Robot HATS
Robot HATS is a specially-designed HAT for a 40-pin Raspberry Pi and can work with Raspberry Pi model B+, 2 model B, and 3 model B. It supplies power to the Raspberry Pi from the GPIO ports. Thanks to the design of the ideal diode based on the rules of HATS, it can supply the Raspberry Pi via both the USB cable and the DC port thus protecting it from damaging the TF card caused by batteries running out of power. The PCF8591 is used as the ADC chip, with I2C communication, and the address 0x48.
1. Digital ports: 3-wire digital sensor ports, signal voltage: 3.3V, VCC voltage: 3.3V.
2. Analog ports: 3-wire 4-channel 8-bit ADC sensor port, reference voltage: 3.3V, VCC voltage: 3.3V.
3. I2C ports: 3.3V I2C bus ports
4. 5V power output: 5V power output to PWM driver.
5. UART port: 4-wire UART port, 5V VCC, perfectly working with SunFounder FTDI Serial to USB.
6. TB6612 motor control ports: includes 3.3V for the TB6612 chip, 5V for motors, and direction control of motors MA and MB; working with SunFounder TB6612 Motor driver.
7. Switch: power switch
8. Power indicators: indicating the voltage – 2 indicators on: >7.9V; 1 indicator on: 7.9V~7.4V; no indicator on: <7.4V. To protect the batteries, you’re recommended to take them out for charge when there is no indicator on. The power indicators depend on the voltage measured by the simple comparator circuit; the detected voltage may be lower than normal depending on loads, so it is just for reference.
9. Power port: 5.5/2.1mm standard DC port, input voltage: 8.4~7.4V (limited operating voltage: 12V~6V).
PCA9865
PCA9685 16-channel 12-bit I2C Bus PWM driver. It supports independent PWM output power and is easy to use 4-wire I2C port for connection in parallel, distinguished 3-color ports for PWM output.
1. PWM output ports: 3-color ports, independent power PWM output port, connect to the servo directly.
2 & 3. I2C port: 4-wire I2C port, can be used in parallel. Compatible with 3.3V/5.5V
4. PWM power input: 12V max.
5. LED: power indicator for the chip and for the PWM power input.
TB6612
The TB6612 Motor Driver module is a low heat generation one and small packaged motor drive.
- Power and motor control port: includes pins for supplying the chip and the motors and controlling the motors’ direction
- PWM input for the motors: PWM signal input for adjusting the speed of the two motors
- Motor output port: output port for two motors
USB Webcam
This camera supports a wide angle of 120°, which provides a wide and clear vision, thus giving better experience when you’re using it on the PiCar-V.
SunFounder SF0180 Servo
The SunFounder SF0180 Servo is a 180-degree three-wire digital servo. It utilizes PWM signal of 60Hz and has no physical limit – only control by internal software to 180 degrees at most.
Electrical Specifications:
| Item | V = 4.8V | V = 6.0V |
| Operating speed (no load) | 0.12 Sec/60° | 0.09 Sec/60° |
| Running current (no load) | 140 mA | 200 mA |
| Stall torque (locked) | 2.0 kg-cm | 2.5 kg-cm |
| Stall current (locked) | 520 mA | 700 mA |
| Idle current (stop) | 5 mA | 5 mA |
For more information, refer to SunFounder_PiCar-V/datasheet/SunFounder_SF0180.pdf in the code package on our Github page.
WiFi Adapter
The Ralink RT5370 Wireless Adapter is used in the car. Below are the features:
USB: XC1291
Network Connectivity: Wireless-Wi-Fi 802.11b, Wireless-Wi-Fi 802.11g, Wireless-Wi-Fi 802.11n
Applicable Network Type: Ethernet
Transmission Rate: 150Mbps
DC Gear Motor
It’s a DC motor with a speed reducing gear train. See the parameters below:
