NI roboRIO 2.0 Embedded Controller for FRC User Manual

Physical Features

The NI roboRIO 2.0 provides the I/O shown in the following figure and connects to a host computer over USB and 10/100 Ethernet.

Physical Dimensions

The following figures describe the physical dimensions of the NI roboRIO 2.0 enclosure and its features.

Mounting the NI roboRIO 2.0

You can mount the NI roboRIO 2.0 in the following ways:

Using cable ties to secure one edge of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to perfboard with 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) diameter holes on 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) straight centers, such as AndyMark part number am-0836.
Using cable ties to secure one corner of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to perfboard.
Using screws to secure the bottom of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to a metal plate.

Method One: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Edge of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to Perfboard

The following figures show how to secure one edge of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to perfboard.

Method Two: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Corner of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to Perfboard

The following figures show how to secure one corner of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to perfboard.

Method Three: Using Screws to Secure the Bottom of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to a Metal Plate

The following figure shows how to secure the bottom of the NI roboRIO 2.0 to a metal plate using the built-in 4-40 screw holes. The length of the screws required depends on the thickness of the plate you use. For example, if the plate is 4.76 mm (0.188 in.) thick, the recommended screw length is 7.94 mm (0.313 in.).

Compatible USB and Ethernet Cables

The following table lists the USB and Ethernet cables available from NI that you can use with the NI roboRIO 2.0.

Table 1. Compatible USB and Ethernet Cables Available from NI
Cable	Description	NI Part Number
USB cable	USB 2.0 A/B, black, 1 m	192256A-01
Peripheral USB cable	USB 2.0 A/A, locking, black, 2 m	152166A-02
Ethernet cable	CAT-5E, thin profile, 2 m	151733A-02

Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, the maximum length for DIO, RS-232, I²C, CAN, SPI, PWM, AI, Relay, and RSL signal wires is 2.0 m (6.56 ft). The maximum length for USB cables is 5.0 m (16.40 ft). The maximum length for Ethernet cables is 30.0 m (98.43 ft).

Setting Up the NI roboRIO 2.0

Connecting to Power

The NI roboRIO 2.0 requires an external power supply that meets the specifications in the Power Requirements section of the NI roboRIO 2.0 Specifications. The NI roboRIO 2.0 filters and regulates the supplied power and provides power for all of the I/O and user voltage. The NI roboRIO 2.0 has one layer of reverse-voltage protection.

Complete the following steps to connect a power supply to the chassis.

Ensure that the power supply is turned off.

Caution Do not install or remove the power connector from the front panel of the NI roboRIO 2.0 while power is applied.
Connect the positive lead of the power supply to the V terminal of the COMBICON power connector shipped with the NI roboRIO 2.0, and tighten the terminal screw. The following figure shows the terminal screws, which secure the wires in the screw terminals, and the connector screws, which secure the power connector on the front panel.
Figure 16. COMBICON Power Connector
1. Terminal Screws
2. Connector Screws
Connect the negative lead of the power supply to the C terminal of the power connector and tighten the terminal screw.
Install the power connector on the front panel of the NI roboRIO 2.0 and tighten the connector screws.
Turn on the power supply.

Powering On the Device

The NI roboRIO 2.0 runs a power-on self test (POST) when you apply power to the device. During the POST, the Power and Status LEDs turn on. When the Status LED turns off, the POST is complete. If the LEDs do not behave in this way when the system powers on, refer to the LED Indications section.

Connecting to a Network

Connect the NI roboRIO 2.0 to an Ethernet network using the Ethernet port. Use a standard Category 5 (CAT-5) or better shielded, twisted-pair Ethernet cable to connect the NI roboRIO 2.0 to an Ethernet hub, router, or directly to a computer.

Caution To prevent data loss and to maintain the integrity of your Ethernet installation, do not use a cable longer than 30 m.

The first time you power up the chassis, it attempts to initiate a DHCP network connection. If the chassis is unable to initiate a DHCP connection, it connects to the network with a link-local IP address with the form 169.254.x.x.

User Power

The following table describes the user voltage rails for powering external sensors and peripherals. The rails are independent from the power supplies of internal systems, such as the processor and memory.

Table 2. Voltage Rails
Voltage Rail	Description
+6 V	Power from PWM ports for use with servos.
+5 V	Power for DIO and AI ports for sensors, and power for the MXP for powering expansion circuits.
+3.3 V	Power for I²C, SPI, and the MXP.

Input Voltage Brownout Behavior

The input voltage range on the NI roboRIO 2.0 is 7 V to 16 V. Operation below 7 V is allowed for short periods of time but is not recommended for continuous operation.

The brownout threshold voltage on the NI roboRIO 2.0 can be user-configured. By default, the threshold is 7 V.

The input voltage monitoring circuit monitors the voltage on the input voltage pin. When the input voltage drops to the brownout threshold voltage, the NI roboRIO 2.0 enters brownout mode with a staged response, as the following table describes.

Table 3. Input Voltage Brownout Behavior
Stage	Input Voltage Range	Behavior
1	4.5 V to brownout threshold voltage	The NI roboRIO 2.0 enters a brownout fault condition and the following precautions are taken: +6 V voltage rail is disabled All PWM generation stops at the conclusion of the current cycle. GPIOs configured as outputs go to High-Z. Relay control outputs are driven low. CAN-based motor controllers become disabled. The following systems continue to function normally with valid data and communication: FPGA, processor, RAM, disk, and user code +5 V and +3.3 V voltage rails USB power and communication Radio, if powered by USB Ethernet CAN AI and AO I²C SPI RS-232 serial LED and RSL status lights Stage 1 continues until the input voltage rises to greater than the brownout threshold voltage+hysteresis (default 7.85 V) or drops to less than 4.5 V.
2	Less than 4.5 V	All controller functions cease and the controller state is lost. This condition continues until the input voltage rises to greater than 4.65 V, at which point the controller starts the normal booting sequence. At startup, the controller remains in Stage 1 until the input voltage rises to greater than the brownout threshold voltage.

Hardware Block Diagram

The following figure shows the arrangement and functions of NI roboRIO 2.0 components.

Pinouts

The following describe the pins and signals on the NI roboRIO 2.0 ports.

MXP

The following figure and table describe the MXP pins and signals. Note that some pins carry both primary and secondary functions.

Table 4. MXP Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Reference	Direction	Description
+5V	DGND	Output	+5 V power output.
AI <0..3>	AGND	Input	0 V to 5 V, referenced, single-ended AI channels. Refer to the AI Channels section for more information.
AO <0..1>	AGND	Output	0 V to 5 V referenced, single-ended AO. Refer to the AO Channels section for more information.
AGND	—	—	Reference for AI and AO.
+3.3V	DGND	Output	+3.3 V power output.
DIO <0..15>	DGND	Input or Output	General-purpose digital lines with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V-/5 V-compatible input. Refer to the DIO, PWM, and Relay Lines section for more information.
UART.RX	DGND	Input	UART receive input. UART lines are electrically identical to DIO lines.
UART.TX	DGND	Output	UART transmit output. UART lines are electrically identical to DIO lines.
DGND	—	—	Reference for digital signals, +5 V, and +3.3 V.

CAN Port

The following figure and table describe the CAN port pins and signals.

Table 5. CAN Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
L (GRN)	Input/Output	CAN bus differential low signal.
H (YEL)	Input/Output	CAN bus differential high signal.

Note The NI roboRIO 2.0 contains an internal 120 Ω termination resistor between L (GRN) and H (YEL).

I²C Port

The following figure and table describe the I²C port pins and signals.

Table 6. I²C Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
GND	—	Reference for digital lines and +3.3 V power output.
3.3V	Output	+3.3 V power output.
SCL	Input or Output	I²C lines with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V-/5 V-compatible input. Refer to the I²C Lines section for more information.
SDA	Input or Output

RS-232 Port

The following figure and table describe the RS-232 port pins and signals.

Table 7. RS-232 Serial Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
TXD	Output	Serial transmit output with ±5 V to ±15 V signal levels. Refer to the UART and RS-232 Lines section for more information.
RXD	Input	Serial receive input with ±15 V input voltage range. Refer to the UART and RS-232 Lines section for more information.
GND	—	Reference for digital lines.

DIO Port

The following figure and table describe the DIO port pins and signals.

Table 8. DIO Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
S (DIO) <0..9>	Input/Output	General-purpose digital lines with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V-/5 V-compatible input. Refer to the DIO, PWM, and Relay Lines section for more information.
5V	Output	+5 V power output.
GND	—	Reference for digital lines and +5 V power output.

RSL Port

The following figure and table describe the RSL port pins and signals.

Table 9. RSL Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
S	Output	Switched power output to drive RSL when RSL is enabled. The voltage level depends on the connected input voltage. RSL current is limited at 120 mA.
GND	—	Reference for S.

Relay Port

The following figure and table describe the Relay port pins and signals.

Table 10. Relay Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
FWD <0..3>	Output	Relay digital lines with 5 V output.
REV <0..3>	Output	Relay digital lines with 5 V output.
GND	—	Reference for digital lines.

AI Port

The following figure and table describe the AI port pins and signals.

Table 11. AI Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
S (AI) <0..3>	Input	0 V to 5 V referenced, single-ended AI channels. Refer to the AI Channels section for more information.
5V	Output	+5 V power output.
GND	—	Reference for AI and +5 V power.

PWM Port

The following figure and table describe the PWM port pins and signals.

Table 12. PWM Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
S (PWM) <0..9>	Output	PWM digital lines with 5 V output.
6V	Output	+6 V power output for servos only.
GND	—	Reference for digital lines and +6 V power output.

SPI Port

The following figure and table describe the SPI port pins and signals.

Table 13. SPI Port Signal Descriptions
Signal Name	Direction	Description
3.3V	Output	+3.3 V power output.
5V	Output	+5 V power output.
CS <0..3>	Output	SPI with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V-/5 V-compatible input. Refer to the SPI Lines section for more information.
SCLK	Output
COPI	Output
CIPO	Input
GND	—	Reference for digital lines and +3.3 V and +5.5 V power output.

Signal Ground References

To minimize noise on analog measurement channels, use the ground reference of the corresponding port. For example, when you are using AI, the measurement should reference the GND of the AI port.

Interfaces

AI Channels

The NI roboRIO 2.0 has AI channels on the MXP and on the AI port. The channels are multiplexed to a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that samples all channels.

The MXP and the AI port each has four single-ended AI channels, AI0-AI3, which you can use to measure 0 V to 5 V signals.

Note For important information about improving measurement accuracy by reducing noise, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code analogwiring.

The following figure shows the AI topology of the NI roboRIO 2.0.

AO Channels

The NI roboRIO 2.0 MXP has two AO channels, AO0 and AO1, which you can use to generate signals of 0 V to 5 V. Each channel has a dedicated digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which allows all AO channels to update simultaneously. The maximum update rate is specified as an aggregate rate in the Analog Output section of the NI roboRIO 2.0 Specifications.

The following figure shows the AO topology of the NI roboRIO 2.0.

DIO, PWM, and Relay Lines

The NI roboRIO 2.0 provides the following DIO lines:

3.3 V general-purpose DIO lines on the MXP.
3.3 V digital lines on the DIO, I²C, and SPI ports.
5 V digital lines on the PWM and Relay ports.

DIO <9..0> on the DIO port, CS <3..0> on the SPI port, and DIO <13..0> on the MXP all have 40 kΩ pullup resistors to 3.3 V, as shown in the following figure.

DIO <15..14> on the MXP and the two lines on the I²C port all have 2.2 kΩ pullup resistors to 3.3 V, as shown in the following figure.

<SCLK, COPI, CIPO> on the SPI port and the lines on the PWM and Relay ports all have 40 kΩ pulldown resistors to ground, as shown in the following figure.

You can program all MXP DIO lines and on-board DIO lines individually as inputs or outputs. Secondary digital functions include SPI, I²C, PWM, and quadrature encoder input. Refer to the NI roboRIO 2.0 software documentation for information about configuring the behavior of the DIO lines.

When a DIO line is floating, it floats in the direction of the pull resistor. A DIO line may be floating in any of the following conditions:

When the NI roboRIO 2.0 device is starting up.
When the line is configured as an input.
When the NI roboRIO 2.0 device is powering down.

You can add a stronger resistor to a DIO line to cause it to float in the opposite direction.

UART and RS-232 Lines

The NI roboRIO 2.0 has one UART connected to the UART lines on the MXP and one UART connected to the RS-232 port.

The UART lines on the MXP are electrically identical to DIO lines 0 to 13 on the MXP. Like those lines, UART.RX and UART.TX have 40 kΩ pullup resistors to 3.3 V.

The RS-232 lines are compliant with TIA/EIA-232-F voltage levels.

SPI Lines

The SPI port can support up to four devices by using each of the four Chip Select (CS) lines.

I²C Lines

The I²C lines can be used to connect to a network of I²C slave devices.

USB Host Port

The NI roboRIO 2.0 USB host port supports the following devices:

Web cameras that conform to the USB Video Device Class (UVC) protocol.
Machine vision cameras that conform to the USB3 Vision standard and are backward compatible with the USB 2.0 specification.
Basler ace USB3 cameras.
USB Flash drives.
USB-to-IDE adapters formatted with FAT16 and FAT32 file systems.

LabVIEW usually maps USB devices to the /U, /V, /W, or /X drive, starting with the /U drive if it is available.

USB Device Port

You can deploy and debug code by connecting a USB cable from the USB device port on the NI roboRIO 2.0 to a computer.

MicroSD Card Slot

This slot is for the microSD card which holds the LabVIEW RT operating system for the roboRIO 2.0. The card may also function as extra storage space.

The microSD card must be present before powering on the roboRIO 2.0 as it is necessary for operation.

Note It is recommended to keep your finger gently on the microSD card when intending to remove it as the ejection mechanism could propel the card if there is no obstruction.

Accelerometer

The NI roboRIO 2.0 contains a three-axis accelerometer, MMA8452Q. Refer to the Accelerometer section of the NI roboRIO 2.0 Specifications for the accelerometer sample rates.

Converting Raw Data Values to Voltage

You can use the following equations to convert raw data values to volts:

V = Raw Data Value \times LSB Weight LSB Weight = Nominal Range \div 2^{ADC Resolution}

where

Raw Data Value is the value returned by reading in the input channel,
LSB Weight is the value in volts of the increment between data values,
Nominal Range is the absolute value in volts of the full, peak-to-peak nominal range of the channel,
and ADC Resolution is the resolution of the ADC in bits (ADC Resolution = 12)

For AI and AO channels on the MXP,
$LSB Weight = 5 V \div 2^{12} = 1.221 m V Maximum Reading = 4095 \times 1.221 m V = 4.999 V$
For the accelerometer,
$LSB Weight = 16 g \div 2^{12} = 3.906 m g Maximum Positive Reading = + 2047 \times 3.906 m g = + 7.996 g Maximum Negative Reading = - 2048 \times 3.906 m g = - 8.000 g$

Front Panel Buttons

Reset Button

Pressing and releasing the Reset button restarts the processor and the FPGA.

Pressing and holding the Reset button until the status LED lights (about five seconds) and then releasing the Reset button restarts the processor and the FPGA and forces the NI roboRIO 2.0 into safe mode. In safe mode, the NI roboRIO 2.0 launches only the services necessary for updating configuration and installing software.

When the NI roboRIO 2.0 is in safe mode, you can communicate with it by using the serial lines on the RS-232 serial port. You must configure your serial-port terminal program with the following settings:

115,200 bits per second
Eight data bits
No parity
One stop bit
No flow control

User Button

The User Button produces a logic TRUE when depressed and a logic FALSE when not depressed. The User Button is not debounced in hardware.

LED Indications

Note The Radio, Comm, and Mode LEDs do not indicate any specific condition of the device but can be configured to display a set of colors or turned off completely.

Power LED

The Power LED is a dual-color red/green LED that indicates specific conditions, as shown in the following table.

Table 14. Power LED Indications
Color	State	Indication
Off	Off	Power is outside valid input range.
Green	Solid	Power is valid with no fault condition.
Red	Solid	Brownout condition detected. The user rail and outputs are disabled.

Status LED

The Status LED is off during normal operation. The NI roboRIO 2.0 runs a power-on self test (POST) when you apply power to the device. During the POST, the Power and Status LEDs turn on. When the Status LED turns off, the POST is complete. The NI roboRIO 2.0 indicates specific error conditions by flashing the Status LED a certain number of times every few seconds, as shown in the following table.

Table 15. Status LED Indications
Number of Flashes Every Few Seconds	Indication
2	The device has detected an error in its software. This usually occurs when an attempt to upgrade the software is interrupted. Reinstall software on the device.
3	The device is in safe mode.
4	The software has crashed twice without rebooting or cycling power between crashes. This usually occurs when the device runs out of memory. Review your LabVIEW Real-Time VI and check the memory usage. Modify the VI as necessary to solve the memory usage issue.
Continuously flashing or solid	The device has detected an unrecoverable error. Contact NI.

Radio LED

The Radio LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates specific conditions for a USB-connected radio, as shown in the following table.

Table 16. Radio LED Indications
Color	State	Indication
Off	Off	Green and Red disabled.
Green	Solid	Green enabled.
Red	Solid	Red enabled.
Yellow	Solid	Green and Red enabled.

Note Other LED states may indicate other, undetermined radio issues or failures. This LED is undefined if a USB radio is not used.

Comm LED

The Comm LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates robot communication conditions, as shown in the following table.

Table 17. Comm LED Indications
Color	State	Indication
Off	Off	Green and Red disabled.
Green	Solid	Green enabled.
Red	Solid	Red enabled.
Yellow	Solid	Green and Red enabled.

Mode LED

The Mode LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates the mode of the NI roboRIO 2.0 outputs, as shown in the following table.

Table 18. Mode LED Indications
Color	State	Indication
Off	Off	Green and Red disabled.
Green	Solid	Green enabled.
Red	Solid	Red enabled.
Yellow	Solid	Green and Red enabled.

RSL (Safety) LED

The RSL LED is a single-color yellow LED that functions identically to the RSL, which is an external indicator connected to the NI roboRIO 2.0 using a dedicated connector, and indicates specific conditions, as shown in the following table.

Table 19. RSL LED Indications
Color	State	Indication
Off	Off	RSL disabled.
Yellow	Solid	RSL enabled.

Warranty

For customers other than private individual users in the EU: The NI roboRIO 2.0 is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three years from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. NI will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.

For private individual users in the EU: Based on your statutory rights, NI will—through its distributor—cure defects in materials and workmanship within two years from delivery.

NI Services

Visit ni.com/support to find support resources including documentation, downloads, and troubleshooting and application development self-help such as tutorials and examples.

Visit ni.com/services to learn about NI service offerings such as calibration options, repair, and replacement.

Visit ni.com/register to register your NI product. Product registration facilitates technical support and ensures that you receive important information updates from NI.

NI corporate headquarters is located at 11500 N Mopac Expwy, Austin, TX, 78759-3504, USA.

1. Digital input and output (DIO) port	2. RS-232 port	3. I2C port
4. CAN port	5. Power connector	6. USB Device port
7. microSD card slot	8. USB Host ports	9. Ethernet port
10. Serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) port	11. LEDs	12. Pulse-width modulation (PWM) port
13. myRIO Expansion Port (MXP)	14. MXP retention mount	15. User and Reset buttons
16. Analog input (AI) port	17. Relay port	18. Robot signal light (RSL) port