Frequently Asked Questions
What is Synthiam?
Synthiam is a pioneering software-driven AI and robotics platform that enables developers, educators, startups, and hobbyists to design, prototype, and deploy intelligent robots quickly and affordably. Our mission is to democratize robotics—breaking down technical barriers by fusing low-code tools, visual interfaces, and deep AI integration. Beyond software, Synthiam fosters a global innovation community, offers consulting services, workshops, and supports its users from proof‑of‑concept to full deployment.
What are Robot Skills?
Robot Skills are modular behavior controls in Synthiam’s ARC platform. Each skill, such as camera tracking, speech recognition, or AI response, runs in its own thread and can communicate with others via Control Command. There’s a vast built-in library plus many plugins available via the ARC Skill Store.
What is ARC?
ARC (Autonomous Robot Control) is Synthiam’s flagship low‑code robotics environment. Designed to dramatically accelerate robot creation, ARC combines a drag‑and‑drop visual IDE with powerful scripting support (JavaScript, Python, C#, C++, Blockly, and RoboScratch). It runs on Windows and connects seamlessly with hundreds of control boards—from Arduino and ESP32 to EZ‑B, Raspberry Pi, drones, and more.
Central to ARC are its modular Robot Skills: threaded plugins for vision, speech, AI, movement and sensor control. These skills can be developed by Synthiam or the community, and are easily added from the ARC Skill Store. Skills interoperate using ControlCommand() messaging to coordinate complex behaviors.
ARC also integrates advanced AI via built‑in cognitive services (e.g., vision, speech, language) and cloud platforms. Robots gain capabilities like object recognition, natural language understanding, autonomous navigation—and can be managed and trained remotely through Synthiam’s Exosphere tele‑presence system.
Tailored for hobbyists, educators, researchers, and businesses, ARC reduces robot development time from months to hours. It provides both a free edition and a professional subscription (ARC Pro) with advanced features, cloud backups, and full plugin access—and a Runtime edition that allows deployment without an active subscription.
What is Exosphere?
Exosphere is Synthiam’s cloud-based autonomous task‑training platform. It combines AI and remote human operators to train robots in real-world scenarios. When AI confidence is low, a human operator steps in via tele‑presence. Over time this human‑guided feedback improves AI performance.
What is an EZB?
An EZB is any hardware (robot, PC, or microcontroller) running Synthiam’s firmware that connects to ARC. It allows control over servos, sensors, cameras, audio, and more. Supported controllers include EZ‑B v3/v4, EZ‑B IoTiny, Arduino models, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, and many others.
How do I get started?
Getting started with Synthiam is easy! Visit our Getting Started guide. You'll need to download the Synthiam ARC software, create a Synthiam account, and follow our step-by-step tutorials. We recommend beginning with basic robot projects to familiarize yourself with the platform.
Do I need to keep paying my subscription to use my robot?
No, you only need an ARC Pro subscription for the programming and design stage of your robot development. Once your project is complete, you can use the ARC Runtime edition to load and operate existing projects without an active subscription.
Where are subscription packages?
View subscription packages here. Ensure you are logged in to view any discount packages added to your account.
Is there an ARC comparison chart?
Yes, you can view the list of ARC edition differences here.
If I cancel my subscription before it expires, do I get a refund?
No, subscriptions are non-refundable. Once a subscription is active, it remains valid until the end of the paid period, regardless of early cancellation.
What are the ARC system requirements?
ARC requires Windows 10 or later. Minimum specs: 4GB RAM, 2GB of available disk space, and one available USB port. For optimal performance, we recommend at least 8GB RAM and a modern multi-core processor. ARC is compatible with most standard USB cameras and serial devices.
How do I troubleshoot common issues?
Visit our Support Guide in the Support section. Common fixes include reconnecting USB devices, updating graphics drivers, and checking firewall settings. You can also browse the Community Forum for help.
How can I get help?
You can ask questions and find answers in our Community Forum. For tutorials and guides, visit the Support section and the Getting Started guide.
Can I receive paid support?
Yes, Synthiam offers business support plans for startups, researchers, and enterprise clients. These plans include dedicated assistance with robot development. For more information, please visit the Contact Us page and reach introduce your robot project.