🧩 What You’ll Need

• Raspberry Pi 5
• Active Cooler
• microSD card (16 GB minimum, 32 GB+ recommended)
• microSD card reader for your computer
• HDMI cable + Micro HDMI adapter + monitor
• Keyboard and mouse
• USB-C power supply (27 W official recommended)

Before anything else, install the active cooler on the raspberry pi. Connecting to a monitor is optional if you know how to SSH to do all of the rest of the installation.

⬇️ Step 1 — Download Raspberry Pi Imager

1. Go to the official Raspberry Pi site:
   🔗 https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
2. Download and install Raspberry Pi Imager for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Ubuntu).

💾 Step 2 — Flash Raspberry Pi OS to the microSD Card

1. Launch Raspberry Pi Imager.
2. Click “Choose Device” → select Raspberry Pi 5.
3. Click “Choose OS” → select Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) (Use Trixie)
4. Click “Choose Storage” → select your microSD card.
5. Click the ⚙️ settings icon (bottom right) to open advanced settings:
   • Enable SSH (optional, for remote access)
   • Set a hostname
   • Configure Wi-Fi (SSID, password, country)
   • Set a username and password
   • Choose locale/time zone/keyboard layout
6. Click Save → then Write.
   Wait a few minutes for the flashing process to complete.

⚙️ Step 3 - Modify the config.txt File for DSI Display - After flashing is complete, open the boot partition on your SD card (should show up as a drive in File Explorer). - Open the file: config.txt. - Scroll to the bottom and add the following lines:

dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-dsi-waveshare-panel,7_0_inchC,dsi0

NOTE: You may already have the “dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d” line in your config.txt. In that case, you DO NOT need to add it again. - Save the file. - Right-click the SD card and choose Eject.

🔌 Step 4 — Boot the Raspberry Pi 5

1. Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi 5.
2. Connect the monitor, keyboard, mouse.
3. Connect the power cable

🔄 Step 5 — Update the System

Once you reach the desktop or connect via SSH, open a terminal and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y 
sudo reboot

This ensures you’re running the latest kernel and firmware optimized for Raspberry Pi 5.

🧩 Step 6 - Enable Interfaces

If you need to enable interfaces like camera, I2C, or SPI, run:

sudo raspi-config

Then navigate to Enable the Camera, I2C, SPI, VNC.

Step 1: Plug the Audio Hat on top of the Raspberry pi.

Step 2: Clone the Driver Repo

Open a terminal and run:

git clone https://github.com/ubopod/WM8960-Audio-HAT.git

cd WM8960-Audio-HAT

Step 3: Install the Driver Run the installer script:

sudo ./install.sh

You may see an error like:

This is expected — continue.

Step 4. Reboot the Pi

sudo reboot

Note: The microphone works best when the recording volume is set slightly below 50% (use the icon in the top right corner to adjust)

📂 Step 1 — Clone the TARS-AI Repository

1. Open a terminal on your Raspberry Pi.
2. Install Python venv (if not already installed) and clone the repository:

sudo apt install python3-venv -y

git clone https://github.com/TARS-AI-Community/TARS-AI

3. Navigate to the cloned directory:

cd TARS-AI

4.Update script permissions:

chmod 777 Install.sh

5. Allow the script to be executable:

chmod a+x Install.sh

6. Run the installation:

./Install.sh

🔑 Step 2 — Configure API Keys

To enable LLM and TTS functionality, you need to configure your API keys.

• Open the .env file in the TARS-AI folder in a text editor and replace the placeholders with your valid API keys:

sudo nano .env

• Get Your API Keys

  Required:

  • OpenAI API Key

  Recommended:

  • Elevenlabs API Key
  • Picovoice

OpenAI is not free but it is also not expensive, Elevenlabs has a free tier and usually is enough for normal use, there are other free options in the software that can be used for free too.

📝 Step 3 - Configure the Program:

• From the TARS-AI folder, navigate to the software source directory:

cd src/

• Open the config.ini file in the TARS-AI\src folder in a text editor and edit the options.

sudo nano config.ini

▶️ Step 4 - Run the Program:

• From the TARS-AI folder:

python App-Start.py

Or

• From the TARS-AI folder, Navigate to the software source directory:

cd src/

• Activate the Virtual Environment, the virtual environment must be activated each time you want to start the program:

source .venv/bin/activate

• you should now see (.venv) in your terminal shell prompt:
• Start the TARS-AI assistant:

python app.py

Note that while the program will run if there was no errors in the previous steps, a microphone and a way to output sound is required to interact with it. For now, you can use an USB microphone and something like bluetooth speakers if you want to test the Software while you are building the rest of the Robot.

There is a calibration part that will help to confirm if your printer tolerance are ok. This part contains all the sizes used in the V2. The M3 hole should be the benchmark to make sure the horizontal and vertical sizes are the same. Most printers will print the vertical holes smaller than the horizontal ones. This is due to several factors, but the CAD is designed with the correct dimensions (and even a +0.2 mm tolerance added).

Everything should be a snug fit. If you are exerting too much pressure (example: difficulty screwing an M3 screw), then something might need to be adjusted on your printer.

The 2 holes for the servo horn are designed to be slightly bigger. You should not have a problem inserting them; otherwise, it might mean you have incompatible parts, or the X-Y dimensions of your printer might need adjusting.

The holes indicated with the letter F are designed to have a piece of filament inserted. Filament is 1.75 mm wide, and these holes are 2.3 mm wide; you should have no problem inserting a filament all the way through the part.

MAG = Magnet.

M4 is the hole size for the rods — you should be able to insert them, but there should be a bit of resistance.

M4.5 is the hole size where the rods need to glide freely.

M2 is for the screws that link the hands, and the M2.5 or M2 screws will hold the Raspberry Pi.

Print it in this orientation and add support for the hole underneath.

For the next steps, please reference the Assembly Instruction PDF Manual and the Wiring Guide located in the documentation folder in the repo

Need help? Join our Discord community and get support from other members! TARS-AI Discord