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reComputer Jetson Robotics J401 Hardware and Getting Started

The reComputer Robotics J401 is a compact, high-performance edge AI carrier board designed for advanced robotics. Compatible with NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/Orin NX modules in Super/MAXN mode, it delivers up to 157 TOPS of AI performance. Equipped with extensive connectivity options—including dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, M.2 slots for 5G and Wi-Fi/BT modules, 6 USB 3.2 ports, CAN, GMSL2 (via optional expansion), I2C, and UART—it serves as a powerful robotic brain capable of processing complex data from various sensors. Pre-installed with JetPack 6 and Linux BSP, it ensures seamless deployment.​

Supporting frameworks like NVIDIA Isaac ROS, Hugging Face, PyTorch, and ROS 2/1, the reComputer Robotics J401 bridges large language model-driven decision-making with physical robotics control, such as motion planning and sensor fusion. Ideal for the rapid development of autonomous robots, it accelerates time-to-market with ready-to-use interfaces and optimized AI frameworks.

reComputer Jetson Robotics J401 Carrier Board overview​

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Part List​

  • reComputer Robotics J401 Carrier Board x 1
  • Power Supply and JST expansion board x 1
  • XT30 to DC cable x 1
  • USB Cable, Type A to Type C x 1
  • Heat Sink for expansion board x 1
  • Stud(M3*30) x 5
  • M3 Hexagon nut x 5
  • Screw(CM2.5*L.4) for Jetson Module and M.2 Key M x3
  • Screw(CM2*3.0) for M.2 Key E x1
  • Stud(M2*2.0) for M.2 Key B x1
  • Screw(CM3*4.0) for M.2 Key B x1
  • User Manual x 1
note

1.Please design a robust heat dissipation solution according to the Thermal Design Guide, when in high voltage power supply and operating temperature. 2.Please attach heat sink for module for better performance. 3.During the operation with high voltage input and high load, please do not touch the heat sink to prevent scalding. 4.Power Adapter Recommendation for Validation, please use the power adapter recommended on the Seeed official website.

  • 19V/4.74A 5525 Barrel Jack Power Adapter
  • Ensure maximum power consumption requirements are met. 2.AC Power Cord Compatibility
  • Purchase region-specific AC cloverleaf power cords according to your location. 3.Accessory Compatibility
  • Use only officially recommended accessories (e.g., wireless modules, cameras, peripherals) for optimal performance and compatibility.

Specification​

Carrier Board Specifications​

CategoryItemDetails
StorageM.2 KEY M PCIe1x M.2 KEY M PCIe (M.2 NVMe 2242 SSD 128G included)
NetworkingM.2 KEY E1x M.2 Key E for WiFi/Bluetooth module
M.2 KEY B1x M.2 Key B for 5G module
Ethernet2x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet
I/OUSB6x USB 3.2 Type-A (5Gbps);
1x USB 3.0 Type-C (Host/DP 1.4);
1x USB 2.0 Type-C (Device Mode/Debug)
Camera1x 4 in 1 GMSL2 (mini fakra) (optional board)
CAN2x CAN0 (XT30(2+2));
3x CAN1 (4-Pin JST Header)
Display1x DP1.4 (Type C Host)
UART1x UART 4-Pin JST Header
I2C2x I2C 4-Pin JST Header
Fan1x 4-Pin Fan Connector (5V PWM);
1x 4-Pin Fan Connector (12V PWM)
Extension Port1x Camera Expansion Header (for GMSL2 board)
RTC1x RTC 2-pin;
1x RTC Socket
LED3x LED (PWR, ACT, and User LED)
Pinhole Button1x PWR;
1x RESET
DIP Switch1x REC
Antenna Hole5x Antenna Hole
Power19-54V XT30(2+2) (XT30 to 5525 DC Jack Cable included)
Jetpack VersionJetpack 6
MechanicalDimensions (W x D x H)115mm x 115mm x 38mm
Weight141g
InstallationDesk, Wall-mounting
Operating Temperature-20℃~60℃ (25W Mode);
-20℃~55℃ (MAXN Mode);
(with reComputer Robotics heat sink with fan)
Warranty2 Years
CertificationRoHS, REACH, CE, FCC, UKCA, Telec, KC

Flash JetPack OS​

Supported Module​

Prerequisites​

  • Ubuntu host PC
  • Robotics J401 Carrier Board
  • NVIDIA® Jetson Orin™ Nano/NX Module
  • Nano/NX Module Active Fan
  • NVMe M.2 2280 Internal SSD
  • USB Type-C data transmission cable
info

We recommend that you use physical ubuntu host devices instead of virtual machines. Please refer to the table below to prepare the host machine.

JetPack Version Ubuntu Version (Host Computer)
18.04 20.04 22.04
JetPack 6.x ✅ ✅

Prepare the Jetpack Image​

Here, we need to download the system image to our Ubuntu PC corresponding to the Jetson module we are using:

Jetpack VersionJetson Module GMSL Download Link1SHA256
6.2 Orin Nano 4GB✅Download260D30AF2DF259418A9A3BC47FCFDE9
97428461B133B408FB4B8BAB72F994E82
Orin Nano 8GB✅Download379F2AC4BD574A7E5C8F8834F57BDC5
9FFA7BCFE0FDCBBF530CB7B4ED95E690D
Orin NX 8GB✅Download8689D936F400B2AA8E603095E2E5EAA
5CF736DBD3EEB34E30DC98BD195B1235A
Orin NX 16GB✅Download 9CD1EF04A34345B74B7179C1114080
5C8D073E8687FD103A385ED8B19E9162A5
danger

The Jetpack6 image file is approximately 14.2GB in size and should take around 60 minutes to download. Please kindly wait for the download to complete.

info

To verify the integrity of the downloaded firmware, you can compare the SHA256 hash value.

On an Ubuntu host machine, open the terminal and run the command sha256sum <File> to obtain the SHA256 hash value of the downloaded file. If the resulting hash matches the SHA256 hash provided in the wiki, it confirms that the firmware you downloaded is complete and intact.

Enter Force Recovery Mode​

info

Before we can move on to the installation steps, we need to make sure that the board is in force recovery mode.

Step-by-Step

Step 1. Switch the switch to the RESET mode.

Step 2. Power up the carrier board by connecting the power cable.

Step 3. Connect the board to the Ubuntu host PC with a USB Type-C data transmission cable.

Step 4. On the Linux host PC, open a Terminal window and enter the command lsusb. If the returned content has one of the following outputs according to the Jetson SoM you use, then the board is in force recovery mode.

  • For Orin NX 16GB: 0955:7323 NVidia Corp
  • For Orin NX 8GB: 0955:7423 NVidia Corp
  • For Orin Nano 8GB: 0955:7523 NVidia Corp
  • For Orin Nano 4GB: 0955:7623 NVidia Corp

The below image is for Orin Nano 8GB

Flash to Jetson​

Step 1: Extract the downloaded image file:

cd <path-to-image>
sudo tar xpf mfi_xxxx.tar.gz
# For example: sudo tar xpf mfi_recomputer-robo-orin-nano-8g-j401-6.2-36.4.3-2025-05-23.tar.gz

Step 2: Execute the following command to flash jetpack system to the NVMe SSD: 

cd mfi_xxxx
# For example: cd mfi_recomputer-orin-robotics-j401 
sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --flash-only --massflash 1 --network usb0  --showlogs

You will see the following output if the flashing process is successful

note

The flash command may run for 2-10 minutes.

Step 3: Connect the Robotics J401 to a display use the PD to HDMI adapter to connect to a display that supports HDMI input, or directly connect to a display that supports PD input using the PD cable, and finish the initial configuration setup:

info

Please complete the System Configuration according to your needs.

Interfaces Usage​

The following will introduce the various interfaces of the Robotics J401 board and how to use them.

M.2 Key M​

M.2 Key M is designed for high-speed NVMe SSDs, providing ultra-fast data transfer for robotics applications.

Supported SSD are as follows:​

Hardware Connection​

Usage Instruction​

Open the terminal in Jetson device and enter the following command to test the SSD's read and write speed.

#You need to create a blank test file first
sudo touch /ssd/test
dd if=/dev/zero of=/home/seeed/ssd/test bs=1024M count=5 conv=fdatasync
danger

Please run sudo rm /home/seeed/ssd/test command to delete the cache files after the test is complete.

M.2 Key B​

M.2 Key B slot for 5G Module expansion, enabling high-speed cellular connectivity for robotics and edge AI scenarios.

Hardware Connection​

Usage Instruction​

Step 1. Check Hardware Recognition

lsusb

This command displays a list of all USB devices connected to the system, along with their manufacturer (ID), type, and other information. For example, the output might show a device from Quectel Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd. EM12-G, indicating that the 5G module is present.

Step 2. Confirm Driver Loading It's essential to ensure that the option driver, which is required for the 5G module, is loaded. We can use the lsmod command to check.

lsmod | grep option

If the option driver is loaded successfully, relevant information about the driver will be displayed in the output.

Step 3. Configure ModemManager ModemManager is a tool for managing modem devices, and it needs to be installed and restarted.

sudo apt install modemmanager 
sudo systemctl restart ModemManager

The apt install command is used to install the ModemManager package, while systemctl restart restarts the ModemManager service to ensure that the new settings take effect.

Step 4. Verify Module Identification We can use the mmcli -L command to check if the ModemManager can correctly identify the 5G module.

mmcli -L

If the 5G module is recognized, an output similar to /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0 will be displayed, indicating the path to the detected modem device.

Step 5. Set the APN APN (Access Point Name) is crucial for connecting a mobile device to the network.We'll use the nmcli command to create a bearer profile. Taking China Mobile as an example, we can create a configuration file with the following commands:

sudo nmcli con add type gsm ifname "*" apn "CMNET" ipv4.method  auto

This command adds a new GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) type connection, specifying the APN as "CMNET" and using automatic IPv4 configuration.

Step 6. Activate the Connection After creating the bearer profile, we need to activate the connection.

sudo nmcli con up "gsm"

This command activates the GSM connection, and if successful, a confirmation message will be displayed.

Step 7. Re-verify Module Identification Run the mmcli -L command again to ensure that the module remains recognized after configuring the APN.

mmcli -L

Step 8. Check Module Status Finally, we can use the mmcli -m 0 command to view detailed information about the module, such as IP allocation, carrier, and network connection status.

mmcli -m 0

This command provides comprehensive details about the 5G module, including its manufacturer, model, supported and current network technologies, device status, and connected network operators.

M.2 Key E​

The M.2 Key E interface is a standard M.2 connector primarily used for connecting wireless modules, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to expand wireless communication capabilities.

Hardware Connection​

Usage Instruction​

To test Wi-Fi performance, use the following command (replace the IP address with your test server):

iperf3 -c 192.168.6.191

Bluetooth functionality is available via the M.2 Key E slot.

Ethernet​

The Robotics j401 carrier board features 2 1Gbps RJ45 Ethernet ports for high-speed wired network connectivity.

To test Ethernet port speed, use iperf3 as follows :

iperf3 -c <server_ip> -B <bind_ip>
info

<server_ip> is the IP address of the iperf3 server. The client will connect to this server to perform a bandwidth test. <bind_ip> binds the specified local IP address as the source of the test traffic.

LED​

The reComputer Jetson Robotics J401 features 3 LED indicators (PWR, ACT, and User LED) that provide clear status feedback for power, system activity, and user-defined functions.

Usage Instruction​

The User LED is an RGB LED can display different colors to indicate various statuses, need to be defined by user.

Here is a test script to control the RGB LED:

touch rgb_test
chmod +x rgb_test
vi rgb_test

Paste the following content:

#!/bin/bash
# RED ON
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 0=1
sleep 2
# RED OFF
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 0=0

# Blue ON
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 1=1
sleep 2
# Blue OFF
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 1=0

# Green ON
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 2=1
sleep 2
# Green OFF
gpioset --mode=time --sec=1 2 2=0

Run the script to test the RGB LED.

USB​

The Robotics j401 carrier board is equipped with a variety of USB ports, including 6 USB 3.2 Type-A ports (5Gbps), one USB 3.0 Type-C port with DP 1.4 (Host mode), and one USB 2.0 Type-C port for device mode/debugging, offering versatile connectivity options.

USB Speed Test​

Create a script to test USB device speed:

sudo vim test_usb

Paste the following content:

#!/bin/bash
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/$1 bs=1000M count=2 conv=fdatasync
sleep 1
sudo sh -c "sync && echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches"
sleep 1
sudo dd if=/dev/$1 of=/dev/null bs=1000M count=2

Make the script executable:

sudo chmod +x test_usb

Run the script with your USB device name as the argument.

USB 2.0 Type-C port​

Using this serial port, via the USB C data cable, you can monitor the debugging information of input and output on the PC side.

Step1. Switch the switch to the debug mode.

Step2. Connect the PC via a USB data cable, downloaded the CP210X Driver on your PC.

Step3. Connect the PC via a USB data cable, extract the downloaded file and install driver on your PC.

Step4. Open Open the Device Manager on your Windows PC and check the COM port number assigned to the reComputer Super. It should appear under "Ports (COM & LPT)" as "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge (COMX)", where X is the COM port number.

Step5. Open the serial port tool(Here, we use the MobaXterm tool as an example), create a new session.

Step6. Select the Serial tool.

Step7. Select corresponding serial port, set the baud rate to 115200 and click "OK".

Step8. Login your reComputer Super with the username and password.

USB Camera​

Using USB camera through a USB 3.2 Type-A ports, install and run guvcview:

sudo apt-get install guvcview
guvcview -d /dev/video0

Fan​

The reComputer Jetson Robotics J401 is equipped with two types of fan connectors to meet different voltage and cooling needs:

  • 1x 4-Pin Fan Connector (5V PWM): Designed for low-voltage, low-power silent fans, this connector supports PWM speed control, allowing intelligent fan speed adjustment based on system temperature to improve energy efficiency and reduce noise.

  • 1x 4-Pin Fan Connector (12V PWM): Compatible with standard 12V PWM fans, it also supports precise speed control, making it ideal for high-performance cooling requirements.

Hardware Connection​

note

For more information, please check here.

Create a script to set fan speed:

cat test_fanSpeedSet

Paste the following content:

#!/bin/bash
sudo systemctl stop nvfancontrol
sleep 2
echo "000000" | sudo -S chmod 777 /sys/devices/platform/pwm-fan/hwmon/hwmon1/pwm1
echo $1 > /sys/devices/platform/pwm-fan/hwmon/hwmon1/pwm1

Note: For Jetson Nano 4G, the fan path is /sys/devices/platform/pwm-fan/hwmon/hwmon0/pwm1.

Additionally, we can manually set the fan speed using the jtop tool.

Pinhole Button​

The Robotics J401 carrier board features a Pinhole Button for user interaction, including a Power (PWR) button and a Reset (RESET) button. These buttons are essential for powering the device on/off and performing system reboots, respectively.

CAN​

The Robotics J401 provides one CAN0 interface integrated into the XT30 (2+2) power connector for convenient power and data transmission. Additionally, offers one CAN1 interface via two standard JST 4-pin headers for flexible CAN bus connectivity.

UART​

The Robotics J401 provides a standard 4-pin JST header for UART serial communication.

Hardware Connection​

For UART communication, please follow the following wiring. Here, we use the USB to TTL tool as an example.

Usage Instruction​

Step 1. Open the terminal on the Jetson device and run the following command to enable the UART interface:

gpioset --mode=time --sec=100 2 5=0

Step 2. Connect the USB to TTL tool to the Robotics J401 UART port and the PC.

Step 3. Open the serial port tool on the PC side (Here,we use the xcom tool as an example.) and set the baud rate to 115200.

Step 4. Create a simple Python script for serial communication:


import serial
import time

ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyTHS1', 115200, timeout=1)
ser.write(b'Hello Jetson!\n')
while True:
    
    if ser.in_waiting:
        data = ser.readline()
        print("get:", data.decode('utf-8').strip())
    time.sleep(0.1)

ser.close()

Step 5. Run the Python script on the Jetson device:

python3 uart_test.py

Step 6. Now you can see the output on the PC side, and you can also send data from the PC to the Jetson device:

I2C​

Robotics J401 provides two I2C interfaces (I2C0 and I2C1) through standard JST 4-pin headers. Enables easy connection of sensors and peripherals for system expansion.

Extension Port​

The Robotics j401 carrier board features a Camera Expansion Header for GMSL2 board.

Hardware Connection​

Here are the Robotics j401 carrier board GMSL2 camera expansion board connection slot(need to prepare an extension board in advance):

Display​

The reComputer Jetson Robotics J401 is equipped with an DP1.4 (included in Type-C Host) for high-resolution display output.

Resources​

Tech Support & Product Discussion​

Thank you for choosing our products! We are here to provide you with different support to ensure that your experience with our products is as smooth as possible. We offer several communication channels to cater to different preferences and needs.

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