MIMIC

TRAINING KIT

Beginner
Content
Introduction 2

Program Setup 3
Nodes

Adding Nodes 4
Getting Ready 5

Interfaces 6

Recording 7
Joystick 8
Mimic Track 9
Exercise 10
Mimic Tune 12
Exercise
Mimic Play 13
Mimic Training Guide: Beginner
This guide walks you through the setup and key functions needed
to get started with the Mimic software platform. Upon finishing
this guide, you will be able to program a cobot using Mimic, a no-
code software platform.

We recommend that you follow along on your own robot while

going through this guide. If you have questions or are in doubt,
visit Nordbo Workshop for detailed explanations.

!
This guide is made for Mimic users working with UR
E-series robots.

When it comes to the UR CB series, the flow may differ

for finding Mimic nodes.

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Program Setup
Three nodes

To create a Mimic program you need three nodes:

TRACK
One for recording the movement
Or (either Track or Teach)

TEACH

One for Tuning, which allows

TUNE you to make the recording more
accurate

PLAY One for Playing the recording

There is a great difference between the Track and Teach

methods and they will be covered in the next steps.

In this part of the training let us solely focus on Track.

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Add nodes into your program
How to
Go into the “Program” tab on the top left corner, followed by the
“URCaps” tab.

There you will find four nodes. For now, first, click on “Mimic Track”,
then “Mimic Tune”, and lastly on “Mimic Play”. Click the “command”
tab, once you added all three nodes.

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Setup
Getting ready
Mimic Track node provides you the necessary
TRACK setup instructions and features for capturing hand
movements and transferring them into the robot.

During the setup, make sure to give the program a

meaningful name, check if the node refers to the
right TCP calibration, and select the right joystick
calibration (either IR or FT).

Conveyor settings for this part of the training are not

relevant.

Mimic Tune is the node that makes the recorded

TUNE movements more accurate.

Before starting the tuning process, make sure that

Track is preselected in the setup view and that you
select the correct recording name using the drop-
down function.

Afterward, double-check if the selection for the

robot TCP and the joystick calibration is the same
as for the Track node, and you are all set.

The Mimic Play node allows you to execute the

PLAY recorded and tuned path.
Make sure that Track is preselected in the setup
view and that you select the correct recording name
using the drop-down function.
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Interconnectivity of Interfaces
Since Mimic software is integrated into UR robot operating software,
here are some tips and tricks to help you navigate them both.

You work on two different interfaces: UR being the core interface

and Mimic being built into it.

The UR interface is the primary interface in terms of which node

you are working on. Let us say that the Mimic interface shows the
Mimic Tune node, but the UR interface highlights the Mimic Track
node, then the program runs the Mimic Track node.

A blue arrow will appear next to the active node on the UR interface.
This arrow can be used as a guideline, to see which node is active.

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You may find yourself in a situation where the Mimic interface
does not reflect the node selected in the program tree.

In that case, a circled blue button will appear at the bottom left
corner of the Teach Pendant.

When pressed, it will align the Mimic node and the UR node. You
can use it as a “get back on track” button in case you get lost.

Almost there
One more thing
You are almost ready to start recording your first program. You only
need to know one more thing. On the bottom of the screen, you will
see three buttons. You have to press the Play button before you
start recording a program, as it starts the UR program.

If it is not pressed, nothing happens if you try to move the robot!

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Recording
Joystick

You have to make sure that the joystick is aligned with the
orientation of the robot. This is done, to ensure that when you
move the joystick, the robot moves in the same direction.

Keep the joystick in the desired orientation. You align the robot
inside the “Feature” tab, by pressing and holding the “Press and
Hold” button. Release the button once you finish aligning the
joystick and the robot.

The default joystick contains four buttons. Three on the front

and one on the side. The buttons can be configured to custom
settings, therefore ask your teacher about the individual buttons
and what they are programmed to do.

1 2 3

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Recording
Mimic Track

Press the play button at the bottom to start the program.

Once you press and hold the move button on the joystick, the
robot will mimic your movements. If the record button has not
been pressed, the movements will not be recorded.

Be aware that starting a new recording without changing the

name will delete the previous recording.

Try to play around with the movements a bit. Here are three
exercises you can make, to get a feeling for the limits of the
robot.

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Getting Started
First exercises before recording

Exercise 1: Align yourself to the tool

Exercise 2: Understanding how long your robot can reach

“Reach as far as you can”
Draw a large S in the air

Exercise 3: Understand how the robot moves

Slowly, right, left, top, down
“Notice how the path is the same, but the robot
moves differently than you.”
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Exercise 4
First recording
It is time for you to make the first recording.

For now, pick a square-shaped object to work on. Move the robot
to its starting position and follow the instructions below.

Remember to press the record button once to start the recording

and press it again to stop the recording.

TRACK

TUNE

PLAY

Record the border of an object

Once you are satisfied with your recording, continue to the Tune
node by pressing the “Continue” button on the Mimic interface.

Be aware that the robot moves to its initial position in the

recording, once you continue to the Tune node.
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Recording
The recorded path can be tuned in terms of position, speed, and
outputs. The different types of tunings will be covered in the
training cards.

Make sure that the blue arrow on the UR interface points towards
the “Mimic Tune” node.

First Adjustment
Try tuning your first recording by following the instructions below:

TRACK

TUNE

PLAY

Manually adjust the recording in

needed areas

Small errors may occur in the recording, as it is based on hand movements.

Adjust small errors by overwriting them.

Review the recording by moving “Forward” or “Backward” on the Teach-

Pendant and adjust as needed.

Once you are satisfied with the tuning, press the “Continue” button
on the Mimic Interface, to continue to the Play node.
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 !
Be aware that the robot plays the recording, once
the “Continue” button is pressed.

Mimic Play
You should expect to see your recording with the tunings you
made. If you want to execute the program again, continue through
the Mimic Track and Mimic Tune nodes without making any
changes.

TRACK

TUNE

PLAY

Play the recording to see the changes

done in the Tune stage

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Well done!
You finished your first program.
Now it is time for you to practice using the Mimic Training kit cards.

The cards are used by drawing one Track card, one Tune card, and
one Play card. This will create a random program that you will have
to execute.

Feel like it is too easy? Try adding organic shapes to your training.

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