VTM OS™: Community Edition

Open-Core Bio-Mimetic AI Architecture for Arduino Uno Q

"Learn with me as I learn."

VTM OS™ is a modular prototyping platform designed to take you from the terminal to a customizable UI. Together with the VTM P³ frame, it provides a foundational framework for experimenting with bio-mimetic AI. While inspired by and optimized for the Arduino Uno Q as the preferred board, the system is flexible and can be utilized on a Mac, PC, or any other SBC.

Code needs a body. The VTM P³ (Physical Prototyping Platform) is the official reference hardware for VTM OS. It is a modular 'Vertical Workbench' built using standard physical computing parts.

*Prices listed below are as of Jan 30, 2026 and subject to change. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I may make a small commission if you buy through these links at no extra cost to you.*

It is a modular "Vertical Workbench" built using standard physical computing parts. Build at Your Own Pace: The VTM P³ is modular, allowing you to build it part by part as your budget and time allow.

Prices listed below are as of Jan 30, 2026 and subject to change. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I may make a small commission if you buy through these links at no extra cost to you.

To build the VTM P³ frame, these are the suggested V-Slot components.

The robotic kinematics. This kit provides the arm structure and high-torque servos in a single package. Two arms are required for full bi-manual operation.

The VTM P³ is an Open Source Reference Design. The costs below represent the specific "Laboratory Standard" configuration used in the documentation, but feel free to swap or scavenge parts.

🎓 The Open Source Advantage: Build at Your Own Pace: The VTM P³ is modular, allowing you to build it part by part as your budget and time allow.

The VTM OS is more than just a repository; it's an evolving prototyping ecosystem. To understand the "Mind-Body-Link" architecture and start your own evolutionary build, visit the official documentation:

👉 Enter the VTM OS Wiki

• Evolutionary Growth Guide: The 5-stage roadmap from a box of parts to an AI Hub.
• Technical Specs: Deep dive into the VTM-BioLink™ Protocol.
• Troubleshooting: Solving common connection and environment issues.

The architecture mimics a biological nervous system by decoupling high-level reasoning from real-time execution.

• VTM Personality Core™ (Community): Basic local host management and LLM API bridging.
• Function: Handles cognition and "Thought Processing" to determine intent.

• VTM-BioLink Protocol™ (Community): The open telemetry standard for translating AI intent into fluid, organic motion.
• Target Hardware: Optimized for the high-speed execution of the Arduino Uno Q.

As of February 9, 2026, VTM OS™ follows the official Arduino licensing model to ensure community transparency and protect the "Mind-Body-Link" as an open ecosystem.

• Software (VTM OS™ Core): Licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL v3). Following the standard of the Arduino IDE and CLI, this ensures that the foundational logic remains open. You are free to use, modify, and distribute this software, provided that all derivative works are also shared under the same GPL v3 license.
• Hardware (VTM P³ Framework): Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC-BY-SA-4.0). As per Arduino's requirements for derived hardware, the full CAD files and Bill of Materials (BOM) for the VTM P³ are public. Any derived physical designs must give attribution to VideotronicMaker and be shared under these same terms.
• Trademarks: In compliance with the Arduino Trademark Policy, the Arduino® name is used only to describe compatibility. The names VideotronicMaker™, VTM OS™, and VTM P³™ are trademarks of Tishin Padilla. Official logos and branding are reserved for official VTM releases.

"Learn with me as I learn."

Clone the repository and move into the directory. This ensures the environment is built inside the project folder, not your home directory.

git clone "https://github.com/VideotronicMaker/VideotronicMaker-OS.git"(https://github.com/VideotronicMaker/VideotronicMaker-OS.git)
cd VideotronicMaker-OS

Create an isolated virtual environment to prevent library conflicts.

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Ensure your service_account.json is in the project root. Activate the environment and start the system:

source venv/bin/activate
python3 app.py

Running VTM OS™ directly on the Arduino Uno Q (SBC/MPU) allows for a fully integrated AI-to-Hardware experience. This version is optimized for the internal VTM-BioLink™ bridge.

Clone the repository and move into the directory. This ensures the environment is built inside the project folder, not your home directory.

git clone https://github.com/VideotronicMaker/VideotronicMaker-OS.git
cd VideotronicMaker-OS

Open a terminal on the Uno Q and run these commands to prepare the environment:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y python3-pip python3-venv
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install flask pyserial "google-generativeai>=0.8.3" psutil

Ensure your service_account.json is in the project root. Activate the environment and start the system:

source venv/bin/activate
python3 app.py

Open your browser on your host machine to: http://localhost:5002

Ensure your service_account.json is located in the root directory. This provides the necessary Application Default Credentials (ADC) for the Gemini API to function correctly.

The VTM OS™ requires a Google Cloud Service Account to access the Gemini 2.0 Flash API.

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.
2. Create a New Project (e.g., "VTM-OS-Project").
3. Search for "Generative Language API" and click Enable.

1. Navigate to APIs & Services > Credentials.
2. Click + Create Credentials and select Service Account.
3. Name the account vtm-os-user and click Create and Continue.
4. For the role, select Project > Viewer and click Done.

1. Click on the newly created service account email address.
2. Click the Keys tab > Add Key > Create New Key.
3. Select JSON and click Create.
4. A file will download to your computer. Rename this file to exactly service_account.json.
5. Move the file into the root directory of the vtm-os-community-edition folder.

Note: The app.py script looks specifically for service_account.json in the root folder to authenticate your AI requests.

The built-in music player automatically scans the static/music directory.

• Drop your .mp3 or .wav files into ./static/music/.
• The system will detect new tracks and populate the playlist upon the next browser refresh.

• Arduino Sketch: Upload vtm_mouth_controller.ino to your Arduino Uno Q.
• Architecture: Review the VTM Wiki for detailed mapping of the "Mind-to-Body" bridge.

• Contribute: Submit issues or pull requests to improve the Community Edition core.
• Stay Updated: Follow the Official LinkedIn for development logs.

Learn with me as I learn.

© 2026 VideotronicMaker. All Rights Reserved. Trademarks of Tishin Padilla.