
date (in this case ‘today’).

By clicking the possible types of

sensors (Temperature, Light
intensity or Humidity) the values of
the selected sensors are shown.

By clicking the field containing the

date, a calendar is shown where the
date can be selected. By selecting a
new date, the values of that day will
be shown in the chart.

The field Plant Information contains

details of the plant.

Note:

The graph connects the measured points in a straight line. This may cause some weird images if
Billy-Billy did not measure anything for a while (by removing the plant or turning Billy-Billy off) or if
there was a sudden change in brightness (a reflection on the sensor for example).

16
6.2.3.2 Device Settings
By clicking the button ‘Device Settings’, the following options are available:

The first part of the settings is the volume. This can be

adjusted from the lowest level (1) to the highest level (10)
to anywhere in between.

The second part contains the language settings. By

clicking the selected language to be spoken, when
Billy-Billy reboots, this language will be spoken and
understood by Billy-Billy.

The last setting in the local management is the Quiet

Hours. This indicates when Billy-Billy should not speak,
as to not disturb the user(s).

By clicking the button By clicking the button ‘Go

‘Save settings’, the new back’, the new settings are
settings are applied(1). not applied.

(1)
: When selecting a new language, Billy-Billy must be rebooted before the new language is
active.
To reboot Billy-Billy, press the power button at the back of Billy-Billy, and wait until Billy-Billy is
fully turned off (the LEDs will turn off completely). Press the power button again to boot Billy-Billy
in the new language.

6.2.3.3 Sending a Message

By clicking the button ‘Send a message’, the following popup is shown:

The message you want Billy-Billy to speak out loud

must be entered in the text field.

By clicking the button ‘Send’, the message will be

spoken aloud by Billy-Billy.

By clicking the button ‘Cancel’, the popup will close,

and the previous page will be shown.

17
7 Website
By connecting the robot to the internet, it is possible to monitor the status of the plant from
anywhere. The website designed for this is located at http://www.billybot.be.

When surfing this website from your favourite browser, the following screen is shown:

Note:

The information-panel or tutorial-screen on the left side of the screen can be opened by clicking
the symbol. If this screen is open, some basic procedures for operating the site will be shown.
This screen can also be closed by clicking the symbol in the top right corner of the screen.

18
7.1 Register or Log in
7.1.1 Register
If it is the first time the website is consulted, an account needs to be created. By clicking the
button ‘Register’, the following page appears:

This page contains the following elements:

Username The unique username that must be used when logging in.

Password(1) The password for the account.

Re-enter password(1) Confirm the password for security.

Email The email account that will be used to reset the forgotten password if
needed.
(1)
: These fields must be identical.

By clicking the button ‘Register’, a new account will be created (provided the username is not
already in use). A confirmation email will be sent (if this field is marked) to the email address.

The email address will be used to send some basic tips & tricks as well as the link to reset the
password if the button ‘I’ve forgotten my password’ is clicked on the home page.

To log out, see chapter 8.5.4. Logging out

19
7.1.2 Logging in
After completing the registration, the account is automatically used to log in. When using another
device or when logged off (see chapter 8.5.2 – Logging off), the user needs to log in.

When surfing the website, the following page is shown:

Enter your username and

password in the respective fields.

Click on the button ‘Log in’ to

continue.

(1)
: This field requires the username, NOT the email address.

- Forgot password

By selecting the link ‘I’ve forgotten my password’, an e-mail is sent to the registered e-mail
address containing a link to re-register the password for the account. By following the instructions
sent to you by mail, a new password can be set.

To log out, see 8.5.4. Log out

20
7.2 Online Management of Billy-Billy
To manage the Billy-Billy via the internet, a garden system was devised.

7.2.1 Garden
A garden is used to group Billy-Billy’s and their registered pots together. These gardens can be
distinguished from one another by entering a name and an image.

To register your Billy-Billy, at least one garden must exist.

If multiple Billy-Billy’s are managed by the same person (or by using the same online account), the
garden system can be used to make a distinction between the groups of Billy-Billy’s.

For example: 3 Billy-Billy’s are purchased, 2 for school and 1 to be used at home. It is convenient
to separate them according to their use or location.

7.2.2 Content of a Garden

A garden contains the linked Billy-Billy’s which can have a customised image and name.

Each Billy-Billy contains the registered(1) inner pots, of which the history of recorded values can be
seen at any time.

(1)
: Only the owner of the flower pots can see the status (with graphs showing the values for light
and humidity) of the plants on the website (local management is always possible).

7.2.3 Online Features

By using the website to manage the robot, more options are available for the account. For
example, a calendar can be linked to the account, a news-feed can be chosen for Billy-Billy to
read aloud if the command is spoken and the city can be chosen to have a weather forecast.

Note: A linked calendar is used by ALL Billy-Billy’s linked to the account. The news-feed and the
city must be set separately.

21
7.3 Managing Gardens
To monitor the plants remotely (e.g. showing the values of the sensors or receiving status updates
from Billy-Billy), the garden-system was devised. By linking Billy-Billy to a garden, it is possible to
manage it from any computer and to maintain order if a lot of robots are registered to one account.

Once logged into the website, the home page is shown:

This page contains the known gardens for the account. To add a new garden, click on the link
‘ADD GARDEN’.

22
7.3.1 Adding a Garden
As stated previously, to register a Billy-Billy to the account, at least one garden must be made. By
clicking the ‘Add garden’ link, the following page is shown:

This page allows a garden to be customised by

entering a name and an image.

If no image is added, the default image will be

used.

It is advisable to use a clear-cut name for the

garden (e.g. ‘Home’ or ‘Work’).

The Billy-Billy’s themselves can also be named

separately (e.g. ‘Billy-Billy Living room’).

Note: Only the name is required to create a garden.

Once the garden is added, the home-page containing the gardens is shown, with the new garden
added to the list:

The home-page shows the status of the plants registered to the

garden.

There are 2 areas of note, specifically:

1) Editing
By clicking the icon in the top right corner, the settings for the garden
can be adjusted (see chapter 8.3.2 – Adjusting the garden).

2) Statuses of the robots

The field below the garden shows the status of the registered Billy-
Billy(‘s) and their current plants.

7.3.2 Adjusting the Garden

Once a garden has been created, the settings of the garden can be adjusted at any time by
selecting the icon in the top right corner of the garden.
The following options are available:

By selecting this option, a popup(1) will be shown where you may

enter a new name for the garden.

By selecting this option, a popup(1) will be shown where you can

upload a new image for the garden.

By selecting this option, the garden will be removed as well as the

registration of the robots after confirming that the garden may be
removed in a separate popup.

By selecting this option, this menu will be closed.

(1)
: These popups contain 2 buttons, specifically to confirm the new value or to cancel the new
value.

23
7.3.3 Adding a Billy-Billy to the Garden.
Once a garden has been selected, it is possible to add the Billy-Billy’s to the garden by selecting
the option ‘Find flowerpot’ followed by the option ‘Add flowerpot’:

After selecting the garden, the following page will be shown:

By selecting the option ‘Find flowerpot’, the following page will be shown:

To use the option ‘Start discovery’, the following preparations are needed:

- The computer is connected to the same network as Billy-Billy.

- Billy-Billy is connected to the internet (via Wi-Fi or cable).

After this, the non-registered Billy-Billy can be found by clicking ‘Start Discovery’. Next, click the
preferred Billy-Billy to add it to the garden.

24
7.4 Online Management
Once Billy-Billy has been linked to a garden, remote management is possible.

7.4.1 Home Page

By selecting Billy-Billy, the following page is shown:

This page contains 3 discernible parts, specifically:

- Status of the plant

- Settings of Billy-Billy

- History of registered plants

25
7.4.2 Status of the Plant
By selecting this part of the site, the status of the plant (with graphs) will be shown:

The first part of the page contains an

image of the registered plant as well
as the current sensor values.

The second part of the page contains

a visualisation of the recorded values
for a specific parameter (in this case
temperature) on the selected date (in
this case ‘today’).

By selecting any of the sensors

(Temperature, Light intensity or
Humidity) the graph of the selected
sensors will be shown.

To select a different date, click the

field showing the current date and
select the preferred date from the
calendar.

The field Plant Information contains a

detailed description of the plant.

26
7.4.3 Settings for Billy-Billy
This part contains 4 possible settings, specifically: ‘Device settings’, ‘Edit name’, ‘Update picture’
and ‘Send a message’.

7.4.3.1 Device Settings

By clicking this button, the following page will appear:

The first setting that can be adjusted is the

sound, with 1 being the lowest value and 10
being the highest.

A second setting is the language Billy-Billy

should use to listen and to talk.
When accessing this setting online for the first
time, no value will be selected.
This is a known bug and will be fixed in time.

This field contains the time during which Billy-

Billy must be silent (i.e. no reading out any
system messages about the status of the plant).

This part of the page contains the settings for

the news Billy-Billy can read aloud.

The following settings can be adjusted:

- Default news feed
This list contains a few cut choices of internet-
sources to collect the news from.
- Amount of headlines
- Read mode
It is possible to have Billy-Billy read out the
entire story, or just the headlines.

The final setting is the location to be used by

the weather services.

By clicking the button ‘Save settings’, the new

values will be sent to Billy-Billy.
By clicking the button ‘Go back’, the new values
will be ignored.

27
7.4.3.2 Edit Name
By selecting this button, the following screen appears:

The top field contains the current name of Billy-Billy.

By altering this value and clicking the button ‘Save’, the value will be
sent to the robot.

By clicking the button ‘Cancel’, no changes are made to the name

shown on the website.

Note: This name is only shown on the Billybot website. When using the local website, this name
will not be shown.

7.4.3.3 Update Picture

By selecting this option, the following screen will appear:

By clicking the button ‘Add image’, the

image to be used can be selected from the
hard drive of the connected computer.

By clicking the button ‘Save’, the image is sent to the website and used as
the image for the Billy-Billy.

By clicking the button ‘Cancel’, no changes are made to the settings.

7.4.3.4 Send a Message

By selecting this button, the following screen will appear:

The message to be spoken must be entered in the top

field.

By clicking the button ‘Send’, the message will be sent to

Billy-Billy and will be spoken aloud.

By clicking the button ‘Cancel’, the popup is closed, and

the other options can be selected.

28
7.5 Online Features
Apart from the management of the gardens and flowerpots, other settings can be adjusted by
using the icon in the menu bar:

7.5.1 Account Settings

By selecting the option ‘Account Settings’, the following options will be shown:

The field ‘Name’ is required and contains the first name

of the user (or if no last name has been entered, the full
name).

The field ‘Surname’ requires the surname of the user.

By clicking the button ‘Save’, the changes will be

implemented.

Note: Only the field ‘Name’ is required.

7.5.2 Changing the Password

By selecting the link ‘Change Password’, the following screen will appear:

The field Current password is required to confirm the identity of the

user.

The field ‘New password’ is required to enter the new password.

The field ‘Re-enter password’ is required to confirm the new

password.

By clicking the button ‘Save’, the new password will be implemented,

if the entered values are valid.

29
7.5.3 Calendar
It is possible to link a calendar to Billy-Billy. The procedure below shows the necessary steps:

1) Create a Google account if necessary.

If a Google account is already available, proceed to step 2.

Go to the website
https://google.com

By selecting the
button ‘Sign in’, a new
account can be
created.

Create an account. Sign in More options

Select ‘More options’

to open the menu.

By selecting the option

‘Create account’, a new
Google account can
be created.

30
To create a Google account, the following information is required:

The full name of the user.

A username on the domain gmail.com.

If the link ‘I prefer to use my current email address’

has been selected, a link will be sent to the email
address, once the other information has been
entered correctly.

A strong password.

The following rules apply to the password:

- At least 8 characters
- Unique password (e.g. not used on another
website)
Recommendation: use at least 1 number, upper-
case letter, lower-case letter and symbol.

The birth date of the user.

The gender of the user, using the following options:

An international mobile phone number (a phone

number with the country code included).
E.g.: the number 012345678 becomes
+32 12345678 for users in Belgium.

A current email address if it exists.

This is used as an extra security measure.

The county of the user.

Once all the information has been provided, the

next step can be taken by clicking the button:

31
By accepting the ‘Terms of Service’ and the ‘Privacy Policy’ by clicking the button , the
account will be ready for use.

By selecting the option ‘Sign in’ on the website https://google.com, the account can be used to
access the calendar.

2) Creating the Calendar

When the Google account has been created,

an almost(1) blank calendar has also been
created.

To access the calendar, the following link can

be used: https://calendar.google.com.

Alternatively, the calendar icon in the menu

navigation of the Google home page can also
be used.

(1)
: National holidays are automatically added, based on your country/region.

32
After opening the calendar page, it is possible to add events to the calendar. By selecting the
button, a new web page will be shown where the details of the event can be entered.

Google Calendar=:

New Event:

The most important fields on the page are the start- and end-times of the event, as well as the
name. These fields will be spoken aloud by Billy-Billy.

For more information on how to use the Calendar, use the following link:
https://support.google.com/calendar/?hl=en#topic=3417969

33
 3) Linking a Google Calendar to the online account.

By selecting the link in the menu, the following screen will be shown:

By selecting the link ‘Link Google Account’, a login

screen will appear for the Google account.

If the user is already logged in by the browser (i.e.

Google Chrome), there still needs to be confirmation of
the account to be used.

In the next screen, permission will be asked to allow the

website to access the calendar of the account.

By clicking the button ‘Allow’, the calendar will be

linked to the account, and Billy-Billy will read aloud the
messages from the calendar.

This change will also be shown on the Billybot website:

At this time, it is not possible to link multiple accounts to the account, only one calendar is used
by Billy-Billy.

By selecting the link ‘Revoke access to Google’, the calendar will be removed from the account.
To see the changes on the website, the page has to be refreshed (by using the button F5 on the
keyboard).

7.5.4 Logging off

By clicking the icon to open the menu and then selecting the option ‘Not
you? Logout’, the currently used account will be logged off.

34
8 Sensors
Besides interacting with the user, Billy-Billy was designed to take care of plants and to help them
grow.

Every species of plant or herb has its own optimal conditions for growth. Billy-Billy can monitor
these conditions by measuring the humidity, ambient temperature and the humidity of the soil.
Since the optimal conditions are specific to the species of plant, it is important to know which
plant is used. It is therefore essential to only use the corresponding seeds with the inner pot,
since Billy-Billy can only monitor the pot itself.

Billy-Billy is equipped with several sensors to monitor the condition of the inserted plant:

8.1 Sensors for the Inner Pot

Billy-Billy has a sensor to detect the pot that has been inserted. By using this reference, Billy-Billy
knows what plant to take care of and provides the optimal conditions for it.

8.2 Light Sensors

The robot has been equipped with 2 sensors
detecting the light intensity. One of them is located in
the left eye, and the other one is located at the back.

By using 2 sensors, Billy-Billy can be put against a wall

or in a cupboard, without affecting the result.

8.3 Temperature Sensor

The robot has been equipped with a temperature
sensor which is located in the nose.

This sensor is used to detect the ambient

temperature in degrees Celsius.

35
8.4 Soil Moisture Sensors
Billy-Billy has been
equipped with a sensor to
detect the moisture of the
soil in the inner pot.

The openings in the inner

pot are there to allow the
sensors to measure the
humidity of the soil.

Due to the nature of the used material (soil), the

value cannot be detected immediately, Some time
must be allowed to pass in order for the water to
penetrate the soil.

8.5 Time Sensor

This is measured by using an internal clock, but time is also an important factor when growing
plants. To prevent the plants from growing to the side (as plants will grow towards the sun) and to
optimise watering the plant, the inner pot must be rotated (by a quarter stroke) regularly. Billy-
Billy will remind the user of this when needed.

The main reason for turning the inner pot is to have the plants grow straight up. Most plants tend
to grow towards the sun. To prevent the plants from growing crooked, the inner pot must be
turned regularly.

36
9 Epilogue
We sincerely hope you will have a lot of fun with your Billy-Billy.

To contact us, the following contact information(1) can be used:

Website http://zorarobotics.be/index.php/nl/contact

Ticketing https://zorabots.freshdesk.com

Email support@qbmt.be

Telephone +32 59 20 03 11

Address Archimedesstraat 17
8400 Oostende
België

(1)
: When contacting us, please always reference the serial number. This number is located at the
bottom of Billy-Billy (ZB10008 in the example below).

The sticker and serial number in more detail:

37
Appendix 1 – Voice commands
This appendix displays the possible voice commands, divided into subjects.

1 System Information
These commands provide information on the general settings of Billy-Billy.

Subject Questions

Time How late is it?

What's the time?
What is the time?

Date What is the date?

What is the date today?
Which day are we?
Which day are we today?

IP Address What is your IP?

What is your IP address?

2 Plant Information
This category contains questions about the type of plant that should be in the pot.

Subject Questions

Plant Name What is your plant name?

What kind of plant are you?

Plant Description What is the description of the plant?

What is so special about the plant?
3 Plant Sensor Data
This category contains questions to the status of the plant, in particular the values measured by
the sensors.

Subject Questions

Status of the Plant Is everything OK?

How are you?
What is your status?
what is your problem?
How can I help you?
How is the plant?
Is something wrong?
What's the problem?
What's wrong?
Why are your cheeks yellow/orange/red?
Do you need help?
Can I help you?

Humidity What is your humidity?

What is your humidity level?
How is your humidity?
How much water did you get?
How much water do you have?

Humidity Status Is your humidity too high?

Did you get too much water?
Do you have too much water?

Is your humidity ok?

Did you get enough water?
Do you have enough water?

Is your humidity too low?

Did you get too little water?
Do you have too little water?
Are you thirsty?

39
Light What is your light intensity?
How much light are you getting?

Light Status Is the light too bright?

Is the amount of light too high?
Is there too much light?
Do you want less light?
Do you need less light?

Is the amount of light ok?

Do you have enough light?
Are you getting enough light?

Is the light too dim?

Is the amount of light too low?
Is there too little light?
Do you want more light?
Do you need more light?

Temperature What is your temperature?

How warm are you?
How cold are you?

Temperature Status Is your temperature too high?

Is the temperature too high?
Are you too warm?
Are you too hot?

Is your temperature ok?

Is the temperature ok?
Is the temperature well suited for you?
Are you warm enough?
Are you cold enough?

Is your temperature too low?

Is the temperature too low?
Are you too cold?

40
4 Extras
This category contains questions about specific settings (i.e. online functions and feedback).

Subject Commands

Greeting Hi Billy-Billy.

Introduction Introduce yourself.

Who are you?

Schedule What is on my schedule for today?

Weather Report What is the weather like today?

What is the weather forecast for this morning?
What is the weather forecast for this afternoon?
What is the weather forecast for this evening?
What will the weather be like tomorrow?
What will the weather be like the day after tomorrow?

News What are today's headlines?

What is the news for today?
What are the headlines of today's news?

Confirmation of Adding some Water I just gave you a sip of water.

I have given you a refill.

Confirmation of Adding some Fertilizer I just gave you fertilizer.

I have given you some fertilizer.

Confirmation of Turning the Inner Pot I just turned the pot.

I have turned the inner pot.

Meaning of Life. What is the meaning of life?

Read Wi-Fi config from USB and Connect to wifi

Connect

41
Appendix 2 – Tutorials
This document is intended to explain the general methodology of the Billy-Billy robot and to
provide a brief explanation of the functionality.

Contents
1 Planting the plants ............................................................................................................................................................................. 43
2 Maintenance of Billy-Billy ............................................................................................................................................................ 46
2.1 Cleaning agents and dusting off ................................................................................................................................. 46
2.2 Spilled water .............................................................................................................................................................................. 46
2.3 Keeping the sensors clear ............................................................................................................................................... 46
1 Planting the Plants
This chapter provides some information on the icons used in the Quick install guide to plant the
plants. It is advisable to start planting with Billy-Billy turned off.

Step 1 – Removing the Inner Pot from Billy-Billy

To make it easier to fill the inner pot with the soil and seeds, or to
avoid damaging Billy-Billy during this step, it is recommended to
remove the inner pot before adding the soil.

Step 2 – Open the Bag of Soil and Fill the Pot

Fill the inner pot with the supplied soil WITHOUT pressing it.

Step 3 – Pressing the Soil

After the pot has been filled with the soil, it needs to be
compressed a little. 2 markers have been provided to indicate
how deep the soil should be pressed.

The soil needs to be pressed down until the bottom mark is

visible.

Step 4 – Distributing the Seeds

Once the soil has been pressed, the seeds can be distributed on
top of the soil bed.

43
Step 5 – Adding some more Soil

By filling up the inner pot up to the edge, the seeds will be

covered.

Step 6 – Pressing the Soil to the Top Marker

Take care when pressing the soil that the top layer is not too
dense, so air can still reach the seeds.

Do not repeat Step 5-6 if there still is some soil left.

Step 7 – Inserting the Inner Pot

By inserting the inner pot back in Billy-Billy, the status of the

plant can now be monitored.

You may now switch Billy-Billy on if you haven’t done so already.

Step 8 – Watering the Plants

Add some water to the inner pot. Please wait for a while to allow
Billy-Billy to start measuring the humidity in the soil.

44
Step 9 – Place Billy-Billy in a Sunny Spot

Place Billy-Billy (and the plant) in a sufficiently sunny and warm

spot for the plant.

45
2 Maintenance of Billy-Billy
The following precautions are applicable during the maintenance of Billy-Billy. While the
maintenance is being done, it is advisable that Billy-Billy is disconnected from the power grid.

2.1 Cleaning Agents and Dusting off

Like any flowerpot, Billy-Billy can be dusted normally. To remove stains, a mild detergent (or a
cleaning agent without alcohol) may be used.

To avoid damaging Billy-Billy, do not apply the cleaning agent directly onto Billy-Billy. The
cleaning agent should be placed on a cloth or piece of paper before cleaning Billy-Billy.

2.2 Spilled Water

If some water is spilled while watering the plants, please clean these as soon as possible with a
towel or a piece of paper.

2.3 Keeping the Sensors Clear

To keep the sensors and microphone in a working condition, the openings in the cover of Billy-
Billy must remain clear.

If the openings are blocked off by dirt, clear them again carefully by using soft towels or cotton
swabs.

46
Appendix 3 – Technical specifications
This appendix contains more detailed information on the hardware of Billy-Billy and more detailed
information on connecting Billy-Billy to a network.

Contents
1 Hardware.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
1.1 Technical specifications .......................................................................................................................................................... 48
1.2 Norms ..............................................................................................................................................................................................49
2 Automatic Updates............................................................................................................................................................................49
3 Warranty conditions......................................................................................................................................................................... 50
4 Colour Codes Billy-Billy ................................................................................................................................................................. 51

47
1 Hardware
1.1 Technical Specifications
The table below lists the technical details on the hardware, present in Billy-Billy:

Net Voltage 90 - 264 VAC

Net Frequency 47 - 63 Hz

Power < 5W

Power Adapters EU, UK & US

Secondary Voltage +12V DC

Working Temperature 0°C ~ +35°C

Working Humidity 10% ~ 70%

Weight Without soil: 705 g

With soil: 1,25 kg (the soil weighs about 320g)
Without soil with packaging: 1.53 kg

Material ABS

Dimensions 210 mm x 180 mm x 145 mm

Colour Green - RAL 6018

IP Class IP-21

CPU Broadcom BCM2827 @ 1.2GHz

64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
1 GB LPDDR2 memory

Speakers Stereo – 2x 3W

Microphone Mono Mems

Connectivity Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g/n

External LAN 10/100 Ethernet port

USB 2 external USB ports

Network Requirements: Communication to website: TCP-ports 9001 and 1883.

(outbound ports) Communication to news-server: TCP-ports 3000 and 3001.

48
1.2 Norms
Billy-Billy complies with the guidelines Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU en EMC Directive
2014/30/EU with the norms: CISPR 32-B en EN 55032-B, IEC EN 61000-4-2, IEC EN 61000-4-3, IEC
EN 61000-4-4, IEC EN 61000-4-5, IEC EN 61000-4-6, IEC EN 61000-4-11.

The CE marking is a mandatory European marking to indicate that

certain products are in compliance with the European directives on
essential health and safety requirements. By affixing the CE marking,
the manufacturer, his authorized representative or the person placing
the product on the market indicates that the item meets all essential
requirements of all relevant EU directives and that the relevant
conformity assessment procedures have been applied.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE CORRECT DISPOSAL OF THE

PRODUCT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE
2002/96 / EC AND ITS AMMENDMENT ON 2003/108 / EC

To dispose of this product, refer to the local law.

2 Automatic Updates
Billy-Billy is automatically updated to the latest version of the software as soon as it is made
available by Zorabots NV. This feature requires a working internet-connection

49
3 Warranty conditions
1) In accordance with the following conditions, ZoraBots will repair any demonstrable material and
/ or production defects free of charge if ZoraBots was informed has been this immediately after
its adoption and within 24 months (12 months for professional or similar use) after delivery to the
consumer. If the defect appears within 6 months of delivery, it is deemed to be a material or
manufacturing fault.

2) The warranty does not apply to fragile parts (e.g. glass, plastic, rubber), defects caused by
careless use or insignificant deviations that are not relevant to the use of the appliance.
Furthermore, the warranty does not include transport damage that has occurred outside the
responsibility of ZoraBots, damage caused by natural wear and tear, improper use, poor
maintenance, failure to observe the instructions for use or assembly or damage caused by
changes or repairs by the consumer or third parties. The warranty will lapse as well as the
warranty sticker at the bottom of Billy-Billy has been broken.

3) The warranty does not apply to damage caused by:

- A wrong electrical connection

- Chemical and electrochemical effects of water

- Abnormal environmental conditions in general

- If the device is used for which it is not designed

- Contact with aggressive substances

4) The warranty presupposes a free repair, that is, by repairing the device or by replacing parts at
the discretion of ZoraBots. Devices must be delivered to our customer service at the address of
ZoraBots. Warranty performance can only be performed on presentation of the proof of purchase
(with purchase and / or delivery date). Replaced parts and exchanged devices become the
property of ZoraBots.

5) If a repair proves to be economically irresponsible or impossible, ZoraBots reserves the right to

offer an equivalent replacement device instead of repairing it.

In the event of replacement of the device, account will be taken of the consumer's use of the
device since its delivery. This use is calculated on a flat rate basis for the price of the new device
and that percentage is 2% per month of use.

6) If there is no guarantee, the costs for repair and other rendered services (e.g. transport and
inspection costs) will be invoiced to the consumer at the applicable rates.

7) Performed guarantee repairs do not result in an extension of the warranty period, nor can they
give rise to a new warranty period.

8) More extensive or other claims - in particular regarding the repair of damage that occurred
outside the device - are excluded from the guarantee insofar as the liability of Zorabots is not
legally established.

50
4 Colour Codes Billy-Billy
As stated in the manual, Billy-Billy has LED lights installed in the cheeks. The following is a
summary of the possible colour codes and their meaning:

51