How to Set Up the EngineAI SE01 at Home: Step-by-Step Guide (2026, Firmware 1.3)

What You’ll Need: Tools, Space & Time

Tools & supplies

• PC (Windows, macOS, or Linux) with an Ethernet port and a web browser
• Ethernet cable (Cat5e or better)
• EngineAI SE01 charger (included; 24 V / 10 A typical)
• Suspension harness or sturdy overhead rig (optional but highly recommended)
• Anti‑fatigue rubber mat for the floor
• Spotter (another person) for the first movement

Space & environment

• Minimum floor area: 3 m × 3 m of clear, flat, non‑slip indoor surface
• Ceiling height: allow at least 2.2 m above the floor – the robot stands 1.70 m tall but will raise arms during calibration
• Temperature: 0–35 °C; avoid direct sunlight and high humidity
• Floor surface: hardwood, concrete, or low‑pile carpet – no thick rugs or uneven tiles

Setup‑time estimates (first‑time user)

Before You Start: Safety & Space Requirements

The EngineAI SE01 does not have an ISO‑certified collaborative rating, so treat it like a piece of heavy lab equipment. Never leave it powered on unattended.

Step 1 – Unboxing & Physical Inspection

1. Place the shipping crate on a stable, level floor. Remove the outer straps.
2. Open the crate lid and lift out the protective foam. You should see:

• The SE01 robot body, laying flat
• The battery pack (packed separately)
• The charger and power cable
• A quick‑start guide (paper or QR code)

1. Inspect visually: check for any cracked plastic, bent joints, or loose cables. Look at the knee and hip actuators – the 12 degrees of freedom are spread across legs, torso, and head.
2. Save the crate: if you ever need to ship the robot back for service, the original packaging is essential.
3. With the help of a second person, carefully lift the robot upright (avoid twisting the legs). Place it on the prepared floor mat, leaning it gently against a wall with a pillow behind its back for temporary support – but do not let its full weight rest on the arms.

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Step 2 – Battery Installation & Charging

1. Locate the battery compartment on the robot’s back (between the shoulders). The SE01 uses a 48 V / 25 Ah lithium‑ion pack.
2. Slide the battery into the rails until it clicks. There is no orientation error – it only fits one way.
3. Plug the charger into the robot’s charging port (on the lower back, protected by a rubber flap). The LED on the charger will glow red while charging and turn green when full.
4. First charge: let it reach 100 % (≈2.5 hours from empty). Do not attempt to power on the robot with a partially charged battery; the calibration sequence expects a stable voltage.

Battery warnings: - Never remove the battery while the robot is powered on. - Store the battery at 40–60 % charge if the robot will sit unused for more than a week.

Step 3 – Powering On & First Boot

1. Ensure the robot is safely supported – either suspended or held by two spotters.
2. Press and hold the power button (on the chest, below the e‑stop) for 3 seconds. The robot’s head will light up blue, and the cooling fan will spin.
3. Wait for the boot sequence (≈1 minute). The robot’s joints will stay limp (damping mode) until a control command is sent.
4. Do not give any movement command yet – proceed directly to network configuration while the robot remains stationary.

If the robot fails to boot: - Check the battery is fully seated. - Try the power cycle once more, waiting 10 seconds between attempts.

Step 4 – Network Configuration (Ethernet & Wi‑Fi)

The SE01 comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port on the back of its head unit (under a rubber seal). By default, the robot runs a DHCP server; you can also set a static IP from the maintenance panel.

Option A – Wired (recommended for first setup) 1. Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to the robot’s port, the other end to your PC. 2. On your PC, set the Ethernet interface to obtain an IP address automatically (DHCP). The robot will assign your PC an address in the range 192.168.100.xxx. 3. Open a terminal and ping 192.168.100.1 (the robot’s default gateway). A successful reply confirms connectivity.

Option B – Static IP (if DHCP fails) 1. Look up the robot’s pre‑configured IP in the quick‑start guide. Common values: 192.168.1.10 or 10.0.0.2. 2. Set your PC’s Ethernet adapter to a static IP in the same subnet, e.g.: - IP: 192.168.1.100 - Netmask: 255.255.255.0 - Gateway: leave blank or use the robot’s IP 3. Test with ping .

Wi‑Fi setup (after initial Ethernet connection) - Access the robot’s web configuration panel by navigating to http://:8080 in a browser. - Enter the “Network” tab, scan for your home Wi‑Fi SSID, and provide the password. The robot will then be available over Wi‑Fi on the same subnet.

Step 5 – App / Remote Control Binding

1. Download the EngineAI Control app from the iOS App Store or Google Play (scan the QR code in the quick‑start guide).
2. Ensure your phone/tablet is on the same Wi‑Fi network as the robot, or connect via Bluetooth if the robot’s Bluetooth beacon is active.
3. Open the app and tap Add Device. The SE01 should appear as “SE01‑”. Select it and enter the default PIN 0000 (change later).
4. Once bound, the app shows a live status panel: battery, joint states, and a joystick for manual control.

If you have the optional physical remote control, press the pair button on the remote while the robot is in discovery mode (indicated by a flashing blue light on the chest). Both app and remote can be used simultaneously.

Step 6 – Firmware Update & Security Hardening

1. Check current firmware

In the EngineAI Control app, navigate to Settings → System Info. The firmware version appears as SE01‑vX.X.X. This guide was last verified on firmware 1.3 (early 2026).

2. Update procedure

• Download the latest firmware image from the EngineAI Customer Portal (requires registration).
• Copy the .bin file to a FAT32‑formatted USB drive (max 16 GB).
• Insert the USB drive into the robot’s service port (on the hip) and restart the robot. The bootloader will detect the update and begin flashing automatically – the head LED will blink green during the process. Do not power off.
• After completion, the robot will reboot and the app will show the new version.

3. Security hardening

While the EngineAI SE01 has not been affected by any public CVEs as of this writing, the following steps reduce your attack surface:

• Change default credentials: replace the PIN 0000 and any SSH/login passwords immediately. Access the robot’s web panel → Security to set a strong password.
• Disable Bluetooth discovery when not pairing new devices.
• Disable Wi‑Fi hotspot if the robot is not being used as an access point.
• Keep the robot behind a firewall – only expose its IP to your local network.
• Subscribe to EngineAI’s security bulletin for future CVE notifications.

Step 7 – SDK / ROS2 Setup (Advanced)

EngineAI provides a Python‑based SDK with ROS2 (Foxy/Humble) wrappers for the SE01. The repository is hosted on EngineAI’s official GitHub (link in the documentation).

Prerequisites: - Ubuntu 22.04 (recommended) or macOS/Windows with WSL2 - Python 3.8+ - ROS2 Humble (or Foxy) - Ethernet connection to the robot

Installation (typical): ``bash git clone https://github.com/EngineAI-Robotics/se01_sdk.git cd se01_sdk pip3 install -r requirements.txt pip3 install -e . ` `bash sudo apt update sudo apt install ros-humble-ros-base source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash colcon build --packages-select se01_control source install/setup.bash ``

SDK communication: The SE01 uses a DDS middleware (CycloneDDS), and the default domain ID is 0. Verify that your network interface is the one connected to the robot (e.g., enp2s0). If the robot does not respond, check: - The robot is not in “debug” mode (the green status LED must be solid). - Your PC’s firewall is not blocking UDP traffic. - You sourced the ROS2 workspace before running any node.

Basic test: run the se01_demo_walk.py script to make the robot take two steps. Always place the robot in a suspended/spotter‑supported state before executing movement commands from the SDK.

If the above commands differ from your actual SDK, consult the official EngineAI SE01 Development Guide – the software stack is evolving rapidly and exact steps may have changed.

Step 8 – Calibration & First Movement

1. With the robot still supported (harness or spotters), open the EngineAI Control app and go to Calibration.
2. The robot will slowly move each leg actuator to its zero position. You’ll hear soft whirring. Do not touch the joints.
3. Once calibration passes (app shows “Calibration OK”), you can proceed to the Stand command.
4. Tap Stand. The robot will rise to its full 1.70 m height. Keep spotters ready; the feet may shift slightly as the balance controller engages.
5. If the robot stands steadily for 10 seconds without tipping, you can remove the harness or have spotters step back.
6. Use the app’s joystick to command slow forward/backward movement. Limit the speed to 20 % for the first walk. The SE01 achieves a maximum of 4 km/h; at home, keep it under 2 km/h.

First‑walk checklist: - Floor clear, no cables or small objects - Battery > 80 % - Exclusion zone marked and clear - Emergency‑stop tested before movement

Defining Success: Minimum / Full / Advanced

Common Setup Mistakes & Fixes