Carte de contrôle Romi (32U4)

Turns the Romi chassis into a programmable robot with the Romi 32U4 Arduino-compatible controler board

*** Review english ****

The Romi 32U4 controler board includes the feature needed to create Romi's based robot. It includes a dual motor drivers, a versatile power circuit, inertial sensors, connections for quadrature encoders and connection for optional LCD.

The board also has the ability to interface with an added Raspberry Pi, making the foundation for a complete Raspberry Pi-controlled Romi robot.

The Romi 32U4 Control Board is designed to be assembled with a Romi chassis to create a capable integrated robot platform that can easily be programmed and customized.
Like our A-Star 32U4 programmable controllers, the Romi 32U4 Control Board is built around a USB-enabled ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller from Microchip (formerly Atmel), and it ships preloaded with an Arduino-compatible bootloader. The control board features two H-bridge motor drivers and is designed to connect to a Romi Encoder Pair Kit (available separately) to allow closed-loop motor control. It also includes a powerful 5 V switching step-down regulator that can supply up to 2 A continuously, along with a versatile power switching and distribution circuit. A 3-axis accelerometer and gyro enable a Romi 32U4 robot to make inertial measurements, estimate its orientation, and detect external forces. Three on-board pushbuttons offer a convenient interface for user input, while indicator LEDs, a buzzer, and a connector for an optional LCD allow the robot to provide feedback.

The Romi 32U4 Control Board can be used either as a standalone control solution or as a base for a more powerful Raspberry Pi controller. Its on-board connector and mounting holes allow a compatible Raspberry Pi (Model B+ or newer, including Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ and Model A+) to plug directly into the control board. Integrated level shifters make it easy to set up I²C communication and interface other signals between the two controllers, and the control board automatically supplies 5 V power to an attached Raspberry Pi. In this setup, the Raspberry Pi can handle the high-level robot control while relying on the Romi 32U4 Control Board for low-level tasks, like running motors, reading encoders, and interfacing with other analog or timing-sensitive devices.

The I/O lines of both the ATmega32U4 and the Raspberry Pi are broken out to 2.54-spaced through-holes along the front and rear of the control board, and the board’s power rails are similarly accessible, enabling sensors and other peripherals to easily be connected.

A software add-on is available that makes it easy to program a Romi 32U4 robot from the Arduino environment, and we have Arduino libraries and example sketches to help get you started. A USB A to Micro-B cable (not included) is required for programming.

Content

For each order, you will receive a 32U4 Control Board ships with all of its surface-mount components populated, and it includes a number of through-hole parts and mounting hardware, as shown in the picture above.

Note that assembly (including soldering) is required; please see the Romi user’s guide for assembly instructions.
The Romi chassis itself and other parts required to build a complete Romi 32U4 robot are not included; these are listed below, along with some optional additions.

What you will need

To build a robot with the Romi 32U4 Control Board, you will need a few additional parts:

• a Romi Chassis Kit (this includes motors, wheels, one ball caster, and battery contacts)
• a Romi Encoder Pair Kit
• six AA batteries; The Romi chassis and control board work with both alkaline and NiMH batteries, though we recommend rechargeable NiMH cells
• a USB A to Micro-B cable to connect the robot to your computer for programming and debugging
• tools to help with kit assembly; see the user’s guide for a list of specific tools

Optional accessories

• the Robot Arm Kit for Romi
• A compatible Raspberry Pi (Model B+ or newer, including Pi 3 Model B+ and Model A+)
• sensors
• connectors (headers, jumper wires, etc) for adding those sensors or other peripherals

Other Romi boards, robots, and robot controllers

In addition to the Romi 32U4 Control Board, we have some more basic boards designed to mount onto a Romi chassis:

• The "Motor Driver and Power Distribution Board for Romi Chassis" includes the same motor drivers and power circuit (including 5 V regulator) as the Romi 32U4 Control Board, but offers you flexibility in choosing and connecting your own microcontroller.
• The "Power Distribution Board for Romi Chassis" only includes reverse voltage protection and a pushbutton power switch circuit; it is intended to be a convenient way to access the chassis’s battery power and pass it on to the rest of your electronics.