ROSbot XL
Overview
ROSbot XL is a 4x4 drive autonomous mobile robot platform equipped with LIDAR, RGB-D camera, IMU, encoders, etc. Powered by ROS / ROS 2.
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ROSbot is an affordable robot platform for rapid development of autonomous robots. It can be a base for industrial robots, custom service robots, inspection robots and robots working in swarms.
- Aluminium chassis
- 4 x DC motors + quadrature encoders
- IMU
- Built-in USB hub (2 external and 2 internal ports available)
- Built-in Li-Ion 3S battery (11.1V 7800mAh 86Wh)
- Power board with advanced energy management (USB-C Power Delivery compatible, protection circuits, contactless charging option)
- Selectable power for SBC supply (5V, 12V, 19V)
- Programmable RGB perimeter LEDs, speaker
- Ethernet based communication between SBC and STM32F4 based digital controller
- Variety of compatible SBC (Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, Intel NUC i3)
- Universal mounting plate (for LIDARs, robot arms etc.)
Hardware guide
Specification
See more detailed drawing here
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Dimensions without camera and LiDAR | 332 x 284 x 131 mm / 13.1 x 11.2 x 5.2 in [L x W x H] |
| Chassis material | Powder-coated aluminum plate, 1.5 mm thick, top plate 3 mm |
| Weight * | 5380g |
| Maximum translational velocity | 0.8 m/s |
| Maximum rotational velocity | 180 deg/s (3.14 rad/s) |
| Maximum load capacity * | Up to 10 kg / 352 oz |
| Battery life | 2h - 6h |
*With mecanum wheels, RPi4 SBC and no sensors.
Components
| Component | Quantity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SBC | 1 | User computer: NUC i3-10110U 16GB RAM 250GB SSD or Raspberry Pi 4B 4GB or NVIDIA Jetson Nano 4GB RAM |
| Digital Board | 1 | Real-time controller based on STM32F407 microcontroller. |
| Power Board | 1 | USB-C Power Delivery input (12-20V) which supports simultaneous power delivery and battery charging. |
| DC motor | 4 | 37 mm DC motor with 50:1 gearbox and 64CPR encoder. |
| IMU sensor | 1 | Intelligent 9-axis absolute orientation sensor BNO055, more details |
| LIDAR | 1 | RPLIDAR S1, 360 degree and up to 40 m range, more details |
| RGBD camera | 1 | Orbbec Astra with RGB image size 640x480 and depth image size 640x480. |
| Li-Ion Batteries | 1 | 11.1V 7800mAh 86Wh |
| Antenna | 1 | Connected directly to Wi-Fi module. |
| Speaker | 1 | Driven from Digital Board or from SBC (selectable source). |
Block diagram
A graphic representation of ROSbot XL components and connections between them. The detailed version: [PDF] ROSbot XL block diagram.
Rear panel description
| Item | Quantity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Antenna connector | 1 (2) | Wi-Fi antenna RP-SMA socket. Required for Wi-Fi connectivity. For some SBCs, 2 antennas are used. |
| USB | 2 | USB 2.0 host ports from SBC. |
| HDMI | 1 | HDMI output from SBC. |
| Power button | 1 | Turns ROSbot ON or OFF. Hold for 1.5 seconds to turn robot on, 0.5 seconds to turn off. |
| LEDs | 4 | LED1(green), LED2(red), LED3(green), LED4(red) |
| DB Reset | 1 | Button used for reset digital board. |
| PB Reset | 1 | Hidden button used for reset power board. |
| User button | 1 | Programmable button. |
| USB type C power input | 1 | USB-C Power Delivery input (15-20V) which supports simultaneous power delivery and battery charging. |
LED statuses
| LED | color | State | Message |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED1 | green | ON | Firmware finished booting |
| LED2 | red | Toggling | Error of RTOS'a or microROS |
| Low bat | red | ON | Batery level is low |
| Charging | green | Toggling | Battery is charging |
| Charging | green | ON | Battery is fully charged |
| Power button | white | ON | Power is ON |
| Power button | white | Toggling | System is shuting down |
| Pixel panels | RGB | Programmable | In default shows looped animation |
Battery & charging
An internal battery is disconnected during transport. Connect the battery plug before the first use. You need to unscrew the battery cover first. See Quick start for more detailed guide.
When you receive the robot, the battery level should be about 30-40%. You do not need to perform any initial procedures, however, we recommend to begin the first software setup with the charger plugged. The battery will charge to a higher level and you avoid draining it to zero, which is not recommended just after the storage/transport period. The current battery voltage can be read from the ROS API. The voltage should never fall under 9V, which is the "0%" level, and should not exceed 12.6V, which is "100%" level.
Battery & charger parameters
| Parameter | Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Battery type | Li-Ion | 3S configuration |
| Battery voltage & capacity | 11.1V 7800mAh | 86.5Wh |
| Max. discharge current | 8A | |
| Max. charge current | 2.7A | limited by robot |
| Charging temp. range | 0°C - 45°C | |
| Operating temp. range | -20°C - 60°C | |
| Charger | 20V 65W | PD2.0/3.0 compatible |
Charging
ROSbot XL integrates an on-board battery charger. The charging process starts automatically after connecting the power adapter and terminates when the battery is full. The low battery level is indicated by "Low bat" LED on the rear panel.
We strongly recommend to use the power adapter delivered with the robot. However, it is also possible to supply/charge the robot with any adapter that is compatible with Power Delivery (PD2.0/PD3.0) and provides 15V or 20V output with the minimum 3A current (the current draw is internally limited to 2.8A).
There are 4 possible modes of operation:
- a) Active, battery only.
- b) Active, battery + power adapter. In this mode the robot can be used and charged simultaneously. The battery is used only when the robot current consumption exceeds the power adapter maximum current.
- c) Inactive (powered off), battery only. Robot in this state does not draw current from battery and can remain in this state for weeks. The battery state should be checked every 6-8 weeks and recharged if the battery level is below 25%. For a prolonged storage, the best battery level is 40-50%.
- d) Inactive, battery + power adapter. In this state the battery charges with the maximum speed (2.5A maximum). Robot can be switched on at any time, with transition to mode "b)".
The battery charging process should take about 5-6 hours in d) mode (from 0% to 100%).
User compartment
ROSbot XL allows the user access to its interior by default. This chapter describes the items (connectors, switches, cables) that can be utilized by user. Please read it carefully before making any changes inside the robot. Please keep in mind that despite modifications are allowed, you need to have a basic experience with electronic circuits/boards to avoid damage. The interior is not protected in any way and it is very easy to make a damage to the robot. Damages made by user are not covered by our limited warranty.
Digital board items
A digital board is the big, white PCBA, located on the rear end of the robot.
DIP switch on Digital Board (DIP_SW)
The switch sections are numbered from the left:
| Section | Function | OFF setting | ON setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speaker source | audio source = SBC (via CON19) | audio source = MCU |
| 2 | none | for future use | for future use |
| 3 | MCU BOOT0 | MCU boot from FLASH | MCU bootloader active |
Analog audio input (AUDIO_IN)
Analog audio input of integrated amplifier and speaker. Designed for SBC audio output connection. DIP_SW section 1 shall be set to OFF when this input is used. If you ordered ROSbot XL with Raspberry Pi 4, this cable is already connected.
| Pin | Signal | Input name | Source node |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GND | Reference/shield ground | - |
| 2 | IN+ | Differential input positive | Left channel |
| 3 | IN- | Differential input negative | Ground |
Usually SBCs do not have differential audio output. Therefore, please use GND as a shield, IN+ as a signal input and IN- as a ground connection on the SBC side. This "pseudo-differential" connection helps with noise limiting. The connector plug type is JST XHP-3.
Extra GPIO - bank 1 (EXT1)
The EXT1 connector contains a few GPIOs that can be used by more experienced users. All signals are in 3.3V logic and all of them have 220R resistor in series.
| Pin | Signal name | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EXT_GPIO2 | |
| 2 | EXT_GPIO1 | |
| 3 | EXT_PWM2 | |
| 4 | EXT_PWM1 | |
| 5 | USART6_TX | |
| 6 | USART6_RX | |
| 7 | I2C1_SCL | External pull-up needed |
| 8 | I2C1_SDA | External pull-up needed |
| 9 | SPI1_MOSI | |
| 10 | SPI1_SCK | |
| 11 | SPI1_MISO | |
| 12 | +3V3_PROT | Power supply output. OC protection at 500mA |
| 13 | GND | Ground |
| 14 | +5V_PROT | Power supply output. OC protection at 500mA |
Extra GPIO - bank 2 (EXT2)
The EXT1 connector contains a few GPIOs that can be used by more experienced users. All signals are in 3.3V logic and all of them have 220R resistor in series. In addition, the pins with ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) function have 100nF capacitor closer to the MCU.
| Pin | Signal name | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GND | |
| 2 | BOOT0 | pull-down on board |
| 3 | EXT_PWM3 | |
| 4 | NRST | pull-up on board |
| 5 | EXT_ADC1 | |
| 6 | EXT_ADC2 | |
| 7 | EXT_ADC3 | |
| 8 | EXT_GPIO3 | |
| 9 | I2C3_SDA | External pull-up needed |
| 10 | I2C3_SCL | External pull-up needed |
| 11 | CAN1_TX | External transceiver needed |
| 12 | CAN1_RX | External transceiver needed |
| 13 | GND | Ground |
| 14 | +5V_PROT | Power supply output. OC protection at 500mA |
The connector type for both EXT1 and EXT2 ports is a commonly-known ribbon IDC cable connector, with pin-to-pin pitch 2.54mm (0.1") and the ribbon cable pitch 1.27mm (0.05"). The example model is Harting 09 18 514 5813 58U.
Power board items
A power board is the vertically oriented, white PCBA, located in parallel to the right side of the robot. Below you can see the fragment of it - the upper left corner.
There are several items which need a better description:
DIP switch on Power Board (SW1)
This switch changes the SBC supply voltage available on SBC supply port (CON9, pin 2) and User supply port (CON8, pin 2). The switch sections are numbered from the left:
| Section | Function | Default setting | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | none | OFF | do not change |
| 2 | none | ON | do not change |
| 3 | SBC supply 19V enable | OFF | Turn to ON for 19V output. Keep OFF for 12V. |
SBC supply port (CON9)
This connector is used to supply the user computer. If you purchased ROXbot XL with the chosen user computer, the power supply for this SBC is already connected here. The pinout may be useful if you would like to install or replace the SBC by yourself.
| Pin | Signal | Max current | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GND | 5A | |
| 2 | +12V/+19V | 4.75A/3A | set with DIP switch |
| 3 | Vbat2 | 5A | 9V ... 12.6V |
| 4 | +5V | 5A |
Compatible plug housing: Molex 43025-0400. Compatible plug terminal: Molex 43030-0007
User supply port (CON8)
| Pin | Signal | Max current | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GND | 3A | |
| 2 | +12V/+19V | 3A | set with DIP switch |
| 3 | Vbat1 | 3A | 9V ... 12.6V |
| 4 | +5V | 3A |
The connector plug type is JST XHP-4.
The +5V and +12/19V line are shared between CON8 and CON9. The total current for both cannot exceed the maximum current for CON9. The Vbat1/Vbat2 lines are shared with all other circuits, including motors, +5V, +12V/+19V. Therefore, depending on the total power usage, the maximum current on Vbat1/Vbat2 can be lower than specified here.
CAD models
To facilitate the work with the project based on ROSbot XL platform, we have prepared CAD models for download in three extension formats:
- STEP - all variants zipped [9,5MB] - contains models with mecanum or regular wheels, collision model, PCBs model and a complete model with all part variants.
- STL - all variants zipped [3,3MB] - contains models with mecanum, regular or no wheels and a collision model, in two quality levels.
- F3D - Autodesk 360 Fusion model [3,2MB] - contains a complete model with selectable features.
Software
Software packages for ROSbot XL are available in the rosbot_xl_ros repository.
Docker containers
The recommended way of running software on ROSbot XL is using docker containers, here you can find the list of available containers.
ROS / ROS 2 API
Use bringup.launch.py from rosbot_xl_bringup to start all base functionalities for ROSbot XL. It consists of the following parts:
scan_to_scan_filter_chainfromlaser_filters, it subscribes to/scantopic and removes all points that are within the robot's footprint (defined by configlaser_filter.yamlinrosbot_xl_bringuppackage). Filtered laserscan is then published on/scan_filteredtopicSubscribes
/scan(sensor_msgs/LaserScan)
Publishes
/scan_filtered(sensor_msgs/LaserScan)
ekf_nodefromrobot_localization, it is used to fuse wheel odometry and IMU data. Parameters are defined inekf.yamlinrosbot_xl_bringup/config. It subscribes to/rosbot_xl_base_controller/odomand/imu_broadcaster/imupublished by ros2 controllers and publishes fused odometry on/odometry/filteredtopicSubscribes
/rosbot_xl_base_controller/odom(nav_msgs/Odometry)/imu_broadcaster/imu(sensor_msgs/Imu)
Publishes
/tf(tf2_msgs/TFMessage) -base_link->odomtransform/odometry/filtered(nav_msgs/Odometry)
controller.launch.pyfromrosbot_xl_controller, it loads robot model defined inrosbot_xl_descriptionas well as ros2 control rosbot_hardware_interfaces. It also starts controllers:joint_state_broadcasterrosbot_xl_base_controller- depending on the value ofmecanumargument it can beDiffDriveControllerorMecanumDriveControllerimu_broadcaster
Subscribes
/cmd_vel(geometry_msgs/Twist)/_motors_responses(sensor_msgs/JointState)/_imu/data_raw(sensor_msgs/Imu)
Publishes
/tf(tf2_msgs/TFMessage)/tf_static(tf2_msgs/TFMessage)/_motors_cmd(std_msgs/Float32MultiArray)/rosbot_xl_base_controller/odom(nav_msgs/Odometry)/imu_broadcaster/imu(sensor_msgs/Imu)
Use micro_ros_agent to communicate with Digital Board, it provides the following interface:
Subscribes
/_motors_cmd(std_msgs/Float32MultiArray)Publishes
/_motors_responses(sensor_msgs/JointState)/_imu/data_raw(sensor_msgs/Imu)/battery_state(sensor_msgs/BatteryState)
Operating System image reinstallation
In some cases you will need to restore ROSbot system to its default settings:
- in case of accidential damage of the system,
- to update the OS (it can be udpated remotely, but flashing the microSD card can be easier sometimes),
- to clear all user changes and restore factory settings.
This process will differ depending on ROSbot version that you have. Find the full instruction here
Reference projects
Running ROS natively is fine for relatively small projects. For more complex ones, the full dockerized setup is a better approach.
Find available projects below:
| link | description |
|---|---|
| rosbot-xl-gamepad | Control the robot manually using a Logitech F710 gamepad |
| rosbot-xl-mapping | Create a map (using slam_toolbox) of the unknow environment with ROSbot controlled in LAN or over the Internet |
| rosbot-navigation | Autonomous navigation (using navigation2) on a given map. |
ROS 2 Tutorials
ROS 2 Tutorials are still in the process of development, with new tutorials coming soon.
ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2) provides libraries and tools to help software developers create robotic applications. We've put together a series of ROS 2 Tutorials dedicated for this platform that serve as a practical introduction to ROS 2. You can run them on any of our ROSbots, either on a physical robot or in the simulation environment. These step-by-step guides are tailored to accommodate both beginners embarking on their ROS 2 journey and experienced users looking to deepen their understanding of robot navigation.
Docs and links
All helpful documents and links in one place: