Android system module specifications are online

[Steve Barker]

Information and specifications for the Modern Robotics electronic modules for the new FTC Android system are now available at www.modernroboticsinc.com .

[Ollie]

They are open now, but for some reason my registration didn't work. I never got a confirmation e-mail. I did use two e-mail addresses and two user names. After that I phoned them, but the system person was had gone home already. The person in phone was very friendly.

[korimako]

They are open now, but for some reason my registration didn't work. I never got a confirmation e-mail. I did use two e-mail addresses and two user names. After that I phoned them, but the system person was had gone home already. The person in phone was very friendly.

love how the picture of the core power module is populated with Anderson powerpoles but still has a tamiya main connector - say it isn't so!

[ChiefCT]

In another thread it was mentioned that the batteries would be cost prohibitive with an APP. So the Tamiya will be the supplied connector for the power input. Get your dikes and crimper ready!

[korimako]

In another thread it was mentioned that the batteries would be cost prohibitive with an APP. So the Tamiya will be the supplied connector for the power input. Get your dikes and crimper ready!

yes, but this is the power module, not the battery (which presumably comes via a different manufacturer). So 1 -They're making users use APPs for all other connections, 2 - everyone knows how poor/frustrating the tamiya connector is for this application. I just can't see the justification for the choice of that connector on these new modules. Sell an adapter cable if you must if you fear folks won't know what to do when the connectors don't match.

How many disappointments have you seen due to that single connector? - I've seen a lot, it's a problem we can be rid of.

[JimInNJ]

They are open now, but for some reason my registration didn't work. I never got a confirmation e-mail. I did use two e-mail addresses and two user names. After that I phoned them, but the system person was had gone home already. The person in phone was very friendly.

Has anyone received a confirmation email? Smart timing - turn the website user registration on, then go home for the weekend . . .

[ChiefCT]

yes, but this is the power module, not the battery (which presumably comes via a different manufacturer). So 1 -They're making users use APPs for all other connections, 2 - everyone knows how poor/frustrating the tamiya connector is for this application. I just can't see the justification for the choice of that connector on these new modules. Sell an adapter cable if you must if you fear folks won't know what to do when the connectors don't match.

How many disappointments have you seen due to that single connector? - I've seen a lot, it's a problem we can be rid of.

I completely agree. They apparently wanted a "plug and play" solution based on the battery connector. An adapter cable was not a thought or became an economic problem. I offer my teams to switch out Tamiya connectors any time we see them at a competition. If teams do not want to move to APP, we will rebuild their Tamiya connectors since we carry connector parts and crimpers for both. I hope that after this year we will not see any Tamiya connectors after the first competition of the year.

Pit admin at "World" was offering battery checks and APP connectors. Many teams were changed over to APP. I saw quite a few existing APP connectors that were improperly crimped. A poorly terminated APP connector is little more effective than a Tamiya connector that is expanded or backing out of the shell.

[Cheer4FTC]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for all of the information on the website.

On this page, it describes the two kits that will be available. Quick questions:

1. Can you offer the advanced kit without the Legacy Module? It would seem that many teams working only with the new hardware would not need this module and could save money by not having to purchase it. The page says that teams will be able to purchase individual modules separately at any time, so teams that later find they want a Legacy Module can always get one later.

2. Can you offer the advanced kit without the sensors? I would humbly suggest that the sensors would be better offered individually or perhaps as a separate kit, as again, teams may not need these sensors, or may want multiple sensors of TypeA but no sensors of TypeB, or may choose to use other vendor's sensors with similar features interfaced to the new Core Device Interface module.

3. Can you specify the type/brand of connector that will be used to plug into the Core Device Interface module's sensor I/Os? For example, teams may want to create their own touch sensors with simple switches and would need to purchase their own conectors to properly plug into the Core Device Interface module.

Thanks for your consideration.

[ChiefCT]

I would like to offer a caution to all since I did not see it in the spec sheet. A discussion I had at "World" with a MR rep yielded specific information concerning the PWM ports on the Core Device Interface Module. These ports provide signaling only and are provided for some future unspecified devices that MR hopes to develop. THEY WILL NOT SUPPORTPOWER FOR A SERVO! The signaling may be useful to other purposes that we might develop on our own.

[ChiefCT]

Concerning the connections on the Core Device Interface Module. These are standard Berg style .100" (2.54mm) spaced header pins that are not keyed by my observation. The digital, analog and PWM ports use the same 3 pin connectors as the servos. The I2C ports use an non keyed four pin connection, (The motor controller uses a four pin connection but that housing is keyed.). The low current power ports use a two pin connection. This style connector housing and sockets are common in the electronics industry for 1 to over 300 pin connections using multiple rows. They are the same style headers used for Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Berg, TE Connectivity/AMP, 3M, FCI and many others make this style connector. A caution that I have is that you should choose one brand and stay with it. Each brand has its own unique tooling for the typically open barrel style crimp. There must be a crimp on the conductor and the insulation to properly terminate these. I have seen some use solder and shrink tube with good success.

That all said... Connector housings are a convenience, not a requirement. A shrink tubed socket works well if you are willing to work with individual wires.