Pioneer 3TM User Manual

AT8 Plus now come with a lower motor-gearhead reduction for faster speeds, even with 

much-improved turning power.  

All  ActivMedia robots operate as the server in a client-server environment:  Their 

controllers handle the low-level details of mobile robotics, including maintaining the 

platform’s drive speed and heading over uneven terrain, acquiring sensor readings, such 
as the sonar, and managing attached accessories like the Gripper.  To complete the 

client-server architecture, ActivMedia robots require a client connection: software 

running on a computer connected with the robot’s controller via the HOST serial link and 
which provides the high-level, intelligent robot controls, including obstacle avoidance, 

path planning, features recognition, localization, gradient navigation, and so on. 

An important benefit of ActivMedia Robotics’ client-server architecture is that different 
robot servers can be run using the same high-level client.  For example, we provide a 

robot  simulator  that  runs  on  the  host  machine  that  can  look  and  act  just  like  your  real 

robot.   With the Simulator, you may conveniently perfect your application software and 
then run it without modification on any ActivMedia robot.   Several clients also may share 

responsibility for controlling a single mobile server, which permits experimentation in 

distributed communication, planning, and control. 

Currently available client software and development environments for the Microsoft 

Windows or Red Hat©   Linux-based computing platform of your choice include:

 

ActivMedia Robotics Interface for Applications (ARIA) 

 

SRIsim ActivMedia robot simulator 

 

SRI’s Saphira client-development suite with Colbert 

Versions and updates for supported computing platforms are available to password-
registered customers for download from our software website: 

http://robots.activmedia.com 

The  ActivMedia Robotics Interface for 

Applications (ARIA) is a C++-based 
open-source development environ-

ment that provides a robust client-side 

interface to a variety of intelligent 
robotics systems, including your 

ActivMedia robot’s controller and 

accessory systems.  

ARIA is the ideal platform for integration 

of your own robot-control software, 

since it neatly handles the lowest-level 
details of client-server interactions, 

including serial communications, 

command and server-information 
packet processing, cycle timing, and 

multithreading, as well as a variety of 

accessory controls, such as for the PTZ 
robotic camera, the P2-Gripper, 

scanning laser-range finder, motion gyros, among many others. 

 

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 Some software may come bundled with your robot.  Other packages require purchase for licensing.   Some 

software is also available for alternative operating systems, such as Macintosh, SunOS, Solaris, and BSD Unix.