A common pain point for designers building robotic systems is combining various hardware modules while figuring out how to make them communicate effectively. The usual piecemeal approach can eat up valuable time and prevent developers from focusing on understanding core concepts behind successful robotic systems. Both professional engineers and robotics enthusiasts encounter these same integration headaches. Think about designing an autonomous floor cleaner or yard maintenance robot. The project requires integrating distance sensors for collision prevention, vision systems for pathfinding, motion sensors for position tracking, motor drivers for locomotion, as well as AI software for intelligent behavior. Each of the components requires specific knowledge, and designing a unified system requires comprehensive architectural knowledge. A complete working robot out of the box The STEVAL-ROBKIT1 (Figure 1) from STMicroelectronics takes a unique approach to deliver a fully functional robotic platform ready for immediate use. Rather than spending time integrating basic hardware, developers can start out with a working robot with autonomous capabilities.
Development teams can benefit from this plug- and-play system for faster prototype creation and proof-of-concept testing.
everything needed for autonomous operation (e.g., drive motors, wheels, vision hardware, and control circuitry) pre-configured and ready to run. The included software offers intelligent navigation features, like boundary detection, collision avoidance, and environmental mapping. Having this working foundation allows developers to head into advanced robotics concepts instead of wrestling with basic setup tasks. Development teams can benefit from this plug-and-play system for faster prototype creation and proof-of-concept testing. Engineers can tweak existing code, integrate additional sensors, or fine-tune control algorithms while building on a stable, proven platform. The system employs a three- board layout that logically divides core robotic operations while preserving system coherence. Central processing is executed on a primary board containing a STM32H725 controller, which also handles sensor fusion, executing intelligent algorithms, managing communications, and directing overall system behavior. Motor control also gets a dedicated board powered by an STM32G071 microcontroller. This modular design ensures the robots maintain
smooth motion control while the main processor handles intensive tasks and highlights an embedded system design where critical, real- time tasks run independently from general processing. Additionally, a specialized imaging module combines Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurement with camera functionality for vision capabilities. This configuration shows how robots can achieve spatial awareness using multiple sensing methods. The design also proves microcontrollers can effectively handle vision tasks without requiring separate application processors.
Advanced sensing and built-in intelligence
STEVAL-ROBKIT1 allows robots to achieve environmental awareness using a ToF distance sensor, which performs range measurements that allow robots to detect obstacles and avoid falls. Developers can study exactly how distance readings convert into navigation decisions and protective behaviors. Visual perception comes from an integrated monochrome camera that works alongside the distance sensor, enabling critical features like object identification,
Building a flexible design for today’s robotic applications
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