Posts tagged “new products” (Page 17)

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New products: Scooter/Skate Wheels

Posted by Brandon on 17 November 2015
Tags: new products

We are rolling out another set of new products here at Pololu: Scooter/Skate Wheels. They are available in 144×29 mm, 100×24 mm, 84×24 mm, and 70×25 mm sizes, offering larger alternatives to our line of Pololu Wheels. They are compatible with standard 608 bearings, so they also work with our Aluminum Scooter Wheel Adapters, which make it easy to connect these wheels directly to an assortment of motors for use in robot drive systems:

A 25D mm gearmotor connected to a 70 mm scooter/skate wheel using a 4 mm scooter wheel adapter.

A 37D mm gearmotor connected to a 100 mm scooter/skate wheel using a 6 mm scooter wheel adapter.

You can find more information about these wheels on their product pages:

New product: G2 High-Power Motor Driver 24v13

Posted by Kevin on 12 November 2015
Tags: new products

We are excited to announce the release of the Pololu G2 High-Power Motor Driver 24v13. Like our original high-power motor drivers, this board is a discrete MOSFET H-bridge that is designed to drive large DC brushed motors. As the first of our second-generation high-power motor drivers, the 24v13 can supply a motor with a continuous current as high as 13 A at voltages between 6.5 V and 40 V (absolute maximum).

The G2 driver is designed to be a near drop-in replacement for its predecessor, with an identical form factor and a similar pinout, but it offers a number of new features and improvements over the older version. Reverse-voltage protection on the power supply inputs helps prevent instant destruction if a battery is connected backwards, while basic current sensing and limiting functionality help the driver handle large loads more gracefully. The G2 driver is also compatible with systems running at 3.3 V (and lower), unlike our original high-power motor drivers.

To learn more about the motor driver’s features and capabilities, see its product page.

37D mm metal gearmotors with encoders and end caps

Posted by Ben on 3 November 2015
Tags: new products

Our 37D mm metal gearmotors now have fitted plastic end caps over their encoders that neatly protect the assembly and keep stray objects clear of the magnetic disc. The pictures below show the previous version (without end cap) next to one of the new ones:

The end cap is easily removable if you need to access the encoder or want a few more millimeters of clearance for your gearmotor, but there is a little bit of base plastic that will remain (as shown in the picture below), so removing the end cap does not quite make these new ones identical to the previous versions.

37D mm metal gearmotor with 64 CPR encoder (with end cap removed).

These gearmotors are available in six different gear ratios and with or without encoders, and we also carry the motor and encoder assembly by itself with no gearbox. The following table shows all of our 37D mm metal gearmotor options:

Gear Ratio No-Load
Speed
@ 12 V
Stall Torque
@ 12 V
Stall Current
@ 12 V


With Encoder


Without Encoder
1:1 11,000 RPM 5 oz-in 5 A motor without gearbox
19:1 500 RPM 84 oz-in 5 A 37Dx52L mm 37Dx52L mm
30:1 350 RPM 110 oz-in 5 A 37Dx52L mm 37Dx52L mm
50:1 200 RPM 170 oz-in 5 A 37Dx54L mm 37Dx54L mm
70:1 150 RPM 200 oz-in 5 A 37Dx54L mm 37Dx54L mm
100:1 100 RPM 220 oz-in 5 A 37Dx57L mm 37Dx57L mm
131:1 80 RPM 250 oz-in 5 A 37Dx57L mm 37Dx57L mm

New product: MyoWare muscle sensor and electrodes

Posted by Jon on 30 October 2015
Tags: new products

We are pumped to announce that we are now carrying Advancer Technologies’ MyoWare Muscle Sensor!

This sensor features a number of improvements over the older Muscle Sensor v3 including single-supply operation (no need for a negative voltage supply) and built-in snap connectors for electrodes. Other new features include a raw EMG output, reverse power protection, a power switch, LED indicators, and two mounting holes.

For a fun example that shows how you could use the muscle sensor, take a look at this blog post, which uses one of our Maestros to monitor a bicep while it is flexing, and command a servo to imitate the motion with a tiny cardstock version of He-Man’s arm. (Note that the project uses the older Muscle Sensor v3, not this new product.) You can also head on over to Advancer Technologies’ website for more project ideas.

The MyoWare Muscle Sensor does not ship with electrodes; they are available separately in packs of six.

HPCB micro metal gearmotors with extended motor shafts

Posted by Ben on 25 October 2015
Tags: new products

It has been a few months since we introduced our new high-power micro metal gearmotors with longer life carbon brushes. We now have them available with dual shafts, and we have made a corresponding update to our magnetic encoders to let them work with the larger terminals of the HPCB motors.

Magnetic Encoder Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors (old version; not compatible with HPCB micro metal gearmotors).

Magnetic Encoder Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors (HPCB compatible).

You might see similar-looking motors elsewhere, but no one comes close to our offering, from the quality of the gears to the variety of winding options to the selection of gear ratios, all in stock for shipment the day you order. By bringing together Pololu’s exclusive features of high-power windings, long-life carbon brushes, and encoders for closed-loop feedback control into a single package, these latest motors and encoders really demonstrate our continual investment in this popular form factor. With ten gear ratios available, from 10:1 through 1000:1, our total selection of micro metal gearmotors has grown to nearly 70 options:

Motor Type Stall
Current
@ 6 V
No-Load
Speed
@ 6 V
Approximate
Stall Torque
@ 6 V


Single-Shaft
(Gearbox Only)


Dual-Shaft
(Gearbox & Motor)
high-power,
carbon brushes
(HPCB)
1600 mA 3000 RPM 4 oz-in 10:1 HPCB 10:1 HPCB dual-shaft
1000 RPM 9 oz-in 30:1 HPCB 30:1 HPCB dual-shaft
625 RPM 15 oz-in 50:1 HPCB 50:1 HPCB dual-shaft
400 RPM 22 oz-in 75:1 HPCB 75:1 HPCB dual-shaft
320 RPM 30 oz-in 100:1 HPCB 100:1 HPCB dual-shaft
200 RPM 40 oz-in 150:1 HPCB 150:1 HPCB dual-shaft
140 RPM 50 oz-in 210:1 HPCB 210:1 HPCB dual-shaft
120 RPM 60 oz-in 250:1 HPCB 250:1 HPCB dual-shaft
100 RPM 70 oz-in 298:1 HPCB 298:1 HPCB dual-shaft
32 RPM 125 oz-in 1000:1 HPCB 1000:1 HPCB dual-shaft
high-power
(HP)


(same specs as
HPCB above)
1600 mA 6000 RPM 2 oz-in 5:1 HP
3000 RPM 4 oz-in 10:1 HP 10:1 HP dual-shaft
1000 RPM 9 oz-in 30:1 HP 30:1 HP dual-shaft
625 RPM 15 oz-in 50:1 HP 50:1 HP dual-shaft
400 RPM 22 oz-in 75:1 HP 75:1 HP dual-shaft
320 RPM 30 oz-in 100:1 HP 100:1 HP dual-shaft
200 RPM 40 oz-in 150:1 HP 150:1 HP dual-shaft
140 RPM 50 oz-in 210:1 HP
120 RPM 60 oz-in 250:1 HP
100 RPM 70 oz-in 298:1 HP 298:1 HP dual-shaft
32 RPM 125 oz-in 1000:1 HP 1000:1 HP dual-shaft
medium-power
(MP)
700 mA 2200 RPM 3 oz-in 10:1 MP 10:1 MP dual-shaft
730 RPM 8 oz-in 30:1 MP
420 RPM 13 oz-in 50:1 MP
290 RPM 17 oz-in 75:1 MP 75:1 MP dual-shaft
220 RPM 19 oz-in 100:1 MP 100:1 MP dual-shaft
150 RPM 24 oz-in 150:1 MP
75 RPM 46 oz-in 298:1 MP
25 RPM 80 oz-in 1000:1 MP 1000:1 MP dual-shaft
low-power 360 mA 2500 RPM 1 oz-in 5:1
1300 RPM 2 oz-in 10:1
440 RPM 4 oz-in 30:1 30:1 dual-shaft
250 RPM 7 oz-in 50:1 50:1 dual-shaft
170 RPM 9 oz-in 75:1
120 RPM 12 oz-in 100:1 100:1 dual-shaft
85 RPM 17 oz-in 150:1
60 RPM 27 oz-in 210:1
50 RPM 32 oz-in 250:1
45 RPM 40 oz-in 298:1 298:1 dual-shaft
14 RPM 70 oz-in 1000:1 1000:1 dual-shaft


You can see all ten of the new versions below, and if there are any versions we do not yet have that you would like to see us carry, let us know in the comments!

New product: 12V, 2.2A Step-Down Voltage Regulator D24V22F12

Posted by Ben on 6 October 2015
Tags: new products

We are pleased to introduce our new 12 V, 2.2 A switching regulator, the inaugural member of the D24V22Fx family of step down voltage regulators. We expect to release other voltage versions next month, but we wanted to get a 12 V version out right away since we did not offer a 12 V buck regulator that could do more than 1 A. The compact regulator works with input voltages up to 36 V and can typically deliver up to a continuous 2.2 A. It offers integrated reverse voltage protection along with over-current and over-temperature shutoff, and a power-good output can be used to determine when the regulator cannot maintain its output voltage.

Unlike linear regulators which waste a lot of power and generate a lot of heat in the process, this new regulator is very efficient, which means you can get the most out of your battery life:

Until we release other voltage versions of the D24V22Fx, the closest substitutes are the similar D24V25Fx family of step-down voltage regulators:

These regulators are the same size as the D24V22F12 and they have similar current capabilities and input voltage ranges, but they do not have the same pinout and they are based on a different internal design, so there are fundamental differences in operation.

See the D24V22F12 product page for more information on this new regulator, or visit our voltage regulator category to see all of our regulator options.

New product: VL6180X Time-of-Flight Distance Sensor Carrier

Posted by Kevin on 25 September 2015
Tags: new products

There’s another new product coming out of the assembly line here at Pololu: the VL6180X Time-of-Flight Distance Sensor Carrier. The VL6180 from ST Microelectronics distinguishes itself from other optical sensors by using time-of-flight measurements to determine distance: it emits pulses of infrared laser light and precisely times how long they take to reach the nearest object and reflect back to the sensor, which means it is essentially a complete short-range lidar system in a single tiny package.

With this technique, the VL6180X can accurately measure the absolute distance to a target object from 0 cm to at least 10 cm away – sometimes up to 20 cm away, depending on the target and environment – without being affected by what color the target is or how reflective it is.

VL6180X datasheet graph of typical ranging performance.

Distance readings can be obtained through the sensor’s I²C interface (in units of millimeters – no complicated conversions necessary!). The VL6180X also includes an ambient light sensor; this combination of sensing capabilities is useful for applications, including smartphones, for which the VL6180 was designed.

The VL6180X IC by itself is a challenge to use because of its small surface-mount package and particular voltage requirements, so our breakout board includes a 2.8 V regulator and level shifters that allow it to be used with 3.3 V and 5 V systems. The carrier board provides a breadboard-friendly pinout and mounting holes while remaining as compact as possible (0.5″ × 0.7″). We’ve also written an Arduino library for the VL6180X that makes it easy to get started with this board.

For more information about the VL6180X carrier, see its product page.

New Pololu 60×8mm wheels for FEETECH FS90R micro servos

Posted by Ben on 16 September 2015
Tags: new products

Continuous rotation servos like FEETECH’s FS90R are popular actuators for beginner robots because of their low cost and ease of use—since the motor controller is built right into the actuator, it can be controlled directly from a microcontroller or RC receiver. However, to complete the drive system, you need wheels, and that is something that we have not been able to offer for the FS90R until today. I am excited to introduce the new 60×8mm wheels for FS90R micro servos, which should make it much easier to get your FS90R-based miniature robot rolling.

All that said, we still generally recommend creating custom drive systems out of individual motor drivers, DC motors, and wheels over continuous rotations servos, since that gives you much more control over performance. Continuous rotation servos are more appropriate for projects where cost and simplicity are more important than performance, and with these wheels and the FS90R, this approach is simpler and more affordable than ever.

New products: Assembled Zumo 32U4 robots

Posted by Ben on 28 August 2015
Tags: new products

Customers have been requesting an assembled version of our Zumo 32U4 robot kit ever since we released it in March, so it makes me very happy to be able to announce that we now have three pre-assembled Zumo 32U4 robots to choose from:

The three options differ only in their motors, and while the speed and torque vary across the three gear ratios, the peak output power is the same for all of them. You could maximize speed (i.e. 50:1 motors) or torque (100:1 motors), or perhaps you are looking for something in the middle (75:1 motors). The following table compares the gear ratio in more detail, with the first four columns showing specifications of the gearmotors by themselves and the last showing the measured top speed of a Zumo chassis loaded to a weight of 500 g:

Micro Metal
Gearmotor
Free-Run Speed
@ 6V
Stall Torque
@ 6V
Stall Current
@ 6V
Top Zumo Speed
@ 6V and 500g
50:1 HP 625 RPM 15 oz·in 1600 mA 40 in/s (100 cm/s)
75:1 HP 400 RPM 22 oz·in 1600 mA 25 in/s (65 cm/s)
100:1 HP 320 RPM 30 oz·in 1600 mA 20 in/s (50 cm/s)

These three gearmotors are the ones we consider best suited for typical Zumo 32U4 applications (and many of our example programs are tuned to work with 75:1 HP motors), but we have many other gear ratios available that you can use when assembling the kit version of the Zumo 32U4 robot.

At this point, you might be wondering why it took so long for us to make an assembled Zumo 32U4 robot. Well, we have been working on several improvements to the Zumo 32U4 ever since releasing the kit, and we wanted to have them all in place before coming out with these more finished assembled products. The first improvement was to the sprockets, which changed from white with solid hubs to black with spokes. These new sprockets fit better on the motor shafts and make assembly and disassembly easier, and we think they just look cooler! They might also help you hide from your opponent’s IR sensors, but the color is of course no use against other sensing technologies like sonar.

Assembled Zumo 32U4 robot with older white sprockets (side view).

Assembled Zumo 32U4 robot with new black sprockets (side view).

The second improvement was to make a new component to hold and shield the IR LEDs used by the proximity sensor system. Without this, the LEDs are just supported by their leads and shielded by a piece of heat shrink (see the pictures above), and we wanted something better. Now the kit and assembled versions include a plastic LED holder that mounts directly to the front blade:

Finally, we have improved the blade. They are now stamped rather than laser-cut, and we have added cutouts around the general-purpose mounting holes so that they can be hand-bent to new angles as desired, independent of the blade angle. This new blade also has the chassis mounting tabs pre-bent to the appropriate angle, so that’s one less step required during assembly of the kit.

Original laser-cut Zumo 32U4 blade.

New stamped and pre-bent Zumo 32U4 blade.

And speaking of the kit, we still strongly encourage people to get the Zumo 32U4 kit and build it themselves. We designed the Zumo 32U4 to be a starting point, and building it yourself will make you more comfortable with customizing and enhancing it. Making it yourself will also make it a little more meaningful when your robot triumphs over the competition!

New Products

DRV8434 Stepper Motor Driver Carrier (Header Pins Soldered)
7.5V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S8V9F7
ACS724 Current Sensor Carrier -10A to +10A
3pi+ 2040 Robot Kit with 15:1 HPCB Motors (Hyper Edition Kit)
4.2-15V, 3A Fine-Adjust Step-Down Voltage Regulator D30V30MAS
15V, 2.5A Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S13V25F15
3pi+ 2040 Robot - Standard Edition (30:1 MP Motors), Assembled
Motoron M2U550 Dual Serial Motor Controller
Motoron M3H550 Triple Motor Controller Kit for Raspberry Pi
9V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S8V9F9
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