User's Manual

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

Analog input 0 - 5V analog input to iRobot Create

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