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myCobot 280 Lab

Setup

Set up your myCobot 280 (for Arduino) in four steps. You need the arm, a USB-C cable and Chrome or Edge on a computer. Nothing to install on the computer.

  1. 1Prepare
  2. 2Install the firmware
  3. 3Connect to WiFi
  4. 4Find the robot

Prepare

  1. Turn off the arm (the 12 V supply). Do this before you connect the USB cable.
  2. Connect the ATOM (the small square board with the LED matrix, on top of the arm) to the computer with a USB-C data cable. Some cables can only charge.

If the installer does not find the ATOM, or the installation fails: disconnect the cable, remove the ATOM from the arm, and connect it again.

Why turn off the arm first?

If the arm is on when you connect the cable, the computer does not see the ATOM. With the arm off, the ATOM's USB port also supplies the servos (4.4–5.4 V). This is normal (tested on 2026-10-05). Out of the arm, only the ATOM gets power from the computer.

The ATOM's USB chip reports as FTDI 0403:6001. Windows 10 and later, macOS and Linux have the driver. Close other programs that use the port (myStudio, Arduino IDE, a serial monitor).

Install the firmware

myCobot 280 controller …

Reading the firmware list…

This browser cannot use USB serial ports. Use Chrome or Edge on a computer.The installer needs a secure page (https or localhost).
  1. Click Connect and install. Select the ATOM's port (for example "FT232R USB UART" or usbserial) and click Connect.
  2. Click Install. For the first installation, select Erase: it removes the old firmware and its settings.
  3. Wait about 2 minutes. Do not disconnect the cable. The installer writes the firmware at 115 200 baud.

Already installed? The same button shows Update (it keeps the WiFi settings), Change Wi-Fi and Logs. If the installer cannot connect, disconnect the cable, connect it again and try again.

Connect to WiFi

  1. After the installation, the installer asks for the WiFi network. Select your network and type the password.
  2. Use a 2.4 GHz network. The ATOM cannot use 5 GHz networks.
  3. When the ATOM is connected, the installer shows Visit Device. Note the address: you need it if your computer cannot use mycobot.local.

The installer sends the password over USB to the ATOM only. The ATOM keeps it in its flash memory. This website does not keep or send it. A firmware update keeps the network. An installation with Erase removes it.

Blinks white: no WiFi network saved
Red out of the arm: no servos (normal)
Green in the arm: holding the pose

Find the robot

  1. Disconnect the USB cable. If you removed the ATOM, put it back on the arm.
  2. Turn on the 12 V supply. The LED matrix shows blue, then green: the arm holds its pose.
  3. Connect this computer to the same WiFi network. Click Search.
Not searched yet.

If Chrome asks for access to devices on your local network, click Allow. If mycobot.local is not found, type the address from step 3 or from your router (for example 192.168.1.107).

Safety

  • When the firmware starts in the arm, the servos hold the pose. The Control page can move the arm. Keep clear of the arm when it moves.
  • The ATOM button is not an emergency stop. To stop the arm, turn off the 12 V supply.

Safety · Setup in the docs

Go back to the stock firmware

Elephant Robotics' firmware is not open source and this site does not provide it. Install it with Elephant's myStudio, or write a backup that you made before.

Stock firmware backup and restore