I am thrilled to announce the release of our newest robot, the 3pi+! This new platform is a major upgrade from the original 3pi robot we introduced twelve years ago. At 97Â mm, the diameter is just 1mm larger than the original, and the general concept of a tiny, fast robot powered by four AAA batteries and two micro metal gearmotors remains the same. However, just about everything has been redesigned from the ground up to add the extra features everyone has been asking for.
First off, the 3pi+ is now a platform that encompasses a range of products, not just one particular robot. This is enabled primarily by the chassis now being an independent structure rather than being a specific circuit board with motors strapped on:
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3pi+ Chassis Kit (No Motors or Electronics). |
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The chassis incorporates the battery holders, motor mounts, and ball caster. An outer bumper skirt is removable and the motors can instead be held in by separate clips (also included in the kit). The left-most picture shows the chassis with motors installed but without the bumper skirt or motor clips, and the next two pictures show the motor clips installed:
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Making the chassis separate from any electronics means that you can use it with your own electronics and that we can make various versions with different capabilities and microcontrollers.
3pi+ 32U4
The first full 3pi+ robot we are launching is the 3pi+ 32U4, which is based on an Arduino-compatible ATmega32U4 microcontroller from Microchip (formerly from Atmel). Like the original 3pi, the 3pi+ 32U4 has five integrated downward-looking reflectance sensors, making the robot a great starting point for line following and line-maze events.
The 3pi+ 32U4 offers many major improvements over the original 3pi, including:
- ATmega32U4 microcontroller with Arduino-compatible bootloader can be programmed directly through a USB connection
- Quadrature encoders on both motors for closed-loop position and speed control
- Full 9-axis IMU (three-axis gyro, accelerometer, and compass)
- Bottom-loading battery holders keep batteries accessible even if additional levels are added
- Full wrap-around bumper to protect electronics from collisions
- Two bump sensors on the front
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot features, top view. |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot features, bottom view. |
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The 3pi+ 32U4 is also available with three motor options for different usage scenarios:
| 3pi+ 32U4 Version | Products | Micro Metal Gearmotor | Top Speed | Comments |
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| Standard Edition | assembled or kit | 30:1 MP 6V | 1.5 m/s | great all-around balance between controllability and speed, with top theoretical speed above that of the original 3pi |
| Turtle Edition | assembled or kit | 75:1 LP 6V | 0.4 m/s | longest battery life, easiest to control, appropriate for swarm robot projects or classrooms where you might not want robots flying around the floor (or desktop) too quickly |
| Hyper Edition | assembled or kit | 15:1 HPCB 6V | ~4 m/s | ridiculous speed, which can definitely be fun. But, controlling that speed can be difficult, which can make the robot more prone to self-destruction (or at least self-inflicted damage), so we recommend this only for advanced users |
These three 3pi+ 32U4 motor options are available in assembled or kit form, and for those who want to do your own thing, the parts are available separately so that you can pick some other motor or gear ratio.
Normally we would have an introductory special for this big of a new product release, but since we are about to launch our annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale, you can get a great discount on the new 3pi+ there!
Related products
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot - Standard Edition (30:1 MP Motors), Assembled |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot - Turtle Edition (75:1 LP Motors), Assembled |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot - Hyper Edition (15:1 HPCB Motors), Assembled |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot Kit with 30:1 MP Motors (Standard Edition Kit) |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot Kit with 75:1 LP Motors (Turtle Edition Kit) |
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3pi+ 32U4 Robot Kit with 15:1 HPCB Motors (Hyper Edition Kit) |
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3pi+ 32U4 Control Board |
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3pi+ Chassis Kit (No Motors or Electronics) |
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