Pioneer 2TM - Manual (Page 11)

ActivMedia Robotics
ActivMedia robots, including Pioneer 3, Performance PeopleBot, and PowerBot, use a
multifunctional Hitachi H8S-based microcontroller and new ActivMedia Robotics
Operating System (AROS) software.
2 The newest Pioneer 3 and 2 Plus platforms also sport
an advanced motor-power board for high-power motor drives and systems power.
Although differing in some power and interfacing features, processing power, support for
various sensors, and I/O, all ActivMedia Robotics’ server-operating system software—
PSOS, P2OS, AmigOS, and now AROS—are upwardly compatible and virtually
interchangeable. Accordingly, client software written to operate a six-year old Pioneer
AT will work with a brand new Pioneer 3. We’ve taken great care to have all client
commands for control of that original Pioneer 1 work identically in our latest robots.
Client-server communications protocols over a serial communication link remain
identical, too. See Chapter 6, ActivMedia Robotics Operating System, for details.
H ITACHI H8S- BASED M ICROCONTROLLER
Your H8S-based ActivMedia robot also has a variety of expansion power and I/O ports for
attachment and close integration of a client PC, sensors, and a variety of accessories—
all accessible through a common application interface to the robot server software,
AROS. Features include:
18 MHz Hitachi H8S/2357 with 32K RAM and 128K FLASH
Optional 512K FLASH or SRAM expansion
3 RS-232 serial ports (4 connectors) configurable from 9.6 to 115.2 kbaud
4 Sonar arrays of 8 sonar each
2 8-bit bumpers/digital input connectors
1 P2 Gripper/User I/O connector with 8-bits digital I/O and 1 analog input
1 Expansion/bus connector containing
5 Analog input
2 Analog output
8-bit I/O bus with r/w and 4 chip-selects
2-axes, 2-button joystick port
User Control Panel
Controller HOST serial connector
Main power and bi-color LED battery level indicators
AUX and RADIO power switches with related LED indicators
RESET and MOTORS pushbutton controls
Piezo buzzer
Motor/Power Board (drive system) interface with PWM and motor-direction control
lines and 8-bits of digital input
With the onboard PC option, your ActivMedia robot becomes an autonomous agent.
With Ethernet-ready onboard autonomy, your robot even becomes an agent for multi-
intelligence work.
P LUS M OTOR -P OWER B OARD
The new Pioneer 3 and previous Pioneer 2-Plus robots come with an advanced motor-
power board. It can be configured as a plug-and-play replacement for some older
Pioneer 2s, as well.
Besides expanded user-power connectors and connections for ease and versatility of
use, the new board supplies three to four times the motor power than the original Pioneer
2 board. Accordingly, the Pioneer 3 and 2-Plus platforms operate more robustly over
rougher terrain (fewer stalls!) and carry significantly more payload when compared with
their predecessors. And because of the power improvements, the Pioneer 3-AT and 2-
2 AmigoBot has an H8S-based controller, too, but uses the AmigoBot Operating System tailored for its
electronics.
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