Getting Started with TJBot: Build, Configure, and Voice‑Control Your Own AI Robot

Introduction

Meet TJBot, IBM’s hands‑on kit that brings Watson AI to your doorstep. Assemble a small robot, plug in a Raspberry Pi 3, and watch it wave, blink, talk, and listen—all powered by IBM’s cloud services.

Required Setup Tools

For a desktop configuration you’ll need:

• USB mouse
• USB keyboard
• HDMI monitor, TV, or a VGA adapter
• 5 V power supply

Getting Started

Before diving into code, set up your Raspberry Pi, connect it to the internet, and keep the OS up to date. This guide walks you through each step.

Setting up the Pi

Powering on: While the Pi can boot from a computer’s USB port via the micro‑USB “PWR IN”, we recommend a dedicated 5.1 V micro‑USB wall adapter for stability.

Connect your monitor, keyboard, and mouse, then insert the microSD card that came with the kit. Plug the power supply into the labeled micro‑B USB port and power on. You should see the Raspberry Pi boot screen.

US users may want to switch the keyboard layout from UK to US. Open the Raspberry menu, choose Preferences → Mouse and Keyboard Settings, then click Keyboard Layout… to select your preferred layout.

Install TJBot

Run the bootstrap script with a single command:

curl -sL https://ibm.biz/tjbot-bootstrap | sudo sh –

Open a terminal (click the terminal icon in the top panel). Note that copying text into a terminal uses Shift + Ctrl + C and pasting uses Shift + Ctrl + V. After pasting the command, press Enter to download the script.

The installer will ask a series of yes/no questions. Respond with y for:

• Confirm installation on the current Pi
• Disable IPv6 (recommended)
• Use Google’s nameservers for faster DNS
• Force locale to US English if you’re in the U.S.

When prompted for a TJBot name, you can either type a custom name or press Enter to keep the default.

Upgrade the OS

The script will offer to upgrade the Raspberry Pi OS. Although it can take up to an hour, most users finish in ten minutes. Type y and hit Enter to begin. Watch the progress scroll by; the upgrade is automated.

Install Node.js

After the OS upgrade, the installer will ask to install Node.js. Accept the prompt, choose version 7, and let the script download and install it. If you don’t have a camera, answer no when asked.

The script then clones the TJBot project to your desktop. When prompted to disable sound kernel modules, answer n to preserve audio functionality.

Finish Up!

You’ll see a friendly ASCII art of TJBot and a completion message. Press Enter to proceed. The installer will outline steps for creating an IBM Cloud account, which we’ll cover next. Skip the hardware tests for now; they may fail after the custom configuration. Finally, choose yes to reboot immediately.

IBM Cloud Setup

TJBot’s capabilities are powered by Watson AI. To access Watson, you’ll need a free IBM Cloud account.

Sign Up for an IBM Account

Visit IBM’s registration page to create an IBM ID. Verify your email, then enter the 7‑digit confirmation code received.

After confirmation, log out of the IBM account dashboard.

Log In to IBM Cloud

Navigate to the IBM Cloud portal (cloud.ibm.com). Enter your IBM ID email and provide a phone number. Complete the captcha, then confirm your account via the email link. Click the blue Login button to access the cloud dashboard.

Set Up Your Organization

Choose a short, memorable name for your organization and create a space (e.g., “test”). Once created, click I’m Ready to confirm.

IBM Cloud Dashboard Overview

The dashboard is your launchpad for all IBM Cloud services. To enable paid services for TJBot, add billing information:

1. Click Manage → Billing in the top‑right menu.
2. Select Add Credit Card and fill out the form.
3. Submit to activate your upgraded account.

With billing set up, you’re ready to create Watson services and bring TJBot to life.

Voice‑Control an LED

The first project demonstrates voice control of an addressable LED. Start by connecting the LED from the kit to the Raspberry Pi.

LED Hookup

Locate the small LED (approximately the size of a pencil eraser). Use the included F/F jumper wires and follow the diagram below to wire it to the Pi’s GPIO pins.

Diagram courtesy Maryam @ IBM

USB Microphone Hookup

Plug the USB microphone into any available USB port on the Pi. The specific port does not matter.

Set up a Speech‑to‑Text Instance on IBM Cloud

Return to the IBM Cloud dashboard, click the hamburger menu in the upper left, and navigate to Speech to Text under Services. Create a new instance and note the credentials.

With the microphone connected and the Speech‑to‑Text service provisioned, you’re ready to program TJBot to listen, interpret, and control the LED.