Firmware & Software Flashing
Get the software images, flash the Radxa CM5 and Raspberry Pi 5, then connect the Head Compute Unit and the RPU and sign in to Asimov Manager.
This flow covers downloading the images, flashing both boards, connecting them and signing in to Asimov Manager.
Check the battery switch
After Connect and Sign In, press the battery's switch button. If it does not turn the Compute Module setup off and on, you must enable the battery BMS switch.
If the switch already turns the setup off and on, skip that step and continue to actuator ID assignment.
Before you begin
Keep the Raspberry Pi 5 box
IMPORTANT! Keep the 's retail box or scan the QR and record down the 16-digit code. The 16-digit code is your robot's fallback AP WiFi password — it is unique to your board.
Note: the QR code can also be found on the back of the just in case you have lost the box.
You will also need
- The Compute Module Setup from the previous step
- A PC with a USB-C port and WiFi
- A USB-C data cable (charge-only cables will not work)
- A microSD card, 32 GB or larger (and adapter to the PC to prepare for flashing of the microSD card)
You will install two free tools along the way — one for each board. Both are covered in the steps below, with instructions for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Get the Images
Request the Images
Current release: v0.1.1
Asimov's software is still a work in progress, so we share the board images directly, along with instructions for using them safely.
Existing customers can reach us through their usual support channel.
Everyone else, fill in this form and we'll be in touch.
| Image | Download | Asset |
|---|---|---|
| Contact us | asimov-rpu-0.1.1.img.xz | |
| SPL bootloader | Radxa | rk3588_spl_loader_v1.15.113.bin |
| Contact us | asimov-rpi-0.1.1.img.xz | |
| Checksums (optional) | Contact us | SHA256SUMS |
The SPL bootloader is needed when you flash the Radxa CM5. The image is loaded into Raspberry Pi Imager when you flash the Raspberry Pi 5. The image filenames retain the asimov-rpu and asimov-rpi software names.
Use images from the same release round
Use images from the same release round for both boards. The two boards run matched software; mixing an old image with a new one can leave joints uncontrolled. Each release notes which and image versions belong together.
Check Your Downloads (Optional)
Put SHA256SUMS in the same folder as the downloaded files, then run:
# Linux
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS --ignore-missing
# macOS
shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS --ignore-missingEach downloaded file should report OK. On Windows, run Get-FileHash <file> in PowerShell and compare the result with the matching line in SHA256SUMS.
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