Getting Started with Smart Robot Car V4.0 Programs on Raspberry Pi

Welcome to the exciting world of robotics with the OSOYOO Robot Car V4.0 for Raspberry Pi! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the initial steps of setting up your robot car, from hardware installation to basic movement programming. This lesson is crucial for beginners and serves as the foundation for all future projects with your smart robot car. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll not only have a fully assembled robot car but also the fundamental knowledge to start exploring Smart Robot Car V4.0 Programs.

If you successfully complete the movement test in this lesson, you’ll confirm that all essential components—Raspberry Pi, motors, battery, Model X board, OSOYOO PWM HAT, and wiring—are correctly installed and functioning. This verification is vital before proceeding to more advanced lessons and complex smart robot car v4.0 programs. Let’s begin building and programming your intelligent vehicle!

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I. Objective | II. Parts and Devices | III. Hardware Installation | IV. Circuit Connection | V. Software Installation

I. Objective

The primary goal of this lesson is to guide you through the fundamental assembly and setup of your OSOYOO Robot Car V4.0 for Raspberry Pi. We will cover the physical construction of the car chassis, the installation of essential electronic components, and the initial software setup required to control basic movements. This foundational knowledge is essential for understanding how to implement more complex smart robot car v4.0 programs in subsequent lessons. Successfully completing this lesson will ensure you have a solid platform to begin your journey into robotics programming and customization.

II. Parts and Devices

Before we start building and exploring smart robot car v4.0 programs, let’s ensure you have all the necessary components. The OSOYOO Robot Car V4.0 kit includes a variety of parts designed for easy assembly and experimentation. Below is a detailed list of the parts you should have received in your kit. Familiarize yourself with each item, as they will be referenced throughout the hardware installation process.

No.	Picture	Device	Qty.	Accessories	Link
1	Raspberry pi board 2/3/4 (not in package)	1	M2.5 Plastic Screw x4, M2.5 Plastic Nut x2, M2.5 Plastic Pillar x4, M2.5*12 plastic pillars x2	Buy Raspberry Pi
2		Pie car chassis	1	M3*45 pillars x 4, M3 *10 hex screws x8, M3 washer x 8	Buy Chassis
3	Gear motor	2	Metal Motor Holders with screws x2	Buy Motor
4		Wheel	2	screws for wheels x2	Buy Wheel
5	Universal Wheel	1	M3 *10 hex screws x2, M3 nuts x2	Buy Universal Wheel
6		OSOYOO PWM HAT v1.0	1	M2.5*12 plastic pillars x2	Buy PWM HAT
7	OSOYOO model X motor driver module	1	M2.5 Plastic Screw x 4, M2.5 Plastic Nut x4, M2.5 Plastic Pillar x4	Buy Motor Driver
8		Voltage meter	1	M2.5 Plastic Screw x 2, M2.5 Plastic Nut x2, M2.5 Plastic Pillar x 2	Buy Voltage Meter
9	18650 battery case	1	M3*10 screw x4, M3 nuts x4	Buy Battery Case
10		18650 battery charger	1		Buy Battery Charger
11	2000mAh 18650 rechargeable battery	1		Buy Battery
12		Metal Motor Holders with screws	2		Buy Motor Holders
13	3pin female to 3pin female jumper wire	1		Buy Jumper Wires
14		OSOYOO 2pin PnP cable 20cm	1		Buy PnP Cable
15	6Pin female to female jumper wire	1		Buy 6Pin Jumper Wires
16		Philips screwdriver	1		Buy Screwdriver
17	Hex Screwdriver	1		Buy Hex Screwdriver

III. Hardware Installation

Let’s get hands-on and assemble the hardware for your smart robot car. Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to build the physical structure of the OSOYOO Robot Car V4.0. Proper assembly is crucial for the reliable operation of your robot and for successfully running smart robot car v4.0 programs later on.

1. Chassis Preparation: Begin by removing the protective film from both the upper and lower car chassis pieces. Each chassis component has a protective layer that needs to be peeled off before assembly.

2. Motor Installation with Holders: Secure the two gear motors into the metal motor holders using the provided screws.

3. Mounting Motors to Lower Chassis: Attach the motor and holder assemblies to the lower car chassis using M3*10 screws. If the screws seem loose, you can add M3 washers between the screws and the chassis for a more secure fit.

4. Motor Driver Module Installation: Install the OSOYOO MODEL X motor driver module onto the lower car chassis. Use 4pcs M2.5 plastic screws, plastic pillars, and plastic nuts. Important: Ensure you orient the OSOYOO MODEL X motor driver module correctly as shown in the image below.

5. Voltage Meter Installation: Mount the voltage meter to the lower car chassis using 2pcs M2.5 plastic screws, plastic pillars, and plastic nuts.

6. Universal Wheel Installation: Attach the universal wheel to the underside of the lower car chassis using 2pcs M3x10 hex screws and M3 nuts. This wheel provides stability and smooth movement for your robot car.

7. Wheel Attachment: Install the two yellow wheels onto the motor shafts. If the wheels are too tight, you can loosen the screws on the wheels slightly.

8. Copper Pillar Installation: Install 4pcs copper pillars on the lower car chassis using 4pcs M3x10 hex screws. Again, you can use M3 washers if needed for a tighter fit.

9. Battery Box Installation: Mount the 18650 battery box onto the upper car chassis using 4pcs M3x10 screws and M3 nuts.

10. Plastic Pillar Fixation on Upper Chassis: Secure 2pcs M2.5 plastic pillars on the upper chassis as shown.

11. Raspberry Pi Pillar Assembly: Use M2.5 plastic pillars to cross through the Raspberry Pi board and M2.5*12 plastic pillars from bottom to top as illustrated.

12. Raspberry Pi Mounting: Install 2pcs M2.5 plastic screws under the chassis and 2pcs M2.5 plastic screws on top of the Raspberry Pi to secure it in place.

13. PWM HAT Insertion: Insert the OSOYOO PWM Hat onto the Raspberry Pi. Ensure it is firmly and correctly seated on the GPIO pins.

IV. Circuit Connection

With the hardware assembled, the next crucial step is to connect the electronic components. Proper wiring is essential for the robot car to function correctly and for you to effectively control it with smart robot car v4.0 programs. Follow these steps to establish the necessary circuit connections.

Step 1: Motor Connection: Connect the left motor to the K1 or K2 socket of the OSOYOO Model X motor driver module, and the right motor to the K3 or K4 socket as shown in the diagram below.

Step 2: Voltage Meter Connection: Connect the Voltage Meter to the OSOYOO MODEL X motor driver module using the 3pin female to female jumper wires, following the connection diagram below.

Step 3: Motor Driver to PWM HAT Connection: Connect the OSOYOO MODEL X motor driver module to the OSOYOO PWM Hat V1.0 using the 6Pin female to female jumper wire and the 2pin 20cm cable as shown.

Step 4: Battery Box to PWM HAT Connection: Connect the 18650 battery box to the OSOYOO PWM Hat V1.0 as per the connection diagram below. This will provide power to your robot car.

Step 5: Chassis Completion: Attach the upper chassis to the lower chassis using 4pcs M3*10 hex screws and 4pcs M3 washers, completing the physical assembly of the robot car.

Step 6: Battery Installation: Install your 18650 batteries into the battery box. Important: Double-check the polarity as indicated in the box instructions. Incorrect polarity can severely damage your device and pose a fire hazard.

With the hardware and circuit connections complete, your robot car assembly is nearly finished!

V. Software Installation

Now that your OSOYOO Robot Car V4.0 is assembled, it’s time to set up the software environment. This involves installing the Raspberry Pi OS and necessary libraries to enable you to start writing and running smart robot car v4.0 programs.

Software	Icon	Download Link
Raspberry Pi Imager		Raspberry Pi Imager Download
Raspberry Pi OS		Raspberry Pi OS Downloads
SSH Tool: PuTTY (for Windows)		PuTTY Download

Operating System: This tutorial is compatible with Raspberry Pi Legacy OS with desktop (October 22nd 2024 release) and BOOKWORM with desktop (November 19th 2024 release). For any issues with newer Bookworm versions, please contact us for assistance.

Steps to Install Raspberry Pi OS:

Step 1: Flash Raspberry Pi OS to SD Card: Burn the Raspberry Pi OS onto a minimum 16GB SD card. Skip this step if your SD card already has Raspberry Pi OS installed.

Note: Configure settings to enable SSH, set your username and password, and connect to WIFI during the OS writing process.

Step 2: Find Your Raspberry Pi’s IP Address:

1. Connect your Raspberry Pi to an HDMI monitor/TV and attach a keyboard and mouse to the USB ports. Insert the SD card (from Step 1) into your Raspberry Pi. (If your Raspberry Pi is already mounted on the robot car, the image below is for reference).

2. Hover over the LAN icon to check for a network connection and IP address.

3. If needed, configure WIFI localization settings.

4. Determine the IP Address:

   Method A: If connected to a monitor, click the LAN or WIFI icon to view the IP address.

   Method B: Open the Terminal application and type hostname -I to display the IP address.

Step 3: Remote Control via SSH:

Note: For detailed instructions on using SSH to remotely control your Raspberry Pi, visit: https://osoyoo.com/2017/06/20/raspberry-pi-3-basic-tutorial/#7. This tutorial uses a Windows PC and PuTTY as the SSH client.

1. Install the Raspberry Pi with the prepared SD card (from Step 2) onto the robot car. Power off the Raspberry Pi before installation. Then, power on the robot car.

2. Download and install PuTTY on your Windows PC from: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.

3. Open PuTTY and navigate to Session in the left-hand menu.

4. Enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi in the “Host Name (or IP address)” field and ensure the “Port” is set to 22. Click “Open”.

5. If this is your first time connecting, a security alert will appear. Click “Yes”. When prompted with “login as:”, type pi, and for the password, type raspberry (default password, if unchanged). Note: Password characters will not be displayed during typing. Press Enter after typing the password. Successful login will display a terminal window as shown below.

For SSH access from other operating systems, refer to: https://osoyoo.com/2017/06/20/raspberry-pi-3-basic-tutorial/#7.

Step 4: Enable I2C:

If I2C is not already enabled, run sudo raspi-config in the terminal.

Select “Interfacing Options” -> “I2C” -> “Yes” -> “Ok” -> “Finish”. I2C is essential for communication with the PWM HAT and for running many smart robot car v4.0 programs.

Step 5: Install GPIO Library:

Run these commands in the terminal to install the RPi.GPIO library:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install rpi.gpio

Step 6: Install PCA9685 and ServoKit Libraries:

Install the necessary libraries for controlling the PWM HAT and servos. Choose the correct commands based on your Raspberry Pi OS version.

For Legacy Raspberry Pi OS:

sudo pip install adafruit-circuitpython-pca9685
sudo pip install adafruit-circuitpython-servokit

For Bookworm Raspberry Pi OS (tested with November 19th 2024 release; contact support for issues with other versions):

sudo pip install --break-system-packages adafruit-circuitpython-pca9685
sudo pip install --break-system-packages adafruit-circuitpython-servokit

Step 7: Download Sample Code:

Run the following command to download the basic movement sample code. This code is designed to test the fundamental functionalities of your robot car and is a starting point for developing more sophisticated smart robot car v4.0 programs.

wget https://osoyoo.com/driver/picar/picar-basic.py

Step 8: Run Basic Movement Program:

Place your robot car on the ground and execute the basic movement Python program. Select the correct command based on your Python version.

For Python 2 on Raspberry Pi 3/3B+:

python picar-basic.py

For Python 3 on Raspberry Pi 5/4/3A+:

python3 picar-basic.py

After running the command, your robot car should move forward for 1 second, backward for 1 second, turn left for 1 second, turn right for 1 second, and then stop. If the car does not move as expected, double-check all your connections.

The sample Python code is fully commented and available at http://osoyoo.com/driver/picar/picar-basic.py. If you have basic Python knowledge, you can easily customize this code to create your own smart robot car v4.0 programs and applications.

Download URL: osoyoo.com