Arcx 2026.09.19.00

We are excited to announce the community beta release of Synthiam ARCx, our next-generation robot programming platform.

ARCx represents a major evolution of the Synthiam robotics platform. Instead of requiring a desktop application running on the robot, ARCx runs directly on the robot's computer and is programmed through a web browser. This enables robots to operate headlessly on compact computers while still providing the powerful Robot Skills, scripting, hardware control, computer vision, speech, and development tools Synthiam users expect.

The first release is available today for Windows 64-bit, with Linux x64 and Linux ARM64 for Raspberry Pi coming next.

What's New

• Runs directly on the robot ARCx operates as a headless service on the robot's computer. You don't need a monitor, keyboard, or remote desktop session.

• Web-based programming interface Program, configure, monitor, and control your robot from a browser on a laptop, tablet, phone, or another computer on the network.

• Multiple simultaneous users Several browsers can connect to the same running ARCx instance at the same time, with interfaces remaining synchronized as the robot operates.

• Robot Skills architecture Cameras, movement systems, speech, scripting, tracking, hardware interfaces, and other capabilities are installed as independent Robot Skills. Skills can be added or removed while ARCx continues running.

• Blockly, JavaScript, and Python programming Create robot behaviors visually with Blockly, or write more advanced programs in JavaScript or Python. All three programming environments share access to ARCx's robot hardware and robot skill APIs.

• Expanded scripting API Control servos, digital ports, ADC, PWM, I2C, UART, serial devices, audio, movement systems, navigation, networking, files, logging, user interfaces, and more directly from scripts.

• ControlCommand return values Robot Skills can now return values directly to scripts using ControlCommand(), reducing the need to exchange information through global variables.

• Integrated ControlCommand documentation Available robot skill commands appear alongside the script editor, including descriptions and parameter information.

• Athena AI assistant Athena is integrated directly into ARCx and can inspect your project, scripts, Robot Skills, variables, and available commands. Athena can propose script and configuration changes, with project-changing actions presented for approval before applying them.

• OpenCV computer vision ARCx includes OpenCV-based vision support for USB cameras, EZB cameras, tracking, recording, face detection, and custom Robot Skills.

• Speech recognition and synthesis Support includes Windows and Azure speech recognition, Windows voices, Azure natural voices, and Robot Skills that can trigger actions from recognized phrases.

• Movement and servo control Movement Panels provide a common movement interface for scripts, joysticks, speech commands, and other Robot Skills. Auto Position supports frame-based poses and walking gaits for humanoids, hexapods, and other servo-driven robots.

• Multiple robot controllers A single ARCx project can communicate with multiple EZB-compatible controllers simultaneously, automatically discovering supported USB and WiFi devices.

• Named boards and ports You can give controllers and hardware ports descriptive names to make larger robot projects easier to understand and maintain.

• Multiple workspaces Robot Skills can be organized across multiple named desktops instead of requiring every interface to share a single workspace.

• Project backups and cloud storage ARCx automatically creates a timestamped backup whenever a project is saved. Projects can be stored locally or in your Synthiam cloud account.

• Startup scripts Projects can automatically connect to hardware and start robot behaviors after loading, with a countdown that lets you cancel startup execution when needed.

• Integrated diagnostics ARCx includes error and warning notifications along with debugging tools including the debug log, script monitor, serial monitor, file monitor, network information, and video source inspector.

• Responsive light and dark interface The HTML-based interface adapts to different screen sizes and browser zoom levels and supports both light and dark themes.

A New Foundation for Synthiam Robotics

ARCx was designed around a different model of robot computing: the robot runs the software, while you connect to it from whatever device is convenient.

You can open ARCx on a laptop while developing, walk away with a phone or tablet to test the robot, close every browser entirely, and the robot will keep operating.

This architecture also provides the foundation for bringing the Synthiam ecosystem beyond Windows while maintaining the extensibility of Robot Skills and the hardware-agnostic approach that has powered ARC.

Available Now

ARCx v2026.09.19.00

• Windows 10 & 11
• 64-bit x64

Coming later this week...

• Linux x64
• Linux ARM64
• Raspberry Pi

This is the beginning of ARCx. Development will continue rapidly as we expand platform support, migrate and introduce Robot Skills, improve development tools, and continue building the next generation of the Synthiam robot programming ecosystem.