PV Electronic

Robot Controllers Pololu’s Orangutan robot controllers are combinations of microcontrollers and additional hardware useful for controlling robots. All Orangutans feature Atmel AVR microcontrollers, multiple H-bridges for direct control of DC motors, and most units have integrated LCD displays. All units except the Orangutan X2 and Orangutan SVP require external programmers such as Atmel’s AVRISP or the Pololu USB AVR programmer. The Orangutan family currently has six members: * Orangutan is the original Pololu robot controller based on a mega168 microcontroller and LB1836M dual motor driver that can deliver up to 1 A peak. The operating voltage is 5-10 V. This controller is currently on clearance and is being replaced by the newer Orangutan SV-328. * Baby Orangutan packs the same basic hardware as the Orangutan SV-328 into a familiar 24-pin DIP-size package. This is the only Orangutan product without explicit LCD support, but an LCD can be connected externally. The Baby Orangutan is available with a mega48 or a mega328 microcontroller. * Orangutan LV-168 is similar to the original Orangutan but redesigned for low-voltage (2.5 – 5.5 V) operation. A step-up regulator provides 5 V to the microcontroller (and your sensors) while a pair of discrete, low-voltage H-bridges replace the original LB1836M motor driver to deliver up to 2 A continuous to get the most power out of low-voltage motors. * Orangutan SV-328 is intended as a replacement for the original Orangutan. It has the same pin-out and form factor as the Orangutan LV-168 but operates at a higher 6 – 13.5 V. The hardware peripherals also match those on the LV-168, except for the motor drivers, which can deliver a continuous 1 A (3 A peak) per channel, and voltage regulator, which allows the 5V bus to deliver up to 3 A—enough to power servos and other high-power peripherals for which the battery voltage would be too high. * Orangutan SVP-324 is our newest Orangutan robot controller and is a super-sized version of the Orangutan SV, with a built-in AVR ISP programmer, more I/O lines, and more regulated power. It is based on the ATmega324 AVR microcontroller and features higher-power dual motor drivers (2 A continuous per channel), a bigger 16×2 LCD, and a demultiplexer for easy control of up to eight servos. The operating range is 6 – 13.5 V. * Orangutan X2 is by far the most powerful Orangutan, and it is intended for small and medium-sized robots. The design features a dual-AVR architecture that leaves a mega644 microcontroller almost completely available to the user while taking care of low-level motor control tasks on the pre-programmed mega168, which also doubles as a programmer for the master processor. A stacked motor driver PCB allows the compact integration of beefy motor drivers that can deliver hundreds of watts. The Orangutan X2 is available with the VNH2SP30 or VNH3SP30 motor drivers and with or without a 4-line x 20-character LCD.