Zumo 32U4 OLED Robot Kit

by Pololu

The Pololu Zumo 32U4 OLED robot is a versatile tracked robot based on the Arduino-compatible ATmega32U4 MCU

This kit contains most of the parts you need to build one—all you need to add are a pair of micro metal gearmotors and four AA batteries.

It includes integrated dual motor drivers, a graphical OLED display, quadrature encoders, line sensors, side and front proximity sensors, and a full IMU. The assembled robot is less than 10 cm × 10 cm—small enough to qualify for Mini Sumo. This product is a kit; assembly (including soldering) is required.

The Zumo 32U4 OLED is a highly integrated, user-programmable and customizable tracked robot. It measures less than 10 cm on each side and weighs approximately 275 g with batteries (160 g without), so it is both small enough and light enough to qualify for Mini-Sumo competitions, but its versatility makes it capable of much more than just robot sumo battles.

At the heart of the Zumo 32U4 is an ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller from Microchip (formerly Atmel). The Zumo 32U4 features a USB interface and ships preloaded with an Arduino-compatible bootloader. A software add-on is available that makes it easy to program the robot from the Arduino environment, and Pololu have Arduino libraries and example sketches to help get you started. A USB A to Micro-B cable (not included) is required for programming. For advanced users who want to customize or enhance their robots with additional peripherals, the robot’s power rails and microcontroller’s I/O lines can be accessed via 0.1″-spaced through-holes along the sides and front of the main board.

The Zumo 32U4 features two H-bridge motor drivers and a variety of integrated sensors, including a pair of quadrature encoders for closed-loop motor control, a complete inertial measurement unit (3-axis accelerometer, gyro, and magnetometer), five downward-facing reflectance sensors for line-following or edge-detection, and front- and side-facing proximity sensors for obstacle detection and ranging. Three on-board pushbuttons offer a convenient interface for user input, and a 128×64 graphical OLED display, buzzer, and indicator LEDs allow the robot to provide feedback.

Kit contents

With the exception of motors, batteries, and a USB A to Micro-B cable, this kit contains everything necessary to build and operate a Zumo 32U4 robot:

See the Zumo 32U4 robot user’s guide for detailed assembly instructions.

Motors

The Zumo chassis uses two micro metal gearmotors, one for each tread. The ideal motors for your robot depend on your desired torque, speed, and current draw, so motors are not included. Pololu generally recommend using high-power (HP or HPCB, which have long-life carbon brushes) micro metal gearmotors since the tracks require a decent amount of torque to move effectively; higher gear ratios of the non-HP motors might work if you want lower current draw, but they will be slower and offer less control. Specifically, Pololu primarily recommend the 50:1, 75:1, or 100:1 HP (or HPCB) motors for use with this chassis. Additionally, be sure to get a version with extended motor shafts if you want to be able to use the Zumo 32U4’s encoders.

Batteries

The Zumo 32U4 robot runs off of four AA batteries. It works with both alkaline and NiMH batteries, though Pololu recommend using rechargeable AA NiMH cells.

Resources

Documentation and other information

File downloads

Recommended links