Modding the Zumo: encoders, WiFi, GPS, USB, 120 MHz, and joystick control

Forum user Erich uses our Zumo chassis as a platform for teaching robotics, but instead of using the Zumo shield, he has been making his own custom electronics that let it do many more things. One of his most recent projects, which he describes in this forum post, involves a control board he designed that uses a Freescale ARM Cortex-M4F running at 120 MHz. He says it is capable of running WiFi, USB, GPS, and processing encoder signals in real-time.

His robot also uses a mini-sumo blade, Zumo reflectance sensor array, and a pair of 75:1 micro metal gearmotors with extended shafts connected to a pair of optical encoder boards.

Erich also used the ElecFreaks’ joystick shield to run his modified Zumo, which sounds like a lot of fun! For more information on this project, including some of the problems he had to overcome to get it all working, see this forum post or visit Erich’s website.

Erich has posted to our forum about his projects before; you can find a list of the forum posts he made that we blogged about below:

March 2013: Zumo Robot with FRDM-KL25Z Board

September 2013: Zumo Robot with Pololu Plug-in Modules

October 2013: Zumo Robot with Pololu Plug-in Modules, assembled

December 2013: Zumo Tournament Videos

May 2014: Optical Motor Shaft Encoder in Zumo with Signal Processing

Related products

	Optical Encoder Pair Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors, 3.3V
	75:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HP 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	Zumo Chassis Kit (No Motors)
	Zumo Reflectance Sensor Array
	Basic Sumo Blade for Zumo Chassis