Zumo Robot for Arduino (Assembled with 75:1 HP Motors)

New version available: This product has been replaced by the newer Zumo Robot for Arduino, v1.2 (Assembled with 75:1 HP Motors), which includes a gyroscope as well as a newer accelerometer and magnetometer. The new version is a drop-in replacement except for a few small changes to the magnetometer and accelerometer code.

Overview

A Zumo robot preparing to attack a Parallax SumoBot.

Zumo Robot for Arduino.

The Zumo robot is a low-profile tracked robot platform intended for use with an Arduino (or compatible device) as its main controller. It measures less than 10 cm on each side and weighs approximately 300 g with an Arduino Uno and batteries (165 g without, as shipped), so it is both small enough and light enough to qualify for Mini-Sumo competitions. It uses two 75:1 HP micro metal gearmotors to drive the treads, providing plenty of torque and a top speed of approximately 2 feet per second (60 cm/s), which makes it much more agile than competing robots like the Solarbotics Sumovore and Parallax SumoBot while still offering plenty of control. The Zumo robot includes a 0.036"-thick laser-cut stainless steel sumo blade mounted to the front of the chassis for pushing around objects like other robots, and a reflectance sensor array mounted along the front edge of the Zumo (behind the sumo blade) allows the Zumo to detect features on the ground in front of it, such as lines for following or edges for avoiding.

The Zumo control board is essentially a shield for the Arduino Uno or Leonardo, both of which can be plugged directly into the shield’s male header pins, face down. (It is not compatible with the Arduino Mega or Due, but it can be used with older Arduinos that have the same form factor as the Uno, such as the Duemilanove.) The shield includes dual motor drivers, a buzzer for playing simple sounds and music, a user pushbutton, and a 3-axis accelerometer and compass. It also boosts the battery voltage to power the Arduino and breaks out the Arduino I/O lines, reset button, and user LED for convenient access and to accommodate additional sensors.

Our Zumo Arduino libraries make it easy to interface with all of the integrated hardware, and we provide a number of sample programs that show how to use the Zumo’s reflectance array, pushbutton, buzzer, and motors. We have also written a basic LSM303 Arduino library that makes it easier to interface the LSM303DLHC 3-axis accelerometer and magnetometer with an Arduino.

The robot ships as shown in the main product picture; no assembly or soldering is required. An appropriate Arduino (or compatible controller) and four AA batteries are required but not included.

Features

• Integrated 75:1 HP micro metal gearmotors that offer a good blend of speed (up to 2 feet per second), power, and control.
• Mounted array of six IR reflectance sensors that allows the Zumo to detect contrasts in reflectivity directly beneath its blade, which can be used for following lines or detecting edges (e.g. the white outer area of a sumo ring or the edge of a table).
• Integrated DRV8835 dual motor drivers capable of delivering enough current for the Zumo’s two high-power gearmotors.
• Piezo buzzer for playing simple sounds and music. The buzzer is controlled by one of the Arduino’s PWM outputs, so tones can be generated in the background without taking up a lot of processing power.
• Integrated LSM303DLHC 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis magnetometer that can be used to detect impacts. The compass gets a lot of interference from the motors, batteries, PCB, and its surroundings, so it is not generally useful for precision navigation, but we have found that, with proper calibration, it can be used as a rough indication of orientation in many environments.
• Optional user pushbutton on pin 12.
• 7.5 V boost regulator for powering the Arduino from the Zumo’s 4 AA batteries.
• Convenient access to Arduino I/O lines, the pin 13 user LED, and the Arduino reset line via the shield.
• General-purpose prototyping areas and an expansion area at the front for connecting additional sensors.
• Compatible with the Arduino Uno R3 and Arduino Leonardo. Can also be used with older Arduinos that have the same form factor, like the Duemilanove.
• Arduino libraries and sample code make getting started easy.
• Detailed user’s guide.

Required Accessories (not included)

Arduino R3, top view.

• An Arduino. The Zumo Shield works with both the Uno and the Leonardo. It is not compatible with the Arduino Mega or Due, but it can be used with older Arduinos that have the same form factor as the Uno, such as the Duemilanove. (Other Arduino-compatible controllers might work with the Zumo robot, but support for them will be limited and they might require modification; for example, one customer got his Zumo robot working with the Freescale FRDM-KL25Z board.)
• Four AA batteries. The Zumo chassis works with both alkaline and NiMH batteries, though we recommend rechargeable NiMH cells.

Optional Accessories

A variety of Sharp distance sensors.

• Optical rangefinders for obstacle/opponent detection. We carry both analog and digital rangefinders that detect at distances useful in regulation mini-sumo rings.
• iMAX-B6AC battery charger for charging the Zumo’s battery’s through the Zumo Shield’s 2-pin charge port. Note that you only need a battery charger if you plan on powering the Zumo with rechargeable cells, and that charger should be capable of charging 4 NiMH cells in series. Alternatively, since the Zumo just uses ordinary AA batteries, you can use AA chargers (into which you stick the individual cells) available at most general electronics stores.
• Connectors (headers, jumper wires, etc) for adding more sensors.

Also Available as a Kit

For those interested in soldering and assembling their own Zumo, the Zumo Robot Kit for Arduino contains the parts necessary to assemble your own Zumo robot, but allows you to select a different gear ratio micro metal gearmotor to make your Zumo faster or stronger. Note that unlike the assembled version, the kit does not include a Zumo reflectance sensor array.

Contents of the Zumo robot kit for Arduino.