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Ricbot sensorbox

Jca — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:36:56 GMT

Configuration

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:36, 30 July 2026
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
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	[[file: sensorbox-cabling.png \| 500px]]		[[file: sensorbox-cabling.png \| 500px]]

	~~The sensorbox contains~~		* 4 Basler cameras (a2A2448-23gcBAS) with a 6mm C lens.
	* 4 Basler cameras		* Raspberry Pi 5 (2) with SSD hard disk. This handles recording of all images. It has a cabled interface to the drive system of the RICbot (mainly for MQTT odometry). A recording start-pause button is connected to the Pi.
	* A Raspberry Pi ~~version~~ 5 with SSD hard disk.		* 5V power board for the Raspberry Pi.
	* A trigger management microprocessor (Teensy 4.0)		* The Pi cam is intended for forward-looking recording (a 12Mpixels camera with CS lens).
			* A trigger management microprocessor (Teensy 4.0) that also manages the power distribution, the on-off switching and the status LED-band.
	* A power distribution board with the ability for sequenced turn-on and turn-off.		* A power distribution board with the ability for sequenced turn-on and turn-off.
	* 12 V supply for cameras and common trigger junction board.		* 12 V supply for cameras and common trigger junction board.
	* A forward-looking Raspberry Pi camera (12 Mpixel)		* Possibly 2 multispectral IR cameras with their own recording system.
	* Possibly 2 multispectral cameras.		* Flash boards can further be connected and controlled by the common trigger system.

	== Function ==		== Function ==
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	The power switch has 3 positions:		The power switch has 3 positions:
	* ~~the~~ down position gives an on signal to the power distribution board.		* The down position gives an on signal to the power distribution board.
	* Centre position is neutral (on or off)		* Centre position is neutral (on or off)
	* Up is delayed off; leave in this position when off (forced off).		* Up is delayed off; leave in this position when off (forced off).
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	The reason is that the Raspberry Pi is running the DNS server providing the camera IP, but takes time to start, as does the network switch.		The reason is that the Raspberry Pi is running the DNS server providing the camera IP, but takes time to start, as does the network switch.
	This could be handled by using a static camera IP, but at times it is appropriate to connect the camera switch to an established cabled network, where the ~~cameras~~ should follow that network. This is needed to fully utilise the Basler Pylon software.		This could be handled by using a static camera IP, but at times it is appropriate to connect the camera switch to an established cabled network, where the camera IP should follow that network. This is needed to fully utilise the Basler Pylon software.

	To solve this, the cameras will be supplied with a delayed turn-on.		To solve this, the cameras will be supplied with a delayed turn-on.
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	The turn-on delay is controlled by the microprocessor.		The turn-on delay is controlled by the microprocessor.

	Delayed turn-on is not implemented yet.		Delayed turn-on is not implemented yet (July 2026).

	=== Trigger control ===		=== Trigger control ===

File:Sensorbox-cabling.png

Jca — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:15:33 GMT

Jca uploaded File:Sensorbox-cabling.png

New page

Ricbot sensorbox

Jca — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:15:17 GMT

Configuration

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:15, 30 July 2026
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	== Configuration ==		== Configuration ==

			[[file: sensorbox-cabling.png \| 500px]]

	The sensorbox contains		The sensorbox contains

Ricbot hardware

Jca — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:12:45 GMT

Cabling

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:12, 30 July 2026
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	[[file: ric_cabling.png \| 500px]]		[[file: ric_cabling.png \| 500px]]

	DRI0042: https://wiki.dfrobot.com/15A_Single_DC_Motor_Driver_SKU__DRI0042		* The battery can be replaced by a power supply using the XT60 input plug. 15 to 29V and 2-4A will do.
			* The power board includes 3 MOS switch transistors, two for the motors, and one for the remaining electronics. The board further holds temperature interface (for power board and motor driver).
			* Motor driver DRI0042: https://wiki.dfrobot.com/15A_Single_DC_Motor_Driver_SKU__DRI0042
			* Regbot 6.3 is a version of the Regbot that can control the motors and take input from wheel encoders. It further controls the power board and interface the IMU (MPU9250).
			* The Raspberry Pi 1 controls the drive system through the USB interface to the Teensy 4.1. All data are made available on MQTT.
			* The gamepad is for driving the vehicle.
			* The GNSS is for recording the actual position (not RTK).
			* The Raspberry Pi 3 (aux) is (pt) used as a wifi hotspot.
			* The Net switch is used to connect the two Raspberry Pis and the sensor box on a cabled network.

	[[file: ric-hw-interface-ann.png \| 500px]]		[[file: ric-hw-interface-ann.png \| 500px]]

			The Regbot 6.3, power distribution and motor drivers are mounted on a common 3D print. This includes a fan.

	=== Interface board (Regbor 6.3) ===		=== Interface board (Regbor 6.3) ===

File:Ric cabling.png

Jca — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:53:49 GMT

Jca uploaded a new version of File:Ric cabling.png

New page

Ricbot sensorbox

Jca — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:43:53 GMT

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 ** 'cam' is the trigger command.
 ** 'A' is the delay from camera 1 trigger to camera 2 trigger in us. If zero, then there is no camera 2 trigger.
-** 'B' is the delay to start of flash in us.
+** 'B' is the delay to the start of the flash in us.
 ** 'F' is the duration of the flash in us. If zero, then there is no flash signal.
-** 'R' is repeat timing in ms.
+** 'R' is the repeat timing in ms.
 * Camera 1 is always triggered when the message is received.
 Example:
 * 'cam 0 0 0 1000': No camera 2 trigger, no flash, camera 1 trigger every 1000ms (1 sec).

Ricbot sensorbox

Jca — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:05:50 GMT

Created page with "Back to Ricbot == Sensorbox == The sensorbox is a relatively self-contained box with camera sensors and electronics to support and record data from these sensors. External requirements are power (14-29V) and about 20W. Connection to odometry and GNSS are through cabled Ethernet and MQTT. == Configuration == The sensorbox contains * 4 Basler cameras * A Raspberry Pi version 5 with SSD hard disk. * A trigger management microprocessor (Teensy 4.0) * A power distri..."

New page

Back to [[Ricbot]]

== Sensorbox ==

The sensorbox is a relatively self-contained box with camera sensors and electronics to support and record data from these sensors.

External requirements are power (14-29V) and about 20W.

Connection to odometry and GNSS are through cabled Ethernet and MQTT.

== Configuration ==

The sensorbox contains
* 4 Basler cameras
* A Raspberry Pi version 5 with SSD hard disk.
* A trigger management microprocessor (Teensy 4.0)
* A power distribution board with the ability for sequenced turn-on and turn-off.
* 12 V supply for cameras and common trigger junction board.
* A forward-looking Raspberry Pi camera (12 Mpixel)
* Possibly 2 multispectral cameras.

== Function ==

=== Startup ===

When power is connected (XT60 plug), nothing happens. The power board requires a start signal.

The power switch has 3 positions:
* the down position gives an on signal to the power distribution board.
* Centre position is neutral (on or off)
* Up is delayed off; leave in this position when off (forced off).

==== Start-up issue ====

When everything is powered on at the same time, it happens that the cameras do not (all) get an IP in the right way, and thus are unavailable.

The reason is that the Raspberry Pi is running the DNS server providing the camera IP, but takes time to start, as does the network switch.
This could be handled by using a static camera IP, but at times it is appropriate to connect the camera switch to an established cabled network, where the cameras should follow that network. This is needed to fully utilise the Basler Pylon software.

To solve this, the cameras will be supplied with a delayed turn-on.
The delayed turn-on utilises one of the two power plugs on the power distribution intended for motor power.
This allows the Raspberry Pi and the network switch to be ready before the cameras are turned on.
The turn-on delay is controlled by the microprocessor.

Delayed turn-on is not implemented yet.

=== Trigger control ===

The microprocessor controls the triggers. It can issue 2 camera triggers and control an LED-based flash.

* Camera trigger 1 is intended for the Baslar cameras. It is a 3.3V signal, where the leading edge (low to high) is the trigger signal. The trailing edge should not be used. The pulse is at least 3ms.
* Camera trigger 2 is intended for the multi-spectral cameras and is also a 3.3V leading-edge signal. This signal can be delayed relative to the camera 1 signal.
* The flash signal is a positive pulse, where the delay and length are controllable.

Triggering is activated by a command from the Raspberry Pi by an MQTT message
* topic: 'dtubot/cmd/T0' message 'cam A B F R', where:
** 'cam' is the trigger command.
** 'A' is the delay from camera 1 trigger to camera 2 trigger in us. If zero, then there is no camera 2 trigger.
** 'B' is the delay to start of flash in us.
** 'F' is the duration of the flash in us. If zero, then there is no flash signal.
** 'R' is repeat timing in ms.
* Camera 1 is always triggered when the message is received.

Example:
* 'cam 0 0 0 1000': No camera 2 trigger, no flash, camera 1 trigger every 1000ms (1 sec).

Ricbot

Jca — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:15:11 GMT

Installation notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:15, 29 July 2026
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
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	== Installation notes ==		== Installation notes ==

	* [[Ricbot hardware]]		* [[Ricbot hardware]] for driving and odometry.
	* Ricbot installation of [[Ricbot realsense \| Realsense]]		* Ricbot installation of [[Ricbot realsense \| Realsense]]
	* [[Ricbot ROS2 \| ROS2]] including bridge from MQTT to ROS2 messaging		* [[Ricbot ROS2 \| ROS2]] including bridge from MQTT to ROS2 messaging
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	* Raspberry as [[RICbot Hotspot \| hotspot]].		* Raspberry as [[RICbot Hotspot \| hotspot]].
	* [[Basler Pylon]] installation		* [[Basler Pylon]] installation
			* [[Ricbot sensorbox \| Sensorbox]] configuration

Ricbot hardware

Jca — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:08:23 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:08, 29 July 2026
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	== ~~Hardware~~ ==		== Drive hardware ==

	Tentative layout:		Tentative layout:

Ricbot

Jca — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:06:28 GMT

Ricbot, a wheeled sensor platform

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:06, 29 July 2026
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	* No more than 25-30 kg, requiring 1 or 2 persons to load or unload.		* No more than 25-30 kg, requiring 1 or 2 persons to load or unload.
	* Wheel-odometry recording (and timestamped)		* Wheel-odometry recording (and timestamped)
	* Camera image recording (and timestamped)~~, the intention is Realsense D435~~.		* Camera image recording (and timestamped) with a common trigger.
	* ~~Maybe~~ GNSS recording ~~too~~.		* GNSS recording.
	* Manual remote control.		* Manual remote control.