OpenClaw Peripheral Hardware Configuration

1. Course Overview

This course will introduce the default configuration files related to hardware before using OpenClaw, focusing on how to modify underlying default parameters according to the actual situation of your peripherals and complete basic verification.

• Use low-level commands to verify if modifications take effect

2. Hardware Configuration File Description

2.1 Configuration File Location

The current hardware default configuration file for OpenClaw is located at:

/home/sunrise/hardware_hal_demo/hardware_config.py

If you are following the accompanying tutorial and using the accompanying factory hardware with the default factory image, you usually do not need to modify it.

2.2 Current Configuration File Coverage

hardware_config.py currently mainly contains three types of default configurations:

• OpenClaw firmware serial port default parameters

• OLED default parameters

These default values are read by low-level command-line tools, such as:

• rgb

• oled

• dht

It should be noted that:

• DHT and RGB are driven directly through the OpenClaw expansion board firmware

• OLED is driven through the motherboard's I2C pins

• CSI camera requires checking hardware connections

2.3 Peripheral Wiring Diagrams

• The OLED and temperature/humidity sensor do not require external connections; they are directly onboard on the OpenClaw expansion board.

• Servo wiring diagram: as shown below, the S1 signal pin corresponds to yellow, red corresponds to 5V, and brown corresponds to GND.

  

   

• RGB light strip has a fool-proof interface, see the image below.

  

• Please power off before inserting. For the CSI camera, insert it straight down into the slot, with metal contacts facing the white side of the interface.

  

3. DHT Hardware Testing

Note: If you need to continuously read DHT via the Python driver library, it is recommended to read DHT data every two seconds for better stability.

3.1 Verification Method

xxxxxxxxxx
dht   # Get sensor data
dht_oled  # Display sensor data on OLED

Normal terminal output should show temperature and humidity data on the OLED.

4. RGB Hardware Testing

4.1 Verification Method

Run in terminal:

xxxxxxxxxx
rgb color --color red # All turn red
rgb effect --effect breathe --color blue --speed 5 # Blue breathing light

Normal terminal output should show the RGB lights displaying normally.

Turn off the light strip:

xxxxxxxxxx
rgb off

5. Servo Hardware Testing

5.1 Verification Method

Control a single servo:

​x
servo call-tool Servo1 --action set_angle --angle 90  # Servo 1 turns to 90 degrees
servo call-tool Servo2 --action set_angle --angle 180  # Servo 2 turns to 180 degrees

# Servo1 is the servo to control
# 90 is the angle to turn to

Synchronously control multiple servos:

Note: If you only have two servos, fill in the angles for two servos; the angles for the other two can be filled arbitrarily.

xxxxxxxxxx
# Four servos reach specified angles simultaneously
servo call-tool ServoAll --action set_all --angle1 90 --angle2 45 --angle3 135 --angle4 60 
# All servos return to center position
servo call-tool ServoAll --action set_all --angle1 90 --angle2 90 --angle3 90 --angle4 90

6. OpenClaw Firmware Serial Port Settings

6.1 Current Default Values

The current default serial port parameters for OpenClaw firmware are:

• port="/dev/ttyS1"

• baudrate=115200

Serial port naming may differ on other motherboards, for example, Jetson uses "/dev/ttyTHS1".

6.2 Modification Example

Edit the configuration file:

xxxxxxxxxx
nano /home/sunrise/hardware_hal_demo/hardware_config.py

Change RDK X5 to, for example:

xxxxxxxxxx
"port": "/dev/ttyS1",
"baudrate": 115200,

6.3 Verification Method

After saving, it is recommended to first test with any low-level command for servo or RGB, for example:

xxxxxxxxxx
rgb color --color green 

Or:

xxxxxxxxxx
servo call-tool Servo1 --action center  # Servo 1 returns to center 90 degrees
# All servos return to center position
servo call-tool ServoAll --action set_all --angle1 90 --angle2 90 --angle3 90 --angle4 90

If the command returns normally and can control the peripheral correctly, it means the serial port link is available.

7. OLED Hardware Testing

7.1 Current Default Values

Current OLED default parameters mainly include:

• width=128

• height=32

• interface="i2c"

• i2c_bus="5"

• i2c_bus_candidates=[5]

• i2c_address=0x3C

• rotate=0

• invert=False

• contrast=255

7.2 Scenarios Suitable for Modification

It is recommended to modify OLED default values in the following situations:

• You are using an OLED with a different resolution

• I2C address is not 0x3C

• Screen orientation needs to be flipped

7.3 Common Modification Items

Modify Resolution

For example, change:

xxxxxxxxxx
"width": 128,
"height": 32,

To:

xxxxxxxxxx
"width": 128,
"height": 64,

Modify I2C Address

For example, change:

xxxxxxxxxx
"i2c_address": 0x3C,

To:

xxxxxxxxxx
"i2c_address": 0x3D,

Modify Rotation Direction

For example, change:

xxxxxxxxxx
"rotate": 0,

To:

xxxxxxxxxx
"rotate": 180,

7.4 Verification Method

After saving, run in terminal:

xxxxxxxxxx
oled text --text 'Hello OpenClaw' 
oled clear 

If the OLED can display and clear normally, it means the configuration has taken effect.

8. Camera Hardware Testing

8.1 Configuration

Prerequisite is to ensure the CSI camera is connected. The current CSI camera pipeline mainly works through the following two entry points:

xxxxxxxxxx
/home/sunrise/hardware_hal_demo/camera
/home/sunrise/.openclaw/workspace/skills/sunrise-vision/scripts/csi_snap

8.2 Photo Verification Method

Enter instructions in terminal to first directly test the photo pipeline:

xxxxxxxxxx
camera

If the photo is successful, you will usually see output files in the following directory:

xxxxxxxxxx
~/.openclaw/media/csi-camera/

If the photo fails, it is likely that the camera pipeline is stuck; unplug and reinsert the camera (perform this operation while powered off).

8.3 Adjustable Parameter Description

Although the camera is not currently configured in hardware_config.py, the camera command supports some photography parameters when called, such as:

• --width

• --height

• --timeout-ms

• --rotation

• --hflip

• --vflip

• --camera

For example:

xxxxxxxxxx
camera --width 1280 --height 720