Pioneer 2TM User Manual

ActivMedia Robotics 

ActivMedia robots, including Pioneer 3, Performance PeopleBot, and PowerBot, use a 

multifunctional Hitachi H8S-based microcontroller and new ActivMedia Robotics 
Operating System (AROS) software.

2

  The newest Pioneer 3 and 2 Plus platforms also sport 

an advanced motor-power board for high-power motor drives and systems power. 

Although differing in some power and interfacing features, processing power, support for 
various sensors, and I/O, all ActivMedia Robotics’ server-operating system software—

PSOS, P2OS, AmigOS, and now AROS—are upwardly compatible and virtually 

interchangeable.  Accordingly, client software written to operate a six-year old Pioneer 
AT  will  work  with  a  brand  new  Pioneer  3.    We’ve  taken  great  care  to  have  all  client 

commands for control of that original Pioneer 1 work identically in our latest robots.  

Client-server communications protocols over a serial communication link remain 
identical, too.  See Chapter 6, ActivMedia Robotics Operating System, for details. 

Your H8S-based ActivMedia robot also has a variety of expansion power and I/O ports for 

attachment and close integration of a client PC, sensors, and a variety of accessories—
all accessible through a common application interface to the robot server software, 

AROS.   Features include: 

 

18 MHz Hitachi H8S/2357 with 32K RAM and 128K FLASH 

 

Optional 512K FLASH or SRAM expansion 

 

3 RS-232 serial ports (4 connectors) configurable from 9.6 to 115.2 kbaud 

 

4 Sonar arrays of 8 sonar each 

 

2 8-bit bumpers/digital input connectors 

 

1 P2 Gripper/User I/O connector with 8-bits digital I/O and 1 analog input 

 

1 Expansion/bus connector containing 

 

5 Analog input 

 

2 Analog output 

 

8-bit I/O bus with r/w and 4 chip-selects 

 

2-axes, 2-button joystick port 

 

User Control Panel  

 

Controller HOST serial connector 

 

Main power and bi-color LED battery level indicators 

 

AUX and RADIO power switches with related LED indicators 

 

RESET and MOTORS pushbutton controls 

 

Piezo buzzer 

 

Motor/Power Board (drive system) interface with PWM and motor-direction control 
lines and 8-bits of digital input 

With the onboard PC option, your ActivMedia robot becomes an autonomous agent.  

With Ethernet-ready onboard autonomy, your robot even becomes an agent for multi-
intelligence work. 

The new Pioneer 3 and previous Pioneer 2-Plus  robots  come  with  an  advanced  motor-

power  board.    It  can  be  configured  as  a plug-and-play replacement for some older 
Pioneer 2s, as well. 

Besides expanded user-power connectors and connections for ease and versatility of 

use, the new board supplies three to four times the motor power than the original Pioneer 
2 board.   Accordingly, the Pioneer 3 and 2-Plus platforms operate more robustly over 

rougher terrain (fewer stalls!) and carry significantly more payload when compared with 

their predecessors.  And because of the power improvements, the Pioneer 3-AT and 2-
                                                           

2

 AmigoBot has an H8S-based controller, too, but uses the AmigoBot Operating System tailored for its 

electronics. 

 

5