10
iRobot Create Owner’s Guide
Cargo Bay Connector
The cargo bay connector, located in the front middle of the cargo bay contains
25 labeled pins that you can use to attach electronics and other peripheral
devices such as additional sensors, lights, or motors to iRobot Create. The
cargo bay connector provides four digital inputs, an analog input, three digital
outputs, three low-side driver outputs (useful for driving motors), a charging
indicator, a power toggle, serial Tx and Rx, a 5V reference, battery ground
and battery voltage.
Cargo Bay Connector Pin descriptions
Pin
name
description
1
RXD
0 – 5V Serial input to iRobot Create
2
TXD
0 – 5V Serial output from iRobot Create
3
Power control toggle
Turns iRobot Create on or off on a low-to-high transition
4
Analog input
0 - 5V analog input to iRobot Create
5
Digital input 1
0 - 5V digital input to iRobot Create
6
Digital input 3
0 - 5V digital input to iRobot Create
7
Digital output 1
0 - 5V, 20 mA digital output from iRobot Create
8
Switched 5V
Provides a regulated 5V 100 mA supply and analog
reference voltage when iRobot Create is switched on
9
Vpwr
iRobot Create battery voltage (unregulated), 0.5A
10
Switched Vpwr
Provides battery power @ 1.5 A when iRobot Create is
powered on.
11
Switched Vpwr
Provides battery power @ 1.5 A when iRobot Create is
powered on.
12
Switched Vpwr
Provides battery power @ 1.5 A when iRobot Create is
powered on.
13
Robot charging
When iRobot Create is charging, this pin is high (5V)
14
GND
iRobot Create battery ground
15
BRC
0-5V digital input to iRobot Create which can also be used
to change the baud rate to 19200 (see below)
16
GND
iRobot Create battery ground
17
Digital input 0
0 - 5V digital input to iRobot Create
18
Digital input 2
0 - 5V digital input to iRobot Create
19
Digital output 0
0 - 5V, 20 mA digital output from iRobot Create
20
Digital output 2
0 - 5V, 20 mA digital output from iRobot Create
21
GND
iRobot Create battery ground
22
Low side driver 0
0.5A low side driver from Create
23
Low side driver 1
0.5A low side driver from Create
24
Low side driver 2
1.5A low side driver from Create
25
GND
iRobot Create battery ground
