Overview
ArtecRobo
Warning

CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. This product contains choking hazards and is not suitable for children under the age of 3.

WARNING Make sure to read these instructions carefully before assembly or use of these materials.

(Parents/Guardians: be sure to read the instructions and ensure children read them as well.)● These materials are not designed for children under 8 years of age. Children under 8 should
only use these materials with adult supervision.
● Please see any manual or textbook included with the product for instructions on safe
assembly and use. Make sure to follow cable connection instructions to avoid damage orinjury from incorrect assembly.
● This product is not edible. Do not put any parts of this product into your mouth to prevent
accidental ingestion.
● Do not wrap cords or cables around your hands, ﬁngers, neck, etc. Do not plug any cables
into household outlets, or you may receive an electric shock.
● To avoid injury, do not touch the rotating parts of the motors when the power is turned on.
● Should the Core Unit, motor or Battery Box become very hot, immediately turn oﬀ thepower and cease handling the device.
● Be aware that using the motor or Core Unit under certain conditions (improper handling,excessive load, extreme temperatures) may cause it to overheat, and take care to avoid burns.
● Be sure that the motion of the included DC Motor's axle is not obstructed when the motoris powered. Even brief obstruction may cause burning depending on the condition of themotor.
● Some parts have sharp edges, so handle with care.
● Do not leave parts lying on the ﬂoor, as they may cause injury if stepped on.

● Be careful not to get ﬁngers pinched between movable parts.
● Do not subject the product to strong impacts, set heavy objects on top of it, etc.
● For your safety, avoid using parts that have been damaged.
● When not in use, shut oﬀ all power to the product and store out of reach of smallchildren.
Improper battery usage may result in overheating, rupture, or leakage, so take note of thefollowing when using batteries:● Do not use non-alkaline batteries. Rechargeable batteries in particular are known tocause problems, so do not use them.
● Batteries are to be inserted with correct polarity.
● Do not mix old and new or diﬀerent kinds of batteries.
● Do not attempt to short circuit, recharge, disassemble, or heat batteries. Do not insert
batteries into ﬁre.
● If it will be out of use for an extended period of time, remove the batteries from thebattery box.
● If battery leakage occurs and any battery ﬂuid gets into the eyes, immediately ﬂush withwater and seek medical treatment. If ﬂuid comes into contact with skin or clothes, washimmediately with water.

1 Parts of the Core Unit
The Core Unit is the part of the robot that runs programs.
(Front)(Back)

⑤①

⑥②

③④

⑦

⑨⑪(Top)⑧⑩① Temperature Sensor
This sensor measures external temperature. ★ The internal temperature of the Core
Unit may aﬀect the readings of the temperature sensor if it becomes heated by extended use of signiﬁcant electrical power, for instance using the LED matrix.

②/③ A/B Buttons
The Core Unit detects when these buttons are pressed.

④ Power Light (Green)This light turns on when the power is on.

⑤ 5 x 5 Full Color LED Matrix
These LEDs light up in RGB colors to display various images.

⑥ Light Sensor
This sensor uses a photo transistor that converts light intoelectricity to measure the intensity of surrounding light.

⑦ Connection Light (Blue)
This light turns on when wireless communications(through Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) are occurring.

⑧ Artec Block Connecting CoverThis cover can be attached to the edge connector.
It has studs on it that can be used to connect to Artec Blocks.

⑨ Buzzer
Transforms electrical signals into sound.

⑫⑬⑭⑩ 9-Axis Sensor・3-Axis Accelerometer: Quantiﬁes the device's motion and tilt
by measuring acceleration.
・3-Axis Gyroscope: Measures angular velocity to quantify
rotational motions the accelerometer can't detect.
・3-Axis Compass: Quantiﬁes which way the device is facing bymeasuring the Earth's magnetic ﬁeld.

⑪ Edge Connector
A connector for external expansion devices.

⑫ USB Port (microB)
A port used to plug USB cables into the device to transfer
programs from a computer or supply power.

⑬ Reset Button
This button is used to restart the device.

⑭ Power Connector
A port used to plug a Battery Box into the device to supplypower.

⑪ Functions of Each Edge Connector Pin
Core Unit

Digital I/OAnalog

Communications
GND

GND

GND

Digital I/O
Digital I/O

I2C SDAI2C SCLP20
P19+3v3+3v3+3v3

Digital I/O
Digital I/O
Digital I/O
Digital I/O

P16

SPI MOSISPI MISOSPI SCK

Digital I/O

button A
Buzzer

P11P10UART TXDUART RXD

Size
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
SoC
Flash Memory
SRAM
PSRAM
Clock Speed
Operating Voltage

ProtocolParts
Power Supply

P8P1Digital I/O
Digital I/O

P7P6P5Digital I/O

P4Digital I/O Analog IN

P0Analog IN

P360 x 60 x 25 mm (in case)microB
802.11ｂ/ｇ/ｎ
Classic, BLE4.2 (dual mode)
ESP32
8MB520KB
8MB240MHｚ
3.3V
Equipped with Windows/Mac USB Serial Converter ICCommunication

P9Digital I/O Analog IN● Core Unit Speciﬁcations
USB Connector

P13

P12Digital I/O
Digital I/O
Digital I/O

ICM20948-INT

P14

P2Analog IN
LED Matrix data
button B

P15★ Device drivers support Windows 10 or later, and Mac OSX.

iPad/Android Tablets/Chromebook
BLE communications
5 x 5 full color LED matrix, buzzer, 2 x push buttons, light sensor,temperature sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis compass

USB, 3 x AA/R6 batteries (Use only alkaline batteries.)

2 Using the Battery Box
The Battery Box plugs into the power connector (marked BATT) on the Core Unit. To power a DC Motor or
Servomotor, power must be supplied via the power connector on the Robot Expansion Unit (see page 7).
● Uses three AA batteries.
● Batteries must be inserted withthe correct polarity.
● Remove the batteries if the device
will be out of use for an extended
period of time.

3 Starting the Core Unit
① Connect the power (standard start-up)(1) Plug the Battery Box or a USB cable into the Core Unit.
(2) The power will automatically switch ON and the green
power light will illuminate.

② Go to Program Select Mode

Reset Button(1) Hold down A and press the reset button. Pressing the reset
button will restart the device, so the power light will turn oﬀ
brieﬂy.
(2) If the power light turns back on 3 seconds after you release
the reset button, then release the A button.
(3) If the display shows a 0 in green LEDs, you have entered
Program Select Mode.

③ Program Selection/Start-Up(1) Pressing the A button when in Program Select Mode willchange the displayed number (0, 1, 2, etc.). The number can
go up to 9 before returning to 0.
(2) Pressing the B button when a number is displayed will run
the program that has been assigned to that number.
★ On ﬁrst start-up, the device will contain sample programsfor testing purposes.
Please test this functionality before you begin programming
the device yourself.
(See pages 4-5 for information on the sample programs.)★ Downloading a new program from the software to one ofthe program slots will overwrite the sample program in thatslot.

A Button④ Turn oﬀ the power
Disconnect the Battery Box and/or USB cable from the Core Unit.

The next time you conduct a standard start-up (as in ①) the program you selected in ③ will run.

4 Running the Sample Programs
This section describes the sample programs the device can run in its initial state on
ﬁrst start-up. The following programs are included:

NoProgram

0No program assigned.

EﬀectsAdjustable Light
All the display LEDs turn on.
Pressing the A button will
adjust the brightness of thelights, and pressing the B
button will change theircolor.

1Night Light
Covering the light sensor tocreate darkness will makethe LEDs light up.

2Thermometer
The current temperature willscroll across the display.

3

Rolling Light4

The accelerometer will makethe position of the light on
the display move as you tilt
the device.

No

ProgramEﬀectsTurntable♪

5Compass

6

Spin the device around toreverse or change the speedof the song it's playing.

The compass will make thedevice display an arrow
pointing north.
★ This requires the compass to becalibrated after device start-up. To
calibrate, rotate the Core Unit until
all the LEDs on the outer border ofthe display are illuminated.

Current Tester

7The buzzer will produce
diﬀerent sounds dependingon the electrical resistance
between points GND and 0-2
on the edge connector.
Grasp point 0, 1, or 2 alongwith GND to make ameasurement.

Light Game
Press the A and B buttons tomove a green light left andright and avoid the red lights
falling from above.

8Wi-Fi Connection Checker

9

The current MAC addresswill scroll across the display.
You can conﬁrm the Wi-Fi
connection is working withthe MAC address displayedon a tablet or other device's
Wi-Fi selection screen.

５ Using Artec Blocks● Artec Block's special shape means you'll have to keep the position of the studs in mind as you build.
Read along with the Instruction Manuals to see where the studs should be.

Studs● Remove Artec Blocks from one another by pulling them straight apart.
Forcing the blocks to bend may break them.
Pull apartin the directionof the arrowDamage● If you have trouble separating blocks with your hands, try using the Block Remover.
So you're having trouble taking apart your blocks...

And if you're still having trouble...

Use your① Pl a ce t h e u p p e r p a r t of t h e re m ove r(shown by A) into the gap between theblocks.

Block Remover!
① Use the claws to pinch the base ofthe block. You'll hear a pop as agap opens.
② Pull the block out.

1

② Slide the remover and pull.

1

2

Ａ

2Ａ6 The Robot Expansion Unit
Connecting the Core Unit to the expansion unit allows you to add motors and sensors needed
for your robot.
★ The Core Unit can beconnected facing theopposite direction aswell.

Core Unit

Robot Expansion Unit

① Power Switch(Right Side)(Front)Hold down this switch for roughly 2 seconds toswitch the Core Unit's power ON. Hold down forthe same length of time to switch the power OFF.

(Left Side)② Power Connector
A port used to plug a Battery Box into the device
to supply power.
⑥①

P16

I2C

P15

P2

Power supplies should be plugged into this port if
you are using a Servomotor or DC Motor with theRobot Expansion Unit.

③ Digital Output Terminals (P13/P14/P15/P16)
Output terminals where LEDs, Buzzers, andServomotors can be connected.

④ DC Motor Terminals (M1/M2)
Output terminals where DC Motors can be connected.

④(Bottom)⑤ Analog Input Terminals (P0/P1/P2)③Terminals where various analog sensors can beconnected.

⑤P14 P13 M1

M2 P0 P1

⑥ I2C Communication Terminal
A terminal where sensors that use I2C buses(Accelerometers) can be connected.

②●Using Connectors
All of the ports in this unit are polarized.
All connectors used in Artec Robo 2.0
have nonreversible plugs.
Make sure the plug is facing the right way
when you connect it.

● Note on Using Separately Packaged Artec Robo Parts
Artec
Roboplug

Original Artec Robo parts canArtecbe connected to the unit, but
Robo 2.0 the connecting cables forplug
sensors and Servomotors do
not have nonreversible plugs.

Make sure to connect them sothat the colors of the wires line
up with the matching □ marks
above the port, as shown tothe left.
★Artec Robo's 4-wire sensor
connecting cable (for Accelerometers)
is not compatible with this unit.

７ Parts Compatible with the Robot Expansion Unit
● LEDsLEDs come in four colors: white, blue, green, and red.
They can be distinguished from one another by thewriting on their circuit boards.
They can be connected to the Robot Expansion Unit's
3-wiredigital output terminals (P13/P14/P15/P16) with a
3-wire sensor connecting cable.

GreenWhiteBlueRed● Buzzers
Buzzers can transform electric signals into sound.
Buzzers are easy to confuse with IR Photoreﬂectors
based on their appearance, so pay attention to thewriting on the circuit board that labels the part. They
can be connected to the Robot Expansion Unit's digital
output terminals (P13/P14/P15/P16) with a 3-wiresensor connecting cable.
The device can control up to four Buzzers at one time,
including the internal buzzer in the Core Unit.

● Servomotors

Check the label
and you'll see
Buzzer written there90°

Direction of Rotation

Servomotors are motors that turn to precisely speciﬁedangles. They can be connected to the Robot Expansion
Unit's digital output terminals (P13/P14/P15/P16).

180°The default angle of a servomotor is 90°, and it can moveleft and right from 0-180°. The rotational direction ofyour Servomotor is printed in the location shown on theright.

Default Position
When using Servomotors,
take care not to confuse theblock directly attached to themotor and the block simply
connected by a screw.

0°

● DC Motors
The speed and duration of a DC Motor's rotation can bechanged by adjusting the amount of and length of time thatelectricity runs through it. Multiple internal gears transfer therotations of the motor to the axis. They can be connected to
the Robot Expansion Unit's DC Motor terminals (M1/M2).
DC Motors require power from an external power supply evenwhen your device is receiving power from a connected USB cable.

DC Motor Slip
To prevent damage to the internal gears, the motor is designed toemit clicks and begin turning freely ("slip") when excessive strain isplaced on the axis. Should this occur, you will need to inspect themotor and ﬁx any strain being placed on the gears. The wear andtear caused by continuously running a motor in this conditionreduces the amount of strain required for another slip to occur.

● Touch Sensors
A Touch Sensor is a physical sensor with a button on oneend. The Touch Sensor reads as ON when the button ispressed and OFF when it is not. They can be connected tothe Robot Expansion Unit's analog input terminals (P0/P1/P2)
with a 3-wire sensor connecting cable.

● Sound Sensors
Sound Sensors have a black sponge on the front end and use
a condenser microphone to pick up sound: the louder thesound, the higher the value from the sensor. They can beconnected to the Robot Expansion Unit's analog input
terminals (P0/P1/P2) with a 3-wire sensor connecting cable.

● Light Sensors
Light Sensors use an electronic device called a phototransistor
that converts light into electricity to measure the intensity ofsurrounding light. The brighter the light, the higher the value
from the sensor.
Light Sensors look similar to LEDs, but you can tell them apartby the color of the circuit board (black) and the label written
on them. They can be connected to the Robot Expansion
Unit's analog input terminals (P0/P1/P2) with a 3-wire sensor
connecting cable.

● Accelerometers
Accelerometers convert changes in slope and movement into
numerical values. It can be connected to the Robot Expansion
Unit's I2C communication terminal with a 4-wire sensor
connecting cable.

Phototransistor

● IR Photoreﬂectors
IR Photoreﬂectors can be easily confused for Buzzers. You cantell them apart using the text on their circuit boards. They can

Check the label
and you'll see
IR Photoreﬂector
written there

be connected to the Robot Expansion Unit's analog input
terminals (P0/P1/P2) with a 3-wire sensor
connecting cable.

A Bit About IR Photoreﬂectors
An IR Photoreﬂector emits invisible infrared light using an LED and detects the amount of light reﬂected
back, converting it to a numeric value: the closer an object is, the higher the value. However, the sensor
may not be able to detect objects that are too close. The color of an object can also aﬀect the reﬂection,
which in turn aﬀects the value.
★ Natural light contains detectable infrared light. Depending on your environment, this can aﬀect your sensor's values.

Infrared Receiver

Infrared LED● Sensor Connecting Cables (3-wire)
Used WithLEDs, Buzzers, IR Photoreﬂectors,
Touch Sensors, Light Sensors,
Sound Sensors● Sensor Connecting Cables (4-wire)
Used WithAccelerometers

8 Software Instructions
For instructions on how to use the software, go to the software download page at this URL:

https://www.artec-kk.co.jp/artecrobo2/082552

K0921