Nova Carter
Product ManualTable of Contents
Packing Contents ..........................................................................................................................3
Speci cations ................................................................................................................................3
Product Overview ..........................................................................................................................4
Important Safety Information .........................................................................................................6
Getting Started with Nova Carter ..................................................................................................7
NVIDIA Isaac™ Software .........................................................................................................................8

Hardware Information....................................................................................................................8
Nova Sensor Suite....................................................................................................................................9
Compute & System Devices...................................................................................................................10
System Architecture................................................................................................................................10
External Interfaces ..................................................................................................................................11
Wheelbase ..............................................................................................................................................11
Internal Component Diagram .................................................................................................................12
LED & Buzzer Status Indicators .............................................................................................................13
Sensor Positions & Fields of View ..........................................................................................................13

Top Modules ................................................................................................................................19
Changing the Top Module.......................................................................................................................19
Remove 3D Mapping Top Module ........................................................................................................................19
Install Basic Cargo Top Module ............................................................................................................................19
Basic Cargo Top Module Bolt Pattern...................................................................................................................20

Creating Custom Top Modules ...............................................................................................................20
Adapter Plate Bolt Pattern ....................................................................................................................................21

Maintenance................................................................................................................................22
Changing the Battery..............................................................................................................................22
Battery Environmental Speci cations .....................................................................................................25
Drive Wheel Tires Pressure....................................................................................................................25
Replaceable Fuse...................................................................................................................................26
Service Contact ......................................................................................................................................26

Certi cations ...............................................................................................................................27
Software Documentation .............................................................................................................28
Segway RMPLite 220 Wheelbase ..........................................................................................................28
Nova Carter Init ......................................................................................................................................28
Re- ashing Jetson on Nova Carter ........................................................................................................28

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Packing Contents

Speci cations
Refer to RMP220 wheelbase manual for additional details.
ItemParameter

Model

Nova Carter P1

Computing Platform

NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin™ 64GB module (with 2TB SSD and 10 GbE PCIe card)

Vehicle Size

722*500*556mm

Vehicle Weight

49.6kgMaximum Payload50kg

Top Speed≥12km/h Unloaded

Tire Size

Front wheel 11 inches (280mm)

Operating Temperature

0~35 °C

Obstacle Clearance

25mm

Operation Hours≥8h

Battery Capacity

1033WhBattery Replacement

Supported

Battery IP Rating

IPX7Charging Time5h

Charger

Input 100~240V 50~60Hz 2.5A and output 42V 5.0A

Additional External Connections

Ethernet (10GbE), Displayport, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (for flashing NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin™ andgeneral purpose use)

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 5 with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0/BLE;
Optimized Fast Roaming support - 802.11 k,v & r.

Certifications

UL2271, MSDS, UN38.3/EMC, GOST-R, RoHS, EU Battery Directivefi3

Product Overview
Nova Carter products can be assembled into two con gurations:fi

4Presentation from various angles:

5

Important Safety Information
••

•

•

•
•
•

The Nova Carter robot is a small and light robot; it is designed to carry a payload of50kg. The main hazard is impact from the robot itself, where moderate harm could result
from a worst-case direct collision. Robot operators should take the following precautions:o Familiarize yourself with the Nova Carter controls and dynamics in an open area
away from bystanders.
o Be aware of the speed at which Nova Carter can accelerate, decelerate, andturn.
o Be aware that stopping Nova Carter quickly while it’s moving forward may cause
it to overshoot and move backwards.
In the event of a safety incident, inspect the Nova Carter robot for the following:o Damage to the robot chassis (including dents/punctures to the housing ordrivetrain)o Damage to the sensors that emit IR (including scratches and pits on the opticalwindow)
If there is damage, do not power on the Nova Carter robot. Use the tow handle to movethe robot and contact your Segway representative immediately. Nova Carter has a tow
handle to easily transport the robot manually. It’s located above the caster wheels.
A red emergency stop (ESTOP) button is located above the caster wheels, below thetow handle. Pushing the ESTOP button will disconnect power to the motors, but theNova Carter robot may continue to coast in the direction it was previously moving. It canalso roll if placed on a sloped surface while the ESTOP is pressed. Compute andsensors will remain powered ON while the ESTOP is engaged.
Do not open or remove any panels from the robot, and do not loosen or remove anysensors.
If you need further details on Isaac Robot safety information, contact your Segway
representative.
The screw torque for the top cover panel and top modules SHALL NOT EXCEED 2 N*m.
(Please refer to the Top Modules section of this manual for installation instructions.).

6

Getting Started with Nova Carter

7

NVIDIA Isaac™ Software
Nova Carter is the reference robot for Isaac™, and several sample apps are available for NovaCarter.
When using Isaac™ AMR refer to the NVIDIA Isaac™ AMR documentation: https://developer.nvidia.com/isaac/amr
When using ROS refer to NVIDIA Isaac™ ROS (https://developer.nvidia.com/isaac-ros) and therepository for Nova Carter https://github.com/NVIDIA-ISAAC-ROS/nova_carter

Hardware Information
Nova Carter is based on the NVIDIA Isaac Nova Orin™ (https://developer.nvidia.com/isaac/nova-orin) compute and sensor architecture, which prescribes a speci c list of sensor
requirements and the system design for an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) built around
NVIDIA® Jetson Orin™. Nova Carter uses the NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™ Developer Kit as its
compute platform, and the Segway RMPLite 220 as its wheelbase platform.

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Nova Sensor Suite
Sensor TypeSensor Name

I/OPart Name

Manufacturer

Details

HFOV

VFOV

Stereo Camera

Front Stereo

GMSL2

Hawk
LI-AR0234CSSTEREO-GMSL2

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

121.5

73.5

Stereo Camera

Rear Stereo

GMSL2

Hawk
LI-AR0234CSSTEREO-GMSL2

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

121.5

73.5

Stereo Camera

Left Stereo

GMSL2

Hawk
LI-AR0234CSSTEREO-GMSL2

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

121.573.5

Stereo Camera

Right Stereo

GMSL2

Hawk
LI-AR0234CSSTEREO-GMSL2

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

121.5

73.5

CameraFront Fisheye

GMSL2

Owl
LI-AR0234CS-GMSL2OWL

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

202.0+/- 3127.2 +/2CameraRear Fisheye

GMSL2

Owl
LI-AR0234CS-GMSL2OWL

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

202.0+/- 3127.2 +/2CameraLeft Fisheye

GMSL2

Owl
LI-AR0234CS-GMSL2OWL

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

202.0+/- 3127.2 +/2CameraRight Fisheye

GMSL2

Owl
LI-AR0234CS-GMSL2OWL

Leopard Imaging

2.3 MP RGGB

202.0+/- 3127.2 +/2

IMU

Front Stereo
IMU

I2C

BMI088Bosch

12.5 - 1600 Hz

--

IMU

Chassis IMU

I2C

BMI088Bosch

12.5 - 1600 Hz--

Magnetometer

ChassisMagnetometer

I2C

BMM150Bosch

10 Hz--

Barometer

ChassisBarometer

I2C

BMP390Bosch≤ 200 Hz--

Slamtec

10 Hz
0.12 deg
resolution
0.05-30m
range

360-Slamtec

10 Hz
0.12 deg
resolution
0.05-30mrange360-Hesai

5-20 Hz0.09-0.36 deg
resolution
0.05-120m
range

360

31 (+15 /-16)

2D Lidar

2D Lidar

3D Lidar

Front 2D Lidar

Back 2D Lidar

3D Mapping
Top Module

Ethernet

Ethernet

Ethernet

RPLidar S2E

RPLidar S2E

Hesai XT32

9Compute & System Devices
Device Name

I/OPart Name

Manufacturer

Details

Primary
ComputeMisc.

Jetson AGX Orin™
Developer Kit

NVIDIA

Please refer to the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin™
Developer Kit User Guide.

WiFi/BT Card

M.2, 2.4GHz,
5GHz

AW-CB375NF

Azurewave

Included with Jetson AGX Orin™ Developer Kit

GMSL Adapter
Board

CSI, I2C toGMSL2

LI-JAG-ADPGMSL2-8CH

Leopard Imaging

8-CH GMSL2 board for NVIDIA® Jetson AGX
Orin™ Developer Kit

GPIO Board

CAN, USB-Segway Robotics

Provides CAN transceivers and RGB LED control.
Speci c for Nova Carter and not for individualsale.

Data Storage

M.2 NVMe

980 PRO 2TB SSD

Samsung

Mounted at /mnt/nova_ssd/

NetworkInterface Card

PCIe, 10GbE

X540-10G-2T-X8Intel

External-facing network connections.
Connected to rear IO panel.

Ethernet Switch

1 GbE

TL-SG1005I

TP-Link

Internal sensor network connections.
Connected to 10 GbE port on Jetson.

WheelbaseCAN

RMPLite 220

Segway Robotics

Handles motor control and battery management.
Provides system power.

System Architecture
The block diagram below illustrates how the Nova system architecture is implemented on Nova
Carter. Speci cs on the sensors and other system components used are also provided in tables.

Figure 1 - Nova Carter System Block Diagram

fifi10External Interfaces

Figure 1 - Enlarged Top View

Figure 2 - Power, Ethernet

Figure 3 - Enlarged Back View

Location

Rear IO PanelTop IO PanelFigure 4 - USB-C, DisplayPort, Ethernet

Connection

Details

USB-C

Connected to Jetson USB-C ashing port. (UFP and DFP)

DisplayPort

Video and Audio from Jetson DisplayPort.

Ethernet

10 GbE, external network connection via PCIe NIC

Power

12V DC, 50W (fused)

Ethernet

1 GbE, internal Nova sensor network on Jetson 10 GbE port

Unpopulated

Empty panel connections for optional user expansion!"#$

You can nd description of connectors at this URL: Download Center - Segway Robotics

WheelbaseYou can nd user manual of RMPLite 220 at this URL: Download Center - Segway Robotics

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Internal Component Diagram

Callout

Description

ARear IO Panel: DisplayPort, USB-C, Ethernet RJ-45

B

DC-DC Power Regulator, 12V output

CEthernet Switch

D12V Power Breaker and Power RailE

NVMe SSD

F

PCIe Network Interface CardG

NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin™ Developer Kit with GMSL Adapter Board

HCooling Fan

IRPLidar S2E 2D LidarJ

Leopard Imaging Owl Fisheye Camera

K

Leopard Imaging Hawk Stereo Camera

LCharging Station Contact Charge Pads

MVisual Status Indicators

NAC-DC Charging Adapter Input

12LED & Buzzer Status Indicators
Chassis LED
Solid Yellow

LockedSolid Green

Protocol Control (one of control mode)

Flashing Green

Contoller Control (one of control mode)

Flashing Red

E-Stop

Solid Red

Error

BuzzerContinuous Short beep (Single Duration: 100ms)

Low battery (Battery level below 10%. Will turn off once connected tocharger)

Continuous Long beep (Single Duration: 2000ms)

Error

Beep Once

Power On / Off/ Ctrl Mode Changed

Sensor Positions & Fields of View
The sensor reference origin is placed at the center rotation point of the robot at ground level(between the drive wheels). This is located 140 mm behind the frontmost point of the robot, and585 mm forward of the rearmost point (tow hook). Positive yaw rotation is clockwise about the Z

Figure 1 - System Origin On GroundRotation Axis - Isometric View

axis. All transformations are rounded to the nearest tenths place after the decimal point.

Figure 2 - Hawk Stereo Camera and Owl Fisheye Camera Sensor Reference Origins
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Table 1. Hawk Stereo Camera Location Transformations
Hawk

Y(mm)

X(mm)

Z(mm)

Yaw(deg)

Pitch(deg)Roll(deg)

Front

116.3

0

344.4

000Left-355.4

-166

344.4

9000Right-355.4

166344.4

-9000

Rear

-579.70344.418000

Table 2. Owl Fisheye Camera Location Transformations
Owl

Y(mm)

X(mm)

Z(mm)

Yaw(deg)

Pitch(deg)Roll(deg)

Front

120.1

0374.4000

Left-231.7-169.9

344.4

9000

Right

-231.7

169.9

344.4

-9000

Rear

-583.540374.418000Figure 3 - XT32 3D Lidar and RPLid

Table 3. XT32 3D Lidar Location Transformation

CenterY(mm)

X(mm)

Z(mm)

Yaw(deg)

Pitch(deg)Roll(deg)-231.70526.3000

Table 4. RPLidar S2E 2D Lidar Location TransformationY(mm)

X(mm)

Z(mm)

Yaw(deg)

Pitch(deg)Roll(deg)

Front 2D Lidar

260418000Rear 2D Lidar-489.40418

1800014

The following gures show visualizations of Nova Carter’s sensor elds of view.
Note: The illustrated FoVs are approximate, and the ranges have been truncated for improved
visualization. Touchdown distances are measured from the Nova Carter Front or Side mostfacing panels on the electronics enclosures.

Figure 1 - Fisheye Camera FoV - Top View

Figure 2 - Fisheye Camera FoV - Side View (Front and Rear sensors)

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Figure 3 - Fisheye Camera FoV - Back View (Left and Right sensors)

Figure 4 - Stereo Camera FoV - Top View

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Figure 5 - Stereo Camera FoV - Side View (Front and Rear sensors)

Figure 6 - Stereo Camera FoV - Back View (Left and Right sensors)

17

Figure 7 - 2D Lidar FoV - Top View

Figure 8 - 3D Lidar FoV - Side View

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Top ModulesNova Carter has a modular design to make it adaptable for multiple use-cases. It ships with twodifferent Top Modules:•3D Mapping Top Module: Equipped with Hesai XT-32 3D Lidar for 3D mapping andground truth depth data collection.
Basic Cargo Top Module: A plate that can be used to enable payload transport while
protecting the 2D Lidars from damage.

•You can also design your own top modules to use on Nova Carter. The top IO panel provides
50W 12V DC power and an Ethernet connection for the internal Nova sensor network. This is aseparate network from the rear IO panel Ethernet port. Blanking plates on empty ports provide
expandability for other connections if you want to install your own.
Alignment pins at the top module mechanical interface ensure that topper modules can beremoved and reinstalled into the same position. This allows for extrinsic calibration between
sensors to be maintained even if multiple top modules are used on the robot.

Changing the Top Module
Remove 3D Mapping Top Module
1. Protect the Hesai XT32 Lidar with a cloth cover to prevent damage during this process.
2. Remove the 8x M4 bolts at the corners of the octagonal base of the 3D Mapping TopModule.
3. Carefully lift the 3D Mapping Top Module, exposing the top IO panel connections.
4. Disconnect Lidar power connector and Ethernet connector
5. Store the 3D Mapping Top Module, taking care not to damage the Lidar.
6. Reverse these steps to reinstall.

Install Basic Cargo Top Module
1. Place the Basic Cargo Top Module onto Nova Carter, ensuring that the alignment pins arealigned with the corresponding holes in the Top Module. Take care not to damage the 2DLidars during installation.
2. Install 8x M4 x 10mm at head bolts. Use of thread locker is recommended.
3. Reverse these steps to uninstall.

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Basic Cargo Top Module Bolt PatternDimension unit: millimeter (mm)Creating Custom Top Modules
To create your own top module, please refer to the connector and bolt pattern information below.

Top IO panel has two connectors: Power socket connector, Ethernet socket connector.

Power socket connector description:
XT60E-F (on Nova Carter side)● Withstand Voltage: DC 500V (UL1977)● Rated Current: 20A 16# (UL1977)

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The interface is the power output, and the straight side of the interface shell is the positive poleof the power supply.

Ethernet socket connector description:
RJ45 (on Nova Carter side)

For more information, please refer to the External Interfaces section above.
You can nd description of connectors at this URL: Download Center - Segway Robotics

Adapter Plate Bolt Patternfi21

Maintenance
Changing the Battery
Prepare materials•
A new battery•
A 3mm hexagonal wrench•
A 5mm hexagonal wrench•Battery Lock Key
1. Turn off the robot, press the emergency stop button and unplug the battery power and signalwires at the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

2. Use a 2.5mm hex wrench to remove the 12 M4 screws shown in Figure 2.

Figure 222

3. Carefully tilt open the lid enough that you can reach in, taking care not to pull on any cables.
Unplug one 3D Lidar and two 2D Lidar cables and remove the top cover assembly as shown inFigure 3.

Figure 3

4. Use a 5mm hex wrench to remove the six M6 screws that secure the main enclosure asshown in Figure 4.

Figure 423

5. Remove the main enclosure and expose the battery. Please take care that the power andsignal wires unplugged in step 1 must be fed through the openings in the RMPLite 220
wheelbase.

Figure 5

6.Unplug the battery power cord.

Figure 6

7.Insert the key from the bottom of the vehicle and rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Figure 724

8.Remove the old battery and replace it with a new one. Install with the battery connector near
the drive wheels, and lower into the robot at an angle, making sure to engage the alignment
features at the rear."

Figure 8

Description: after replacing the new battery, reverse the above steps to reassemble the entirerobot.

Battery Environmental Speci cations
Charging Temperature Range

0℃～+45℃

Discharging Temperature Range-20℃～+50℃-20℃～+60℃

1 Month-20℃～+45℃

3 Months-20℃～+25℃

12 Months

Operating Temperature

Storage Temperature

Drive Wheel Tires Pressure
The in ation pressure of the tire is 35 PSI.
If the tire is worn out and cannot be used normally, please contact us directly at the contact
information in this manual.

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Replaceable Fuse
The 12V power connection at the Top IO Panel is fused with an in-line 5A replaceable
automotive fuse. To access the fuse for inspection and replacement, please follow 2 & 3 of thebattery removal procedure outlined above to remove the Top Cover Assembly.
Fuse body size: 19mm * 19mm

Service Contact
Please visit Segway of cial website or communicate directly with the following business email:support@robotics.segway.com

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Certi cations
Note: Standards mentioned below are about battery certi cation.

ItemStandard

Quali ed or not

Certi cation report or not

CB/CE-safety

IEC/EN 62133-2: 2017

Quali edYes

UL2271

UL2271 (sent from UL)

Quali edYes

EU Battery Directive

2013/56/EC

Quali edYes

RoHS/REACH/PoPs/

Quali edYes

UN38.3

S/SG/AC.10/11, Article 38.3,
Dangerous Goods Transport Simulation
Test of United Nations

Quali edYes

SDS/MSDS/

Quali edYes

EMC

ECE R10

Quali edNoGOST-R/

Quali ed

Yes

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Software Documentation
Segway RMPLite 220 Wheelbase
The chassis of the Nova Carter is Segway's RMPLite 220 chassis and its user manual contains
complete product instructions, software instructions and rmware upgrade methods.
You can nd it at this URL : Download Center - Segway Robotics
Firmware and host-side drivers for the Nova Carter’s RMPLite 220 wheelbase can be found atthe following location:
https://github.com/SegwayRoboticsSamples/RMP220-SDK

Nova Carter Init
On rst setup of Nova Carter, or after a re- ashing of Jetpack on Jetson™ AGX Orin™
Developer Kit, Nova Init is required to con gure the Jetson™, peripherals and sensors for use
with Isaac™ AMR or Isaac™ ROS software. Refer to https://registry.ngc.nvidia.com/orgs/nvidia/
teams/isaac/resources/nova_carter_init for details.

Re- ashing Jetson on Nova Carter
The Jetson AGX Orin™ Developer Kit on Nova Carter can easily be re- ashed with a freshJetpack SDK image (https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/jetpack) without any need to open
the robot. Run NVIDIA SDK Manager (https://developer.nvidia.com/sdk-manager) on a Linux
host machine, and connect it to the USB-C port on Nova Carter’s rear IO panel. Please see theJetson AGX Orin™ Developer Kit User Guide (https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/learn/
jetson-agx-orin-devkit-user-guide/index.html) for more information.
After re- ashing Jetpack, you may also want to re-install Nova Carter Init. (see instructionsabove) Please take care to use compatible versions of JetPack and Nova Carter Init.

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